FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Randy Shulman
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
Volume 21 / Issue 39
ART DIRECTOR
Todd Franson
POLITICAL EDITOR
Justin Snow
NEWS
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Rhuaridh Marr
10
GLOBAL EFFORT
by Justin Snow
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim
10
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR
Scott G. Brooks
FLEDGLING EAGLET
by Doug Rule
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Christian Gerard, Troy Petenbrink,
Kate Wingfield
FEATURE
12
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
16
EDUCATING VIRGINIA
EQUALITY VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR JAMES PARRISH ON WHY
MARRIAGE EQUALITY CANT BE THE
ENDGAME FOR LGBT RIGHTS IN THE
OLD DOMINION
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Julian Vankim
by John Riley
photography by Todd Franson
PUBLISHER
Randy Shulman
BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETING
Christopher Cunetto
Cunetto Creative
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Doug Rule
WEBMASTER
David Uy
EXXONMOBIL EVOLVES?
by Justin Snow
22
SHI-QUEETAS SALUTE
by Doug Rule
24
ALLIED ARTIST
by Doug Rule
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Dennis Havrilla
STAGE
28
THEATER QUEENS
by Doug Rule
PATRON SAINT
Hazel
GAMES
30
GRIM FANDANGO
by Rhuaridh Marr
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY
Todd Franson
TECH
32
SPEED BUMP
by Rhuaridh Marr
NIGHTLIFE
35
METRO WEEKLY
1425 K St. NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20005
202-638-6830
MetroWeekly.com
All material appearing in Metro Weekly is protected by federal copyright law and may not be
reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Metro Weekly assumes no
responsibility for unsolicited materials submitted for publication. All such submissions are subject
to editing and will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Metro Weekly is supported by many fine advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claims
made by advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials provided by advertisers or
their agents. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles or
advertising in Metro Weekly is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of
such person or organization.
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
SCENE
42
CLUBLIFE
44
BUDDING CHERRY
by Doug Rule
SCENE
45
CTRL AT TOWN
photography by Ward Morrison
46
LAST WORD
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
LGBT
News
Obama
ExxonMobil Evolves?
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
LGBTNews
prohibits federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT people, said
Deena Fidas, director of the Human
Rights Campaigns Workplace Equality
Program, in a statement. Exxon had to
include these explicit workplace protections or risk losing its federal contracts.
Exxons management deserves little
credit for finally adopting the LGBT fairness policies they have rejected year after
year for almost two decades, but this is an
important victory for the companys current LGBT employees and future LGBT
job applicants, added Tico Almeida,
founder and president of Freedom to
Work, in a statement. Its obvious Exxon
is making these changes now because of
mounting legal pressure and the impending risk of losing hundreds of millions
of dollars in federal contracts thanks to
President Obamas executive order.
In July, Obama signed Executive
Order 13672 prohibiting contractors
working with the federal government
from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, a move
long sought by advocates. In December,
the Labor Department released the final
Obama budget seeks to extend Social Security benefits to all same-sex couples
by Justin Snow
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
marketplace
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
LGBTNews
equality does not end at state lines, so I
look forward to reintroducing the SAME
Act in the 114th Congress.
Obamas proposed $4 trillion budget, and the amendment to the Social
Global Effort
the human rights of the LGBT community, we made that commitment to the
world, said Markey, a member of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
in a statement. With the rights of the
LGBT community under attack around
the globe, we must stand hand-in-hand
with them in the struggle for recognition and equality everywhere. It is vital
to have a dedicated position at the State
Department spearheading that effort.
Last month, Obama made history as
the first president to spell out bisexual
and transgender in LGBT during a State
of the Union address. As Americans,
we respect human dignity, even when
were threatened, Obama said. Thats
why we defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn
the persecution of women, or religious
minorities, or people who are lesbian,
gay, bisexual, or transgender. We do these
things not only because theyre right, but
because they make us safer.
The bill was introduced with 26
cosponsors in the Senate and 45 in the
House. So far, Reps. Chris Gibson (N.Y.)
and Richard Hanna (N.Y.) are the bills
only Republican cosponsors in the House
Fledgling Eaglet
The DC Eagle is now open at its new location
in Northeast
10
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
by Doug Rule
WARD MORRISON
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
11
LGBTCommunityCalendar
Metro Weeklys Community Calendar highlights important events in
the D.C.-area LGBT community, from alternative social events to
volunteer opportunities. Event information should be sent by email to
calendar@MetroWeekly.com. Deadline for inclusion is noon
of the Friday before Thursdays publication. Questions about
the calendar may be directed to the Metro Weekly office at
202-638-6830 or the calendar email address.
CENTER GLOBAL, a group of the DC Center providing direct assistance and services to LGBTQ
individuals in various stages of the asylum seeking
process, holds its monthly meeting. 12:00-1:30 p.m.
at 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6
WEEKLY EVENTS
WEEKLY EVENTS
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW.
