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P32
It’S
hard to believe 2011 marks the
seventh annual Red Cap Garage/
Boxxes Video Lounge Pride Block Party— it
seems like an institution that’s been around
since, well, the dawn o f Pride. Every year,
rain or shine— although we always hope for
the latter— thousands o f Pride partygoers
cram themselves into large, fenced-off areas
on Stark Street to mingle, watch and listen to
the greatest and gayest in deejays, live per
formers and to generally embrace a certain
level o f queer debauchery. That, and to per
haps glimpse a famous porn star or two— or
at least a sexy out-of-towner.
Despite recent neighborhood gentrifica-
Sights from 2010's Stark St. Block Party
tion, the Stark party hasn’t slowed, and
throughout the year, Red Cap and Boxxes
have done their part to attract big names— youngest queers aren’t even familiar with,
such as Sherry Vine, Joey Arias and Pandora Opening for Amber will be Lisa. Dank with
Boxx—while cultivating diverse local acts DJ Nark.
and unique shows. As venue manager Justin
As for how organizers go about procuring
Buckles points out, “Everyone knows that artists for the street-spanning gay fest, Buck-
the decentralization o f Stark Street has taken les shares, “We look at a broad range o f talent
a toll on the gay community. Back in the day, for the block party. Anyone we consider must
people would park in one place and go to have some sort o f name, or at least be well
four or five bars on Stark Street. Now you known in the queer community. We try to
have to drive to get to each gay destination.
mix in local talent with celebrity talent. We
“Our venue isn’t any less o f a destination,” know there’s a lot o f talent in Portland so we
he continues. “The scene is just so spread out want to showcase that as well.”
that when people are set
Some o f the names in
“When we put a block party
on going to one place,
the local mix are estab
that’s where they go. ‘Hot together, we stretch out the
lished performers. Along
and not’comes and goes in
with the Rose City Sirens
talent and performances so
waves.
and ever-present ChiChi
Indeed, but this year everyone has something to
and Chonga and Ecstacy
shows no signs of “not hot”
Inferno, all o f last year’s
look forward to . ... Our goal
status, as Red Cap and
“Miss Thing” titleholders
Boxxes plan to close off is to keep the energy fresh
(from the aforementioned
Stark between 10th and
competition) are on tap to
and dynamic.”
11th Avenues, joining
perform— quite the coup,
-JUSTIN BUCKLES
forces to present a lineup
and all the more fitting for
that’s both retro and relevant. This year’s cel Heklina, our hostess. Deejays tasked with
ebration will be hosted by nationally revered moving the masses include Lunchlady, Porn-
diva Heklina, most famous for creating San star, Mani and FSO D J. It’s shaping up to be
Francisco’s longest-running drag show,Tran- quite
the
eclectic— dare
we
say
nyshack, and known in Portland for her fabulous?— bill.
popular Miss Thing competition. Heklina
How does a venue go about meshing so
wields a relentless, razor-sharp, merciless wit. much entertainment? “When we put a block
She’s served as grand marshal o f San Fran party together, we stretch out the talent and
cisco’s Pride Parade and won the 2009 Pride performances so everyone has something to
Creativity Award for Outstanding Artistic look forward to,” Buckles says. “We generally
Contribution to the LGBTQ^community.
open with deejays, move to performances,
The headlining musical act is ‘90s pop sen then back to deejays, and so on. Our goal is
sation Amber, best known for gay anthems to keep the energy fresh and dynamic.” From
“This Is Your Night,” “Sexual (La Da D i)” the sounds of the lineup— and if tradition is
and the infamous “I f You Could Read My any indication— Red Cap and Boxxes will
Mind” cover, a track recorded with Stars on have no trouble packing the gays in again,
54 for the film 54. I f Pride is synonymous even if the weather doesn’t cooperate.
with anything, it’s reliving our favorite,
And the good people on Stark plan to give
catchiest queer theme songs, some that take back. A portion o f Block Party proceeds will
us back decades, some that our community’s be donated to Q_ Center. Buckles explains,
“We feel it’s important to support those who
support us. We have our weekly charity night,
Versus, on Tuesday nights at Boxxes. The Q_
Center, for example, helps raise awareness
about LG BTQ _ issues throughout Portland
and beyond, which is why a portion o f the
proceeds from the block party and 100 per
cent o f Friday door donations [from June
17s “Candy Shop” in Red C ap,“Latino Night
Pride” in Boxxes] will go there.”
See you then. Good cause, great party—
we’U be wearing short shorts.
Gates open at 1 p.m. Sun., June 19; the party
goes all night. Admission price was TEA as of
press time. Red Cap/Boxxes is located at 1035
SIVStark St.; redcapgarage.com.
Stark
Street’s Pride festivities
aren’t ever limited to Red
Cap/Boxxes. Right next door, Pride revelers
will find Portland’s version o f Cheers—
Scandals, a Stark staple since 1979, with its
own perpetually packed festivities. This year’s
street-closing shindig is dubbed Odyssey
2011, to benefit Cascade A ID S Project.
An odyssey typically refers to a long, event
ful journey, and Scandals seems primed to of
fer its patrons something along those lines: a
fun-filled weekend featuring a slew o f skilled
deejays and live bands. The two-day roster
boasts the swing jazz stylings o f Boy & Bean,
Twisted Whistle’s acoustic Americana fusion,
the musical creatures known as Sexy Water
Spiders and Tree Frogs, and more.
Gates open at 3 p. m. Fri., June 1 7, and at 2 p. m.
Sat., June 18. Admission to Friday's festivities is
$8, Saturday runs $10. The bar is also offering
presale, weekend-long tickets fo r $15. Scandals is
located at 1125 SIV Stark St.; scandalspdx.com.