Arts & Entertainment
Rowing into the record book
Strokes return triumphant from Out Games


Fall sports: The D.C. Strokes Rowing Club in action. (Photos by Rachel Freedman; used with permission)
With the fall season upon us, all the LGBT sports leagues in Washington are already in action. Several of the local teams have recently wrapped up successful tournament action and several more have tournaments approaching.
The D.C. Strokes Rowing Club (dcstrokes.org) sent 15 rowers to the Out Games in Antwerp, Belgium in August to compete against athletes from all over the world. They returned home with a Gold, four Silver Medals and a Bronze.
The Strokes will pack up their boats for the winter in November and continue their ergometer and cross-training indoors until spring.
The Capital Tennis Association (capital-tennis.org) hosts the Capital Classic XXI this weekend. The event will include matches in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Open and B draws will be played on clay and A, C and D draws will be played on hard courts (indoor and/or outdoor). The tournament will be contested at the Rock Creek Tennis Center and the East Potomac Tennis Center at Hains Point.
The CCE Sports Network, the nation’s only live web streaming online gay and lesbian sports network, will stream live coverage. It has showcased more than 200 tournaments, matches and games on its site.
The Network recently covered the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatic Championships where the District of Columbia Aquatics Club captured the world title. Check out live tournaments and archived videos at ccesportsnetwork.com.
The District of Columbia Aquatics Club brought home an amazing 384 medals from the IGLA championships in Seattle in August along with setting several IGLA world records on their way to winning the world title. The records, in short course meters, are as follows:
Lindsey Warren- Shriner (25-29): 1500 free — 19:33.06
Lucas Amodio (18-24): 50 back — 27.65; 50 fly — 26.35
Meredith Stakem (30-34): 50 free — 28.31
Neill Williams (45-49): 50 back — 29.32; 50 fly — 26.78
Jose Cunningham (55-59): 100 IM — 1:10.20
Jeff Mead (55-59): 50 back — 34.37
Men’s relays:
72-99: 4 x 200 free relay — Lucas Amodio, Dustin Sigward, Evan Schlank, Joe Labriola — 8:43.82
72-99: 4 x 100 free relay — Lucas Amodio, Joe LaBriola, Peter Volosin, Paul Quincy — 3:40.15
72-99: 4 x 50 free relay — Joe LaBriola, Paul Quincy, Peter Volosin, Dustin Sigward — 1:42.31
200-239: 4 x 50 medley relay — Neill Williams, Jose Cunningham, Geoff Heuchling, Stan Young — 1:58.71
200-239: 4 x 50 free relay — Neill Williams, Jose Cunningham, Geoff Heuchling, Stan Young — 1:45.15
DCAC will host the annual Columbus Day Classic swim competition on Oct. 12 at the Woodrow Wilson Aquatic Center in D.C. Information on the event is at swimdcac.org.
The Columbus Day Classic will also feature a water polo tournament hosted by the Washington Wetskins water polo team. The event will be contested at the Tacoma Aquatics Center on Oct. 12-13. More information is at wetskins.org.
Local bloggers Puck Buddys (puckbuddys.com) are gearing up for the start of the 2013-2014 National Hockey League (NHL) season. This season they will have 15 contributors covering their respective NHL teams and they have begun to zero in on coverage of the Sochi Olympics and the Russian anti-LGBT laws.
They recently posted a Q&A with a Russian hockey journalist about the cultural and historic roots of homophobia in Russia. Coming up for the bloggers is an interview with a gay journalist who is traveling to Sochi to cover the Games in February.
The D.C. Ice Breakers (dcicebreakers.com) will host their next social skate on Wednesday from 8:10-9:20 p.m. at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington. The fee for skating is $8 and skate rental is $3. After the skate, they will host a social hour at Bailey’s Pub.
Ski Bums (ski-bums.org) have posted their 2014 group trips for skiing and snowboarding. The list includes Steamboat, Colo.; Snowshoe, W.Va.; Jay Peak, Utah; Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Chugach Mountain, Alaska; and Granite Peak, Wis.
The D.C. Gay Flag Football League (dcgffl.org) will be sending at least two of its travel teams to Gay Bowl XIII in Phoenix from Oct. 10-14.
The Chesapeake and Potomac Softball League (capssoftball.org) hosted the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series from Aug. 26-31 at three separate complexes in the area. The tournament, the largest annual LGBT sporting event in the world, welcomed 170-plus teams that participated in more than 600 softball games. Results are at dcseries2013.com.
The D.C. Sentinels basketball team will open registration in October for the winter edition of the Washington D.C. Gay Basketball League (wdcgbl.leagueapps.com). The League will be a 10 week season including playoffs along with team practice days. Registration is on its site.
Team D.C. and the Federal Triangles Soccer Club and D.C. United co-host United Night OUT (unitednightout.com) Sunday at 4 p.m. as D.C. United take on L.A. Galaxy at RFK Stadium.
The event is part of the Team D.C. Night OUT Series and is a great opportunity for the LGBT community to experience a professional soccer match in a safe and welcoming environment. Tickets available at the Night OUT website.

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.

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.

Friday, May 2
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at P.F. Chang’s. 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, May 3
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.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.
LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, May 4
“The Chateau Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Chicatana. Enjoy fabulous Mexican food and cocktails while being entertained by a rotating cast of the DMV’s best drag performers. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
“The Bubble: Queer Brooklyn Comics in DC” will be at 5 p.m. at As You Are. Queer comedians Charlie Flynn, Evan Lazarus and Keara Sullivan are coming down from NYC for a night of fun as they split an hour of standup comedy. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Monday, May 5
“Center Aging Monday Coffee & Conversation” 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 details, email [email protected].
Tuesday, May 6
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. For more details, email [email protected].
Wednesday, May 7
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 thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older queer women can meet and socialize with one another. We will have discussion, activities, and a chance for you to share what you want future events to include. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, May 8
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. 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 with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
South Asian Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The peer support group is an outlet for South Asian-identified LGBTQ individuals to come and talk about anything affecting them. It’s a secure, judgment-free environment to discuss relationships, sexuality, health, well-being, identity, culture, religion, or anything that is on your mind. For more details, email [email protected].
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