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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 16, 2006)
JUNE 16, 2006 just out 41 T on light refreshments and socializingT (2-4 pm. 1737 NW 26th Ave. 503-224-2640. eracoordinator@yahoo.com.) Q-LAND and LoveTribe present a free summer kickoff men's wellness yoga class Repeats June 28. (6:30-8:30 pm. RSVP to 503-223-8822 or www.lovetribe.org/menspirit.) THU • JUNE 22 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 Adventure Group takes an easy three-mile hike from Multnomah Village to Vermont Hills. Meet at the Gabriel Park parking lot at the end of Southwest Canby Street. (6 pm. Evan 503-701-792?. chair@adventuregroup.org.) Hollywood Theatre presents Monkey Rider, a film by Joah Keller about a cross-cuntry ride from Portland to the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival on a 1983 purple motor cycle, through June 23. (7 pm. 4122 NE Sandy Blvd $5.) Get information about candidates running for office locally and statewide and find out how you can help make a difference in the fight for marriage equality dur ing the Human Rights Campaign "Take Action" Meeting at Q Center. (7 pm. 1028 SE Water Ave.) Lesbian-owned taco bar Dingo's presents Girls Night Out every Thursday. (7 pm. 4612 SE Hawthorne Blvd. 503-233-3996.) Alison Dubois reads from and signs She Kissed Me, a pictorial odyssey depicting lesbians kissing, at In Other Words. (7:30 pm. 8 NE Killingsworth St.) Edie Carey and Holly Figeroa perform at Mississippi Pizza Pub. (9 pm. 3552 N Mississippi Ave.) FRI • JUNE 23 Forge the foibles of same-sex marriage and parenting! Bulldoze the blatant blunders of Bush! Dance the dichotomy of our desires! Humble Divas (aka Elizabeth Lavenue and Mark Steering, two queer singing Sagittarians) present Civil Disunion, a musical comedy exploring the challenges and humor of our fractured political climate, through June 24 at Northminster Presbyterian Church. (8 pm. 2823 N Portland Blvd. $5-$20 sliding scale f(pm 503-234-1140.) DJ Andromeda spins at gay-owned Crush. (9 pm. 1400 SE Morrison St. $2.) The Oregon Bears throw their monthly Double X Dance at C.C. Slaughters. (9 pm-1 am. 219 NW Davis St. $2.) SAT • JUNE 24 The Adventure Group takes a moderate 5.9-mile hike among the flowers of Salmon Creek near Mount Hood. Meet in Starbucks at Hollywood Fred Meyer. (9 am. 3030 NE Weidler St. Dave and Gustavo 503-531-2571. membership@adventuregroup. org.) Asian b Pacific Islander Lesbians and Gays take an easy and beautiful six-mile hike from Washington Park to Pittock Mansion. Meet at the tennis courts. (10:30 am. Hoang 503-381-6851. hhpangel@pacifier. com.) Melissa Etheridge rocked the house at the 2005 Grammy Awards. Mark Woolley Gallery presents queer artist damali ayo's Yarn, an animated competition of American national identity, through July 1. Embers presents the 2006 Mr., Ms. and Miss Gay Oregon Pageant This year's theme is "Because We Cancancan!!!" Proceeds benefit Camp Starlight. (6 pm. 110 NW Broadway. $15.) Use heart-sharing, noncompetitive games, ecstatic/playful movement, contact improv, healing touch and a relaxing puppy pile to explore your playful side during the Men's Snuggle/Dance Party presented by Q-LAND and LoveTribe. (7 pm-midnight. RSVP to 503-223-8822 or www. lovetribe, org/menspirit.) Your Place or Mine? Productions hosts Eat My Martini, a suave cocktail party where lesbians can mingle in an elegant and fun atmosphere in West Portland. Shuttle service available from Holocene. Dress to impress! (7:30-10:30 pm.. $25 at the door, $20 in advance from 503-481-9870 or www.yourplaceormineproductions.com.) Plazm celebrates 15 years of documenting creative culture in Portland and beyond with an evening of art, music and performance at Disjecta featuring Sissyboy, Fleshtone, E*Rock, Valet, The Watery Graves, Dim Sum Puppet Theater, Mike Barber of 10 Tiny Dances, DJs Copy and Shannon, birthday treats by Saint Cupcake and tasty snacks by Valentine's. (8 pm. 230 E Burnside St.) Melissa Etheridge performs at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. (8 pm. 1037 SW Broadway. $35-$100 from Ticketmaster.) Ashleigh Flynn and Amelia perform at Mission Theater. Proceeds benefit the Siren Nation Women's Music and Art Festival, slated for November 2007. (8 pm. 1624 NW Glisan St. $10.) Hey, what's your vice? Holocene presents Double Down, the fab queer party where the player always wins, every fourth Saturday. (8 pm. 1001 SE Morrison St. $5.) Mississippi Studios presents neo-folk sensation Holcombe Waller with atmospheric quartet Bright Red Paper (10 pm. 3939 N Mississippi Ave. $10 from 503-288-3895.) SUN • JUNE 25 The Adventure Group takes a difficult 11-mile hike along ridge crests to two scenic peaks in the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness and takes a kayak trip in Scappoose Bay and Sauvie Island for people who have been kayaking before. Meet in Starbucks at Hollywood Fred Meyer. (8 am hike, 9 am kayak. 