A Primal Benefit at the Powerhouse

Contestants Jeremy Sanders, J.R. Gabbard and Steve Rezentes

A crush of primal, handsome men with lots of exposed tattooed skin, bulging muscles, and panther-like stances and movements welcomed the kick off for the 2011 Bare Chest Calendar at the Powerhouse bar in San Francisco on Jan. 21, 2010. The high-tension contest was a benefit for the AIDS Emergency Fund (AEF) and the Positive Resource Center (PRC). The AEF provides financial assistance to people disabled by HIV/AIDS, and the PRC provides comprehensive benefit counseling to the same individuals.

Contestants Jeremy Sanders, J.R. Gabbard and Steve Rezentes

The Powerhouse is well known as a prime location for charity fundraisers, and stunning and generous manager Scott Peterson takes a strong interest to help out non-profits. Fantasy-men bartenders Jose Guevara, Michael Vega, and Carlton Paul worked shirtless, quickly, and with a smile. The stiff drinks provoked the guests to grab each other and kiss passionately, engaging in what would be seen as foreplay in some states.

PRC executive director Brett Andrews met and greeted in the throng, and the AEF’s Christian Dumais was on hand to supervise James Poole and other raffle volunteers. Representatives from sponsor Miller Beer and five alert judges were introduced and thanked by master MC Thom Grant. Photographers Bill Weaver and Rich Stadtmiller feverishly stalked the hunks, and the hunted included a shirtless "Pearls Over Shanghai" star Steven Satyricon, Grand Duke Oliver, and actor/composer Tom Orr.

Photographer Rich Stadtmiller and actor Steven Satyricon

The mass of cruisers jumped to attention and the loud, raucous conversations evaporated when the three desirable contestants were introduced. Redhead Jeremy Sanders, studly J.R. Gabbard, and earthy Steve Rezentes, who won the contest, presented themselves as guys who would make the maximum effort to sell the chest calendars and work events relentlessly to raise $100,000 this year with the other calendar men for the two beneficiaries. The contest is geared to be a leather event, and the symbol of the calendar men is a leather vest worn by the winners on parade floats, fair booths, and at bars fundraisers. And the vest is the essence of fetish date bait, and hot guys paw at them obsessively, hoping to get lucky.

A climax of the event was MC Grant announced that more than $1,300 had been raised at the teeming bacchanal, and there was a thunderous applause.

Contest winner Steve Rezentes

More photos can be seen at flickr.com/rinkfoto.