Arts & Entertainment

Social Agenda for Feb. 19

Published

16 years ago

February 18, 2010

Friday, Feb. 19

Get down to Bell Biv Devoe, TLC and C&C at the “No Scrubs: 90’s Dance Party with DJs Will Eastman and Brian Billion” at 10 p.m. at the 9:30 club, 815 V St., N.W. There’s a $10 cover and this quarterly event is nearly sold out.

From ice dancing to men’s hockey, watch the Olympics at Nellie’s Sports Bar all day, 900 U St., N.W.

Gay organist Stephen Harouff of Baltimore plays a free recital today at 12:15 p.m. at National City Christian Church as part of its “Magical, Mystical, Musical Machine” organ recital series. NCCC’s Charles Miller, who’s also gay, play on the 26th. The recitals are a half hour each. The church is at 5 Thomas Circle, N.W.

Gay District meets tonight. The group was formerly known as the Twenties Group but has expanded its age range for gay, bi, trans and questioning men from 18 to 35. The group meets for weekly discussion from 8:30 to 9:30 every Friday at St. Margaret’s Church located at 1830 Connecticut Ave. Members dine afterwards then go dancing. The group is changing its contact information but for now, those interested can visit the group on Facebook under the name “GD: Gay District.”

Saturday, Feb. 20

Relive the glory days at 80s alt-pop dance night with DJ lil’e backstage at the Black Cat, 1811 14th St., NW. There’s a $7 cover, starts at 9:30 p.m.

Love him or hate him, there’s no denying his stage presence. John Mayer plays Verizon Center tonight, 8 p.m. with special guest Michael Franti and Spearhead, tickets $42.50-78.00. Visit ticketmaster.com.

A concert by members of D.C.’s “Different Drummers,” a gay ensemble, called “Intimate Winds” is today at 2 p.m. in the Adirondack Room at Hillwood Museum Estate. Fischer Tull’s “Liturgical Symphony,” Richard Strauss’ “Serenade,” and more will be performed. Tickets are $20 ($10 for seniors and students) and are available at the door. Visit dcdd.org for more information.

D.C. Icebreakers, an LGBT ice skating social group, has a game night tonight from 7:30 to 11:30 in Ballston with co-hosts NOVA GL Professionals and Gay District. The event is at a party room within walking distance from the Ballston Metro station. For directions, RSVP to [email protected]. Visit dcicebreakers.com for more information about the group.

Photographer Jason Horowitz, who’s straight, opens a new show called DRAG tonight at the Curator’s Office from 6 to 8 p.m. Featuring up-close and large-scale photos of local drag queens including Shi-Queeta Lee and others, the show, the artist says, seeks to reveal and challenge hidden biases about femininity and masculinity, beauty and ugliness, gay culture, race, sexuality and aging. The Curator’s Office is located at 1515 14th St., N.W., Suite 201.

Town has a Mardi Gras party with DJ Dan Deleon tonight. Doors open at 10. Town is located at 2009 8th St., N.W. Visit towndc.com for more information.

Sunday, Feb. 21

The Bolshoi Ballet wraps up its engagement at the Kennedy Center today at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $47-135.00. Visit kennedy-center.org for information.

A discussion called “Bagels, Brunch and Islam” is being held today at the D.C. Center from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Iman Daayiee Abdullah, who’s gay, will discuss the relation between Islam and Judaism and the lives of gay and lesbian Muslims. This study brunch is hosted by Bet Mishpachah, a local gay synagogue. The event is free and open to the public. The Center is located at 1810 14th St., N.W.

Adodi D.C., a gay group for men of color who celebrate their African heritage, meets today at the D.C. Center today from 3 to 6 p.m. The Center is at 1810 14th Street N.W. Visit thedccenter.org for more information.

Local drag queen Shi-Queeta Lee hosts drag brunch every Sunday at Nellie’s Sports Bar, located at 900 U Street, N.W. Brunch buffet is $20. Miss Lee performs at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Visit nelliessportsbar.com for more information.

Dignity Washington, a local gay Catholic group, celebrates Mass for the LGBT community every Sunday at 6 p.m. at St. Margaret’s, located at 1820 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Call 202-546-2245 for more information or visit dignitywashington.org.

Monday, Feb. 22

D.C. Center’s Elder Think Tank meets tonight at 6:30 p.m. and typically on the fourth Monday of each month. The group is an intergenerational group working on education, advocacy and services to the local aging LGBT population. The Center is at 1810 14th Street, N.W. Visit thedccenter.org for more information.