7:30-9 p.m. swimdcac.org.
DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian squaredancing group features mainstream through
advanced square dancing at the National City
Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m.
Casual dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org.
The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern Virginia social
group meets for happy hour at Sheraton in Reston,
11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9
p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7
ADVENTURING outdoors group hikes 7.6 miles
on Fort Circle Trail in Southeast D.C. Bring beverages, lunch, $2 trip fee. Hike begins at 9:30 a.m. at
Anacostia Metro Station, ends at Minnesota Avenue
Metro Station. Contact Brett, 703-914-1439. adventuring.org.
BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for the Rainbow Families
DC Annual Winter Family Dance, Food & Friends,
12
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses critical languages and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St.
NW. RVSP preferred. brendandarcy@gmail.com.
IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing
BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for the DC Central Kitchen
and Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation in Potomac
Yards. To participate, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Scarlets Foundation hosts 45th Annual
WEEKLY EVENTS
LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS MEMORIAL
EPISCOPAL CHURCH celebrates Low Mass at 8:30
LGBTCommunityCalendar
BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive and radically inclusive church holds services at 11:30 a.m. 2217 Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,
SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
DIGNITYUSA offers Roman Catholic Mass for the LGBT community. 6 p.m., St.
Margarets Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave. NW. All welcome. Sign interpreted.
For more info, visit dignitynova.org.
& learning center. Sunday Services and Workshops event. 5419 Sherier Place
NW. isd-dc.org.
room at Dupont Italian Kitchen Restaurant. 7:00-9:00 p.m. 1637 17th St. NW. For
more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Dupont Circle to discuss legislative priorities for the new Council. All welcome.
202-667-5139. glaa.org.
The LATINO LGBT TASK FORCE holds its monthly meeting at The DC Center.
3:30-5:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH, a Christ-centered, interracial, welcomingand-affirming church, offers service at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. 202-554-4330,
riversidedc.org.
UNITARIAN CHURCH OF ARLINGTON, an LGBTQ welcoming-and-affirming
congregation, offers services at 10 a.m. Virginia Rainbow UU Ministry. 4444
Arlington Blvd. uucava.org.
UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL MEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcoming and inclu-
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9
The DC Center hosts the monthly meeting of its YOUTH WORKING GROUP,
dealing with issues important to LGBT youth. 6:00-7:30 p.m. at 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
Michael Brazell teaches BEARS DO YOGA, a program of The DC Center. 6:30
p.m., Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court NW. No cost, newcomers welcome. 202682-2245, thedccenter.org.
GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave. NW. getequal.wdc@gmail.com.
METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIV testing. No appointment
needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200,
Arlington. Appointments: 703-789-4467.
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
13
LGBTCommunityCalendar
WEEKLY EVENTS
ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinner in Dupont/
offers free HIV testing and STI screening and treatment every Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m. Rainbow Tuesday
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11
THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB meets for Duplicate
Bridge. 7:30 p.m. Dignity Center, 721 8th St SE,
across from Marine Barrack. No reservation needed.
703-407-6540 if you need a partner.
RAINBOW RESPONSE, a coalition of individuals
dedicated to combating LGBT intimate partner violence, holds its monthly meeting at the DC Center.
6:00-8:00 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For
more information, visit rainbowresponse.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meets
about 6:30-6 p.m., Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome. For more information, call Fausto Fernandez,
703-732-5174.
HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH offers Wednesday
worship 7:15 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.
Washington St., Alexandria. 703-549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.
JOB CLUB, a weekly support program for job
NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 11 a.m.2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington.
Appointments: 703-789-4467.
14
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
marketplace
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
15
Educat
16
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
ating Virginia
Equality Virginia executive director James Parrish on
why marriage equality cant be the endgame
for LGBT rights in the Old Dominion
Interview by John Riley Photography by Todd Franson
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
17
tor involves changing hearts and minds on LGBT-related issues. Most importantly,
Parrish wants to ensure that people know Equality Virginia is in this fight for the
long-term. Unlike some other states, where equality organizations imploded after
failed campaigns to stop the approval of constitutional amendments banning same-sex
marriage, Equality Virginia has continued to thrive because it diversified its approach
to LGBT rights, knowing there was always more at stake even after the courts made
final rulings on those marriage amendments in the case of Virginia, eventually overturning the ban.
Were very serious about our work, because if you look at the landscape of
Virginia, theres still a lot of work to do, Parrish says. And we think that includes
nondiscrimination, we think that includes public accommodations. We think that
does include access to healthcare for trans people.
And for those who may be skeptical as to how much further LGBT equality has to
go in the commonwealth, Parrish offers up a story. Equality Virginia twice attempted
to hold a social event in Abingdon, Va., located in the southwestern panhandle of the
commonwealth, with a public event at a bar drawing three people and a private house
party drawing five, despite more than 15 people having opened EVs email inviting
followers to the event.
