Bad Boy Club at Mr. Black
643 Broadway, at Bleecker St.; 212-253-2560
Inside an appropriately dark basement, legendary house D.J. Man Parrish has taken the outlandish raunch of his infamous Hustlerball and tailored it down for a school night. Rough-and-ready go-go boys entice amidst the space’s nooks and crannies while strobing lasers and a smoke machine distract you from what you might have a hard time believing you just saw.
• Sundays at 11 p.m.
• $10
Bank at Element
225 E. Houston St., at Essex St.; 212-254-2200
Bank doesn’t feel like a checklist commitment a la Roxy. On the contrary, this tri-level boy bash combines high energy with low-key attitude. Credit D.J. Larry Tee, who flits happily from Madonna to Goldfrapp and back again. In the downstairs vault, a more experimental vibe is cultivated by cohosts Amanda LePore and Sophia Lamar.
• Saturdays at 10 p.m.
• $15-$20
Habibi at Speed
20 W. 39th St., between Fifth and Sixth Aves.; 212-719-4479
Looking to find your Arabian prince? You’ll have plenty to choose from at Habibi, an Arabic dance party filled with belly dancing and dark, handsome men. The party’s outgrown its former digs at Downtime and has increased its regularity—from quarterly to monthly—along with its size. (Although, given Speed’s recent police raid, the party may need to find a new location.) The dancing is intense, gets going early, and doesn’t let up until at least 3 a.m.
• Saturday, April 29, at 10 p.m.
• $15
Rodeo at Gym
167 Eighth Ave., between 18th and 19th Sts.; 212-337-2439
Brokeback Mountain may have crashed at the Oscars, but the gay rodeo is alive and kicking at Gym, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary as the self-proclaimed “first and only gay sports bar in New York City.” Country music blares from the speakers while manly Chelsea men watch real cowboys mounting real bulls on the enormous video screens.
• Mondays at 9 p.m.
• Free
Spirit Sundays at Spirit
530 W. 27th St., between Tenth and Eleventh Aves.; 212-268-9477
Ever since nightlife powerhouses Gay College Party and John Blair joined forces, it’s Spring Break every Sunday for the bois on club row. A mix of Chelsea scenesters and fit undergrads get their tight-fitting Abercrombie T-shirts soaking wet from dancing to pop and house remixes. Regular performances by Jonny McGovern (a.k.a the “Gay Pimp”) give the party the edge it deserves. (No word yet on the future of Spirit Sundays given the club’s recent police raid.)
• Sundays at 10 p.m.
• Free with college I.D. from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.; $10 after 11 p.m.
And this spring, also keep an eye peeled for…
The grand reopening of Misstress Formika’s Boysroom in the East Village the first week of May…superstar D.J. (and Madonna B.F.F.) Junior Vasquez spins—with the old Twilo sound system, thank you very much—at a new Tribeca space…the leathery Spit party brings back a Porky vibe every other Wednesday at Alphabet Lounge…and dirty Daniel Nardicio transforms Wednesdays at Splash into a party just in time for the launch of his new cruising Website. (Hey, you can hook up before you even get to the club.)