Arts & Entertainment
Musical mayhem
Phasefest gives queer bands platform in D.C. this weekend
Phasefest
Continues through Saturday
Phase 1
525 8th Street, S.E.
$20 for tonight; $25 for Saturday
Weekend passes available for $55
Tickets available at the door
Hunter Valentine is, from left, Vero Sanchez (bass), Kiyomi McCloskey (vocals/guitar) and Laura Petracca (drums). (Photo by Leslie Van Stelten)
Ordinarily Somer Bingham likes to hang out at Phasefest whether she’s playing that night or not.
The musician behind Clinical Trials has played Phasefest the past four years and is up again for a mini-set tonight. During a phone chat this week from West Hollywood where she’s getting ready for a solo show, she says it’s probably best she’s not planning to be at Phasefest on Saturday night. There’s a little drama that’s gone down with her old group, Hunter Valentine, the headline band for Saturday.
“It’s probably best I won’t see them since I just got kicked out of the band,” Bingham says. “I was never technically a full member, but we played together almost six months. They kind of decided I just wasn’t the right fit. Kiyomi (McCloskey, lead singer of Hunter Valentine) and I just weren’t getting along as band mates and it kind of just exploded.”
Fans of the Showtime reality show “The Real L Word” know the story — the drama played out in July and August during the series’ tense third season, a segment of which was filmed at Phase 1 in March.
But the drama should be avoided at Phasefest where the focus will be on the music. For the record, though, Bingham is pragmatic about the way things went down.
“We definitely wrote some cool songs together and played some great shows,” she says. “I thought we had good chemistry, but it’s such a bummer because we were great friends before.”
McCloskey says they “parted ways amicably.”
“Playing with Somer was always meant to be a trial run,” she says. “She didn’t know whether she wanted to be in the band permanently and we didn’t know whether she was the right fourth member. She is an amazing musician but it turned out not the right fit for Hunter Valentine. We wish her the best.”
Bingham says she played on about half of the cuts on the new Hunter Valentine album, “Collide and Conquer,” slated to drop Oct. 23 on Megaforce Records.
McCloskey says her band will definitely include songs from that project in their hour-long set Saturday night.
“The album’s been streaming on our site for a couple weeks, we actually just took it down,” she says. “But the fans have gotten a chance to hear it and people are really pumped. It has a great range of everything from guitar rock to ballads to mid-tempo pop songs. We’re really proud of the wide range there and we think it shows the most growth we’ve had in the band so far.”
Last year’s Phasefest. (Blade file photo by Nicole Reinterson)
For Bingham, Hunter Valentine was never her only musical outlet. She’s been doing Clinical Trials for about eight years in between her time working as a sound engineer in New York, where she lives. She calls Trials a “PJ Harvey-meets-Nirvana-meets a little more production-with some MIA and weird samples thrown in.”
She says the high quality of Phasefest, now in its sixth year and one of the few queer-specific music festivals in the country, keeps her coming back.
“These bands don’t just happen to be queer,” she says. “It’s all really great music. … All genres are represented. You’ll find something there you like musically and it will also be really high caliber.”
Phase 1 manager Angela Lombardi, who launched the festival, expects about 700 people to visit the bar this weekend, a number they’ve roughly been holding steady at for the past few years. She says about 75 percent of the bands slated for this year are returning acts.
“I do get some shit about it. People sometimes say, ‘Why not try to create an entirely new festival every year?’ Lombardi says. “But these are all bands I really love and people I really care about. I’ve become friends with many of them and so for me, it’s really about supporting great queer artists.”
It’s not a hard-and-fast rule that all the bands have LGBT members, but Lombardi can only think of one band that played there once that didn’t have at least one queer member.
And she says as time has gone on, the original Phase 1 — widely thought to be the oldest continually operating lesbian bar in the U.S. — has retained its own identity from its sister location in Dupont Circle which opened in February at the old Apex/Badlands location on 22nd Street. They were never meant to be the same experience and though Lombardi helped open that location, the two Phase spots operate largely independently of each other. All the Phasefest events will continue to be at the original Phase in Eastern Market.
“We did talk about the possibility of having one night (of Phasefest) there, but at the end of the day, we felt like offering the same festival experience people have come to expect from us was the best way to go,” she says. “We kind of thought if we go bigger, it will change to the point that it’s not this thing we love and think is great. We love this space and the feeling here and so after all the discussion, we just decided to keep it real and kept it at the original Phase.”