3030 NE Weidler St. www. adventuregroup. org.) FatGirl Speaks and F.A.T. PDX present Cupcake, a month ly dance party for fat folks and allies of all genders and sexualities at Holocene. Shake your bodacious booties to the bountiful beats and win fantastic raffle prizes in a room full of chublove! (5 pm. 1001 SE Morrison St. $5.) MON •JUNE 26 City Club of Portland's book group, Citizens Read, discusses David Oates' City Limits: Walking Portland's Boundary, a book about his trek along the 260-mile urban growth boundary and the Rose City's love/hate affair with planning. (7 pm. 901 SW Washington St RSVP to 503-228-7231, ext. 103, or timd@pdxcityclub.org.) Sundance Channel premieres Follow My Voice: With the Music of Hedwig, a rousing look at the making of Wig in a Box, a tribute album featuring covers of songs from the glam rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch to benefit New York City's Harvey Milk High, the country’s first accredited school for queer youth. (9pm.) TUE • JUNE 27 Brad Kessler reads from Birds in Fall at Powell's. (7:30pm. 1005 W Burnside St.) The Family Cirkus It’s spring in 1900. A small circus, one of many such shows crisscrossing the United States in the early 20th century, has pitched its tents outside one of the Midwest towns it will visit during the touring season. The circus in town spelled magic, wonder and escape from the mundane, from life’s cares and from the hardship of rural Midwest life. Patti Frazee’s Cirkus (Alyson Books, 2006; $24.95 hardcover) is a story from the insider’s point of view, the struggles and human interactions the audience never sees. Borsefsky Brothers Circus is the means through which the manager, Jakub, hopes to prove he can be a success, make good money for his uncle and create a good reputation for himself in the United States. Jakub emigrated from Bohemia with his fortuneteller wife, Mariana; his horse master, Radovan; a fire-breathing dwarf named Shanghai; and Mariana, a gypsy. At one of their stops, Jakub also acquires Siamese twins Atasha and Anna from their Bohemian immigrant father, who wants to be rid of his unusual daughters and the burden he believes they place on their sickly mother. Along with 600-pound Judita, Ladislav the Skeleton Man, and Gizela the Dog Woman, they become part of the sideshow— “freaks” to audiences of the era. Jakub hopes for a good season, and it seems to be promising until things begin to go awry. Mariana is not able to draw interest from the conservative and suspicious Midwestern audience, and her marriage to Jakub is unhappy. Shanghai and Atasha become lovers, while Anna pines after the married Jakub. The once-close sisters become bitter enemies, and Mariana is drawn to Shanghai, with his tragic loss of a love in Bohemia and many secrets. Entwined into the harsh conditions of tum-of-the-century circus life is a lesbian love story and an honest and biting portrayal of what happens in the homophobic circus setting when it is exposed. Frazee’s careful research into U.S. circus life might recall, for some, the 1963 Marion Zimmer Bradley circus novel The Catch Trap. This is not a fun read, but it is a good read and is hard to put down. Frazee will read from and signs Cirkus 7:30 p.m. July 6 at In Other Words, 8 N.E. Killingsworth St. —Patricia L. MacAodha Yes, She Is Universal heartache, sentimental longing, deep yearning—what else could I be speaking of but a Melissa Etheridge love song? She speaks to anyone who has been through crazy, intense rela tionships, jealous fears, heart-shattering breakups, new lovers and the vitality of love, life and hope that comes with it. Portlanders can share in the experience when she performs here as part of a whirlwind 40-city tour the weekend after Pride. 1 bought my first Etheridge album, Yes, I Am, as a high school freshman. Growing up in a religious family in Alaska, 1 was a bit sheltered, so not only did 1 not know I was gay—I didn’t know she was, either. 1 did know her music got to the heart of me. She sang about the ups and downs of love that I had yet to experience but longed to. I could hear in her voice that she put her heart into her music. When 1 found out she was gay, I was in awe. All that strength, confi dence and emotion in the music was for a woman! When I iater realized 1 was a lesbian, it all made sense. I listened to everything all over again, through different crushes and relationships. Etheridge sings from her heart or rather pours her soul from it. As I listen and sing along—out of tune, hut trying—her soulful confessions become my own. Her strong and raspy voice holding long notes coupled with guitar solos and diarylike lyrics helped me feel validated while coming out and getting through rough breakups. This lesbian rock icon started playing guitar at the age of 8. During the past 18 years, she has released nine albums, selling more than 30 million records and winning the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocalist twice. She recently survived breast cancer and put on a rockin’ performanA at the 2005 Grammy Awards, still bald from chemotherapy. Her home state of Kansas is induct ing her into its Music Hall of Fame, and she won the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 17th annual Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards for her work toward eliminating homophobia. She just wrote a song for An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore’s documentary about global warming, and released a greatest hits album titled The Road Less Traveled. She and her wife, actress Tammy Lynn Michaels, are expecting twins in the fall. Etheridge performs 8 p.m. June 24 at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 S.W. Broadway. Tickets are $35-$ 100 from Ticketmaster. —Melissa Morales