We actually got a thank-you letter from somebody the next week, thanking me
over and over for making the drive down to Abingdon, Parrish says. And he said he
would have loved to go to the event, but he was so afraid to go, that one of his friends
would see his car outside a house with a bunch of other cars, and ask him what was
going on. So he couldnt go, but wanted us to know how much he appreciated it. So
when people are saying, Its over. We have marriage and everything, were saying,
No, we have gay people in Abingdon that are afraid to come out of their house. So
we have a ways to go.
METRO WEEKLY: Where did you grow up?
JAMES PARRISH: I grew up in Wakefield,
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
another one. First of all, if you take federal money, you cant discriminate based
on sexual orientation or gender identity.
But why do we want to live in a Virginia
where that happens?
MW: Whats another bargaining chip that
activists can use to pull delegates to their
side?
PARRISH: Thats part of what were doing.
If we need the support of eight more delegates obviously, we want to get more
than eight where are 15 different places
in the state where there are opportunities? A lot of those are rural areas. Does
that mean we need to hire a rural organizer in Republican areas, who identifies
Republicans who support LGBT issues,
so these delegates are hearing from their
Republican base, Hey, Im fine with the
LGBT issues. Move on? Is it more faith
work, and having faith leaders stand up?
So thats a difficult strategy piece
of: how do we pull over a few of these
delegates each year onto our side? One
good thing is historys on our side. Two,
momentum is on our side. The business community has the greatest input
with our General Assembly. Thats why
we have Virginia Fairness and Equality
Means Business as ways of identifying
and highlighting businesses and spreading that narrative to greater Virginia, that,
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
19
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
21
Shi-Queetas Salute
M ONE OF THE FIRST LOCAL TALENTS TO SELL OUT THE
Howard Theatre, beams drag queen Shi-Queeta-Lee, who has
performed at the revived historic venue over the past two years as
part of the enormously popular drag show series A Drag Salute to the
Divas. Lee generally performs every other month in all lip-synched
shows, varying from concert-style presentations focused on particular
divas, such as Cher or Madonna, to full-scale, on-stage productions
recreating a particular movie, such as Dreamgirls.
This weekend Lee presents an early Valentines Day treat performing What Shi-Queeta-Lee Has Done With It, her twist on the
1993 biopic Whats Love Got to Do With It. Lee first performed a Tina
Turner-themed show a decade ago at Black Pride, but, at the Howard,
shes amped it up with more songs and a cast of 22 accompanying her.
In my plays, the males play the female roles, and the females play
the male roles. Ill be playing the role of Tina Turner, and LaShawn
Johnson, who is a female, will be playing the role of Ike.
Lee has been entertaining crowds even longer at nearby venue
Town, where she appears as part of the drag show every Friday and
Saturday night, and Nellies, where she leads the bars weekly Drag
Brunch, now with two seatings on both Saturdays and Sundays.
But because of the success at Howard, Lee, born Jerry Van Hook,
has been increasingly taking the Salute to the Divas show on the
road to smaller towns in Maryland and Virginia including near her
hometown in southwestern Virginia. Lee had her first show 10 miles
south of the Van Hook perch in Gretna, Va., this past December, and
will return to the area in May.
Lee, who has lived in D.C. for over 30 years, was initially nervous
about performing back home, especially after one local preacher
warned residents to steer clear of the show a serious sign of the
end time, Charles E. Miller Jr. wrote in a letter to the Chatham Star-
SPOTLIGHT
LACHANZE
MICHAEL CHE
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
ORCHIDS:
INTERLOCKING SCIENCE AND BEAUTY
Garden and the Smithsonian Gardens. Featuring several hundred colorful flowering plants on any given
day, the focus is on how new ideas, technologies and
inventions are changing the way we study, protect
and enjoy orchids. Now to April 26. First Floor in the
Special Exhibits Hall, National Museum of Natural
History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW.
Call 202-633-1000 or visit mnh.si.edu.
PRAVA FESTIVAL
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
23
Allied
Artist
Linda Hesh pays tribute to gay rights at Duponts Hillyer
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
Next week U Streets Tropicalia offers a gay-popular night of music and spectacle. Love Feast on
Thursday, Feb. 12, features a performance by Jason
Barnes as his drag alter-ego Pussy Noir. The affair
kicks off with a performance by D.C.-based theatrical fire dance company, Dance Afire Productions,
whose tagline is everything goes better with firedancers, and closes with a set of house, hip-hop
and club music by DJs Sam Blodgett and Kris
Sutton, who work together under the moniker Butch
Queen. Also on the bill: D.C.s New Wave/soul band
Mundy, whose concerts are billed as a theatrical rock
experience. Thursday, Feb. 12. Doors at 8:30 p.m.
Tropicalia, 2001 14th St. NW. Tickets are $10. Call
202-629-4535 or visit tropicaliadc.com.
