As the legendary Junior Vasquez himself posted, get ready to “Ruffle Your Feathers; BIRDCAGE is back”! Nightlife doyenne Christina Visca has crafted a once in a lifetime evening of entertainment at LeBain at The Standard High Line this Sunday, September 19th, kicking off at 9pm (it’s highly recommended to arrive early)! The event celebrates the global premiere of MyRoc Productions Love Is In The Legend, a three part documentary that dives into the first House of Field ball in 1988 (under the tutelage of fashion grande dame Patricia Field). The events merged legends of high fashion with the downtown artistry of voguing and the gritty club culture, along with the Harlem ball houses, conspiring to make once in a lifetime ballroom moments, the effects of which are still reflected on today’s dance floors.
For the “children” showcased in the documentary, spaces like the Paradise Garage and the Harlem balls served as the backdrop of their world, and the music emanating from these spaces is as much a character as the people themselves. For this spectacular evening, New York City’s own Steve Travolta is kicking off the evening at 9pm, while the legendary Junior Vasquez returns to the DJ booth. Travolta, a Sound Factory legend, notoriously threw exclusive loft parties upstairs where he resided, prior the the main event downstairs. Vasquez is a co-founder, owner, and creator of the original Sound Factory, where voguing itself gained massive exposure, followed by the legendary “runway battles” like only Vasquez himself could preside over.
BIRDCAGE maven & former Sound Factory co-owner Christina Visca exclusively chatted with me about the return of BIRDCAGE and marking it with this monumental event. “Everyone has anxiously been waiting for BIRDCAGE to return .. me included! Then, when Myra Lewis, the director of the upcoming documentary ‘Love Is in The Legend’ approached me to do the after party for her screening, I immediately said yes! It’s about the first House of Field Ball in 1988 which changed the game, meshing the Harlem ball scene with downtown club culture, 7th Avenue fashion, celebrities and voguing. I secured the date & it was time to book the DJ’s. One person came to mind: Junior Vasquez. It was a no brainer. He and I co-founded and co-owned the legendary original Sound Factory on West 27th street where voguing found its mainstream exposure Who better to DJ this event?
Junior and I have reunited post Sound Factory years for a handful of events but this one feels special. I’ve received overwhelming response and it feels amazing to be creating magic together again! I’m so happy Steve Travolta is a part of this special night too! Steve has been one of my resident DJ’s for BIRDCAGE since it’s inception along with so many other parties I’ve done over the years. He’s from that era, but seamlessly combines the old with the new. And oh yeah… he lived in a loft above Sound Factory during its heydays; Another no brainer! The stars are aligned; It’s going to be a “10s across the board“ evening!”
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For more information on Love Is In The Legend check out their website