34 JUStjOUt
JUNE 2. 2006
Southern Oregon Coast Parents, Families and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays present their seventh annual Pride
Picnic at Bastendorff Beach County Park in Charleston.
Hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken will be on the grill,
and pop, coffee, tea and water will quench your thirst.
Chips and side dishes encouraged. (10 am-4 pm.
63377 Bastendorff Beach Road.)
Impetus Arts presents its spring
class, Performing Inclusive
Dance, for people of all body
types, (dis)abilities, ages, races,
genders and identities Tuesdays
through June 13 at Performance
Works Northwest. No experi­
ence necessary. (3:30-6 pm.
4625 SE 67th Ave. $60 from
503-493-9090 or impetusarts.
yahoo.com.)
Doug Fir Lounge presents Crafty Wonderland, a monthly
extravaganza featuring more than 40 hip artists and
designers selling their work and a do-it-yourself table with
workshops led by the Church of Craft. The first 300
shoppers receive a free issue of Bust magazine! (11 am-
4 pm. 830 E Burnside St.)
Towne Lounge presents the non­
smoking queer night Meet
Dept, every Tuesday. This
week's installment is Radio
Stars, a video dance party.
(9 pm. 714 SW 20th Place $2-$5
sliding scale.)
OPB premieres The Great Pink
Scare, a documentary about a
homosexual witch hunt at Smith
College in 1960. (11 pm.)
Jody Watley (right, with queer actor Alan
Cumming) performs June 17 on Stark Street.
Crush. DJs Puppet, Stormy and MoRocca spin. (9 pm.
1400 SE Morrison St. $3.)
The passionate poets of Oratrix remind you that words can be a
vehicle Out of Apathy June 7 in Portland and June 8 in Eugene.
WED • JUNE 7
Elder Resource Alliance holds a business meeting at
Friendly House. (3:30-4:30 pm. 1737 NW26th Ave.)
Cafe Wonder presents A.D.D.—Attention Deficit Drag
every Wednesday. Male staffers (aka Rosa and Splendora
of Sissyboy) dress up and dish it out with DJs Oandylion
and Puppet and $2 Millers on tap! (5 pm doors, 9 pm
music. 128 NE Russell St.)
Deaf & Hearing Out Reach teaches a beginning American
Sign Language course Wednesdays through July 26 at
Q Center. (6:30-8:30 pm. 1028 SE Water St. Register at
www.dhor.org.)
All-queer poetry troupe Oratrix Productions presents Out
of Apathy at Mississippi Pizza Pub. (7 pm. 3552 N
Mississippi Ave. $6.)
*
Wonder Ballroom presents Strut, a fashion show benefit
for Basic Rights Oregon. (7:30 pm. 128 NE Russell St. $15-
$75 at the door, $12-$75 in advance from box office or
Ticketmaster.)
T.HU • JUNE 8
FRI • JUNE 9
common interests and enjoy fun conversation every
second Thursday at Niki’s Restaurant. (2-3:30 pm. 736'SE
Grand Ave. Rachel 503-224-2640.)
Oregon Tradeswomen present an information session
about paid on-the-job training and high-wage career oppor­
tunities in carpentry, electrical and other construction-
related fields at Portland Community College's Workforce
Training Center. (2-4 pm. 5600 NE 42nd Ave. Register at
503-335-8200, ext. 21. www.tradeswomen.net.)
The Oregon Bears teach American Sign Language class­
es every second and fourth Thursday at Cascade AIDS
Project. (6:30-8 pm. Suite 300, 620 SW Fifth Ave. $2 dona­
tion. bearasl@yahoogroups.com.)
David Scotland unveils Companionism, "the art world's
newest and most controversial art movement to date,"
with a "healing and erotic art creation" performance and a
poetry reading accompanied by his music at Portland Art
Museum's Grand Kridel Ballroom. Proceeds benefit Habitat
for Humanity. (7 pm. 1219 SW Park Ave. $30 from
www. companionism. com.)
Lesbian-owned taco bar Dingo's presents Girls Night Out
every Thursday. (7 pm. 4612 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
503-233-3996.)
Oregon Bears present Beartown 2006 through June 11.
(To register visit www oregonbears.org.)
All-queer poetry troupe Oratrix Productions presents Out
of Apathy at Sam Bonds in Eugene. (8 pm. 407 Blair Blvd.
$5-$8 sliding scale.)
Elder Resource Alliance invites older members of the
sexual minorities community to meet each other, share
The alterna-queer night Booty is roving around town
before settling into a new location. This week's host is
What Is Companionism?
»
David Scotland, a gay artist who grew up in the Portland area, is returning to his hometown to unveil
Companionism, which is being billed as “the art world’s newest and most controversial art movement to
date.”
Apparently, Companionism claims that when
certain methods are used in the creation of art, it is
able to “tune up and strengthen the frequency of
peace” for the planet and thus eradicate “war-based
politics and art.” Specific details, however, are being
kept under tight wraps until the night of the event,
when Scotland will conduct a live “healing and
erotic art creation” performance.
According to press materials, “The artist will
reveal, in this world premiere event, the story
behind the art, the ancient science behind the
mystery of his artwork, why modern-day scientists
and doctors are both excited and baffled by its
effects...and what the implications may mean to
modem politics, Western medicine, the healing
arts, the art world itself and the larger global
economy.”