TIM BURTON:
MELANCHOLY, MIRTH AND MAGIC
The American Film Institute kicks off part two in its Tim Burton: Melancholy,
Mirth and Magic series with two very different cult favorites: 1990s delicate
goth fairytale Edward Scissorhands starring Johnny Depp, Dianne Wiest, Winona
Ryder and Vincent Price, and 1985s Pee Wees Big Adventure, Burtons feature
debut, an improbably weird beginning to an improbably weird mainstream
career focused on the wacky character created by Paul Reubens, in a screenplay
co-written by late SNL star Phil Hartman. Edward Scissorhands is Friday, Feb.
6, at 9:15 p.m., and Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 6:30 p.m. Pee Wees Big Adventure is
Saturday, Feb. 7, at 10:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 8, at 9:40 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre,
8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $12 general admission. Call 301495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver.
FILM
OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT FILMS 2015: ANIMATED, LIVE ACTION
Every Friday and Saturday Landmarks E Street Cinema shows films at midnight
that are more risqu or campy than the usual fare. And, no surprise, once a month
brings screenings of a certain cult classic. Each screening is accompanied by the
shadow cast Sonic Transducers, who act out the film in front of the screen
with props and costumes. Friday, Feb. 13, and Saturday, Feb. 14, at midnight.
Landmarks E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.
STAGE
BAD JEWS
HHHHH
Its become the best-selling show in Studio Theatres history, and sales are still
rolling in: Studio has extended Bad Jews multiple times, making it one of the
longest-running shows in the companys history too, or twice the normal run of a
Studio show. And with good reason: In Studios production of Joshua Harmons
acerbic dramedy, Irene Sofia Lucio and Alex Mandell both turn in astonishing
performances as the shows two tentpole monsters, one an Israeli-dreaming
Jewish hardliner, the other a thoroughly assimilated American atheist. Peace and
goodwill between these two is as impossible to imagine as it is between Israel
and Palestine. Extended to Sunday, Feb. 15. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW.
Tickets are $44 to $88. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org. (Doug Rule)
BESSIES BLUES
Virginias Metro Stage reprises this musical by Thomas W. Jones II on the occasion of its 20th anniversary since its multiple Helen Hayes Award-winning premiere at Studio Theatre. The show looks at the legacy of the blues as told through
the eyes and lens of Bessie Smith, Empress of the Blues, performed by the great
Bernardine Mitchell. To March 15. MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria.
Tickets are $55 to $60. Call 800-494-8497 or visit metrostage.org.
CHEROKEE
John Vreeke directs a Woolly Mammoth production of Lisa DAmours latest comedy, about two couples one black, one white fleeing their suburban pressures
in an attempt to reconnect with nature by going camping in Cherokee, N.C. A companion to last seasons hit Detroit, Cherokee takes a disparate group of Americans
beyond the brink and asks what it means to lead an authentic life. Opens in previews Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 8 p.m. Through March 8. Woolly Mammoth, 641 D
St. NW. Tickets are $35 to $68. Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.
Another tour brings the longest-running musical in Broadway history back to the
National Theatre next week. Bianca Marroquin, who won a Helen Hayes Award
when she starred in the show in 2004, returns as Roxie Hart. Opens Tuesday, Feb.
10, at 7:30 p.m. To Feb. 15. National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets
are $48 to $108. Call 202-628-6161 or visit thenationaldc.org.
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
25
DUNSINANE
Parenthetically subtitled (A Zombie Love Letter for No One), this devisedtheater piece uses zombies as a darkly humorous metaphor for that unsettling
point in life where you suffer a significant loss, leaving you feeling disconnected
from peers, or just numb, out of place. CulturalDC presents this work conceived
by Rachel Hynes and devised by Hynes, Joshua Drew, Jonathan Lee Taylor and
Tyler Herman. The specific focus is on Regina, a survivor of a car accident who
is bloody and looking undead, which makes it impossible for her to successfully
return to her old life and pursuits. To Feb. 22. Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, 916
G St. NW. Tickets are $20. Call 202-315-1310 or visit flashpointdc.org.
THE METROMANIACS
Michael Kahn directs a new adaptation by David Ives of Alexis Pirons classic 1738
French farce, about a would-be poet who has fallen for the works of a mysterious
Breton poetess. In fact, the works are by a middle-aged gentleman, who pawns
his own daughter off as the author in an attempt to separate her from the son of a
sworn enemy. Chaos ensues, as does some poetic wooing reminiscent of Cyrano.
Now to March 8. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW. Call 202-547-1122 or visit
shakespearetheatre.org.
Mary Todd Lincoln sparked more controversy than any First Lady in history,
and this world premiere by James Still, commissioned by Fords Theatre and set
during the weeks following Abraham Lincolns murder at Fords, should have particular dramatic resonance in the venue and in this city that loves a good mystery
with political intrigue. Stephen Rayne directs a cast led by Mary Bacon as Mary
Lincoln and featuring Sarah Marshall, Kimberly Schraf and Brynn Tucker. To Feb.
