Arts & Entertainment
Social agenda for April 2
Friday, April 2
RAW returns to the Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court N.W., from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. RAW is inspired by gay parties of the early 80s, filled with fog, strobe lights and throbbing music, along with go-go boys. The hosts for the evening are Karl Marks and resident DJs, Shea and Bil. DJ RAD (of Pink Sock) will be the special guest DJ. Catch his set on the 1st floor from 10 p.m. to midnight. Entry is free before 11 p.m., and $3 after that. 21+
Gay District, a weekly, non-church affiliated discussion and social group for GBTQ men between 18 and 35 is held from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave., N.W. For more information, e-mail [email protected].
Nada Surf plays the 9:30 club, 815 V St., N.W., at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.
“Little Shop of Horrors” is on stage at Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St., N.W., at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $39-$55; call 202-496-4200 for information.
Friday Night Erev Shabbat Services are held from 8:30-10 p.m. at the Washington Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St.
Saturday, April 3
Cherry Fund’s annual Cherry Weekend HIV/AIDS Fundraiser will be held at Freddie’s Beach Bar, 555 23rd St. S., Arlington, VA. A $5 donation is being asked that will help HIV/AIDS Prevention & Education Efforts in the region. DJ JFX returns from L.A. to throw down your favorite anthems, vocals and progressive house vibes. The party starts at 9 p.m.
The HomoSonic dance party will be held at the Black Cat Mainstage, 1811 14th. St., N.W., from 9:30 p.m.-3 a.m. The event is co-ed gay/mix, trans inclusive and straight friendly. Cover charge is $10.
CODE returns to Motley Bar above EFN Lounge, 1318 9th St. N.W., for its monthly installment. Gear, rubber, skin, uniform or leather dress code will be strictly enforced. Music provided by DJ Michael Hades. Admission is $10. Code is an 18+ event. There will be an open bar from 9-10 p.m.
The first Saturday of each month is ladies night with JAM at Mova, 1435 P St., N.W. Entry is free plus the first 50 people get a free beer courtesy of Miller Lite. Music will be provided by DJ GEMZ with a little something for everyone.
‘Laughter and Reflection with Carol Burnett’ at the Lyric Opera House, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave., Baltimore at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $42-$72, call 410-685-5086.
The Great Vigil of Easter is celebrated at the National Cathedral, a ministry for all faiths, at 8 p.m. Easter Sunday services at 8 and 11 a.m. Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues, N.W. Visit nationalcathedral.org for more information.
Sunday, April 4
Easter services at Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, 474 Ridge St., N.W., at 9 a.m.
Dignity Washington, a group for LGBT Catholics, celebrates Easter Mass at 6 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
BurGREENdy – recycling during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. BCV is going to be working to encourage recycling during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Volunteers will encourage festival attendees to recycle their empty beverage containers by placing them in recycling containers that are located around the Tidal Basin. There will be two shifts between 3:30-6:30 p.m. Visit burgundycrescent.org for more information.
Monday, April 5
The DC Center invites bears and their allies for the first “Bears do Yoga,” starting today. This four-week class will serve as an introduction to yoga for all different body types and physical abilities. Classes will take place four consecutive Monday evenings: April 5, 12, 19 and 26. Classes begin at 6:15 p.m. in the DC Center Activity Room and last for one hour. There is a suggested $5 donation. To RSVP for this class e-mail [email protected].
Vivian Green, a former backup singer for Jill Scott, plays the Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave. in Alexandria at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35; call 703-549-7000 for information.
Tuesday, April 6
Packing Party at EFN Lounge/Motley Bar, 1318 9th Street, N.W., from 7-8 p.m. Volunteers will be assembling safer sex kits and enjoying drink specials at Motley.
Wednesday, April 7
Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler will speak about his recent legal opinion regarding recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages at 6:45 p.m., Govans Presbyterian Church, 5828 York Rd., Baltimore. A meal will be served at 5:45 p.m.; RSVP required for the meal, 410-435-9188.
