a&e features

Essential Bowie

Published

10 years ago

January 14, 2016

David Bowie in the ‘Glass Spider Tour,’ 1987. (Photo by Elmar J. Lordemann; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

The music world mourns the passing of a legend, as David Bowie died this past Sunday after an 18-month battle with cancer.

He kept his illness private, but poured all of his energy into his musical “Lazarus,” currently playing a sold-out run of shows in New York City, and his brilliant final album, “Blackstar.” Bowie died only two days after the release of “Blackstar,” which was on his 69th birthday. A day prior to the album’s release, Bowie debuted the haunting video for the track “Lazarus,” which in retrospect is clearly a goodbye. Bowie has left behind an immense and vastly influential catalog of timeless music spanning five decades.

David Bowie with Cher in 1975. (Photo by CBS Television; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

For someone looking to explore Bowie’s catalog for the first time, the size and scope of it can be daunting. He’s recorded with so many different personas and characters, and in so many different styles, that it can be difficult to know where to start. There are a few excellent compilations, including last year’s reverse-chronology set “Nothing Has Changed,” a good starting point. But to really get into Bowie’s amazing musical universe, one has to dive into his 28 studio albums. All of them, even his weakest (“Never Let Me Down” from 1987) have worthwhile moments and most are exceptionally good. So where to begin? Here is a primer for music fans looking to dive a bit deeper into Bowie’s extraordinary body of work — 10 essential albums that span his entire career and provide a good overview and starting point. This is just a taste, of course. Many more of his albums are essential classics.

‘Hunky Dory’ (1971) After the folksy meanderings of “Space Oddity” (1969) and the blazing rock of “The Man Who Sold the World” (1970), Bowie took a huge leap forward as a songwriter with 1971’s superb “Hunky Dory.” More piano and acoustic-guitar heavy than its hard-rock predecessor, “Hunky Dory” includes some of Bowie’s greatest works: “Changes,” “Life on Mars?,” “The Bewlay Brothers” and “Quicksand.”

‘Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars’ (1972) The glam-rock opus about a dystopian future and an alien rock star hero who frazzles out before Armageddon can arrive. “Ziggy Stardust” is the album that launched Bowie into the stratosphere of stardom from which he never descended. Classic tunes include the title track, the hard-rock opus “Moonage Daydream,” the frenetic “Suffragette City” and the dramatic closing track, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide.”

David Bowie (Photo by AVRO; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

‘Station to Station’ (1976) Bowie’s shift from the soulful influences of his “Young Americans” album toward the more edgy, experimental vibe he’d pursue on his next three albums, the famous “Berlin Trilogy,” is evident here. “Station to Station” begins with its epic 10-minute title track, a locomotive rocker that takes up a quarter of the album. “Golden Years” provided Bowie with one of his biggest hits in America, and his dramatic take on the standard “Wild is the Wind” is one of the greatest vocal performances of his career.

‘Low’ (1977) The first of the “Berlin Trilogy” is the icy, minimalist “Low,” a huge left turn for a major artist. Bowie collaborated heavily with experimental music icon Brian Eno. Fans and critics didn’t quite know what to make of it at the time, but it is now considered one of his finest albums. Side one consists mainly of short, jagged rock song fragments loaded with disturbing imagery while side two is largely ambient instrumentals. It’s a spellbinding listen from start to finish. The album yielded two classic singles in “Sound and Vision” and “Be My Wife.”

‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’ (1980) Bowie’s first album of the ‘80s was his best of the decade. Working with producer Tony Visconti, Bowie created elaborate soundscapes with dense and complex vocal arrangements that often sound completely unhinged. It’s a cliché that when a new Bowie album is released, at least one critic will say it’s his “best album since ‘Scary Monsters.’” The album includes one of his all-time classic singles, “Ashes to Ashes,” along with key tracks like “Fashion” and “Teenage Wildlife.”

