august 17.2QÛL
CULTURE
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rowing up I always felt like I didn’t fit in
and that something just wasn’t “right”
about me. 1 always felt different and out
of place with the guys and often won
dered if I was just some fucked-up freak.
Never having been around gay people
before, 1 really wondered if 1 was alone in my
feelings of isolation and insignificance com
pared to my hetero counterparts. I thought I
was gay, hut I didn’t really know what to do
about it. But then one night when I was 19, my
sister-in-law (the only person 1 had come out
to) took me to Misfits (now Klub Z), and it for
ever affected me as a gay man.
For the first time in my life, I saw how nor
mal and happy my life could be. Here was a
club filled with people just like me, everyone
dancing, laughing and carefree.
I immediately
felt a sense of
relief and that
things were going
to he OK. Misfits
gave me a sense of
belonging 1 wasn’t
able to find any
where else. And
like all things gay
and hold, the all
ages club isn’t just
a safe haven for
gay youth; it’s also
a kick-ass place to
party.
Going through as many name changes as
Prince, Klub Z has been called a lot of things.
Always an all-ages gay club, it started off as the
City Nightclub hut under new management
ended up being called Misfits, then the Edge.
Jeana Hooker (second
from left), Rosebud
X X V Anastasia
(center) and pals
strike a pose at Klub Z
G
As for the
crowd, it’s a
mixture of
every type'
of homo:
preppie, goth,
raver, drag.
You name it;
they probably
go there.
Now it goes by
club could give
Klub Z, a name
the Quest and
picked by the kids
Up Front a run
to honor its new
for their hetero
by M ichael W ayne K eck
owner, Zig, who
money.
with the help of volunteers was able to reopen
Upstairs DJ Scooter spins some hot R & B,
the club only four days after it was shut down
Top 40 and techno mixes— enough to get me
by the previous owner.
shakin’ that ass. And downstairs DJ Robby
treats the kids to new sounds of gothic, indus
“I wanted a safe and clean club for all the
trial and dungeon music.
gay kids to have,” he says. “The straight kids
have their nice clubs; it’s only fair the gay kids
Besides being a place to party, this club obvi
get theirs.”
ously is also a home away from home for many of
the young people. “My main goal is for kids from
Now celebrating its one-year anniversary,
all different walks of life to have a club to call
Klub Z clearly is doing well. W hen I went a
their own, a place where they can escape and
few weekends ago it was packed and the place
just be themselves,” Zig promises.
literally was jumpin’. W ith new lighting, a
stellar sound system, two dance floors and a
Rosebud X X V Anastasia agrees. “Coming
to this club is a time for me to express myself
couple of cool disc jockeys, it seems our gay
Portland’s only all-ages gay club
proves it’s a rad place to be
THE
colu m n
HOME LOAN
Portland \ Salem \ Vancouver
Evenings/W eekends
503 . 780.1561
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M -S at
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T i g a r d 13500 SW Pacific Hwy • (5 0 3 ) 6 7 0 -9 7 0 7
1 . 877 . 826.9900
Email
colleen w(®mtgadvocates.com
www.mtgadvocates.com
K lub Z is located at 333 S.W. Park Ave. and is
open from 10 p.m . until 2 a.m . Thursday and
from 10 p.m . until 4 a.m . Friday and Saturday;
during the summer it is also open from 10 p.m.
until 2 a m. Sunday. Cover is $8 Friday and
Saturday, $5 Thursday and Sunday. Learn
more at www.kluh-z-com.
M ichael W ayne K eck is a Portland free-lance
writer. He is currently in an undisclosed location
preparing himself for his next life-altering experi
ence: Madonna at the MGM Grand. E-mail him
at michaelwaynekeck@hotmail.com.
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and meet other young gay people,” the
19-year-old says.
Jeana Hooker, 20, who performs at
Klub Z under the name Isis, adds:
“Everyone is welcoming and respects
each other here. T h e diversity and ener
gy are amazing."
As for the crowd, it’s a mixture of every
type of homo: preppie, goth, raver, drag. You
name it; they probably go there.
W ith the exception of a few fag hags, the
place is predominantly gay, lesbian, hi and
trans. Anyone older than 15 is allowed in,
although the average age when 1 was there
ranged from 17 to 22.
W ith a hip crowd, bumpin’ tunes and some
trippy lights, Klub Z seems to have proved itself
a safe and cool place for teens to go and have a
good time.
Zig is happy with the club’s success and
already is looking ahead. “W e’re hoping to
someday open a third dance floor with an ’80s
theme. The club is looking a lot better, and I’m
hoping by the second anniversary it will be
even better.” j n
9900
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