Arts & Entertainment

Calendar for June 11

Published

15 years ago

June 10, 2010

Friday, June 11

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” stars Morgan Michaels, Tatianna, and Sahara Davenport perform in the drag show and on the main stage featuring a live performance by The Ladies of Town and X-Faction at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St. N.W. Doors open at 9 p.m. $2 drinks from 9-10 p.m. Drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Upstairs music by Wess; downstairs music and video by BacK2bACk. $10 from 10-11 p.m. and $15 after 11 p.m. 18 and over.

SIREN Launch Party (A summer adventure back to APEX!) Join Mikey Adolphson (SHIFT) and Aaron Riggins (HHHH & WTF), as they team up for a summer adventure back to Apex, 1415 22nd St. N.W. Doors open at 10 p.m., 18 and over.

Homo/Sonic: Alt.DC.Pride edition at the Black Cat, 1811 14th St. N.W. D.C.’s diverse, coed, trans-inclusive, straight-friendly alternative queer dance party. This time being presented by Alt.DC.Pride; homo/sonic with a mix of indie, electro, pop, retro, disco and so much more. Doors open at 9:30 p.m.

Mad Hatter’s Underland at Cobalt, 1639 R St. N.W. DJ Drew G will put you under his spell with amazing new remixes as well as your favorites. Join Cobalt’s Mad Hatter, Joey Salinas, when he takes the stage with some familiar Wonderland faces. 10 p.m., 21 and over.

“SWEAT” Capital Pride 2010 official Friday night men’s party at Ziegfeld’s/Secrets, 1824 Half St. S.W., 9 p.m.-3 a.m. Featuring DJ Jason Royce, porn star Ricky Sinz live on stage and 30 all-nude male dancers hosted by Miss Latroya Nichole. Also the very special “Glee” inspired Ladies of Illusion shows in Ziegfeld’s at 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. featuring Miss Gay America 2010 CoCo Montrese. Doors open at 9 p.m. $10 before 10:30 p.m., $13 after. 21 and over.

Friday Night Erev Shabbat Services, 8:30 p.m.-10 p.m., Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. Friday Night Services are followed by an Oneg Social. Please use the Q Street entrance.

Saturday, June 12

Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St. N.W., special guest DJ Chris Cox. Also featuring the Ladies of Town and X-Faction. Doors open at 9 p.m., $2 drinks from 9-10 p.m. Drag show starts at 10:30 p.m.; downstairs music by Wess. $10 from 10-11 p.m. and $15 after 11 p.m. 21 and over.

Capital Pride & BYT Present: “Homo Erectus — The Evolution of Pride” at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Tickets are $25 in the pre-sale, but will be more at the door. Get your tickets at dcpride-fb.eventbrite.com/. The lineup: Shea Van Horn (MIXTAPE, RAW), Natty Boom (Anthology of Booty), Matt Bailer (MIXTAPE, Peach Pit), Junebullet (She.Rex, First Ladies DC Collective), DJ MAJR (SHIFT) and more.

Capital Pride Women’s Event “Pucker Up!” at Lace, 2214 Rhode Island Ave., N.E. 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Free until 11 p.m. with flier or Facebook RSVP. 21 and over.

Sunday, June 13

Wild Cherry, the “After-Festival” Party/Tea Dance, 6 p.m. at the Donovan House, 1155 14th St., N.W. Tickets $7. Music will be supplied by Chicago DJ Steve Henderson and D.C.’s DJ Jason Horswill. Special live performance by NYC club diva Vanessa Conde at 10 p.m. Half the proceeds will be donated to Capital Pride in memory of Bill Miles, a committee member of both Capital Pride and Cherry who recently passed away.

TheNewGay.net & Alt.DC.Pride present: Anniething Goes with special guest DJ Lady Miss Kier (of Deee-Lite) and DJ vAnniety kills aka miss lesbanAnnie (LipstickInDC). U Street Music Hall, 1115 U St. N.W. Doors open at 6 p.m., 18 and over. Tickets available at ticketalternative.com/Events/11419.aspx

Capital Pride presents the post-Festival party at Cobalt, 1639 R St., N.W. Featuring music from DJ Drew G from NYC. $5 cover, doors open at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit Capital Pride.

Monday, June 14

Country Western dance lessons at Remingtons, 639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. (½ block West of Eastern Market Metro) from 8:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., $5 per person, per lesson (dance class participants should wear boots or shoes with leather soles.)