A youth support group for gay, lesbian and bi teens meets today from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the GW Center Clinic located at 1922 F Street N.W., suite 103. Fees for therapy and the group are on a sliding scale.

Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, the District’s largest mostly gay church, has an HIV-positive support group for people of faith every Monday at the church. For more information, contact Matt Senger at 202-546-2159 or e-mail him at [email protected]. MCC-DC is located at 474 Ridge Street, N.W. Visit mccdc.com for more information about the church.

Tuesday, Feb. 23

“In the Heights,” winner of four 2008 Tony Awards including best musical, opens at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, 12 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore, 410-837-7400. For tickets, visit broadwayacrossamerica.com.

“When Someone You Love Loves Meth” meets tonight at 7 at DC Center, located at 1810 14th Street, N.W. Visit thedccenter.org for more information. Also at the Center tonight is a meeting for those planning Gay Men’s Health Summit 2012 and AIDS 2012.

Washington Renegades, a gay-welcoming local rugby team, resumes practice for its spring season today at 6:45 p.m. at Cardozo High School at 1300 Clifton Street, N.W. Newcomers curious about the group can attend with out having to join. Visit dcrugby.com for more information.

The United ENDA Coalition meets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force headquarters to encourage LGBT supporters to help pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Training and pizza are provided. The Task Force is at 1325 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., sixth floor. For more information, contact Aaditi Dubale at [email protected].

Cobalt has “Flashback,” a retro night, every Tuesday at 10 p.m. Rail vodka drinks are free from 10 to 11 p.m. Cobalt, a gay bar and dance club, is at the corner of 17th and R streets, N.W.

Wednesday, Feb. 24

Ziegfeld’s/Secrets hosts its monthly amateur dancer contest at 11 p.m., signup begins at 10 p.m., 1824 Half St., S.W., 202-863-0670. Hosted by Destiny B. Childs.

The Hollaback Transgender Support Group meets tonight at 6:30 p.m. at DC Center, located at 1810 14th St., N.W. Hollaback is a social and support group for the trans community and is a program of the D.C. Community AIDS Network. The group meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.

Ladies First night is tonight and every Wednesday at Fab Lounge, located at 1805 Connecticut Ave., N.W. For more information, visit myspace.com/ladiesfirst.

Thursday, Feb. 25

Phase 1, the country’s oldest lesbian bar, begins its 40th anniversary festivities tonight at 9 p.m. at the Phase, located at 525 8th Street, S.E. The anniversary celebration continues through Sunday at 3 a.m. Staff members are seeking Phase-related photos from long-time patrons. They can be e-mailed to [email protected] or scanned at the bar. Patrons with Phase stories to share are also encouraged to come forward. A kick-off rock show is tonight with performers Hunter Valentine, the Pushovers and Kaylan Rexer. Visit phase1dc.com for more information.

D.C. Lambda Squares, a local gay square dancing group, meets every Thursday for square dancing. For more information about the group or to find out when beginner classes are available, visit dclambdasquares.org.

Friday, Feb. 26

Phase One 40th anniversary festivities continue tonight with a Miss Phase One Pageant at the bar from 7 to 10:30 p.m., which features a $200 cash prize. Hopefuls will compete in several categories. Send a photo, short bio and description of your talent to [email protected] to compete. Lesbian history through the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and ’00s will be honored with photos, videos and music from each era tonight and Saturday. Visit phase1dc.com for more information.

Saturday, Feb. 27

Gay & Lesbian Outreach & Engagement has its third annual Masquerade & Mischief Purim Party tonight at the Washington D.C. Jewish Community Center at 16th and Q streets, N.W. at 9 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes. Those who do have open bar access all night. D.C. Cowboys and trans comedian Riki Wilchins will perform. Tickets are $18 in advance; $20 at the door. A costume prize will be awarded. Contact [email protected] or 202-777-3253 for more information.

Variety show Crack is back tonight with a new show called “Once Upon a Time” at Town from 9 p.m. to midnight tonight. The production is billed as an “outrageous cabaret that spoofs the fantastic world of fairy tales and nursery rhymes.” Crack hosts Shea Van Horn, Chris Farris and Karl Jones will perform. Cover is $10. Show starts at 10. Attendees are encouraged to dress in fairy tale- or nursery rhyme-inspired costumes to receive a $2 discount. Town is at 2009 8th Street N.W.

Send calendar listings two weeks prior to your event to Joey DiGuglielmo at [email protected].