Join the D.C. chapter of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association for happy hour at Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St., N.W., from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Get to know other professionals working in journalism, communications and related fields. Information on the 20th anniversary NLGJA convention this September in San Francisco will be available.
The Rainbow History Project presents readings from “Persistent Voices”: Poetry by Writers Lost to AIDS. Starting at 7 p.m. in the Lecture Hall at Summer School Museum and Archive, 1201 17th St., N.W. The anthology includes works by several D.C.-based poets, including Essex Hemphill. The evening will be moderated by Philip Clark, Rainbow History board member and co-editor of the book. Clark, Richard McCann, Kim Roberts and Bernard Welt will read selected poems from the anthology. For more information call 202-821-7532.
DC Ice Breakers, a GLBTQ social group, will meet and ice skate at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston, on top of the Ballston Common Mall parking garage, 627 N. Glebe Road, Arlington. The ice skating events take place on first and third Wednesday nights, with a social after at a local bar. Skating is from 7:45-8:45 p.m. Ice skating novices are welcome. No membership fees and no RSVP needed (for most events), simply show up.
Verdi’s Rigoletto will be shown at 7 p.m. as part of the Opera and Ballet in Cinema series at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St., N.E. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the box office, at atlas arts.org/tickets or by calling 202-399-7993.
Career Development at the DC Center, 1810 14th St. N.W., from 3-4 p.m., brings trained and experienced volunteer human resource professionals to offer support with job searches, interviews skills, resume writing and individual career goal counseling. For more information, contact the Center at 202-682-2245 or careerdevelopmentthedccenter.org.
Thursday, April 8
The Cherry Fund presents “Cherry Weekend: A Return to Tradition.” The events of the weekend kick off on April 8 with the Opening Party at Mova, 1435 P St., N.W. from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Music by DJ Jason Royce. Complimentary admission. The event is 21+.
DCBiWomen, the area’s social group for bisexual and bi-curious women, will meet from 7– 8 p.m. at Cafe Luna, 1633 P St., N.W., at 7 p.m. The group’s goal is to create an accepting, encouraging environment for bisexual women regardless of the gender of their partner or what they are looking for, meet other cool bi women and affirm the existence of the bi-identity. For more information visit http://www.dcbiwomen.org/index.asp.
Celebrity News
My evening with Madonna
Gay icon headlined the World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key will be on assignment in the Netherlands through Aug. 10. They will be covering World Pride in Amsterdam.
AMSTERDAM — Madonna and 6,000 of her closest friends celebrated World Pride at Amsterdam’s AFAS Live concert hall early Sunday morning. I was fortunate enough to be one of them.
Madonna last Wednesday nearly broke the internet when she said on social media in Dutch that “I got somethin’ I wanna talk about,” referring to an opening line in “Danceteria,” one of the tracks on her “Confessions II” album that has received rave reviews since its July 2 release. The track has been on near constant replay on my playlist since I first heard it.
— Madonna (@Madonna) July 28, 2026
MISTR — a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term care that has organized Madonna’s Club Confessions shows in the U.S. and the U.K. — later confirmed the rampant speculation. I woke up on July 30 to an email in my inbox from MISTR and the World Pride Music Festival PR team that said I was on the press list.
Madonna was indeed going to headline the World Pride Music Festival that Jake Resnicow and Insomniac produced, and I was going to be there. OMFG!!!!
The gay icon had one more surprise in store.
The Dutch internet on Saturday once again broke over speculation that Kylie Minogue was going to appear alongside Madonna. I was getting ready to leave our hotel in Amsterdam on Saturday night when I saw a video of the two of them together.
“Madonna is now teasing Kylie Minogue on her social media … she may be one of her ‘special guests’ tonight,” I wrote in a text to Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff at 8:46 p.m.
“Have fun! This is turning into the gayest concert ever,” he responded.
