Description
A little slice of gay history in the middle of Silver Lake's Sunset Junction, Le Barcito blends the freewheeling spirit of Tijuana with the style of Amanda Lepore, its twice-weekly drag shows packing the house with a crowd of hot 'n' sweaty Latino cowboys and the vatos who love them. The venue plays an important part in LA queer history: Just after midnight on New Year's Day in 1967, when it was still known as the Black Cat, LAPD undercover officers raided the club and arrested six men for "lewd conduct," meaning they had exchanged New Year's kisses. Several patrons and employees were beaten to the floor, and 16 people were arrested simply for being there. Four days later, the gay community protested in the streets, marking the start of the L.A. gay rights movement. The venue has since gone through a number of name changes -- Tabasco's, Basgo's, Bushwacker and FUCK! -- and in 2008 it was assigned historic status. It is best known for its drag show, "El Show de Maritza y suss Divas," which takes place Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 11 p.m., and on Sunday at both 7 and 11 p.m. There, some of the most dazzling drag queens this side of East L.A. take to the stage in glitter frocks and lip-sync to your favorite Thalia, Shakira and Paulina Rubio Spanish-language pop hits. If that isn't entertainment enough for you, you can zone out on the Mexican telenovelas that play on a screen next to the dance floor.