Up Next

Same-sex marriage means big business

Don't Miss

Before you pop the question, you’ll need a romantic setting

FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM

Galleries

BMA celebrates enduring influence of Henri Matisse

Exhibit features iconic works juxtaposed with gay artist’s paintings inspired by French legend

Published

22 hours ago

March 14, 2026

Kevin Naff

‘Tom’ by Louis Fratino (left) and ‘Large Reclining Nude’ by Henri Matisse (right) reveal the ways in which the legendary French visual artist influenced the young American painter, from the use of light and pattern to the choice to focus on everyday subjects.

The Baltimore Museum of Art is on a roll.

After landing the coveted Amy Sherald “American Sublime” exhibit (through April 5) when the National Portrait Gallery attempted to censor her work, the BMA is debuting a breathtaking and thought-provoking new exhibit, “To See This Light Again” featuring master works by Henri Matisse paired with new paintings by Louis Fratino, who is inspired by the French modernist legend.

Fratino, who’s gay, was born in Annapolis and studied at Baltimore’s Maryland Institute College of Art. As an art student, he found himself spending lots of time in the BMA’s Matisse galleries, the largest collection of his works in the world, encompassing more than 1,600 paintings, drawings, and illustrations. At just 33, Fratino has enjoyed a “meteoric” rise in the art world, according to BMA Director Asma Naeem, who introduced Fratino at an event previewing the exhibit last week. This is Fratino’s first major U.S. exhibition, but he was featured in the 2024 Venice Biennale and his paintings can be found at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and elsewhere.

The exhibit aims to explore Matisse’s lasting influence by juxtaposing his works with Fratino’s.

“It’s the idea that art manifests a kind of attention or a vision for your life, that it can be a beautiful life despite certain circumstances that may be happening around you,” Fratino said in a statement released by the BMA. “In Matisse’s case, he lived through the First and Second World Wars. Painting can confirm that life is beautiful and that it’s worth looking at.”

The influences are apparent, from the use of light and pattern to the choice to focus on everyday objects and subjects. And the exhibit is unabashedly queer with male couples depicted in a couple of paintings. Fratino told the Blade that as an out gay man, it was important to embrace that visibility.

He describes a “joy of looking” at the male form, just as Matisse portrayed female figures that often celebrated the tradition of painting nudes.

In “Tom,” Fratino captured his subject in casual repose that includes a bowl and spoon in the foreground. It is presented alongside Matisse’s iconic “Large Reclining Nude.” Tom’s checkered shirt echoes the blue and white grid background of the Matisse work and both figures are holding casual, relaxed poses.

“Fratino and Matisse: To See This Light Again” runs through Sept. 6 at the Baltimore Museum of Art (artbma.org.)

For Matisse lovers, the BMA has another exhibit debuting March 29 titled, “Matisse in Vence: The Stations of the Cross” featuring more than 80 drawings revealing how the artist “shaped his late‑career masterpiece, the Stations of the Cross mural, for the Chapel of the Rosary in Vence, France.”

Books

Laverne Cox, Liza Minnelli among authors with new books

A tome for every taste this reading season

Published

2 days ago

March 13, 2026

Terri Schlichenmeyer

Spring is a great time to think about vacations, spring break, lunch on the patio, or an afternoon in the park. You’ll want to bring one (or all!) of these great new books.

So let’s start here: What are you up for? How about a great new novel?

If you’re a mystery fan, you’ll want to make reservations to visit “Disaster Gay Detective Agency” by Lev AC Rosen (Poisoned Pen Press, June 2). It’s a whodunit featuring a group of gay roommates, one of whom is a swoony romantic. Add a mysterious man who disappears and a murder, of course, and you’ve got the novel you need for the beach.

Don’t discount young adult books, if you want something light to read this spring. “What Happened to Those Girls” by Carlyn Greenwald (Sourcebooks Fire, June 30) is a thriller about mean girls and a camping trip that goes terribly, bloodily wrong. Meant for teens ages 14 and up, young adult books are breezier and lighter fare for the busy grown-up reader.

If you loved “Boyfriend Material” and “Husband Material,” you’ll be eager for the next installment from author Alexis Hall. “Father Material” (Sourcebooks Casablanca, June 2) takes Luc and Oliver to the next step. First was dating. Then was marriage. Is it time for the sound of pitter-patter on the kitchen floor?

Maybe something even lighter? Then how about a book of essays – like “The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay” bycomedian and writer Eliot Glazer (Gallery Books, Aug. 11). It’s a book of essays on being gay today, the irritations, the joys, and fitting in. Be aware that these essays may contain a bit of spice – but isn’t that what you want for your reading pleasure anyhow, hmmm?

But okay, let’s say you want something with a little more heft to it. How about a biography?