22. Fords Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Call 800-982-2787 or visit fordstheatre.org.
MUSIC
AMIT PELED
Every Monday night the 17-piece jazz orchestra performs a variety of music
from the big band repertoire including pieces by Duke Ellington, Count Basie,
Billy Strayhorn and Maria Schneider, plus originals from band members, at its
namesake venue. Founded by baritone saxophonist Brad Linde and club owner
Omrao Brown, featuring some of D.C.s best jazz musicians, including Linde and
trumpeter Joe Herrera, who co-direct. Performances at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. every
Monday night. Bohemian Caverns, 2001 11th St. NW. Tickets are $10. Call 202299-0800 or visit bohemiancaverns.com.
As part of its KC Jazz Club programming, the Kennedy Center welcomes jazz
and blues great Chris Brubeck in his namesake trio with Joel Brown and Peter
Madcat Ruth, who perform in tribute to Brubecks father, the late jazz pianist
Dave Brubeck, a 2009 Kennedy Center Honoree. Saturday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m. and
9:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Gallery. Tickets are $26 to $32. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
Known for his technical dexterity at the keys, internationally acclaimed American
pianist Garrick Ohlsson joins the BSO to play Rachmaninoffs ravishing Piano
Concerto No. 2. Marin Alsop leads the orchestra in a program also featuring two
26
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
pieces by Respighi, the tone poem Pines of Rome and Church Windows. The
Thursday night concert at Strathmore also serves as a toast to the 10th anniversary of the BSOs secondary residency at the Music Center. The evening starts at
5:30 p.m. in the lobby with a fundraising gala offering dinner, drinks and a private
concert with Ohlsson. Thursday, Feb. 5, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore,
5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Also Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7,
at 8 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Tickets
are $29 to $99, or $350 for the Strathmore 10th Anniversary Gala. Call 410-7838000 or visit bsomusic.org.
For Valentines Day, Strathmore offers a swinging evening, featuring jazz guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli in duet with sultry cabaret chanteuse Jane Monheit.
Saturday, Feb. 14, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,
North Bethesda. Remaining tickets are $35 to $60. Call 301-581-5100 or visit
strathmore.org.
Winner of season six of NBCs Americas Got Talent, the dreadlocked classic
crooner returns to Baltimore after performing the National Anthem last summer at
Camden Yards. Murphy will sing from his debut CD Thats Life plus offer a sneak
peek at songs from his upcoming third album due sometime this year. Friday, Feb.
13, at 9 p.m. Baltimore Soundstage, 124 Market Place. Tickets are $35 in advance, or
$40 at the door. Call 410-244-0057 or visit baltimoresoundstage.com.
LEON RUSSELL
Five years ago, Elton John helped revive the original bluesy rockers career
with the 2010 album The Union, which featured Russell on both backing vocals
and piano. Russell, who helped launch Johns career in the U.S., is now touring in support of last years Life Journey. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m. The
Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $40. Call 202-787-1000 or visit
thehamiltondc.com.
As part of its annual series Pushing the Boundaries, D.C.s music school Levine
Music offers a Valentines Day treat for those who are, you might say, all about
that bass. Bassappella: The Art of Solo Bass features Levines rock faculty artists
electric bassist Christopher Brown and percussionist Manny Arciniega showcasing the full spectrum of the bass instrument, from Bach to Stevie Wonder to U2.
Saturday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m. Levine Music, 2801 Upton St. NW. Tickets are $15
online, or $20 at the door, and includes wine and light appetizers. Call 686-8000
or visit levinemusic.org.
MECCORE QUARTET
The Clarice presents the debut of this visionary-thinking Polish quartet, formed
in 2007. Flouting convention, the Meccore Quartet repertoire includes modern,
often experimental works informed by jazz and literature as well as contemporary concerns. Meccore will perform hallmark quartets by Mozart and Debussy
from the 18th and 19th centuries, respectively but also Eclipse, a 2003 string
quartet by Brett Dean, an Australian composer known for works with literary
and cultural references, such as environmental issues. Friday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m.
Gildenhorn Recital Hall at the Clarice at the University of Maryland, University
Boulevard and Stadium Drive. College Park. Tickets are $25. Call 301-405-ARTS
or visit theclarice.umd.edu.
The quirky electro-folk group PHOX features vocalist Monica Martin, and the
sound sometimes reminds you of a moodier Sara Bareilles, Feist, or even Imogen
Heap. The Wisconsin six-piece has recruited a fellow Wisconsin band as opening
act on its current tour. Chris Porterfield once performed in a band alongside Bon
Iver and Megafaun and is now making a name for himself as the leader of the sixpiece Field Report. The bands Marigolden is a heartfelt, sometimes heartbreaking
album, whose seasonally inspired title derives from the sets realistically hopeful
homecoming song Home (Leave The Lights On). Thursday, Feb. 12. Doors at 7
p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.
com and speakeasydc.com.
