Best Gay Bar '97

Best Gay Bar

IBT's
616 N. Fourth Ave.

READERS' PICK: It used to be the abbreviation for the bar's full name, Itza 'Bout Time; but with the recent change in ownership, the bar has simply become IBT's. Maybe it's a sign that it's changed from the only place of its kind to a Fourth Avenue mainstay, drawing an eclectic mix of gay and straight clientele who just can't get enough of that funky techno dance thang. But make no mistake: if you're young, attractive and gay, this is the place to see and be seen. Monday is retro '80s; every other Wednesday features a hit drag show called "The Girlie Show"; and Thursday is Cruise Night, also deemed Underwear Night, with drink specials for those in their skivvies. (If you plan to club hop, take advantage of the pant check room.) Deejay David Z spins a mix of techno/house, Top-40 and hip hop; and he also choreographs a frantic light and laser show complete with shooting star projections. If you always wondered where all the beautiful people go in Tucson, wonder no more.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: For a two-steppin', line-dancin' good time, hit Hours, 3455 E. Grant Road. It has a nice balance of women and men, and no snooty attitudes. For example, at one recent happy hour a guy named David cleaned out the rose lady by buying a round of 40 long-stems for all the women in the house. Special features include the 10-foot neon pink triangle that dominates the dance floor, a lush patio with a rock fountain, and a cozy corner fireplace.

A REAL SCREAM: Recently reincarnated (formerly The Plug, and before that Club 2520), Boom Boom's, 2520 N. Oracle Road, is the same dance club, but with some new ideas. A great, overstuffed sofa, comfy chairs, a long coffee table, and a good number of cheesy, retro lamps asserted a cozy, stylish lounge-feel to this once frenetic rock-and-country bar. Also redone is the "other" room, now painted red, with a red velvet curtain hanging on the back wall amidst an eclectic collection of ornate but empty wood frames. It's in here that you'll encounter the special dance nights: a Latin dance party on Fridays, and country western on Saturdays. Thursdays host the Playgirlz Cabaret Show, one of the best drag shows in town. There's also karaoke on Sundays and Wednesdays. The main dance floor is sectioned off by panels of chain link fence, and the deejays play a relentless onslaught of happy, high-energy dance music. A mixed crowd and staff of men and women of a variety of ages make Boom-Boom's a place where everybody can feel comfortable and welcome. There's plenty of room to move and dance; and there's even a coffee bar out on the patio.

1998 Winner: IBT's
1996 Winner: IBT's
1995 Winner: Club 2520