This unashamedly punky, vital East Village gay bar relocated last summer, and the new address is a vast improvement. It also has an eclectic and dynamic roster of DJs and themed nights, including the long-running Double Headed Disco (last Saturday of the month), the ritualistic Witch Camp, and a night for ginger enthusiasts, Fire in the Hole. This is also where the alternative Joe’s Pub cabaret and comedy set come for postshow drinks, so bring your friend from Seattle or Berlin here first if they want to see the performance scene flirt and mingle without pretension. The video screen blinks weird porn and video art, Bushwick genderqueers flirt with Chelsea gallerists, and the long, deep space has plenty of alcoves and seating if you’re seeking a bit of quiet. This is where artsy gay men, women, and anyone who doesn’t care for labels converge (depending on the night - it’s still a man-based bar) to listen to DJs who play music that doesn’t sound like Rihanna choking on a Red Bull. Part of the East Village gay-bar renaissance of the ’90s and ’00s, Nowhere has long been regarded as the less populated, forgotten sister to other joints like Eastern Bloc or the Cock - but the venerable basement bar has evolved to become the central watering hole of NYC’s queer art, music, and performance scene.
