One of my favorite lesbian venues in Mexico City, Cabaretito VIP, has reopened after a long closure, bring back their lesbian night on Thursdays for us machas. Cabaretito VIP holds a special place in my heart; it was the location of the first dyke party I went to in Mexico City and was the home of Second Annual Festival Lesbico in November of 2006, my first broad exposure to the growing DF lesbian culture.
Caberetito VIP was closed for over a year, one of the many clubs in Tito Vasconcelos’ “Cabaretito” chain to end up with a CLAUSURADO sticker posted across the door. Walking down Londres, in the heart of the Zona Rosa, it was sad to walk by the gated patio in front of the club, the hedges the ran from the street to the club dry and dead from neglect. In the walk-way, which two years before was filled with festival-goers and tables from local GLBT organizations, was dark and littered with garbage thrown in from the street. With such contrasting memories of the place, I’m pleased to report that VIP has reopened. My sources tell me there have been parties there since mid-March.
The crowd at “Jueves Lesbico” at VIP is one of the few placed in Mexico City where I’ve seen a more visible butch/femme culture, although it certainly doesn’t dominate the space, which hosts a mix of women of all gender expressions. There are passing-butches, their go-go dancing high femme girlfriends, and plenty of young women with jeans, ponytails, and baseball caps. The crowd is generally younger and more middle/working-class than the ladies at Lipstick, with a little less snobbery and a few more bar fights too. Watch out if you dance with someone’s girlfriend by accident; these machas don’t fuck around!
Cover is free and the space reflects a low-cost decor. The music is a mix of faggy house music, remixed English and Spanish pop hits, and occasional grupero songs sprinkled in. Beers are cheap, but other drinks are small and disproportionately expensive. Expect a crowded dance floor on a good night, lots of young tipsy women, and no toilet paper in the bathroom. I recommend Caberetito VIP as a low-pressure place to go people watching or dancing with a group of friends.
Tonight, promoter Martha Cuevas has brought in aerial dancer Draco Art and is billing the event as a circus themed night. I saw this female aerial dancer perform at the Festival Lesbico and recommend checking her out as she flips and spins suspended above a crowd of spellbound machas.
Cabaretito VIP; Londres 104, Zona Rosa, Insurgentes Metro and Metrobus station. No cover.
Thanks for all of your information about the DF scene. I am happy to hear that VIP is open again in time for my trip to DF in a few weeks. I am a gay male–but as you know many of the venues are for men some nights. Last time I was in DF it was just after the round of bar closings. Are most of the places re-opened now? Was the overall feeling that most of the places that were closed were violating the law or were they part of an anti-gay crackdown?
I’m not sure which bars were open or closed when you were last there, so I won’t be able to give you specifics, but things still seem to get closed down more than we would like. In terms of WHY things are getting closed down, the official story is that these places were violating the law, but I assume that MOST places are violating the law (whether in big or little ways) and that those allowed to stay open are those that are able to bribe inspectors. (And who has the money to bribe inspectors? Clubs that cater to rich people and foreigners, gay or straight.) Could it be that gay clubs have to pay even higher bribes? I’m betting yes. The whole situation reminds me of NYC under Mayor Giuliani. I was 17 and could get into any straight club I wanted with my shitty fake ID, except the gay clubs, which were always in danger of getting shut down and wouldn’t let me in.
Anahi wrote a good post about the gentrification of the Zona Rosa that might also shed some light on the subject.
Enjoy your trip, and let us know what you discover!
anyone going to cabaretito for ladies night tomorrow may 6, 2010? i’m new in mexico city!