In 1976, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band released the single “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out. ” It only reached number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but it went on to become a rock classic and a fan favorite when played live.
In 2009, 33 years later, the Philadelphia leather community gathered around an old Ford F-150 pickup truck decorated by members of Philadelphians MC with club colors, camo netting, leather and bear flags, and stepped off in the Philly Gay Pride parade to the sound of Springsteen crooning the title song from that classic 1976 album, “Born To Run.”
The group of just over two-dozen folks from the Philadelphia and New Jersey region marched proudly while rocking to songs old and new blasting out of the cab. Everybody was having a great time until they reached Eighth and Market streets, where the Ford’s transmission suddenly decided to blow its load of tranny fluid all over the pavement.
Five guys maneuvered the truck into the parking lot and dealt with the engine trouble, while the rest of the group carried on toward the reviewing stand and the festival. It may not have been the most glamorous way for the leather community to make its mark on this year’s parade but, last I checked, that stain was still in the middle of Market Street, so it’s better than nothing!
Even with the engine trouble, I think it was the best Philly Pride Parade in years. We laughed harder and danced and hugged and kissed more than in previous years. It just felt like a bigger celebration somehow. Maybe it was the crappy economy, maybe it was the perfect weather, maybe it was Bruce Springsteen singing about tramps like us.
Whatever the reason, it was a truly spectacular day!
Foreplay in Asbury Park
On June 6, a small group from Philadelphia traveled up I-295 to hang out at the Foreplay block party, held the day before New Jersey Pride in Asbury Park. I’ve been hearing for years that Asbury Park is on the verge of coming back — and what a difference a couple of years makes!
Asbury Park is definitely coming back to life, and both the gay and leather communities seem to be driving a lot of the rebirth. Foreplay wasn’t an overwhelmingly large event, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t great fun. It was just the right size, and jam-packed with vendors, entertainers and hot men and women from all over Jersey and New York City. It’s only about a 75-minute drive from Philly, so it’s definitely worth checking out. Asbury is back, baby!
Anniversary boys
The Keystone boys of Leather recently celebrated their first anniversary in a somewhat uncharacteristic way — quietly! I love me some boys who make noise, and this group made a lot of that in its spectacular first year, with barbeques and car washes and, what I hope will become a signature annual event, Bootlust at The Bike Stop. Congratulations on a great year, boys!
A few miles south, another group of boys is celebrating its 10th anniversary over the Fourth of July weekend. The DC boys of Leather will mark the occasion with three days of food, fun, debauchery and service, not to mention cocktail parties, bar crawls, a Daddy/boy auction, a puppy show, a leather invasion of museums and monuments and an AMCC meeting that will draw leathermen from member clubs all over the East Coast. There’s still time to register at www.dcboysofleather.org.
IML 31
Over Memorial Day weekend, Jeffrey Payne, Mr. Texas Leather 2009, won the title of International Mr. Leather XXXI in Chicago. First runner-up was Brendan McGovern, Mr. Leather Ottawa 2009, and second runner-up was Alan Penrod, Mr. Atlanta Eagle 2009. The winner of International Mr. Bootblack 2009 was McG of the Black Eagle Toronto (no, not the director of “Charlie’s Angels” and “Terminator Salvation,” but how freakin’ cool would that have been!). Congratulations to Canada on its strong showing!
Upcoming events
— WOOF! Philly: Every Sunday at 5 p.m., 200 S. 12th St.; www.woofphilly.com or www.myspace.com/woofphilly for info on DJs and dancers.
— Laid Saturdays: Every Saturday at 8 p.m., 200 S. 12th St. Wear your gear! www.laidsaturdays.com
— Liberty Gay Rodeo Association: Bar night, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., June 27 at The Bike Stop
Questions? Comments? Summer camping tips? Contact Jim at [email protected].