GARAGISME 9: IMPORT MYSTIQUE
Production, Archive

MEETING NGUYEN LE
Editorial, Production

CAR SERVICE JAPAN: Lookbook
Production

NOKTURNAL EMISSIONS VOLUME I

Nokturnal Emissions was birthed out of a memory. The memories of being a closeted black kid longing for attention and love but finding joy pleasure and a sense of belonging through attending one of the most expressive eras of custom car culture. That era is now referred to as “The Golden Era” for its roots in performance, and its influence for today’s JDM scene and fandom. Hot Import Nights was one of the most amazing car related events you could go to as a late teenager and 20-something year old as you got to dance under rainbow strobe lights, rave and check out tricked out Civics, Eclipses and Preludes. It was the one place that contextualized the influence of car culture into mainstream media and music. Cars looked like candy dancing in the foggy ether of the dance floor, and clubwear was everywhere, crazy glasses, platform shoes- the works. Although these night-themed indoor car shows to me made me feel a part of something queer, they definitely were not queer safe spaces. BBC Party.LA and I got together to help curate a show that was an extension of Hot Import Nights with a focus on giving black queer people a priority to experience one of the coolest types of car shows that ever existed the way it should have existed in the first place.

Photos: Zenaido Zamora

I am a car enthusiast, a gay guy, a son, a partner and a California native with a deep interest in how culture around transportation helps connect us all together. I felt excited to finally be able to create a second iteration of a queer car show that really helped connect the arts within my queer community to those lost arts of the custom car community. We secured cars from an all black cast consisting of Bimma Bailey’s 1988 BMW M5 which staged the back of the room that provided life to resting ravers. In the front space Aisha’s R129 SL320 provided more texture in the front of the room by the dancefloor. Both cars were outfitted with smoke machines that at the touch of a remote button, turned them into breathing dragons of sorts that seemed to exhale at the rhythm of every set our dj’s spun.

---> MORE COVERAGE HERE <---

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LEATHERETTTE MAGAZINE
Volume 1