‘Let’s Dance’ (1983) Working with producer Nile Rodgers and a young guitarist named Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bowie entered the MTV age with a slick dance/pop album that would represent the apex of his commercial success in America. The title track became his second No. 1 single (after “Fame”) and both “China Girl” and “Modern Love” also became substantial hits. Some critics and fans disdain “Let’s Dance” as a supposed sell-out, but it’s a well-crafted collection of first-rate pop with some terrific vocal performances.

‘Outside’ (1995) Bowie renewed his collaboration with Brian Eno for this dark song cycle about a grisly murder and the strange cast of characters caught up in the circumstances of the crime. “Outside” updated Bowie’s sound for the ‘90s, incorporating electronic elements as well as heavier industrial sounds inspired by artists such as Nine Inch Nails. Unrelentingly dark but brilliant, “Outside” features several standout cuts including “The Heart’s Filthy Lesson,” “Strangers When We Meet” and “Hallo Spaceboy.”

‘Heathen’ (2002) Bowie’s first album of the new millennium is a dense and richly layered collection of emotional and intense rock that frequently has a bit of a retro vibe. The album wasn’t a massive hit upon release and has been overlooked somewhat as fans and critics tend to focus on Bowie’s “glory days” of the ‘70s. The hard-charging soulful rocker “Slow Burn” was the first single, and other key tracks include the heartbreaking expression of loss, “Everyone Says ‘Hi’,” the emotional ballad “Slip Away” and raucous covers of the Pixies’ “Cactus” and Neil Young’s “I’ve Been Waiting For You.”

David Bowie in his ‘Heathen’ tour. (Photo by Mark Jeremey; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

‘The Next Day’ (2013) Bowie’s return to the studio after a decade-long absence following a heart scare prompted him to close the tour in support of his 2003 album “Reality” before he had planned, “The Next Day” was a surprise that nobody in the public or press knew about until the first single, the melancholy “Where Are We Now?,” appeared on Bowie’s 66th birthday. “The Next Day” was a staggering return, a dark and harrowing collection of first-rate material. Subsequent singles included “The Stars (are out tonight),” which features a stunning video featuring Tilda Swinton, and “Valentine’s Day,” a chilling song about a would-be mass shooter.

Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones with David Bowie attend a premere of director Jones’ ‘Moon’ in 2009. (Photo by David Shankbone; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

‘Blackstar’ (2016) Released on Bowie’s 69th birthday, “Blackstar,” as we know now, was goodbye. Bowie died only two days after its release. It’s almost as if he was holding on until the album could be unleashed, and then was able to let go. Producer Tony Visconti called it Bowie’s final gift to fans and the entire album was recorded while Bowie was ill. It’s a dark and experimental collection with incredible musicianship thanks to the New York City-based jazz collective that Bowie brought in to collaborate on the album. The 10-minute opus “Blackstar” opens the album with mystical power, and it never lets up from there. “Lazarus,” with its chilling video of Bowie writhing on a hospital bed and then disappearing at the end into a large wardrobe, closing the door behind him, is clearly a goodbye. In the context of his passing, it’s a difficult album to play, but “Blackstar” is David Bowie at his best. It’s an honest portrayal of a man facing the end and a stunning finalé for one of the greatest artists rock ‘n’ roll has ever known.

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Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2

Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’

Published

7 days ago

April 23, 2026

Emma Cieslik

Loraine Hutchins died last year. (File photo courtesy of Hutchins)

The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.

Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.

An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.

Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.

In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”

“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.

“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”

“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”

“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.

Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.

a&e features

Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood

Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes

Published

2 weeks ago

April 16, 2026

Staff reports

John Levengood (Blade photo by Michael Key)

John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.

Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.

“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.

He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”

He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.

How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?

I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.

Who’s your LGBTQ hero?

My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.

What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?

Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.

We live in challenging times. How do you cope?

I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.

What streaming show are you binging?

After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.

What do you wish you’d known at 18?

At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.

What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?

We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.

Why Washington?

It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.

a&e features

Project GLOW celebrates LGBTQ acts

D.C.’s electronic music festival set for May 30-31

Published

2 weeks ago

April 16, 2026

Evan Caplan

A scene from last year’s Project GLOW. (Photo courtesy organizers)

Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.

Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.

President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.

As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.

“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”

The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”

K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.

Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.

K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.

Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.