But did the new Phase cut into the original Phase’s customer base?
“We’re making it happen,” Lombardi says. “Some people go back and forth, but we’re always doing crazy shit at the original Phase. As of right now, we’re making it work.”
Alongside bands with national exposure and following like Hunter Valentine are indie local bands like Glitterlust, which played only its fourth date at last year’s Phasefest. Lead singer Mikey Torres — Glitterlust is the only male-fronted band on the roster this year — says Phasefest was “our first real show.”
Mikey Torres of Glitterlust. (Blade photo by Michael Key)
“I was actually just watching the YouTube video of our set from last year and it’s really amazing how much we’ve evolved in that time,” Torres says. “We’ve played a lot more shows since then and added a lot more interactive elements. Everything’s just a lot bigger and amped up. Our focus now is making everything larger than life.”
So why is it important for queer bands to have outlets such as Phasefest at which to play? Isn’t it best to infiltrate the mainstream as much as possible for queer visilibity?
“I live for music so being able to support music that I know has endured some sort of hardship just be existing and giving them a safe space to perform in a totally queer rock and roll environment, it’s really a great thing,” Lombardi says. “It’s also just totally rad to have one space where you can go and hear a lot of bands. Yeah, it’s fun to go hear the Scissor Sisters and these great shows, but more often than not, you’re just hearing one band. This also gives some of our local bands some chances to perform alongside the bigger bands who have more national followings.”
Torres agrees.
“Even if we were fully accepted in mainstream society, we’ll always need our own spaces,” he says. “It’s great to have acceptance, but sometimes I just need to be with my gay friends. There’s a dialogue that can happen there that doesn’t happen with straight people. You can unwind most around the people you’re totally comfortable with.”
Bars & Parties
Impulse Group DC to host fundraiser
Giving Tuesday and Happy Hour held at Thurst Lounge
Impulse Group DC, a local advocacy organization, will host “Giving Tuesday and Happy Hour” on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. at Thurst Lounge.
This event is a special happy hour fundraiser filled with good vibes, great food, and community connection. DJ Obie will be on deck keeping the energy high while you enjoy tacos, cocktails, and the kind of atmosphere only Thurst can deliver.
A portion of every signature cocktail sold goes directly toward supporting Impulse Group D.C.’s work in sexual health, mental health, harm reduction, and social justice for the D.C. community.
Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Friday, November 28
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 12 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. To RSVP, visit the DC Center’s website or email [email protected].
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen Bar. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, November 29
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 12 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, November 30
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Coffee and Conversation” at 12 p.m. at As You Are. Guests are encouraged to come and enjoy stimulating conversation. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Monday, December 1
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
“Soulfully Queer: LGBTQ+ Emotional Health and Spirituality Drop-In” will be at 3 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This group will meet weekly for eight weeks, providing a series of drop-in sessions designed to offer a safe, welcoming space for open and respectful conversation. Each session invites participants to explore themes of spirituality, identity, and belonging at their own pace, whether they attend regularly or drop in occasionally. For more details visit the DC Center’s website.
Tuesday, December 2
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. Email [email protected] with any questions.
Friends of Dorothy Cafe will host “Choose Our Blend” at 6 p.m. at Stardust Vintage & Gift. Guests are encouraged to come sip, sample, and vote on a lineup of custom coffee blends from Rustic Route Coffee Co., a DMV-based queer-owned roaster. Guests’ votes will help Rustic Route choose the café’s official signature roast. Event organizers will take donations, and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Wednesday, December 3
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, December 4
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
API Queer Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for the Asian and Pacific Islander Queer Community. For more details, email [email protected].
Theater
D.C. theater scene has something for everyone this holiday season
‘Nutcracker,’ ‘A Christmas Carol,’ and much more
With its familiar music, yuletide imagery, and storytelling, theater can be a big part of the holidays. Add to that making memories and theater tickets wrapped as presents under the tree, and it’s a seasonal no brainer.