SOLAS
The Washington Post has called this quintet, which got its start playing in Irish
bars in New York, one of the worlds finest Celtic-folk ensembles, with music
ranging from innovative original songs to Irish classics. Friday, Feb. 13, and
Saturday, Feb. 14, at 8 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna.
Tickets are $25 to $28. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.
As part of the occasional series the Festival of Subversive Artists and Minds, the
University of Maryland welcomes Tia Nina, a local dance theater troupe styling
itself as a feminist punk rock dance band. Multidisciplinary performance artists
Leah Curran Moon, Ilana Silverstein and Lisi Stoessel first gained attention as
Tia Nina when they teamed up for a well-reviewed gender-bending staged show
featuring original music, Pitchin The Tent, at the 2013 Capital Fringe Festival.
Juiced features more original tunes and continues the trios critique of our hypermasculine rock culture, taking on, according to The Clarice: the showy, phallic
panache of lead guitarists, the aggressive boastful struts of front men, and the
sweaty, reckless abandon of great drummers, to expose the ways masculine activity, feminine passivity and compulsory heterosexuality are reproduced in rock n
roll. Saturday, Feb. 7, at 9 p.m. Dance Theatre at the Clarice at the University of
Maryland, University Boulevard and Stadium Drive. College Park. Free. Call 301405-ARTS or visit theclarice.umd.edu.
DANCE
GALLERIES
BEYOND BOLLYWOOD: INDIAN AMERICANS SHAPE THE NATION
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center presents this ambitious and colorful
exhibition on the second floor of the National Museum of Natural History, exploring the heritage, daily experiences and diverse contributions of Indians and Indian
Americans. Through Aug. 16. National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and
Constitution Avenue NW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit mnh.si.edu.
The Folger Shakespeare Librarys latest exhibition focuses on the first great age
of mass communication, the Renaissance, which launched printing, developed
diplomacy and created postal systems. All of this triggered an obsession with
encryption and secret communication that produced some of the periods most
brilliant inventions, most beautiful books and most enduring legacies, including
that of code-breakers and cryptographers. Through Feb. 26. Folger Great Hall in
Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Free. Call 202-544-7077 or
visit folger.edu. l
The vaunted American dance company returns to the Kennedy Center for its
annual week of performances. This years focus is on new works by nine leading American and international choreographers among them the companys
Matthew Rushing, Robert Moses and Christopher Wheeldon but all five mixedrepertory programs conclude with Revelations, the signature masterpiece by
the companys gay namesake, who died of AIDS-related complications in 1989.
Remaining shows are Thursday, Feb. 5, through Saturday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m. Also
Saturday, Feb. 7, and Sunday, Feb. 8, at 1:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Opera House.
Tickets are $30 to $125. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
CONTRADICTION DANCE
Founded in 1984 by artistic director Miya Hisaka Silva as D.C.s first multicultural repertory dance company, this company, with roots in El Salvador, chiefly
focuses on the power, passion and poetry of Latin America and its people. Next
weekend at Dance Place, DCCDT, or as its known in Spanish Teatro de Danza
Contemporanea, presents a diverse program with works by Kevin Iega Jeff,
Adrian Bolton, Francisco Castillo, Gloria Contreras, Yasmin Hernandez as well as
Silva herself. Saturday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 8, at 4 p.m. Dance Place,
3225 8th St. NE. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. Call 202-269-1600
or visit danceplace.org.
SAVION GLOVER
READINGS
DAVID AXELROD
Believer shares a wealth of stories from the 40-year journey of the mastermind
behind President Obamas historic election campaigns. The result is said to be
a deeper and richer profile of the President, from the perspective of a man who
was at his side every step of the way. David Axelrod will be in conversation with
John Dickerson, Slates chief political correspondent. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7
p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $15, or $38 with one
book; two tickets plus a book runs $43. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
27
stage
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
JOAN MARCUS
Theater Queens
match, and Natasha Katz (Follies, Aida) proves once again why
shes won numerous Tony Awards for her lighting design Im
not sure Ive ever seen richer shades of blue realized on a stage.
Joshua Bergasse, known especially for his work on television,
stirs up further interest with his deceptively light and charming
choreography.
There are yet more praises to sing about this production,
not least of which is the superb cast Schaeffer has assembled.
Hudgens may be the tent pole star of the show, but the two
women molding the young girl rule the stage: Victoria Clark
as Gigis grandmother and caretaker Mamita, and Dee Hoty as
Aunt Alicia. Their characters caution and counsel about the
ways of the world for a girl may run contrary to what you know
and believe, but you cant help admiring the convictions and
even chutzpah these actors bring to bear.
