Arts & Entertainment
Calendar through July 25
Capital Fringe Fest continues in a packed week
Much to do in Washington D.C. including more Capital Fringe Fest and Brandi Carlile plays Wolf Trap Wednesday night. (Photo courtesy Wolf Trap)
Friday, July 19
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bear Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m. There is no cover charge and admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit towndc.com.
The Capital Fringe Festival features “Songs From an Unmade Bed,” directed by Josh Redford, tonight at 11:45 p.m. at Fort Fringe (607 New York Ave., N.W.). The musical theater and opera show is a solo performance that explores a gay man’s struggles with city life. Visit capitalfringe.org for more information.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04_d4vlYiWE
Whitman-Walker Health provides HIV testing at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) this evening from 8 p.m.-midnight. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.
Saturday, July 20
Phase 1 of Dupont (1415 22nd St., N.W.) hosts its weekly “Booty Beach Ladies Dance Party” tonight. The winner of the party’s bikini and board shorts contest will receive cash and prizes. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and admission is $5. Visit phase1dc.com for more information.
DJ Drew G spins tonight at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) at 10 p.m. He and his DJ partner, Brian Cua, are currently working on official remixes for Lady Gaga and have done work for other huge stars like Britney Spears, Whitney Houston and Mary J. Blige. Cover is $8 from 10-11 and $12 after 11. Admission is 21 and over. For details, visit towndc.com.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts “BARE” by LURe, a ladies dance party, tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. Tickets are $7 before and $10 after midnight. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today at 11:45 a.m. for the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation at the Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va.). Visit burgundycrescent.org for more information.
NovaSalud, a non-profit that offers free HIV testing in Northern Virginia, hosts “Breaking the Cycle of Stigma: Transgender Fashion Show,” tonight from 7-10 p.m. at the V3 Lounge (6763 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, Va.). Tickets are $15 and can be bought in advance on transfashion.eventbrite.com. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Whitman-Walker Health provides HIV testing at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) this evening from 8 p.m.-midnight. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.
Sunday, July 21
Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) hosts karaoke tonight from 9 p.m.-midnight. Cover is $3, and there will also be pool, video gaming systems and cards. For more information, visit bachelorsmill.com.
Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts its weekly Drag Brunch with Shi-Queeta Lee today at 11 a.m. The buffet is $24 including one free mimosa. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
The Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) hosts “Tula’s Cabaret,” a drag show with lip-sync performances, this evening from 8-11 p.m. Admission is free and limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit blackfoxlounge.com.
Perry’s (1811 Columbia Rd., N.W.) hosts its weekly Sunday Drag Brunch today from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The cost is $24.95 for an all-you-can-eat buffet. For details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com.
The Team D.C. Freedom Sports Festival, a continuation of Capital Pride, finishes with a “Pride Splash and Ride” party today from 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. at Six Flags (13710 Mitchellville, Md.). In addition to theme park activities, the event will also feature a private water park party from 7-10:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit capitalpride.org.
Monday, July 22
The Fort Reno Summer Music Series continue tonight at Fort Reno Park (Chesapeake St. and Nebraska Ave., N.W.) from 7:15-9:30 p.m. Tonight’s local bands include Southern Problems and The Mauls. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, visit fortreno.com.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts coffee drop-in hours this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee and conversation with other community members. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
The Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) hosts “La-Ti-Do DC,” a spoken word and musical theater show, tonight from 8-10 p.m. Admission is $10 and limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit blackfoxlounge.com.
Tuesday, July 23
The Capital Fringe Festival features “Polaroid Stories,” a musical theater and opera show by Naomi Iizuka, at 9:30 p.m. tonight at Fort Fringe (607 New York Ave., N.W.). The play intertwines Roman mythology from Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” with stories of homeless youth. For more information, visit capitalfringe.org.
The Chi Cha Lounge (1624 U St., N.W.) hosts speed dating for gay and bisexual men from 7-9 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $30. For details and to purchase tickets, visit thedccenter.org.
Whitman-Walker Health provides HIV testing at Panam Supermarket (3552 14th St., N.W.) tonight from 7-9 p.m. this evening. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.
Wednesday, July 24
The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) hosts drag bingo during happy hour tonight from 5-7:30 p.m. All drinks are half price and there will also be pool, video gaming systems and cards. Admission is free. For details, visit bachelorsmill.com.
The Dupont Drawing Group meets tonight at 7 p.m. at The Church of the Pilgrims (2201 P St., N.W.) to draw from the live model. The session is self-directed with no formal instruction and no materials are provided. Drawing spots and easels are available on a first come first serve basis, so guests should arrive anytime after 6:45. No reservations are required, and a modest fee to pay the model will be collected. For more information, visit paulreuther.com.
The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. Reservations are not needed and newcomers are welcome. Call 703-407-6540 for more details and if you need a partner.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts Job Club today from 4-6 p.m. tonight for LGBT individuals seeking employment. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Brandi Carlile, a lesbian alternative country and folk rock singer-songwriter, performs tonight at 8 p.m. at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.) with special guests Justin Townes Earle and The Lone Bellow. The show will feature tracks from her latest album release “Bear Creek” (2012). Admission ranges from $30-40. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit wolfrap.org.
Thursday, July 25
The Fort Reno Summer Music Series continue tonight at Fort Reno Park (Chesapeake St. and Nebraska Ave., N.W.) from 7:15-9:30 p.m. Tonight’s local bands include The Buss and Capital Ghost. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, visit fortreno.com.
The Lambda Sci-Fi Group meets tonight at 7 p.m. at 1425 S St., N.W. for LGBT fans of science fiction, horror and fantasy. This month’s book to discuss is “Redshirts” by John Scalzi. For more information, visit lambdascifi.org.
Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) meet from 7-8:30 p.m. this evening at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.). The organization provides community outreach, education and legal oversight for LGBT victims of violence. Visit thedccenter.org for more information.
Whitman-Walker Health provides HIV testing at Miriam’s Kitchen (2401 Virginia Ave., N.W.) from 4-6 p.m. this evening. For more details, visit whitman-walker.org.
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.”
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