The good, the bad and the sunga
Best and worst of the year

Best Album – Sam Sparro Best International Dance Album –
Bimbo Jones – Harlem 1 Stop
Best Local Dance Album – Deko-ze – Canada’s Finest House
Best Dance Single – Sam Sparro’s “Black and Gold”
Best Single – Estelle’s “American Boy”
Best Single From A Local Artist – Will-W’s “Getting’ 2 Know U”
Best Remix – “Blind” by Frankie Knuckles for Hercules and Love Affair
Worst Club Drama – CiRCA
Best Club Drama – Gaza Strip Club
Best Local Bands – The Cliks tied with Kelly and the Kellygirls
Best Local Singer – Kendall
DJ Of The Year – Jamal tied with TK
Best Local Performance Space – Gladaman’s Den tied with Statlers
Best Wailing Diva – Katherine Ellis of Bimbo Jones
Best Radio Personality – Deb Pearce of Proud FM Morning Show
Worst Career Suicide – Boy George
Party Of The Year – Prism’s Babylon
Promoter Of The Year – Gairy Brown
Most Promising New Promoter – Joseph Patrick (Hanlan’s Beach Ball, Dirty Sexy Fridays)
Bar Of The Year – Straight
Sexiest Album Artwork – Colton Ford
Best Canadian Newcomer – Kreesha Turner
Best American Newcomer – Hercules and Love Affair
Most Overlooked Group Album – The B52’s Funplex
Worst Diva Comeback – Donna Summer
Best Diva Comeback Single – Grace Jones’ “Corporate Cannibal”
Most Overlooked Solo Album – Candie
Payne – I Wish I Could Have Loved You More
Best Performance – Shirley Bassey at Fashion sCares tied with Jackie Beat at Grapefruit
Best Concert – George Michael at ACC Best Local Drag Artist – Fay Slift
Best Reunion – The Spice Girls
Most Promising Local Singer – Gartina
Best Remixer/Producer – Dwayne Minard with Gavin Bradley
Most Promising Gay Artist For 2009 – Matt Alber
Best Song Lyrics – Jackie Beat’s Mariah Carey parody “Retouch My Body”


Escalante is caliente
DJ Isaac Escalante from Mexico City is a hot new DJ spinning next on New Year’s Eve for Arrival’09 at Sound Academy.

Daniel Paquette: What makes Mexican men so sexy?

Isaac Escalante: (laughs) That is a personal answer. Everyone has his own choice of the sexiest men but I think Latin guys have something special.

DP: I love that one of your influences, as stated on Myspace, is Klaus Nomi. How has he influenced you?

IA: He has a very special voice. His lyrics and music were very fresh for that time and very futuristic.

DP: Do you incorporate any Latin flavour in your DJ sets?

IA: The Latin flavour is always with me. It is in my blood and I always have to express it to the crowd. I love all kinds of house music, but the style I normally play is a mix of electro house and tribal with of course a lot of Latin sounds.

DP: What is Mexico City’s nightlife hotspot Club Living like? How many people does it hold?

IA: Club Living is the largest gay club in Mexico. Within a month or so we will be moving to a new location. It will hold around 2000 people. It is nice to have such a beautiful club where the vibe is so special.

DP: This issue of fab includes our gay sex survey. In that spirit can you describe your sexiest/ wildest experience inside a DJ booth. Be as explicit as you want.

IA: (laughs) I always get nervous in the booth when I’m playing in front of a lot of almost naked guys, but my sexiest experience would be when I played at a pool party in Rio de Janeiro for 4,000 boys in my sunga [a Brazilian swimsuit].

daniel paquette
tunes@famagazine.com