I arrived at AFAS Live shortly before 11 p.m. My press contact walked me and two other Dutch journalists into the venue’s cavernous main room known as the Black Box. We made small talk for a few minutes before I started to walk around and listen to Josh Harrison who was on the decks.
Madonna was scheduled to take the stage at 1:30 a.m., but she is known for being late — she is Madonna and she does what she wants. Hayla, a British singer, and Bebe Rexha are among those who performed ahead of Madonna. Thousands of sweaty men — including a group of Australians next to me who were eagerly awaiting Kylie’s anticipated appearance — packed the Black Box and were dancing, anticipating what was to come.
MISTR CEO Tristan Schukraft at one point came on stage and declared Madonna was indeed in the building. The moment for which we were all eagerly waiting finally came shortly before 2:30 a.m.
“Mother is here and this is gay heaven,” said Madonna when she took the stage.
Stuart Price, who produced her “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album in 2005, manned the decks during Madonna’s set.
She opened it with “I Feel So Free” from “Confessions II.” Madonna then sang “Bring Your Love” and “Danceteria” to which this reporter — and everyone else — sang along.
Madonna then teased a surprise before she began to perform “Love Sensation.” Kylie soon appeared on stage. It was nearly too much for my fellow partygoers from Australia. It was indeed the gayest concert ever!
Madonna and Kylie performed “Love Sensation” together. They then sang “Hung Up” and “Sorry” from “Confessions on a Dance Floor” to round out the set that ended shortly after 3 a.m.
Madonna and I share the same birthday — Aug. 16 — and I would like to think she and Kylie gave me an early birthday present. In all seriousness though, it was an amazing night for me and for everyone else who was fortunate enough to be there.
“On the dance floor I feel so free,” says Madonna in the opening of “I Feel So Free.”
For those few precious hours at AFAS Live I did not think about the Trump-Vance administration and the myriad ways it is destroying the U.S. I did not think about the National Guard troops deployed to D.C. I did not think about the pointless wars that continue to ravage Ukraine and other countries around the world. I simply lost myself on the dance floor and celebrated an icon who has always stood with my community.
Thank you, Madonna.
The Petal Release Party and Drag Show was held at Spark Social on Friday, July 31. Performers included Tiara-Missou, Labianna and Darcy de la Cuadra.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Celebrity News
Madonna headlines World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
Kylie Minogue made surprise appearance alongside gay icon
AMSTERDAM — Madonna on Sunday headlined the final night of the World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam.
The gay icon took the stage shortly before 2:30 a.m. local time (8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday) during Club Confessions, a set that MISTR, a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term HIV care, organized.
“Mother is here and this is gay heaven,” said Madonna when she took the stage inside Amsterdam’s AFAS Live concert hall that can hold up to 6,000 people.
Stuart Price, who produced Madonna’s 2005 “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album and “Confessions II,” which debuted on July 2, DJed the set.
Kylie Minogue made a surprise appearance. She and Madonna performed a new remix of “Love Sensation” from “Confessions II.”
(Washington Blade video by Michael K. Lavers)
“Throughout my career, I’ve always supported efforts to fight HIV and AIDS, and that fight begins with education and access,” said Madonna in a MISTR press release. “With MISTR, (CEO) Tristan (Schukraft) is expanding access to HIV prevention and sexual healthcare for everyone. Through this work, he’s helping preserve and strengthen LGBTQ+ spaces while investing in the communities and culture that have long sustained us.”
Minogue in an Instagram post thanked Madonna, Price, Schukraft, and MISTR.
Madonna appeared at The Abbey in West Hollywood, Calif., in April. Madonna in June celebrated Pride month with a pop-up performance in New York’s Times Square.
Jake Resnicow and Insomniac produced the World Pride Music Festival that also featured Bebe Rexha and Paris Hilton, among others.
“Pride has always been about bringing our community together,” said Resnicow. “At a moment when too many people are being told to hide or make themselves smaller, gathering openly, joyfully, and without apology matters more than ever. I couldn’t be prouder of what this festival brought to life in Amsterdam — one dance floor, completely free.”
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