Like an outtake from a Hollywood war movie (post-DADT), the floor of Alegria Xtreme X was packed with a sea of handsome young military recruits and their commanding officers. These were faces so classically chiseled as to evoke Thirties screen stars such as Errol Flynn and Gary Cooper—men whose beauty was captured by photographers like Horst and Cecil Beaton. From sailors to infantrymen, to men in kilts and camouflage, every branch of the all-gay armed forces was represented—and rarely has a platoon looked more alluring (and none of them were asking—and all of them telling).

This was the tenth anniversary of Alegria Xtreme, Ric Sena’s annual post-Black Party bash, a celebration of resident deejay Abel’s birthday—and testosterone. This was a party fueled by sex and music—and right from the start, Abel made it clear that he was in it for the long haul. At two am, he threw down “Bad Romance” in full gallop mode—and the military drills commenced.

Above the floor, entwined around the ALEGRIA disco ball, hung skeins of camouflage netting, while on the stage, behind a sandbag wall, there was an infantry tent with mosquito netting—the better to witness soldiers on their knees taking instruction from their officers. These were the armed forces that Republicans fear—and fantasize about…

For as much as it was a party, Alegria Xtreme X was a vision of freedom—of able-bodied, eight-pack men serving their country, while servicing each other. Or as Abel put it, “Music Sets Us Free”—and this was a crowd with no restraints.

And then, like a USO show entertaining the troops, British pop sensation Estelle took the stage to sing her Grammy Award-winning “American Boy,” a paean to all things America best appreciated from across the seas. As Estelle later twittered, “Alegria u rock!!! Shouts to all my kids!! Owwww…”

It’s good to remember that those kids that Estelle was twittering about are often Alegria recruits from Ohio and Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, boys who make the trek from their home states to New York City for their annual Alegria tour of duty. Boys who come to Alegria to break it down for a twelve-hour leave of absence.

Meanwhile, General Abel was charging through the tribal jungle like Marlow in search of Colonel Kurtz—a man with a mission, and it went like this: “Celebration,” “Intoxication,” “Bitch—you fuckin’ ho,” “Get Your Hands Off My Man.” This was BIG MUSIC with BIG SOUND for a BIG ROOM: like an arsenal of orchestral manoeuvres, all designed to whip the boys into a feeding frenzy—for each other.

The floor was packed with a United Nations coalition of strapping young men from the Middle East, and North and South America, Europe and Africa and Asia, including stalwart Alegria reconnaissance forces as Chris and Eddie and Jojo, and Andrei and Andrew, Gorm and Tod, and Gerald Equality Taylor, as well as, noticeably, an entire company of brand-new Alegria conscripts, long-legged and fine-featured, ready for their first tour of duty on the USS Xtreme. Dock it here, sailors!

Upstairs, in the Officers’ Club, General Abel entertained his subordinate officers and well-wishers, including Nurse Chris Embon, Eddie Elias, Escape, Hector Fonseca, and Paulo—as well as Jake Resnicow, Michael Circuit Dancer, Richie D. and Chris Harris, and the other Abel, looking as fine as a silver screen legend. Two Abels side by side! It was no wonder the birthday Abel layered “You’re Playing with My Mind” with “It’s Not Over (Between You and Me)”—because in truth, this was Abel’s party, and he could do whatever he wanted. Everyone should celebrate birthdays with the same degree of enthusiasm and ebullience—look at that smile!—and then share it with 3,000 of his closest friends. This man was having the time of his life—and it showed on his face, and on the faces of the celebrants, their arms in the air, as the music soared and peaked and exploded with a profusion of light (thanks to the lighting designs of Stephen Wyker who created mesmerizing jungle tableaux of camouflage green and tropical reds).

For ten years, Admiral Ric Sena has produced Alegria Xtreme on Black Party weekend with such spit and polish and such command of detail that it’s small wonder his Alegria troops re-enlist, bringing with them new recruits ready to serve (and service) in the name of music, sex, and freedom. And if that ain’t America, what is?

Next stop on the USS Alegria? Memorial Day Weekend in New York City with DJs Paulo and Renato Cecin. Register now! This army wants YOU!