The event will also feature actor Tucker
David Scotland founded Companionism, an
Smallwood (Space: Above and "Beyond) and
art movement "based on a new kind of
Scotland’s mother, actress Linda Greep, performing
energy-effect that is imbued into the art."
a live reading of* his poetry accompanied by his
music, both years in the making. Afterward he will be joined by his longtime energy mentor, Melissa
Anderson, for an “energy balancing” ritual in which he will attempt to break a steel-tipped arrow at his
trachea without puncturing the skin.
The event begins 7 p.m. June 8 at Portland Art Museum’s Grand Kridel Ballroom, 1219 S.W. Park
Ave. Tickets are $30 from www.companionism.com. Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity.
—Jim Radosta
Bad Girls discuss "What is the Point of Women’s Space?"
at Dingo's. (7-9 pm. 4612 SE Hawthorne Blvd.)
Eugene's Q Center celebrates its first anniversary at the
Red Lion Inn with food, music, prizes, drinks, dancing and
Seattle's Erika Wright Band performing indie rock, power
pop, acoustic folk and hard blues vocals. (8:30 pm.
305 Coburg Road. $10 single, $15 pair.)
SAT • JUNE 10
Join singer/songwriter Maria Webster for an early
summer celebration of grain, grape and music at La
Bodega Wine & Beer. (7-9 pm. 1325 NE Fremont Ave.)
Out Dancing’s monthly Dance Social is every second
Saturday at Ankeny Street Studio. Lesson and refresh­
ments included. (7-10 pm. Southeast Ninth Avenue and
Ankeny Street. $5. 503-236-5129.)
Portland Black Pride 2006 kicks off with The White Party,
a youth hip-hop night featuring DJ Amanda. Dress up in
your sexiest white wear! (9 pm-2 am. $4. For details visit
www. brotobropdx. org.)
The monthly kink night Queer Fetish moves to the Eagle!
Drink specials until midnight. (10 pm-2:30 am. 1300 W
Burnside St. $3. www.queerfetish-r.us.)
Help kick off family programs at Q Center during Family
Fun Day featuring arts and crafts, games and much more!
Donated educational toys and games welcome. (3-5 pm.
1028 SE Water St.)
Do not fear— Tart is here to get your hips shaking and the
good times flowing. DJs Harmony, Beyonda and Saffromca
lay down the hottest world, Latin, house and old-school
beats during the monthly party for queer girls at Holocene.
Drink specials for the first hour! (4 pm. 1001 SE Morrison
St. $5.)
/ go A Rose City Softball Association teams play Family
Feud during Carnivale de Bolivia
Slaughters! (7 pm. 219 NW Davis St.)
at
C.C.
Dixie Longate, North America's No. 1 personal seller of
Tupperware, presents an intimate VIP sneak preview of her
off-Broadway-bound show Dixie's Tupperware Party at
Q Center. Drinks and snacks included. (7:30-9pm. 1028 SE
Water St. $75.)
MON • JUNE 12
/^GO^ New to Portland? Not so new, but want to meet
OUT. new friends? Hop aboard the Q Center Welcome
k
J
Wagon, its first social networking event, and meet
representatives from more than 20 queer-friendly organi­
zations while enjoying a DJ and plenty of nibbles.
(5:30-7:30 pm. 1028 SE Water St.)
Black Pride Film Fest presents the documentary Just
Between Us and the psychological thriller Black Aura on an
Angel in the Moriarty Arts & Humanities Building at
Portland Community College's Cascade Campus.
(6:30-9:30 pm. 705 N Killingsworth St.)
A Drink to Diversity
They say there is no rest for the wicked, and that
certainly holds true this spring season in little Portland
town. Queer nights seem to be popping up left and right
lately. It was getting to be that Monday night was the only
time my liver had to recoup. Well, not anymore. Now
every Monday is queer night at Berbati’s Restaurant.
Conrad Loebl, Dave Mosier and Charity Stratus,
all gay employees of Berbati’s, have created Tha’ Boom,
a queer-themed dance party that keeps the local straight
crowd coming back for more. I noticed right away that,
unlike some parties that claim a mixed draw, this one
seems to have it. Specifically, there were the local
Monday boys playing pool with their lady friends who
were done up like drag queens. They didn’t seem to bat
an eye when my friend Joshua walked by in tight girl
pants and a half top. In fact, some of the ladies smiled
Berbati’s presents Tha' Boom Mondays.
in approval, perhaps getting some fashion tips.
• I asked Stratus about this phenomenon. “Berbati’s has always been a straight venue, despite the high
amount of gay employees, so our regulars keep coming here.” She further explains: “Diversity is my No. 1
goal with this party. I came from New York, where diversity is everywhere. That’s what I want for Tha’
Boom—1 want trannies sitting next to football jocks and dykes drinking with straight girls, because that
is the world we live in!”
I didn’t necessarily see any trannies toasting cocktails with football players that night. In fact, it seemed
the gays dominated the dance floor while the straights found a comfortable comer to govern. But as time
passes and beverages are consumed, I am sure some of the invisible walls will wither.
As far as the dance party itself is concerned, I was only mildly impressed. DJs Automaton, Beyonda,
K.O. and Wesley are the rotating sound artists at Tha’ Boom. The night I went, I caught Automaton
spinning. I always enjoy her beats, and she knows what she is doing, but as a queer nightlife writer, I am
simply running out of adjectives to describe her music. Nightlife hint of the month: If you’re starting a
new dance party, make it newl
1 was, however, impressed with the cheap-ass drinks. One-dollar Pabst in a can—hot! Two-dollar well
vodka drinks—fierce! And no cover to get in—sexy!
Tha’ Boom starts 9 p.m. Mondays at 10 S.W. Third Ave.
—Mark "Zebra" Thomas