Downstream from Pittsburgh on the Monongahela River, nestled in the quaint college hamlet of Morgantown, West Virginia, is an unusual sight – a big, gay nightclub bustling with live entertainment.
The bar, formerly Vice Versa, opened its doors in October 2024. Owners Georgie Medved and Logan Carpenter bought the bar and rechristened it Babylon.
Medved said, “Before we reopened, Morgantown, West Virginia went ten months without an LGBTQ+ safe space.”
Carpenter said, “I moved to Morgantown when I was 18, right after high school, and [Vice Versa] was the first bar I ever went to in Morgantown. It was here all through college and into my young adult years,” Carpenter said. “It was one of the only gay bars in Morgantown.”
Medved said, “I would come down from Pittsburgh to hang out down here.” Medved, who is from Smithfield, Pennsylvania, enjoyed dancing at Vice Versa back in the day.
Carpenter and Medved, the joint owners of Trina’s Kettle Corn, decided to buy the bar after it closed. Medved said, “We already owned the popcorn business, but we decided to give owning this place a shot.”
The nightclub’s name, Babylon, comes from the name of the fictional gay nightclub from the iconic TV show, “Queer as Folk,” where Brian, Michael, Justin, and Emmett danced their night away in their magical LGBTQ+ version of Pittsburgh. Medved and Carpenter also attribute a Lady Gaga song, “Babylon,” to their name change.
Carpenter said, “We figured since Pittsburgh is like a sister city to Morgantown that it would be a cool reference to the queer community that way as well.”
Now open, the club features album appreciation nights, including “Pink Pony Night” and “Brat Night,” with patrons having the opportunity to suggest new themes. Drink specials rotate weekly, according to Medved and Carpenter.
“This was definitely not on our radar or anything,” Medved said. “I forget who we were even talking to, but the owner texted us one night, and we were like, ‘Yeah, sure, we’ll come talk about it’ and then it ended up working out, so here we are.”
While the bar boasts a spacious dance floor, there are other quieter rooms with places to catch up with friends. Medved said, “There’s a great room to have a private party in.”
Keshia Lynn White reviewed the bar on the bar’s Facebook page. She said, “As a long-time regular at Vice [Versa], if you haven’t visited this club yet you’re missing out on a great time!”
Babylon has hosted some big-name drag stars, including some of the newest members of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” pantheon, Lana Ja’Rae, Suzie Toot and Lydia “Butthole” Kollins.
Pittsburgh drag superstar Joey Young said, “Babylon is such a great and supportive place. Logan and Georgie have such a love for drag and the community. It’s something you can feel more and more each time you go back. I always get excited getting to work there.”
Drag isn’t the only entertainment you’ll find in the spacious dance club. On May 2, Babylon will host its bi-annual Pink Party. On May 28th, Comedian Roz Hernandez will perform standup in the club in a show called, “Roz Hernandez does Comedy in a Gay Bar?!”
Babylon is located at 335 High Street, Morgantown, WV.
