Anxious to start pridin’ out and enjoy our glorious summery weather? Then, take the rest of the day, (and week) off and get your queer groove on…there’s a BUTTLOAD of stuff to do today and tonight….If cruising is your thing and you’re depressed that they banned cars on the driveway in Volunteer Park and you can’t cruise from the comfort of your car, then head down to Eastlake and board the SS Trouble Dicso, aka, The Islander for a pre-Pride boat party/disco hosted by The Stranger and featuring DJ sets by Kim Ann Foxman, Ben Cook and Terry Trouble, who I’m assuming is a pseudonym for Mrs Dan Savage, and performances by the Dream Weavers and promised back massages from Dan Savage himself…or so he claims. Tickets are limited and can be purchased online from The Stranger and it’s a CASH only bar and obviously 21+…boarding starts at 9:30pm and sets sail at 10pm. The Stranger is not responsible for any motion induced sickness or STD’s that might be acquired on this Voyage of the Damned…
For the young, arty, radical queer set who prefer to party on dry land, there’s the option of the Bend-It Collective’s Queer Carnival/Dance Party which is going on at Black Lodge at Eastlake and Republican starting at 8pm, (what’s with Eastlake? Is it the new hot queer spot in town?) and it’s free for ALL AGES! They are promising us FREE food, tarot and palm readings, photo and kissing booths (and, I’m hoping there will be a Valtrex booth as well…) and THREE fabulous DJ’s including Mel-O-Drama, Fistf*ck and Gutter Glamour which means there should be lots of opportunities for dancing with sweaty young tattooed arty queers…sounds deliciously fun and ripe for romantic mischief and frivolity!
The gay bars are getting in on the early fun, too…Neighbours has The Boys of Summer Swimsuit Party hosted by Glamazonia with proceeds going to Gay City; judging by the lack of sun, I’m guessing either there will be lots of very pale models, OR, lots of newly oranginazed, fresh from the tanning salon and painful to the touch young colts prancing around in their Red Drawers sponsored briefs…and, The Eagle is getting in on the act with a Retro Beach Social that starts at 3pm and goes on for the next 4 or 5 days (not really)…both Nark and Freddy King of Pants will be jockeying the discs and you get a buck off the cover if you come in swimwear…not sure what you have to pay if you tend to swim in the nude…
At the Wildrose, they’re doing the LadyLust Burlesque Show hosted by the divine Ben De La Creme with lots of the usual burlesque suspects on hand, including The Shanghai Pearl and Babette LaFave…and, around the corner from the ‘rose, you can check out the new hotspot, Auto Battery at 1009 E Union (by the same folks who brought us Po Dog) and enjoy a “Pride Pre-Funk Party” with DJ Skiddle that they are calling Bounce on This…it starts at 8:30 and they’ve got giveaways and prizes and since it’s being sponsored by Babeland, Retail Therapy and Emerson Salon, there could be some coolass prizes…or, maybe it’s just a lifetime supply of Po Dog wieners….Check it ALL out, if you have the moxie…
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
