What we should have done was head straight for LA and just set up shop at The House of Avalon‘s new night Snap Out Of It! That’s where you’ll find some of the craziest, queerest creatives, all living for their lives under one roof. We asked Ja’mie Luca to shoot Hunter, Mark, Grant & Caleb in La La Land for us as we find out what we’re missing….
The House Of Avalon
Instead we You guys all knew each other pre-LA, right?
Yeah! We started House of Avalon (HOA) about four years ago, out of complete boredom and lack of queer options in Arkansas. We accomplished a lot in a short amount of time and really cultivated a strong group of queer artists. We had a pact that when other houses started popping up, we knew it was time for us to move on. Los Angeles was an obvious choice for us – the scene seemed to be moving away from NYC and a couple of us have already had the Chicago and NYC experience.
You guys have your fingers in a lot of pies, clubland, merchandise, the world of TV….
WE ARE SO VERS THO…hahahah! We HATE restrictions BUT, if we had to pick one medium, it’s the nightlife. All four of us get such a high when we see people let go and just be in the moment. Anything we do always has that wink. It’s about taking non-conventional things and throwing them in those moments to create pure bliss. The last Snap Out of It! was so organic, it was a feast for the senses and we absolutely got our lives. At one point, one of our favourite people, Ridge Gallagher, was stapling her tips onto a male slave while on a bed onstage. What more could a person ask for?! Maybe one day someone will film our insane creative process of putting all of this madness together!
You all have very unique looks yet it’s totally cohesive as The House of Avalon.
Our styles reflect our own personalities. Each of us have these inspirations in our brain from growing up and we try like hell to live them out. Hunter has always been this sort of witchy goth girl; Grant strives to be just like all the blonde bombshells he obsesses over; Mark has this sporty spice, queer, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Fifth Element realness; Caleb is and always will be Daddy’s girl, hahah!
Snap Out Of It! is taking LA by storm. What can people expect from it?
WE LOVE SNAP OUT OF IT! UGGHH! We are so excited for the future of this and TWO other parties we are working on! I think that Snap! is such a breath of fresh air for the WEHO community. We felt like the younger creative crowd was being left out, so we wanted to create something that reflected our love for pop culture and not taking things seriously. It was important to make everyone that walked in say, “WTF?” GOOD OR BAD! We just love to party with people, like you would in the shower or bathroom. Come and let it all hang out at our parties!
What are your favourite tracks to play there?
What was the Loverboy shoot like?
MARK
What do you bring to the group?
We all collaborate well, but I would say I’m the more tactile one in the group, turning our ideas into reality. That means anything physical like making clothes or building a set I’ll handle it.
Where’s your favourite place to go on a first date?
Olive Garden – everyone is happier with unlimited bread sticks, duh.
Who is your favourite 90s pin up?
I definitely had two or three Spice Girls posters next to Britney Spears, the iconic soccer star Mia Hamm and Amy Grant’s Christmas album art. GIRL POWER!
What’s your drink of choice on a night out?
I mostly drink Vodka Redbulls. I mean, who wouldn’t want wings for the night?
What is your favourite Mariah song?
Dreamlover – I used to play this when I was little and fantasize about having a boyfriend! SOO GOOSHY, I KNOW!!!
HUNTER
What do you bring to the group?
ONE WORD. Momager, I make sure we are on time and the deal is sealed. Of course I help out in the creative process like the rest of us but I really try and keep these bitches in line!
Where’s your favourite place to go on a first date?
Olive Garden house down boots. I love a high and low moment.
Who is your favourite 90s pin up?
I had Britney posters everywhere and all over my journals. I used to go to the dollar store and spend all of my change on those sticker machines to get the entire Britney collection.
What’s your drink of choice on a night out?
I wish this wasn’t the answer, but I love a good ole vodka redbull. Why? I mean I don’t do coke so I think red bull is the closest thing I’m gonna get to an energy boost. Lol
What is your favourite Mariah song?
Most of you know I’m a huge Madonna stan so in the words of M herself, ‘I’d rather kill myself than be Mariah Carey’ Hahah…
OK, that was harsh… but honestly I get the Iconic stature of Miss Mariah but I don’t live for her. IF I MUST choose I would say, ‘Always Be My Baby’ because it’s my Aunt Lisa’s fav.
GRANT
What do you bring to the group?
Besides being a big buxom blonde, I’m a think tank and styling guru.
Where’s your favourite place to go on a first date?
Hmm….a first date, I mean we could do dinner or watch a movie or whatever BUT at the moment, there is a Louis Vuitton denim fanny pack at a pawn shop in Weho I got my eye on. You know, I’ve never met an ugly rich man…skip the nudes and show me your credit score!
Who is your favourite 90s pin up?
If we are talkin’ 90s, I don’t think anyone was pinned harder than Pamela Anderson! But in middle school, I had an entire wall in my bedroom covered in Britney Spears from floor to ceiling and honestly not a lot has changed!
What’s your drink of choice on a night out?
Like Lindsay Lohan in her glory days, my go to is vodka red bull. When I’m feelin’ up in a full fantasy, I need a filthy, nasty martini, shaken not stirred!
What is your favourite Mariah song?
This is the hardest question! My first reaction is too scream Heartbreaker but then I’m like wait the roof it’s just so good and then I’m like whoa what about the entire glitter soundtrack… so there’s my answer if you can call it that?
CALEB
What do you personally bring to the group?
I’m the baby of the group. I like to have fun, but they keep me grounded. They’re like my big sisters. We all work together on most things, but individually I do enamel pin artwork and our snapchat/instagram documentation of the evening.
Where’s your favourite place to go on a first date?
Anywhere as long as there’s good drinks. Nothing gets the honesty flowing like having that fifth vodka tonic.
Who is your favourite 90s pin up?
Britney was my very first idol. I carried her CDs around like an accessory and gave a recording of myself singing ‘Lucky’ to my babysitter.
What’s your drink of choice on a night out?
Vodka redbull, because I love the way it makes me feel the next morning.
What is your favourite Mariah song?
‘Fantasy’. It’s the ultimate feel good track to lift you up!
If you want a little bit more of The House of Avalon in your life, you can track ’em down on Instagram at Hunter, Mark, Grant & Caleb.
www.TheHouseOfAvalon.com
