Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: week of Nov. 19
Events through Thanksgiving day
DJ Paul Oakenfold spins at Club 9:30 Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Paul Oakenfold)
Friday, Nov. 19
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) will be holding an opening reception today for Body Scapes, an art exhibit by local artist, Bill Travis from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through Jan. 5.
Lace Lounge (2214 Rhode Island Ave., N.E.) will be celebrating its two year anniversary this weekend. Tonight is Pink Friday. There will be a “crazy shoe game” contest, painted body models, surprise open bars and more. Visit lacedc.com for more information.
The 23rd annual Washington Craft Show opens today at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from 10 a.m to 8 p.m. This events features 190 of the nation’s top craft artists. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $13 for senior, $8 for students and children under 12 are admitted for free. Kelly Conway, curator of glass at the Chrysler Museum of Art will be leading a panel discussion with Matthew Fine, Charles Savoie and Tim Tate at 1 p.m. Libby Mijanovich will present “Transformation: Creating Contemporary ‘Green’ Art from Vintage Clothing” at 3 p.m.
Erotica Productions and Breeze of “Sex is a Breeze” present “Sexxxhibition: the Medical Fetish Edition” at the Warehouse Loft (411 New York Ave., N.E.) from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Advance tickets are $20 and can be purchased at sexxxhibition6.eventbrite.com. Tickets at the door are $25 for those in costume/fetish wear and $30 for those in street clothes before 1 a.m.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) will be holding a workshop for those who have experienced the death of a loved one in the past year today from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The workshop will include discussions of strategies for coping with grief and loss during the holiday season.
The blog True Genius Requires Insanity is hosting “All Girl Everything: A Happy Hour to Support Rock D.C.” at the U Street Music Hall (1115 U St., N.W.) today from 5 to 10 p.m. All proceeds from the bar will go directly to the organization. DJs Natty Boom and vAnniety Kills will be spinning hits by female artists. To find out more about the organization, visit girlsrockdc.org.
DJs K La Rock and Junebullet will be providing music at Wet Girls at Jimmy Valentine’s Lonely Hearts Club (1103 Bladensburg Rd., N.E.) from 9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. This is a free event for those 21 and over.
Women is their 30s will be holding a discussion meeting tonight at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) from 8 to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 20
Unity Fellowship Church, D.C. will be having its annual gospel concert, “Sounds of Zion Choir” tonight from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Luther Place Memorial Church (1226 Vermont Ave., N.W.). The choir will be under the direction of Professor David Rogers and will feature a special presentation by Johnny Sabbat. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by contacting the church at 202-246-6299 or e-mailing [email protected].
Balls returns to Velvet Lounge (915 U St., N.W.) tonight with Troll Tax, the Coolots, Tayisha Busay and DJs Junebullet of She.Rex, Zack Rosen of Homo/Sonic and Joshua of Gay Bash. Doors open at 9 p.m. and there is a $8 cover. This is a 21-and-older event.
The 23rd annual Washington Craft Show continues today at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. This events features 190 of the nation’s top craft artists. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $13 for senior, $8 for students and children under 12 are admitted for free. Bob Devers from the ceramics department at the Corcoran School of Arts will lead a panel discussion with leading experts in the field of American fine craft at 1 p.m. Nancy Kubale will present “The Human Condition in Clay” at 3 p.m.
Lace Lounge’s (2214 Rhode Island Ave., N.E.) two year anniversary celebration continues tonight with the “All Black Everything” Affair. There will be complimentary champagne fountains and dinner buffet. All black attire highly recommended. This event starts at 9 p.m. Visit lacedc.com for more information.
MIXTAPE D.C. is tonight at the old EFN Lounge space (1318 9th St., N.W.) from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. MIXTAPE is a dance party for queer music lovers and their pals that features DJs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer playing an eclectic mix of electro, alt-pop, indie rock, house, disco, new wave and anything else danceable. $5 cover for 21 and over.
Sunday, Nov. 21
Lace Lounge’s two year anniversary celebration ends tonight with “Lyrics and Lace,” an open mic, live entertainment exhibition. Appetizers will be half off and there will be drink specials. The Coolats band will be performing an the show starts at 8 p.m. E-mail [email protected] to perform. Visit lacedc.com for more information.
Cherry Blossom Bombshells and the Scare Force One will be competing today at the D.C. Armory (2001 E. Capitol St., S.E.). Tickets are $12 for general admission, $6 for children 6 through 11, and children under 6 will be admitted free. Tickets are available at the door or can be purchased in advanced. Doors open at 3 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit dcrollergirls.com.
Alvin Jackson, pastor of Park Avenue Christian Church in New York City, will be a guest preacher at Michigan Park Christian Church (1600 Taylor St., N.E.) today for the 10 a.m. morning worship service.
Monday, Nov. 22
The 2010 annual Electronic Media and Film Fall Film Series presents films about the relationship between math, sciences and storytelling. This week’s film is “Good Will Hunting” starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in the Van Bokklen Hall Auditorium at Towson University at 7:30 p.m. This is a free event.
Tuesday, Nov. 23
Paul Oakenfold will be at 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) tonight with Chuckie and Nervo. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at 930.com.
Nellie’s will be having its weekly “Glee” watch party on the roof deck tonight at 8 p.m. featuring $3 Nellie Beer all night.
Wednesday, Nov. 24
Omega will hosts its weekly pool tournament tonight. First place wins a $50 bar tab and second place wins a $25 bar tab. Shirtless men drink free on both floors from 10 to 11 p.m. The Men of Omega perform at 10 p.m. Doors open at 4 p.m.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) will be hosting its weekly karaoke party tonight at 9 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 25
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers will be having its eighth annual “Clear OUT Your Closets” Thanksgiving clothing drive for the homeless and needy. Clothing drop-off is from 10 a.m. to noon today at Rosemary’s Thyme restaurant’s patio (1801 18th St., N.W.). Clothing distribution will be from noon to 2 p.m.
The film “Burlesque” starring Cher, Christina Aguilera and Alan Cumming opens nationwide today.
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.”
My evening with Madonna
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Madonna headlines World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
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