Arts & Entertainment
Social Agenda for Feb. 19
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].
The 2025 Baltimore Pride Parade was held on Saturday, June 14.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
You’ve done your share of marching.
You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.
You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.
Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.
You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.
Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.
If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.
Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.
Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.
Music & Concerts
Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall
Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony
Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.
The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.
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