february 4.2005 ' jUSt OUtl33
DIVERSIONS
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God is gay
Homoeroticism and the church. I’m no
scholar when it comes to the origins of organ­
ized religion, hut 1 suspect that man-on-man
honnonal delirium has been long intertwined
with the hallucinatory nature of spiritual
awakenings. And so He created the Hidden
Cameras.
When I first read ahout this band in Mojo
magazine, written by some geek Brit with a
taste for the dramatic, the idea of the Hidden
Cameras left me skeptical. Sometime later I
heard their first record, A Smell of Our Own, in
the record store. Sometime after that, opinions,
from varied and sundry parts, hit my inbox.
Word came from the queers and from the hip­
pies and then, finally, rhe hipster chimed in.
First, the hippie. An old college pal—a guy
I met in an undergrad writing workshop who
now rums me on to records in reliable measure.
(He is both a critique and a perfect demonstra­
tion of the human species.) In 1999 he recom­
mended The Flaming Lips’ Soft Bulletin, in
2000 it was Sigur Ros and, more recently, The
Polyphonic Spree and Hidden Cameras. In col­
lege, this was the guy with walls of 90-minute
cassettes, each titled/dated in perfect penman­
ship. A database geek. A guy who would hand
you, in immaculate handwriting, a Springsteen
live recording from 1973 at rhe Stone Pony.
This guy, the straightest guy 1 know, told me
about the Hidden Cameras.
“Gay fucking Canadians with go-go dancers
and dudes in Speedos, praying and sucking
cock and seeing miracles,” he said.
Apparently, the hippies dig the Hidden
Cameras.
So does the indie boy at my office.
He watches The OC. He’s got a wicked
sense of humor. Long, shaggy hair, tall and
lanky, hands in his back pockets. And he likes
the Hidden Cameras. But I bet he’s a little
embarrassed to admit it.
That’s because singer Joel Gibbs is wearing
one hell of a mask. The showman, the queer,
the telegenic hallucinating dreamer, the cynic,
the asshole. He writes a song like “I Want
Another Enema” with these lyrics: “I get scared
you’ll see my body and know that/hunting hair
has taken over my life,” sitting comfortably
next to “Good waste is an oxymoron, moron,
moron/My body is an exit wound.” Gibbs has a
funny fascination with the grotesque and the
ribald—a turn-on for some, perhaps, a frighten-,
ing glance for the homophobes.
So, let’s recap: The crucifixion. LSD. Fags.
Ezekial. WixxJstock. The Hidden Cameras are
the nexus point for some strange shit. Are you
on the bus, or off?
The Hidden Cameras perform with The
Blow and Crime in Choir Feb. 5 at Holocene.
See Page 26 for details.
—Con Taratoot
JenRO and Flavor Kelly (inset) are performing
Feb. 13 at the Doug Fir
Women's music is
alive and Wells
Amy Wells was inspired by all the great
female musicians she met and saw performing
in the Northwest. The 43-year-old singer/song-
writer fantasized about playing with some of
them. Rather than sit around and wish, Wells
took matters into her own hands. She picked
up the phone and started contacting the musi­
cians she admired and asked them if they want­
ed to combine efforts in a local Lilith Fair of
sorts. S<x>n the Westcoast Women’s Song­
writer Showcase Series was bom.
“The purpose of the series is to bring
women in music to the forefront and to show
the audience how diverse the realm of women’s
music is,” says Wells, who lives in Vancouver,
Wash.
And Portland is just the place for the show­
case. Wells calls it the next great musical city.
“1 love the music scene up here,” she says.
“There’s so much in Portland. A few years ago
Seattle had the spotlight on them, but I wouldn’t
be surprised at all if Portland became the next
Seattle. 1 think it already is.”
Bom in Houston, Wells has been perform­
ing most of her life. She learned to play guitar
and bass as a member of her church folk group.
Her Texas roots come out naturally in her
music. Her Southern drawl exaggerates*when
she’s singing, and the slide guitar adds a Delta
Blues flair. “The lyrics I come up with are
about my childhixx], which is Texas, New
Orleans, Gulf of Mexico,” she says.
In addition to performing with other
women, Wells loves the outdoor music festivals
The Hidden Cameras headline a night of profane/sacred homoerotic pop music Feb. 5 at Holocene
The event is being held as part of V-Day, a
global movement to stop violence against
women and girls. Last year alone, about 2,300
celebrations were held in more than 1,100
cities, towns and villages from Delhi to Detroit.
For more information visit vday.org/events.
Tickets are $12-$ 15 from 503-823-4322.
Proceeds benefit Sisters in Action for Power
and Le Femmes Prospectives’ “Love Me Don’t
Hurt Me” domestic violence education and
outreach program.