Tuesday, June 15

Drag Bingo at Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St., N.W., hosted by Shi-Queeta Lee, every Tuesday starting at 8 p.m. Free to play.

Wednesday, June 16

Each Wednesday at the Green Lantern is POZ Wednesday. Starting at 8 p.m., POZ mixers provide a supportive atmosphere for those who are HIV positive and those who want to help eradicate the stigma surrounding HIV. The Green Lantern is located at 1335 Green Court N.W.

General Program Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m., $12. Vajroyogini Buddhist Center 1803 Connecticut Ave., N.W., 2nd floor. How can we learn to love without pain? Through these teachings, we will learn to enjoy our relationships and in turn benefit others. For more information visit meditation-dc.org or contact us at 202-986-2257 or [email protected].

Thursday, June 17

Active Duty Thursday at Motley Bar above EFN Lounge, 1318 9th St. N.W., $3, 9-11 p.m. First drink is free with a military ID.

Books

A boy-meets-boy, family-mess story with heat

New book offers a stunning, satisfying love story

Published

14 hours ago

May 4, 2025

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Book cover image courtesy of Random House)

‘When the Harvest Comes’
By Denne Michele Norris
c.2025, Random House
$28/304 pages

Happy is the bride the sun shines on.

Of all the clichés that exist about weddings, that’s the one that seems to make you smile the most. Just invoking good weather and bright sunshine feels like a cosmic blessing on the newlyweds and their future. It’s a happy omen for bride and groom or, as in the new book “When the Harvest Comes” by Denne Michele Norris, for groom and groom.

Davis Freeman never thought he could love or be loved like this.

He was wildly, wholeheartedly, mind-and-soul smitten with Everett Caldwell, and life was everything that Davis ever wanted. He was a successful symphony musician in New York. They had an apartment they enjoyed and friends they cherished. Now it was their wedding day, a day Davis had planned with the man he adored, the details almost down to the stitches in their attire. He’d even purchased a gorgeous wedding gown that he’d never risk wearing.

He knew that Everett’s family loved him a lot, but Davis didn’t dare tickle the fates with a white dress on their big day. Everett’s dad, just like Davis’s own father, had considerable reservations about his son marrying another man – although Everett’s father seemed to have come to terms with his son’s bisexuality. Davis’s father, whom Davis called the Reverend, never would. Years ago, father and son had a falling-out that destroyed any chance of peace between Davis and his dad; in fact, the door slammed shut to any reconciliation.

But Davis tried not to think about that. Not on his wedding day. Not, unbeknownst to him, as the Reverend was rushing toward the wedding venue, uninvited but not unrepentant. Not when there was an accident and the Reverend was killed, miles away and during the nuptials.

Davis didn’t know that, of course, as he was marrying the love of his life. Neither did Everett, who had familial problems of his own, including homophobic family members who tried (but failed) to pretend otherwise.

Happy is the groom the sun shines on. But when the storm comes, it can be impossible to remain sunny.

What can be said about “When the Harvest Comes?” It’s a romance with a bit of ghost-pepper-like heat that’s not there for the mere sake of titillation. It’s filled with drama, intrigue, hate, characters you want to just slap, and some in bad need of a hug.

In short, this book is quite stunning.

Author Denne Michele Norris offers a love story that’s everything you want in this genre, including partners you genuinely want to get to know, in situations that are real. This is done by putting readers inside the characters’ minds, letting Davis and Everett themselves explain why they acted as they did, mistakes and all. Don’t be surprised if you have to read the last few pages twice to best enjoy how things end. You won’t be sorry.

If you want a complicated, boy-meets-boy, family-mess kind of book with occasional heat, “When the Harvest Comes” is your book. Truly, this novel shines.

The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.

Photos

PHOTOS: Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch

LGBTQ politicians gather for annual event

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2025

Michael Key

Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) speaks at the 2025 Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Victory Fund held its National Champagne Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton on Sunday, April 27. Speakers included Tim Gunn, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.), Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Music & Concerts

Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’

Out singer/songwriter to perform at Red Bear Brewing Co.

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

Singer Tom Goss is back. (Photo by Dusti Cunningham)

Singer Tom Goss will bring his “Bear Friends Furever Tour” to D.C. on Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co.

Among the songs he will perform will be “Bear Soup,” the fourth installment in his beloved bear song anthology series. Following fan favorites like “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places,” and “Nerdy Bear,” this high-energy, bass-thumping banger celebrates body positivity, joyful indulgence, and the vibrant spirit of the bear subculture.

For more details, visit Tom Goss’s website.