TigerHeat
Encyclopedia
TigerHeat is an American promotional group specializing in lesbian
, gay
, bisexual, and transgender
(LGBT
) club events in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
. The group was established in 2001 by DJs Ray Rhodes, Jason Lavitt, and Howie T with its most notable event, the weekly TigerHeat, held on Thursday nights at Avalon Hollywood
.
as one of the first nightclub promotions to show the music video while playing the song. This element gave the audience a new visual experience in addition to the usual grooving on the dance floor. Within six months, the promotion had to move because it simply outgrew the space. It would make two more moves by 2008. Today, TigerHeat calls Avalon Hollywood
home at Hollywood and Vine
and continues to cater to the eighteen-and-over crowd, playing its pop and top 40 music videos. It presently works with record companies from Capitol
to Warner Brothers
doing CD release parties nearly every week. Its current resident DJ (and co-founder) Ray Rhodes uses his radio background from 104.3’s myFM, and programs the night as a radio show, keeping songs short with no profanity.
Over the years, TigerHeat has welcomed such famous guests as Britney Spears
, Sir Elton John, and Janet Jackson
, all receiving press for their appearances. Jackson showcased two new songs at TigerHeat just prior to the 2008 Grammys. In October 2008 Lady GaGa
performed several songs live to a capacity crowd. And, on April 16, 2010, UK recording artist Estelle
performed “American Boy” and her latest single “Freak.” Erika Jayne
and Pepper Mashay
have also performed live. Mashay filmed her music video for "Manhunt" at TigerHeat.
With the success of its main promotion, the TigerHeat promoters also created other weekly events over the years. Locally, they created a campy
, eighteen-and-over club called Flirt and later an 1980s night called Physical, both in central West Hollywood. They also branched out and created TigerHeat Las Vegas and Boys’ Room in Long Beach
. Boys’ Room celebrated its fourth anniversary in 2009 and continues to be a Friday night destination for the gay community in the South Bay and neighboring Orange County
.
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual, and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
(LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) club events in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
. The group was established in 2001 by DJs Ray Rhodes, Jason Lavitt, and Howie T with its most notable event, the weekly TigerHeat, held on Thursday nights at Avalon Hollywood
Avalon Hollywood
Avalon is a historic night club and music venue in Hollywood, California, located near the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, at 1735 N. Vine Street...
.
History
Established in 2001, the promotional group started TigerHeat at a small club in West Hollywood called Peanuts, or more commonly known as 7969, on Thursday nights for eighteen-and-over club goers. Its DJs concentrated on playing pop and top 40 hits and quickly became known around Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as one of the first nightclub promotions to show the music video while playing the song. This element gave the audience a new visual experience in addition to the usual grooving on the dance floor. Within six months, the promotion had to move because it simply outgrew the space. It would make two more moves by 2008. Today, TigerHeat calls Avalon Hollywood
Avalon Hollywood
Avalon is a historic night club and music venue in Hollywood, California, located near the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, at 1735 N. Vine Street...
home at Hollywood and Vine
Hollywood and Vine
Hollywood and Vine, the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, became famous in the 1920s for its concentration of radio and movie-related businesses. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is centered on the intersection.Today, not many production...
and continues to cater to the eighteen-and-over crowd, playing its pop and top 40 music videos. It presently works with record companies from Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
to Warner Brothers
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
doing CD release parties nearly every week. Its current resident DJ (and co-founder) Ray Rhodes uses his radio background from 104.3’s myFM, and programs the night as a radio show, keeping songs short with no profanity.
Over the years, TigerHeat has welcomed such famous guests as Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, Sir Elton John, and Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, all receiving press for their appearances. Jackson showcased two new songs at TigerHeat just prior to the 2008 Grammys. In October 2008 Lady GaGa
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
performed several songs live to a capacity crowd. And, on April 16, 2010, UK recording artist Estelle
Estelle (musician)
Estelle Fanta Swaray commonly known as Estelle, and formerly as Est'elle, is an English R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer.-Early Life:Estelle was born 18 January 1980 in Hammersmith, London, England...
performed “American Boy” and her latest single “Freak.” Erika Jayne
Erika Jayne
Erika Jayne is an American Dance/Electronica singer/dancer who currently lives in Los Angeles, California, but was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia....
and Pepper Mashay
Pepper Mashay
Pepper MaShay is an Urban/Soul music, House music and Club/Dance singer-songwriter who has had success as a touring and studio performer.-Personal life:...
have also performed live. Mashay filmed her music video for "Manhunt" at TigerHeat.
With the success of its main promotion, the TigerHeat promoters also created other weekly events over the years. Locally, they created a campy
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
, eighteen-and-over club called Flirt and later an 1980s night called Physical, both in central West Hollywood. They also branched out and created TigerHeat Las Vegas and Boys’ Room in Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. Boys’ Room celebrated its fourth anniversary in 2009 and continues to be a Friday night destination for the gay community in the South Bay and neighboring Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
.