Nightranger: The Bitch Is Back

View more photos in Lina Lecaro's slideshow, "Nightranger: Adam Lambert Goes to Mr. Black, Jackie Beat's Variety Show and More."

PHOTO BY LINA LECARO

Mr. Black's Luke Nero and man in black Adam Lambert

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Not sure when the word "bitch" became a term of endearment, but somewhere between the sassy proclamations of Elton John, Paris Hilton and LMFAO ("I'm in Miami/L.A./Las Vegas, bitch!"), it did. These days, bitch seems to mean "a strong female, a gal who knows what she wants and does what she has to do to get it." So it was no surprise that one of the fiercest drag queens of all time (in our opinion), Ms. Jackie Beat, would devote her entire Blah, Blah, Blah variety show at the Cavern Club at Casita Del Campo to the topic this month, inviting her performer pals — Selene Luna, Muffy Bolding, Nadya Ginsburg — along for the explorations into stone-cold realities of bitchdom.

Bolding bitched about her dysfunctional family and about trying to have sex with hubby while kids are in the house, and Luna bitched about the challenges of being a tiny fag hag. (Her biggest peeve? "When gay guys aren't automatically enchanted by me." We know the feeling!) Ginsburg channeled two of music's biggest pop bitches: Madonna and Cher, who (in case you're wondering) actually knows Burlesque sucked balls. "It's like my face," Ginsburg admitted. "People make fun of it, but a lot of people worked real hard on it."

Expect blasphemy as only Beat can bust it out at her next Blah show, themed, "Are You There God? It's Me Jackie!" Get tix at acteva.com/go/JackieBeat.

Last week, we returned to Hollywood for Syndicate Hospitality Group's Champagne-and-food-feast media mixer at Eden, the new nightclub where we were not only denied entrance the previous Friday night, but also barricaded outside for an hour as police investigated a shooting across the street. It was the swanky oasis we expected, sure. But the real temptations occurred later, while we were seeking out a new happening, Animal, from Ana Calderon and Keith Wilson at Syndicate's older spot, My Studio, and then, the androgynous amusements of Mr. Black at Bardot up the street, where one of our favorite Adams (no Eve or even Steve) held court as the club's infamous bare-bottomed boys slithered around like snakes.

We're talking about beloved singer Adam Lambert, who rocked new long locks at a VIP table on the club's patio. (The sexy tresses, by the way, caused a horny girl & gay boy frenzy when we posted pictures on laweekly.com — look them up!)

Glambert was sweet as apple pie, chatting with fawning fembots — including yours truly — who dared to approach him (we reminisced about The Zodiac Show, which we saw him perform in a few years back, and which, as he reminded us, was often held downstairs at Avalon). Of course, Mr. Black boys (and girls) are some of the edgiest, artiest gays in L.A., so most were too cool to drool for the "Idol" in the room. Still, we'd never seen Mr. Black more bodacious or the crowd here more "on."

Pop singer Erika Jayne glitzed things up in the booth next to Lambert, and we think she's got a shot to become his female equivalent. She's gorge, with infectious beats and glossy come-ons recalling Britney and Gaga. Also in the house, equally vixenish co-hostess Lenora Claire (who's readying a new gallery called PoptART downtown, to debut with "Your Face Here," an interactive show by photog Austin Young).

Obviously Mr. Black ain't going black any time soon, and creator Luke Nero tells us he's got some big surprises in store in the next few months, including performances from live recording artists. Jayne? Glambert? A gal can hope, right?

Animal, by the way, marked the launch of Table Manners Management, with the group's roster of DJs: Chris Masterson, Chris Holmes, Zen Freeman, Jordan Masterson and Will Crimes Bakdraft. It brought out the Urban Outfitted mismatched masses, a decidedly cooler clubber crew than the spot sees on weekends.

So what's the lifespan for clubs in Hollywood these days? Not long, apparently. Eden should be the "it" spot for most of this year. But who knows? We thought My Studio was still a coveted club destination, too, but all of Animal's invites and promos listed only the address, not the actual club name, something often done when promoters don't want to be prejudged about the party's environment. Telling.

Still, for every venue that's lost its luster (Kress, Vice), there's an older club that still has bite. Cinespace and Bardot, for example. The latter may in fact be the best all-around venue in H'wood right now, boasting Mr. Black, La Boum, KCRW's School Night on Mondays and Bardot Sessions on Thursdays.

Still miss Indie 103.1 FM? Feel like Jonesy's KROQ show just doesn't capture the droll magic — or the wonderfully wacky playlists — of yore? The spirit of Indie lives on the Web-radio station of the same name and we dig it (particularly Bob Forrest's Wednesday set, and Sunday's entire lineup featuring Nativ Wayne, Full Metal Jackie and Suicide Girls). But now it looks like the station's rebellious soul, and many of its O.G. DJs, have taken siege of the net as well via Moheak.com.

After a pit stop at M Bar for the monthly Classic Rock Sing-Along (which is exactly what it sounds like: rock karaoke with fun, drunk people crooning along), we hit up Smash Appeal, a fundraising fete for Moheak at the Echoplex Saturday. DJ Paul V. (who programs weekends on the station) gave us the scoop and we've been listening ever since. Created by Indie's best known DJ, TK, the new station features the likes of Darren Revell (Big Sonic Heaven), Dave Navarro (Dark Matter), Keith Morris (Totally Psyched, an all-vinyl psychedelic thrash fest) and Fishbone's Angelo Moore ("The Angelo Show"), plus Kevin Bronson, who presents a sonic companion to his "Buzz Bands" blog, Casper VonDJ (club and bar beatsmith around town), Marko DeSantis (from the band Sugarcult), and Lawrence Gjurgevich, host of long-running dance party Club Underground at the Echo Fridays. Impressive, no?

Appeal wasn't exactly packed Saturday, but V.'s next hap at the 'Plex, Dragstrip 66's "Classless Reunion" 18th Anniversary Bash this Saturday night will surely be quite the opposite. Believe it, bitch.