The Brave Bull is a gay bar in Modesto, California. Established in 1973 by Casey Lubbers as a super disco,[1] it is the oldest gay bar in Stanislaus County which is still operational.[2]
| Address | 701 S 9th St, Modesto, CA 95351 Modesto United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | Casey Lubbers |
| Opened | 1973 |
History
editThe Brave Bull was well-known for its early superior sound system, and it attracted patrons from as far abroad as Europe. Drag performer Divine and San Francisco gay rights activist Harvey Milk were among the notable patrons of the bar.[3]
On the morning of December 10, 2020, Ceres and Modesto firefighters extinguished a fire at the front entrance to the Brave Bull. Reports of smoke were made a little after 7:30am. The owner told The Modesto Bee that he believed the fire was set as a hate crime, but this has not been confirmed by authorities.[4]
In popular culture
editThe Brave Bull is featured in Season 2 Episode 7 of the HBO original series Looking.[5]
References
edit- ^ Damron, Bob (January 1982). "Doing America with Bob Damron". The Fifth Freedom: A Publication for the Buffalo Gay Community. p. 5. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Seymour, David (June 2023). "The LGBTQ History of Stanislaus County" (PDF). Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Flanagan, Michael (June 20, 2023). "The Brave Bull: Modesto bar's still kickin' at nearly 50".
- ^ Farrow, Deke (December 10, 2020). "Modesto and Ceres firefighters quickly extinguish flames at the Brave Bull nightclub". The Modesto Bee. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ "Looking Ep 7: Looking for a Plot". HBO. Retrieved 2023-06-21.