Aunt Alicia, for example, makes an impressionable influence
when she tells Gigi early on that girls arent attractive to men if
theyre seen deep in thought. By Act 2, Gigi lets her suitor Gaston
(a fine Corey Cott) know in no uncertain terms that shes one
smart cookie and ultimately, he likes the refreshing challenge
she offers. Still, its never completely clear that Gigi sees much
of anything attractive in him, other than the promise of fame and
fortune. Nor is it clear that shell be satisfied with just that. She
seems both ahead of her time, 20th-century Paris but also far
behind ours.
IF YOU THINK THE THREE LEADING actresses in Gigi
are something, get a load of the triumvirate cast in the Folger
Theatres Mary Stuart: Holly Twyford, Kate Eastwood Norris
and Nancy Robinette. If youve partaken in any theater in D.C.
over the past couple decades, you know these three, all previous
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
29
games
Holiday Road
Grim Fandango may not be the most
in-depth of remasters, but its a genre
classic definitely worth revisiting
by RHUARIDH MARR
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
travel agent in the Land of the Dead who helps souls move from
the Land of the Living on to the Ninth Underworld. Manny
determines how good each person was while alive, with those
leading better lives able to access better travel packages for
reaching the Ninth Underworld. The Number Nine train is
the ultimate reward, capable of reaching the gates of the Ninth
Underworld in four minutes, while boat and bus packages are
also available. Those who failed to lead a good life must make
the journey on foot, and are thus resigned to a four year journey
to reach their destination.
When a computer error fails to assign the Number Nine train
to Mercedes Meche Colomar, its revealed that the entire
system is corrupted someone is stealing the tickets assigned
to good souls, leaving those who qualify for the train to walk
the four year journey. Manny heads off in search of Meche to
rescue her and ensure she secures her place on the train to the
Ninth Underworld and hopefully make it there himself in the
process.
If it sounds convoluted, dont worry. The now-defunct
LucasArts, the original developer, and the games director Tim
Schafer crafted a rich, inviting world that instantly draws you
into its narrative. Seventeen years later, the witty, snappy script
still shines, and Mannys interactions with his environments and
the various characters within them ensure that the games plot
is always apparent and appreciable. Inspiration for the game
comes from various sources: film noir, especially in the second
year of the story, Mexican calaca figures (on which most characters designs are based), and the Day of the Dead celebrations, as
well as art design from the Art Deco period.
Its easy to see why the game itself has needed such little
remastering. The vast majority of environments Manny encounters are pre-rendered, and the original art style holds up beautifully today though cutscenes, which arent remastered, are
definitely showing their age. There are other sore spots, such as
water movement or the propellers on a blimp, but for the most
part the games various scenes whether the cityscape of El
Marrow or the precarious island setting of the third chapter
look as good now as they ever did. Double Fine knew that what
they had was more than enough they updated the parts that
needed it most, such as character design and audio, and left
everything else that worked intact.
For the most part, thats a good thing. As noted, conversations
are excellent, thanks to the hilarious script and strong performances from the voice actors. Its the games core gameplay
namely, the adventuring where youre either going to love
or hate Grim Fandango. Ill say it now: Im terrible at adventure
games, or at least the type involving lots of puzzles. While I like
to think that Im a competent gamer, put a challenging puzzle
in front of me and if I dont know what to do instantly Im
likely to cry and then lose interest. As a result, Grim Fandango
would, on the surface, seem to be one of the worst games I
could have played, because not only does it have puzzles that
can be infuriatingly hard, theyre also ones that occasionally
have utterly illogical solutions. I had to resort several times to a
walkthrough in order to move through some of the scenes in the
game and while more often than not I would read the solution
and realize that I was an idiot, there were several which made no
sense even after completing them. (I still have no idea how I was
supposed to work out the betting stub for the cat races.)
Grim Fandangos control scheme doesnt help matters. Yes,
tank controls are gone (though, for the sadists among you,
its possible to reactivate them in the settings) but, at least on
console, the new camera-relative settings arent fantastic. Too
often Id enter a new area only for the camera to have switched
perspective, which meant the direction I was pressing when I
entered the room would either send me in the wrong direction
or turn me back around and out of the area. Contextual awareness isnt great, either, with no UI hints other than Manny turning his head to notice relevant objects or characters (which can
be buggy if several items are close together) or the occasional
dialogue snippet. That can make moments where you need to
use an item a game of trial and error interacting with various
people and objects while holding numerous different items to
find a combination that works will be a core part of your Grim
Fandango experience. Double Fine also failed to patch in autosaving, which is a somewhat egregious error for lazy modern
gamers its not exactly laborious to manually save, but it just
makes sense to have baked it in here.
Of course, none of the above matters because, in the five or six
hours I spent in the Land of the Dead, I couldnt have cared any
less about control issues or obtuse puzzles or control problems.