Look for “Transcendant” by Laverne Cox (Gallery Books, June 9), or “Kids, Wait Till You Hear This” by Liza Minnelli (Grand Central Publishing, March 10), and “Every Inch a Lady” by Audrey Smaltz with Alina Mitchell (Amistad, July 14). Keep your eyes open for “Without Prejudice: My Life as a Gay Judge” by Harvey Brownstone (ECW Press, May 26) or “The Double Dutch Fuss” by Phill Branch (Amistad, June 2).

Then again, maybe you want some history, or something different.

So here: look for “Queer Saints: A Radical Guide to Magic, Miracles, and Modern Intercession” by Antonio Pagliarulo (Weiser, June 1) for a little bit of faith-based gay. Music lovers will want “Mighty Real: A History of LGBTQ Music, 1969-2000” by Barry Walters (Viking, May 12). Activists will want “In the Arms of Mountains: A Memoir of Land, Love, and Queer Resistance in Red America” byformer Idaho state Sen. Cole Nicole LeFavour (Beacon Press, May 26).

And if these books aren’t enough, then be sure to check with your favorite bookseller or librarian. They’ll have exactly what you’re in the mood to read. They’ll find what you need for that patio, beach towel, or easy chair.

Music & Concerts

Gaga, Cardi B, and more to grace D.C. stages this spring

Shake off your winter doldrums at a local concert

Published

2 days ago

March 13, 2026

Evan Caplan

Lady Gaga plays Capital One Arena on March 23. (File photo courtesy of Might Real Agency)

D.C. shakes off its winter blues this spring as the music scene pops off. We all know the big star is coming: Lady Gaga will perform at Capital One Arena on March 23. But plenty of other stars, big and small, will grace D.C. stages, including many LGBTQ and ally artists.

March

3/15, 9:30 Club, St. Lucia – Indie electronic music project known for its synth-pop sound, which blends ‘80s influences with electronic and indie rock elements.

3/31, Lincoln Theatre, Perfume Genius – Indie/pop singer/songwriter Mike Hadreas, also known as Perfume Genius, has toured with a full band, but he is stripping things back for this tour.

April

4/8, Capital One, Cardi B. Cardi B, from New York, unapologetic and proud, is the first solo female artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. This year, she’s on her Little Miss Drama Tour, in support of her second studio album, “Am I the Drama?”

4/13, Lincoln Theatre, The Naked Magicians. Australia’s The Naked Magicians are two performers who deliver live magic and laughs while wearing nothing but a top hat and a smile.

4/18, Capital One, Florence and the Machine. Longstanding indie rock back from Great Britain, much-loved for lead singer Florence’s powerful vocals. On their Everybody Scream Tour.

4/16, Capital One, Demi Lovato. Singer/songwriter from Texas, who came out as nonbinary, is traveling on her “It’s Not That Deep Tour.”

4/21, The Anthem, Calum Scott. Platinum-selling gay singer/songwriter Calum Scott released his latest project, Avenoir, last year. Scott rose to fame in 2015 after competing on Britain’s Got Talent, where he performed a cover of Robyn’s hit “Dancing on My Own“.

4/26, Atlantis, Caroline Kingsbury. American queer pop musician from Los Angeles. She released her debut album in 2021, and has two additional EPs. She’s played Lollapalooza 2025 and All Things Go 2025, as well as gone on a co-headlining U.S. tour with MARIS. Shock Treatment is her latest EP.

4/26, Anthem, Raye. This bisexual artist, known for her current chart-topping “”Where Is My Husband!” single, blends pop, jazz, R&B, and more.

4/30, Union Stage, Daya. This bisexual singer/songwriter is on her “Til Every Petal Drops Tour,” touring the album of the same name that was released last year.

May

5/1, The Anthem, Joost Klein. Eurovision comes to D.C. in Joost Klein: Originally a Youtuber, he was selected to represent the Netherlands at Eurovision in 2024 with his song “Europapa.” He released a new album on New Year’s Day.

5/1, Fillmore, MIKA. MIKA is on his Spinning Out Tour. Born in Beirut and raised in both Paris and London, MIKA sings in multiple languages and has co-hosted Eurovision.

5/7, 9:30 Club, COBRAH. Clara Christensen, is a Swedish singer, songwriter, record producer, and club queen, making electronic dance music.

5/19, Atlantis, Grace Ives. New York-born singer/songwriter, known for her high-energy synth/electronic, bedroom-pop-style music.

June

6/2, The Anthem, James Blake. English crooner got big from his self-titled debut album in 2011. He won two Grammys and just released his 7th album,Trying Times, in March.