Be Bar’s Reinvention
Have you heard? Be Bar is in the midst of its Be: Reinvention World Tour. Yes, Madonna will still be one of its leading inspirations — it is still a gay bar, after all. But will it still be Be? That’s the $64 million question.
Bill "From Philly to U" Gray has now come on to be a business partner and manager at the club. Recognize him? Of course you do! He’s formerly a popular bartender at Town. Gray told Hearsay that Be: Reinvented should be ready for a full unveiling next month, but they've already instituted changes, from making it a 21-and-over bar — bye-bye, kiddies! — to instituting a four-hour happy hour every weeknight. Called Be: Pink or Not, the happy hours lasts from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and features 10 pink martini concoctions and 10 champagne cocktails for only $3 each. Anything else on the menu is buy one, get one free.
Gray is also adjusting each night's theme. Most notable is the addition of Tuesday's Be: retroSexual, in which DJ Jason "Disco Balls" Royce spins hits from yesteryear. Among other changes: Monday nights are now S.I.N., or Service Industry Night, when anyone — but especially those in the nightlife and fashion fields — can enjoy drink specials, including half-price Grand Marnier shots. Wednesday nights are Be:XX, an all-gender alternative queer night with Ken "Slot Machine" Vegas as host and a Drag King Girlie show. Thursdays are Be: Crunk, with more of a hip hop vibe. And DJ Yiannis's Be: Deep party continues on Friday nights, also one of the few nights in which Gray will actually bartend. Ba'Naka "Shocka'locka" is the house drag queen, and she and assorted others will perform "impromptu" throughout the night, to keep an element of surprise for the crowd.
Gray is training his bartenders to be more personable and as focused on entertaining guests as on making them stiff drinks. But speaking of stiff drinks, the bartenders will also pour ‘em stiffer. Gray says gay Washingtonians are more uptight than those he served for years in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh before moving here five years ago. That is until he gets them buzzed up. Wind ‘em up and watch them spin!…
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