9 Splash Performances You Should Never Forget

Photo of Katy Perry at Splash in 2010 by Henry S. Dziekan III/Getty Images

Legendary New York club Splash will be shutting its doors for good on Sunday, August 11, so after that we're going to have to move on to (possibly not) bigger and better places.

Luckily, the Internet exists and those highly-valued iPhone obsessives have captured many of Splash's best performances and cemented them in the YouTube landscape. Many of the performers are exactly who you'd expect (Gaga, Katy Perry, Britney, but Splash has a long, colored history of some less predictable celebrities and "celebrities," as well as having been featured in music videos and TV shows.
Here we round up the epic performances you knew you wanted, and some that you didn't realize you needed. But you definitely do.

Kylie Minogue

Described by Splash manager Dougie Meyer as "mind-blowing," Kylie previewed her album Aphrodite, and the ten-minute scream fest accurately encapsulated the massive welcome she received in the US, leading to her first tour in North America.

Patti LuPone

No, she didn't perform so much as speak, but that's really all she needs to do. In fact, all she had to do was show up (apparently for the first time) to receive a bow-down reception from Michael Urie, and probably most audience members.

Lady Gaga

Duh. No further comment.

Katy Perry

"I Kissed a Girl" probably wouldn't have been all that logical to perform at Splash, so Katy opted for "California Gurls" and "Peacock." But what really was of interest was her sparkly leotard and fairy wings (Why didn't she wear those for both songs?).

Gloria Estefan

So she didn't wear anything covered in glitter or with a deep-v and she only presented a video, but it was for a song called "Hoochi Koochie" and Gloria was a true classic way before Gaga or Katy Perry.

Britney Spears

"Boys" and "I'm a Slave (4 U)" have obviously been her raunchiest (read: gayest) songs and videos, and no one wears red leather or low-rise pants quite like Britney (Or lip-syncs, for that matter.)

Simon Van Kempen

Maybe we were wrong about the red leather thing. The "straight" husband of Alec McCord, former Real Housewives of New York star somehow managed to finagle his way into a Splash performance. We're assuming that he modeled the pants he planned on wearing and the manager couldn't say no. Also, where can we buy them?

RuPaul

Again, duh.

Cyndi Lauper

Cyndi filmed her 2008 "Into the Nightlife" video at Splash and featured Ari Gold and Colton Ford.

The un-locatable:

We know that Sex and the City and The Daily Show both featured Splash in episodes, but the only SATCclip we can find is at fictional "Trade" (was it shot at Splash or XL or what?) and, for now, The Daily Show clip remains mythical.

Then there's a surefire-amazing Madonna performance that is also lost in the ether, as well as a Pussycat Dolls burlesque romp. Maybe someone out there is better at archiving such monumental moments, but for now, we'll cherish these memorable gems. If you have proof of the concerts, please share!