Bring It! June 12, 2009

It’s so easy to take so much for granted in San Francisco, the land over the rainbow and the gay pride capital of the universe.

Here in Oz, we’re lucky enough to believe that all men, women, and everyone in between are created equal. We see living proof every minute of every day, but the truth is that the fight continues, and it’s worth remembering that the celebrations we live and love today grew out of strife, struggle, and salvation.

The divas who keep our dancefloors and Pride parades humping, thumping, and pumping are testifying to all those same themes today. With Prop 8 still the ruling law of the land, those themes are just as relevant now as they were when the drag queens of Stonewall took to the streets and took their lives in their hands, kicking off a civil rights movement back before queer was cute.

Generations have grown up since then, and the movement has aroused, involved, and evolved so successfully that we no longer feel compelled to riot in the streets. As much pride as we’ve gained, it’s a damn shame that the indignity of inequality is still our reality.

Rallying to the cause and rallying to the dancefloor strengthens our sense of community and purpose. Raising our collective consciousness while raising the roof is what the gays do better than anyone else!

No matter where you fit in on the LGBTQ spectrum, our city offers no shortage of ways to put a little protest in your party, and that’s something we can all take pride in.

Friday, June 19:

Snap-a-licious: Ginger Snap’s Monthly Drag Show
Featuring performances by Ginger Snap, Holy DeVille, Pinky Maraschino, Miss Nix, and as always, Melody Grooves
10pm show, followed by dancing with DJ Lambchop until 2am
9pm-2am at Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin Street at Turk

Saturday, June 20:

The Launch Party
With Kaskade, Chris Lake, Chris Willis, Jess, Bellatrax, Cataracts, Jamie J Sanchez, and Wayne G, plus Energy 92.7 DJs
8pm-3am at The Regency Center, 1290 Sutter Street, $35
Tickets available at www.ticketmaster.com and Gold’s Castro or SOMA
$1 from every ticket goes the San Francisco AIDS Foundation

Sunday, June 21:

Marlena’s Dragathon
Kings, Queens and Everything In Between
Over 50 different performers (The Original Fag Hag included) contribute to a 9-hour dragathon to raise funds for the charity designees of the Castro Lions Charities. Everyone is welcome to perform at this event, the perfect place to try drag for the first time if you’ve always wanted to. The audience couldn’t be more appreciative!
12pm-9pm at Marlena’s, 488 Hayes Street

Friday, June 26:

Underworld with DJs Lee Decker and Kevin Lee
1,000 boys in briefs, so drop your pants and dance!
10pm-late at Space 550, 550 Barneveld at Industrial, $20 advance/$30 door, clothes check included
www.guspresents.com/underworld

AND

Club Asia returns with DJs Luke Fry, Robbie Martin, and Zax
The largest and most ground-breaking Gay Asian club on the west coast for over 6 years returns, for one night only.
With sexy dancing by the Club Asia Body Boys and the world-famous transgender Ladies of AsiaSF
10pm – afterhours at DNA Lounge, 375 11th Street @ Folsom

AND

MR. with DJs Kidd Sysko and David Harness
Pride's annual mustached dance party
9pm-3am at Triple Crown (formerly Octavia Lounge), 1760 Market Street
AND
Bearracuda presents Underwear Night with DJs Airick, Boyshapedbox, 50 Pound Note, and Medic
A party for bears, cubs, and other wildlife, with free massages, great tunes, tasty snacks and friendly guys
9pm-3am at Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin Street, $7/$5 before 10pm
www.bearracuda.com

AND

SupperVision Pride: A Fusion of Film & Performance
Pre-show in the Pajama Lounge, Multimedia main stage and underwater fashion show at midnight
Featuring Ginger Snap, Artist Malcolm Drake, Ambrosia Salad, acrobatics by Condi Davis, and Violin Bliss by Paul Scribble Festa
With DJs Tekkk and Malakai in the main room, and DJ Pup in the lounge
$15 limited pre-sale, $20 in costume or PJs, $25 no costume before 1am
Partial proceeds to benefit the Comfort & Joy Scholarship Fund
10pm-5am at SupperClub, 657 Harrison Street at 3rd
www.visualsby3.com

AND

Marga and The Boys
Barely legal comedy starring Marga Gomez, Marty Grimes, David Hawkins, and Nate Blanchard; Marga’s third engagement at The National Queer Arts Festival in her dual role as uproarious dyke diva and procurer of sensational gay male comics.
8pm at the LGBT Center, Rainbow Room, 1800 Market Street, $15
Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com

Saturday, June 27:

Start your Pink Saturday right with…

The 11th Annual Pride Brunch for Positive Resource Center
Join Gary Virginia and Donna Sachet in honoring the Pride Parade’s Grand Marshals
11am-2pm it the Hotel Whitcomb Ballroom, 1231 Market Street @ 8th Street
VIP $100/General admission $75

