EBONY PYRAMID LEAVES THE UGLY MUG

Washington, DC – Ebony Pyramid Entertainment (EPE) announced today that it will terminate its residency at The Ugly Mug. This includes the weekly Tuesday Connections and Sunday Night Karaoke. It also includes the once a month EPE dance or specialty party. EPE began its residency at The Ugly Mug with Tuesday Connections in February 2019, in an effort to find a place for the minority LGBTQ community and allies to gather, after the closure of the historic Bachelors Mill.

For 13 months, prior to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) shut down, EPE hosted Tuesday Connections at The Ugly Mug. Tuesday Connections was a social event for individuals to gather and learn about activities in the local LGBTQ community. It was also an opportunity to promote local business, individuals, and charitable organizations. In 10 months EPE and its Tuesday Connections family raised $10,000 for local charities. In May 2019, EPE began to host Sunday Night Karaoke, featuring D&K Sounds, and it became one of the DC Metropolitan Area’s most known and attended karaoke nights, packing The Ugly Mug to capacity.

“I am truly grateful to the owner of The Ugly Mug for giving EPE an opportunity and use of its venue, but it was a mutual and financial gain for them, as well,” said DaJuan Patrick Xavier, President/CEO of Ebony Pyramid Entertainment. [ see Washington Blade article, Gay-welcoming straight bar Ugly Mug makes up for losses on Barracks Row ].

Since EPE announced, EPE Suspends Contact Activities For 30 Days Due To The Coronavirus Epidemic, on March 13, 2020, EPE has continued to promote The Ugly Mug by announcing its food delivery and carryout service. EPE also hosted a virtual Sunday Night Karaoke with video introduction in front of The Ugly Mug. The Tuesday Connections has become a virtual Watch Party featuring Supa Scotty The DJ and sponsored by EPE and The Ugly Mug. “We wanted to make sure we remained connected with our community and continued to provide them an outlet, even if it is virtual,” said DJ Jenkins, EPE Senior Vice President of Operations.

The EPE Executive team made the decision to terminate its residency at The Ugly Mug after a planning and negotiation meeting to return to the venue based on COVID-19 restrictions. “This was truly a hard decision because we made this place our home and the bar staff had become our family,” said Rick Brown, EPE Vice President of Programs and Entertainment.

This decision does not end EPE events in the DMV (District, Maryland, and Virginia). EPE has been contacted by several venues to host events at their locations. EPE also has some new development projects that will offer our community even more choices. “As we move forward with any project in the DMV, EPE will choose venues that provide a fair and equitable opportunity not only for the venue, but also for Ebony Pyramid Entertainment and the LGBTQ community and allies it serves,” said Xavier.  

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