In the last decade, Mexico City's free-spirited club scene has become a global destination. Can it hold on to what makes it special? The pink penis-shaped disco ball has sprung a leak. But you have to draw the line somewhere. In the past decade, it has become a mecca for serious clubbers and good-time party people keen to cut loose. A rich scene of independent promoters, formidable local talent, and big-name international bookings makes CDMX a draw for worldly ravers craving a different point of view on nightlife.
Still, the secret sauce is the enthusiasm of fellow clubbers who have the rave in their blood. In the last five years, the number of Americans living in Mexico has ballooned. An estimated 1. A few doors down from the luxury perfumier Le Labo, a taco stand is doing a roaring lunch-rush trade, slinging blue corn discs onto a sizzling hot plate and topping them with meat, veggies, and stringy Oaxacan cheese. I feel like coffee now costs two or three times the price of what it should. As the number of foreigners has spiked, the nightlife scene has changed too.
Like most cities the world over, many of the most exciting CDMX parties are queer, or at least queer-adjacent. Bonbon now draws a mixed crowd of college students, off-duty Drag Race queens, and more than a few international visitors on gaycation. Nearby a workman is tossing lengths of joinery from the sidewalk up to an awning, a street performer is belting ballads, and soon vendors selling puppets on strings stop by, as does a dog wearing a sparkly pink bow.
Pervert became a sensation after its first event in , attracting ravers of all stripes partly for its carefully chosen lineup of local talent. How late should I arrive? Twelve hours later, I find myself on the side of a highway, attired in a mall-fresh Adidas getup, following the sound of acid techno up the spiral staircase of an industrial building.
There are a few groups, but most guys here dance alone, with jockstraps purposely peeking out from elastic waistbands and wrestling singlets unpeeled to expose beefy, tattooed pecs. I feel a little prudish in my polo shirt, and the darkroom awaits. Off it comes. Many of the DJs and promoters interviewed for this story say that the drug cartels are making it increasingly difficult β and dangerous β to throw parties, and at least two other top clubs have closed this year.