After enjoying your visit to the IFCC—a
North Portland institution for 25 years—help
it weather a financial storm by attending the
Goldfrapp. Supreme Beings of Leisure. Stevie
Wonder, of course. Missy Elliott. 1 like a lot of
jazz—Diana Krall. Tosca. Thievery Corpora­
tion. Lamb, for sure.”
Moe, who is biracial, was bom in Pendleton
and adopted by a white couple who “were
always including black culture in my growing
up.” He says he came out of the closet “when
my mother gave birth to me. I’ve always
known.” In fact, Moe has video fixttage to
prove it, showing him stmtting around in his
grandmother’s high heels at age 5.
Expect some more cross-dressing surprises
when Flavor Kelly takes the stage 9 p.m. at the
Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E. Bumside St. Admis­
sion is $5.
Mcxe also will perform with DK PDX during
In-School Suspension: Drag King Detention
9 p.m. March 6 at Holocene, 1001 S.E. Morri­
son St. Admission is $5 sliding scale.
-JR
Glammy Grammys
While you’re at Jack, set your VCR to
record the 47th annual Grammy Awards,
airing 8 p.m. Feb. 13 on CBS.
Remember rhe 1984 ceremony, when
Michael Jackson dominated the evening? Well,
this year Usher is sure to steal the crown from
the King of Pop. Hopefully he won’t bring
Emmanuel Lewis as his date.
Darcelle XV will join (from left) Francesca Sanders, Shukura Mitchell, Miss LaVerne, Helen Raptis,
But I’m tuning in to rixit for the gay boys:
Terese Brazzle, Shawnti Eaden, Olga Sanchez and Sharon Martini for The Vagina Monologues
• Elton John: “Sorry Seems to Be the
Feb. 13 and 14 at Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center
Hardest Word,” a duet with the late Ray
she’s played, including Vancouver’s Gay Pride
Portland City Council meeting 9:30 a.m.
Charles, is nominated for Best Pop Collabora­
celebration, Saturday in the Park. “Everyone is
Feb. 16 at 1221 S.W. Fourth Ave. The non­
tion with Vocals.
so energized, even if they’re just passing by,”
profit organization is asking for a helping hand
• George Michael: “Amazing (Full Inten­
she says.
so it can continue providing multicultural
tion Club Mix)” is in the ninning for Best
And she hopes that people passing by
opportunities for emerging artists.
Remixed Recording, Nonclassical, and rhe fab­
Mississippi Pizza Pub will stop in for a listen as
—Jim Radosta ulous anthem “Flawless” is up for Short Form
well. “It’s a perfect place," she says. “They have
1 Music Video.
a nice size stage and separate |music) rixim."
• Scissor Sisters: “Comfortably Numb,” a
The
queer
revolution
Wells is actively seeking performers for
reinterpretation of the Pink Floyd classic, takes
future showcases. “Any woman is invited that
on
Britney Spears’ addictive “Toxic” for Best
continues
has music to put out there,” she says.
Dance Recording.
Claire Bard, Lynn Frances Anderson and
The biweekly queer night Jack: Queer as
• David Sedaris: The humorist faces two
Amee McCaa will join Wells from 7 to 10 p.m.
F**k has lined up what might be Portland’s
lesbians: Live at Carnegie Hall is up against
Feb. 16 at 3552 N. Mississippi Ave. Visit
first-ever queer hip-hop night Feb. 13.
Ellen DeGeneres’ The Funny Thing Is... for
www.amywellsmusic.com for more info.
The headliner is JenRO, a Latina rapper
Best Comedy Album, while Dress Your Family
in Corduroy and Denim is up against Lily
—Kathy Beige from the Bay Area, but keep your eyes on
opening act Flavor Kelly, aka Decire, aka
Tomlin and friends’ The World According to
former Just Out distribution driver Kelly Moe.
Mr. Rogers for Best Spoken Word Album.
All in a V-Day’s work
The 22-year-old performed, pnxluced and
(Bill Clinton’s My Life is likely to beat both
wrote every song (Tn Flavor Kelly's Program Red,
Portland drag legend Darcelle XV will join
of them, which would make him and Hillary
lesbian laughter leader (and recent Just Out
which is available at CDBaby.com. He defines
the first First Couple to receive Grammys.
cover girl) Gail Hand along with other per­
his genre as “hip-hop R & B acid jazz funk with She won the same category in 1997 for It
formers for a benefit production of Eve Ensler’s
a soul spin.”
Takes a Village.)
The Vagina Monologues 7 p.m. Feb. 13 and 14
“A lot of my influences are from R &. B
- jr jm
at Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center,
music,” Mix? says. “1 think Jill Scott is amazing.
I Compiled hy JlM R aixtsta
5340 N. Interstate Ave.
Meshell Ndegeocello—she rocks my shit.