And then check out the street party that goes from Dolores Park to the Castro all day and into the night. Then gear up for…

The Disco with DJs Paul Goodyear and Bud Chism
Gay fun done just right!
Featuring the Original Fag Hag as Snow White with the Seven Bears and Evil Cherry Queen Snatch, plus The Twister Boys, the It’s a Drag Lounge with Charisma Glitterati and Bebe Sweetbriar, and The Juice Box Flagger Stage
10pm at Mezzanine, 444 Jessie St., $40 retail and online, $30 through Disco hosts, $50 door
www.thediscosf.com

AND

Colossus with DJs Manny Lehman and Tony Moran
Colossus returns to its original home at 1015 Folsom for the club’s first all-gay Saturday night in 17 years
Plus DJs Jim Hopkins (in the Retro Room), Kidd Sysko (in the Crib Room), and Pornstar (in the Electro Room)
Live on stage: Flava channels Sylvester
10pm-6am at 1015 Folsom, $50 advance/$70 door
http://www.guspresents.com/colossuspride

Sunday June 28:

The Original Fag Hag’s Pride wouldn’t be complete without this delicious double-whammy:

Fresh with DJ Kimberly S
With a special performance by Jai Rodriguez, and benefiting San Francisco Pride
6pm-midnight at Ruby Skye, 420 Mason Street, $20 advance/$25 door
www.freshsf.com

AND

Sanctuary with DJs Phil B and Twisted Dee
Men, Music, Muscle, Pride!
10pm-late at 1015 Folsom Street
www.guspresents.com/sanctuary

and there’s also…

Juanita MORE’s Gay Pride Pool Party
Benefiting The Transgender Law Center
Featuring The Ones, James Glass, Robot Hustle (Honey Soundsystem), Victor Rodriguez (Shits & Giggles, LA), Glamamore, Derrick Love, Nicky B, Le Dinosaur & That Mold Science of Gemini Disco, and The Cougar Cadet Corps Drumline
3pm-2am outdoors and indoors at Bambudda Lounge, 601 Eddy Street @ Larkin, $25 advance/$35 door
www.juanitamore.com

AND

The Gayest Party of the Year: Trannyshack vs. Big Top!
Big Top front room hosted by Joshua J & Sister Roma, featuring DJ Victor Rodriguez
Midnight drag show in the Trannyshack back room, featuring Heklina, JJ Crackers, Falsetta Knockers, Kiddie, Putanesca, Fauxnique, Metal Patricia, Renttecca, and House of Salad; with DJs Kidd Sysko and Lisa Pittman
9pm-3am at The Cat Club, 1190 Folsom at 8th, $15 pre-sale/$20 door
www.trannyshack.com

AND

Unity Pride T-Dance with DJs David Knapp and Jamie J Sanchez
6pm-midnight at DNA Lounge, 375 Eleventh Street, $15 advance
www.guspresents.com/unity

AND

Cockblock
San Francisco's most homolicious dance party for lezzies, queers, lovers and friends
With DJs Nuxx, Zax, Ms. Jackson, and DJ C-L.A.
9pm-3am at Supperclub, 657 Harrison Street at 3rd, $15 presale
www.cockblocksf.com

Through June 26:

The Golden Girls: The Gay Episodes
Starring Heklina, Pollo Del Mar, Matthew Martin, Cookie Dough, Mike Finn, and Laurie Bushman
June 11 through the 26: Thursdays & Fridays 7pm & 9pm; Saturdays 5pm, 7pm, & 9pm; and Sundays 3pm & 5pm.
Special benefit shows on Wednesday June 17 at 7pm (Rocket Dog Rescue) & 9pm (Western Roundup)
Mama Calizo's Voice Factory, 1519 Mission St. @ 11th
For tickets, go to goldengirlssf@earthlink.net

And for alternatives to clubbing:

Bay Area Pride Events
A one one-stop-shop listing of activities for those who like to keep active with bike-riding, roller-skating, hiking, bowling, running, walking, game nights, and square dancing
www.bayareaprideevents.com

Hopefully your Pride also includes the freedom to call in sick to work on the Monday after (once we get marriage equality passed we can start rallying to make Pride a national holiday with a paid recovery day to follow), and then it’ll be an awfully short week before you come to the realization that the Pride never ends in San Francisco.

By Friday, July 3, it’ll be time once again to have a great time while helping our common cause and community, at:

Nasty
A filthy fun-raiser for the AIDS Emergency Fund
Hosted by Nasty Girl Suzan Revah on first Fridays at the Powerhouse, 1347 Folsom

Come by and we’ll toast the frisky, flagrant freedom we are so perversely privileged to enjoy every day here in Oz!