Text and photos by Stacie Joy
Despite the threat of rain, Mother Nature decided to play nice on New Year’s Eve, where one of the neighborhood's more festive events took place at Club Cumming, 505 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.
Tonight’s sold-out outdoor cabaret New Year’s Eve Blowout features, among others, Emma Craig as Dolly Parton, Michael T as David Bowie, boylesque artist Richard JMV, the house band COVID Destroyers, kilted singer Anthony Cherry, and headliner Miss Dirty Martini, plus host Kareem McJagger.
I’m there for the 5:30 curbside seating (there’s also one at 8). I arrive to find co-owner Daniel Nardicio holding his puppy Beau...
Attendees are being seated as drinks and food are served, and I head “backstage” to photograph the performers and talk with Daniel about the event, what outdoor event production and livestreaming entails during the pandemic, and about future plans for Club Cumming.
What prompted the decision to create a live, socially distant outdoor entertainment event for New Year’s Eve?
Well, the decision was simple: Club Cumming is a live venue, known for its performers, and something virtual wouldn’t do. HOW to make that happen was the question.
Have you seen any reluctance on behalf of people to sit outside during the winter? What has reaction been like to outdoor events at Club Cumming?
No, we had people clamoring to come — if we didn’t have to socially distance, it would have been more packed! Adventurous people were there to have a good time, and a good time was had by — I hope — all!
Do plan on you sticking with the outdoor space throughout the winter with more events like Doris Day Drinking and Yappy Hour? How has business been with only limited outdoor seating?
Yappy Hour is a Yappening! I love it so much. Doris Day Drinking is new and I’m sure if its Sammy Jo, it’ll be sparsely attended and mildly annoying…just kidding, it’ll be great! Sammy Jo and Darren (my partner) make a great team and are the Sam and Diane of our Cheers, if Sam and Diane were both bottoms.
You livestreamed this New Year’s Eve event to the general public. How is livestreaming going? Any evidence of livestream fatigue on the behalf of viewers?
It depends, we created a production company and focus more on shooting little films, and creating more of a piece of work, than livestreaming itself. I leave that to the kids. BUT that said, next Friday (January the 8th) RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Nicky Doll is going to be holding virtual drag race viewing parties weekly from Club Cumming and I’m thrilled about that!
Do you think streaming programming might be part of the calendar once rooms reopen to live audiences?
Absolutely! A way to get our performers out to the world, and bring in additional revenue for them —count us in!
This was a tough year for New Yorkers. Any positives to come out of an awful 2020 for Club Cumming? What’s next for the bar?
Trump is out in 20 days, NYC rents are plummeting, I say, “kids, get your asses back and snatch up these cheap apartments, and start a mom-and-pop shop as this is a once in a lifetime chance to ask not what NYC can do for you, but what you can do for NYC. Be a part of the new New York. This city is magic!”
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