Folger Theatre presents “Resplendent Joy: Christmas Traditions from Spain and Portugal” (Dec. 5-14); the marvelous Folger Consort will perform early Spanish Christmas carols and traditional holiday music from early modern Spain and Portugal: folger.edu/resplendent
At Round House Theatre, playwright Sam Holcroft’s “Rules for Living” (Dec. 3-Jan. 4) makes its U.S. premiere. The darkly funny holiday comedy was a hit in London and is now hoping to repeat that success with a version tailored for the states. The seven-person cast includes versatile actors Naomi Jacobson and real-life spouse John Lescault. Ryan Rillette directs. roundhousetheatre.org
Theatre J presents “Chanukah in the Dark” (Dec. 6-21), an hour-long play ideal for ages five and up. “When the lights go out during Chanukah, Max and family begin sharing songs, stories, and traditions — only to discover the lights they needed and the miracles they searched for were in their midst all along.” edcjcc.org
The Cathedral Choral Society’s “Joy of Christmas” (Dec. 13-14) presents a wonderful program of carols and beloved holiday favorites at the festively decorated National Cathedral. The program features Seraph Brass, organist Edward Hewes, Carillonneur Edward M. Nassor, percussionist Mary La Blanc of “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band, and the Eastern Concert Choir from Eastern Senior High School. Cathedralchoralsociety.org
With “The Holiday Show,” (Dec. 13, 14, and 20), the Gay Men’s Chorus returns to entertain audiences with its annual and most popular show.
This year the holiday extravaganza is bigger than ever at historic Lincoln Theatre with new, soulful arrangements of favorite holiday carols: “The reindeer will be high-kicking and the snowflakes will sparkle. Songs include “O Holy Night,” “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Let It Snow,” “We Wish You the Merriest,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.’” gmcw.org
At Olney’s intimate Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, out actor Michael Russotto is back for the holiday season in his solo show “Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas” (through Dec. 28). The talented Russotto portrays nearly 50 different characters from the Charles Dickens classic, that proves “funnier and far more relevant than you might imagine.” Olneytheatre.org
Also on holiday offer in the DMV are a jolly bunch of musical chestnuts as well as reliable Christmas crowd-pleasers.
Included on the roster is Olney Theatre’s production of Jerry Herman’s “Hello, Dolly!” (through Jan. 4) starring the mega-talented Nova Y. Payton. Based on the play “The Matchmaker” by famed gay playwright Thornton Wilder, the musical has proved a vehicle for many a diva including Carol Channing, Pearl Bailey, Bette Midler, and Barbra Streisand. Now Payton dons the mantle and the buzz is good.
Another beloved musical is “Fiddler on the Roof” (through Jan. 25), the story of Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman, his family and their tight-knit community who honor tradition while contending with pogroms in Czarist Russia. Currently being performed intimately in the round at Signature Theatre in Arlington and directed by Joe Calarco, the large cast features actors Douglas Sills, Chrisopher Bloch, and terrific out actor Jake Loewenthal as the poor tailor Motel Kamzoil, all singing Broadway favorites like “Sunrise, Sunset” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Matchmaker.” sigtheatre.org
At Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Harman Hall is Frank Loesser’s “Guys and Dolls” (through Jan. 4). Based on tales from famed American journalist Damon Runyon, the show focuses on two overlapping love stories set in Depression-era Times Square. The terrific score includes songs like “Luck Be a Lady,” “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” “A Bushel and a Peck,” and more songs you’ll know. Directed by Francesca Zambello and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse.
The cast includes Julie Benko, Lamont Brown, and Holly Twyford as General Matilda B. Cartwright, which is reason enough to buy a ticket. shakespearetheatre.org
And for hardcore traditionalists there’s the Washington Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” (through Dec. 29) with its balletic magic at the charming gilded Warner Theatre. The beloved production of Tchaikovsky’s ballet, here set in 1882 Georgetown, features a retinue of agile partiers, children, soldiers, rats, and notable figures from American history. washingtonballet.org
And last but hardly least, historic Ford’s Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (through Dec. 31), an enduring Washington tradition since I was youngish. Conceived by Michael Baron, this charming Dickens’ moneymaker again spotlights Craig Wallace as miserly Ebenezer Scrooge who after a night of ghostly visits, rediscovers Christmas joy. Fords.org
Comings & Goings
Impulse Group DC to host fundraiser
Calendar: November 28-December 4
D.C., Va., Md. to commemorate World AIDS Day
D.C. theater scene has something for everyone this holiday season
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