Stories from the Stage: C’mon Everybody
It was a sunny August afternoon as we entered the shuttered front bar of C'mon Everybody, a 150-capacity venue in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. We were greeted by a masked Eric Sosa, the venue's owner and programming director, and led back into their cozy live room that I had deeply missed. Eric is a close friend whom I met through promoting shows several years ago, and this venue holds a tender place in my heart. Pre-COVID on a summer evening, you'd typically find me at C'mon Everybody with a cocktail in hand hunkered down in the sound booth with Eric, catching the latest burgeoning artist on their stage. Eric has a great ear for up and coming talent and has booked early shows for acts like Tank and the Bangas, Madison McFerrin, Anna Wise, Yaeji, Sons of an Illustrious Father, L'Rain, Melanie Charles, and a handful of other mega-talented musicians now making a name for themselves in New York and beyond.
Drag Queen Gia Gunn at Yas Mama
Comedian Lorelei Ramirez
Eric opened C'mon Everybody in June 2015 with partners Sam Gilliland and Michael Zuco. At its core, the venue is deeply invested in uplifting their community with a focus on giving a platform to BIPOC and queer artists. At C'mon you can find traditional music programming ranging from r&b to indie rock, electronic, jazz, and hip-hop, and discover beloved residencies like The Jelly, Femme Jam, and parties with local house legend Rich Medina. They've also broken into the comedy scene, booking up and coming comedians and championing the irreverent variety show Not Dead Yet hosted by Lorelei Ramirez. If you know C'mon, you've also most likely heard of their home grown queer parties such as Latinx party Yas Mama, and daytime dance party YES HOMO, as well as their iconic tribute nights hosted by NeoAfroFuturist duo The Illustrious Blacks (Diana vs. Donna, Whitney vs. Mariah, Aretha vs. Chaka, etc.). Doesn't a hot and sweaty Diana Ross versus Donna Summer dance party sound good right about now? I digress…
Front bar at Good Judy
Most recently, the ambitious trio decided COVID wasn't raining (or coughing) on their parade and opened Good Judy on July 11, their brand new sister bar in South Slope, Brooklyn. Continuing their commitment to community building from C'mon, Judy is a bar dedicated to queers and queer-allies. While we're still locked down, you can enjoy a cocktail (with food!) on their front sidewalk or in their backyard. When indoor spaces can reopen, they will host performances on their second-floor theater, where Eric hopes to present "cabaret, intimate musical performances, and piano bar nights".
You can support C'mon Everybody by donating now to their GoFundMe campaign here, and by visiting Good Judy.
