Gina Young and Sorrell Scrutton are celebrating one year of their party Sports Bra next month, so the ’90s-themed LGBTQ party in Los Angeles’s queer-centric Silver Lake will be more popping than ever.
“Sports Bra is like the kid sister clubhouse of the L.A. party scene,” Young said. “Not a lot of makeup, not a lot of pretension. It basically feels like being at a house party with a bunch of your best friends.”
Young, a playwright, musician and actor, and Scrutton, a photographer, created Sports Bra to give L.A.’s east side a monthly chill gathering of their own. Held at Mexican restaurant El Condor, the party has a level of comfortability that eschews cliquiness. There are two floors and an indoor patio, giving attendees the option of grabbing a cocktail or Tecate from the bar and keeping up conversations or heading upstairs to dance by the DJs (Young and Scrutton both taking turns on the decks.)
“I like to think we’re the friendliest and least intimidating; a space where you can talk or flirt or dance or just hang out and eat tacos or drink margaritas,” Young said. “We play mostly ’90s and downtempo hip-hop, throwing in some pop and Motown and whatever else feels right. Sometimes people dance or get drunk, but this is not a ‘club night’; it’s a community hang at a local restaurant and it’s chill af.”
Priding themselves on not having a cover, Sports Bra aims to be a party that anyone would feel comfortable coming to. “This party was formed out of our friendship and it is something we do solely for fun, not to make money or make a name for ourselves,” Young said. “All we want is to hang out with people we like and play the music we want to play, and El Condor has been super supportive of our mission and vibe.”
“In my opinion, the queer scene on the East side is super small and very different from the West Hollywood scene,” Scrutton said. “It’s not a see-and-be-seen vibe, more of a let’s all hang out, maybe dance vibe.“
Sports Bra has become a sure bet for queer women of Los Angeles and a hit around the holidays (this year they held both New Year’s Eve and Halloween parties that the community was grateful to have available and for free entry). Young and Scrutton know what songs to play to bring the house up or down, depending on the mood and time of night. TLC, George Michael, Robyn and Queen Latifah are all in the mix, filling the venue with sexy nostalgia and eventual singalongs.
“Let’s just say that we’re known for spontaneous random lap dances between fully-clothed strangers erupting on the dance floor. This happens a lot,” Young said.
The one-year anniversary party on April 1st promises to be one of Sports Bra’s biggest yet, with Young promising “giveaways, games and special guests.” In the future, Scrutton said she’d love to do a pride party, and maybe do something at a future Dinah.
And certainly, Young said, Scrutton is a part of the party’s appeal.“Sorrell’s straight girl fan base continues to grow,” she said. “Not sure if they think she’s the actual Justin Bieber.”
Whatever it is, it’s working. Sports Bra’s one-year anniversary party happens April 1st at El Condor from 10pm to 1am. Follow Sports Bra on Facebook for more info and event details.
