Past, Present, and Future of Queer Nightlife: An Evening with Greggor Mattson in conversation with Tim Piotrowski (Delta Beer Lab)

A Room of One's Own is thrilled to welcome Greggor Mattson in conversation with Tim (Pio) Piotrowski for an evening on queer nightlife centering both his book Who Needs Gay Bars?: Bar-Hopping Through America's Endangered LGBTQ+ Places.

This is an in person event at A Room of One's Own.

About the books

Who Needs Gay Bars?

Jarred by the closing of his favorite local watering hole in Cleveland, Ohio, Greggor Mattson embarks on a journey across the country to paint a much more complex picture of the cultural significance of these spaces, inside "big four" gay cities, but also beyond them. No longer the only places for their patrons to socialize openly, Mattson finds in them instead a continuously evolving symbol; a physical place for feeling and challenging the beating pulse of sexual progress.

The question that frames this story is not asking whether these spaces are needed, but for whom, earnestly exploring the diversity of folks and purposes they serve today. 

Greggor Mattson is the author of a book and articles about gay bars in such venues as Slate, The Washington Post, and Lit Hub. He is Professor and Chair of Sociology at Oberlin College & Conservatory, and lives in Ohio with a chihuahua named Howie.

Tim (Pio) Piotrowski is the Chief Beer Officer of Delta Beer Lab on Madison's southside and has been working as a professional brewer since 2010 - from Colorado to Minnesota and back home in Wisconsin. He founded Delta Beer Lab to do business and brewing a different way... to work along with the community and steward the environment.
Delta's mission is to expand the community through quality, local craft beer without barriers to gender, race, or sexual orientation.