Its both impressive and depressing that, in seventeen years, few
games can match Grim Fandangos fully-realized and beautifully
executed world. Manny is the perfect protagonist: hes likeable,
witty, and youll want to see his story to its conclusion. Every
character you meet is memorable, from main characters such
as Glottis, a spirit demon Manny befriends who accompanies
him throughout the game, Domino, Mannys swaggering archnemesis, and Hector LeMans, the games main antagonist who
masterminds the plot to steal Number Nine tickets, through to
side characters met throughout the game such as poetry-reading
Olivia, security guard Carla, and oily lawyer Nick. Yes, the
games puzzles may be tough, but when they require you to talk
to so many fantastic characters, its utterly forgivable.
Grim Fandango succeeds today because it refuses to apologize
for what it is: a game born and bred in the 90s. Any problems
with its control scheme or layout or puzzle structure are issues
that many games suffered from at that time but it doesnt
stop it being a memorable classic. Yes, there were times I had
to resort to a walkthrough (and, of course, your mileage will
vary if youre not an incompetent fool like I am), but there were
also moments of pure elation when I deduced the solution to a
puzzle sans help and was rewarded with more story, more dialogue more Grim Fandango. Year 2 alone, and the port town
of Rubacava, is a sprawling mess of a level thats breathtaking
in scope, maddening in execution, and utterly brilliant. That
this game is seventeen years old and still manages to be so wondrously playable is a testament to the design conviction of Tim
Schafer and company when they built it.
As a remaster, Grim Fandango wont win any awards. The
changes here are so subtle as to be virtually nonexistent, especially in the face of other, more thorough efforts. But thats missing the point, as there wasnt much about Grim Fandango that
needed a modern rethinking. The original sold in tiny numbers,
but was still able to become one of the definitive examples of
the adventure game genre whats here is truly special, and Im
completely okay with Double Fine taking as light an approach as
possible with its updating for todays gamers. No, its not perfect,
but it doesnt have to be. The mere fact that you can play it at all
(the PC original is notoriously difficult to get running on modern
systems) is something worth celebrating, and I urge you to journey to the Land of the Dead. Whether its a return trip, or a first
vacation, youll love your stay regardless.
Grim Fandango (HHHHH) is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and
PlayStation Vita. l
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
31
tech
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
at least at face value, the FCC lacks the power to force telecoms
companies to deploy the faster speeds immediately. The new
standard only applies to the report the FCC issues annually on
the state of broadband in America the FCC cant force companies to adopt it. It can, its report notes, take immediate action
if broadband isnt being deployed to consumers in a reasonable
and timely fashion, but Verizon, Comcast, AT&T et al will be the
ones who roll the speeds out to customers, and theyll likely do
so at their own pace which will be nothing short of glacial. A
week before the updated standards were voted on, the National
Cable & Telecommunications Association wrote to the FCC asking them not to update the broadband definition. It noted that
any updated standard would have no regulatory significance
and that if the FCC attempted to use the new benchmark for
broadband in a regulatory capacity, such as determining support levels under the Connect America Fund (CAF) or deciding which entities should be subject to open Internet rules, it
would lead to inevitable tensions. In short? Telecoms dont
want faster speeds, but the FCC is going to start marking them
down for not achieving them regardless. As FCC Commissioner
Jessica Rosenworcel stated of the new 25 Mbps benchmark, I
think our new threshold, frankly, should be 100Mbps.
The FCC isnt stopping at merely redefining what it thinks
are acceptable broadband speeds. According to reports, its planning to alter not only the way the internet functions, but also the
way it can be deployed at state level.
With the former, whats at stake here is something which
has been in the public eye since John Oliver eloquently ranted
about it on Last Week Tonight: net neutrality. Essentially, its
the idea that all data on the internet should be treated equally,
regardless of source or content, in the way its delivered from
its origin to its end point. The government, telecoms companies
and service providers wouldnt treat a Netflix stream, or an
iTunes download, or someone browsing Pinterest any differently from one another in the speed and stability of their connection. Unsurprisingly, telecoms have actively fought against
net neutrality, as it would stop them from offering internet toll
roads, where companies can pay (or are forced to pay) in order
to access faster internet connections.
Netflix, for instance, accused Comcast of extortion after
it found that Netflix users were having their broadband speeds
APATSARA
Speed Bump
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
33
NIGHT
LIFE
LISTINGS
THURS., 02.05.15
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
4@4 Happy Hour, 4pm-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Call
Martini, $3 Miller Lite, $4
Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm $3
Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight,
$5 Red Bull, Gatorade
and Frozen Virgin Drinks
Locker Room Thursday
Nights DJs Sean Morris
and MadScience Ripped
Hot Body Contest at midnight, hosted by Sasha
J. Adams and BaNaka
$200 Cash Prize Doors
open 10pm, 18+ $5 Cover
under 21 and free with
college ID
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
JR.S
$3 Rail Vodka Highballs, $2
JR.s drafts, 8pm to close
Throwback Thursday featuring rock/pop retro hits
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat The Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Drag Bingo
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
METROWEEKLY.COM
35
36
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
scene
Wig Night Out
Benefit for
The Point Foundation
Saturday, January 31
Town
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
WARD MORRISON
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Friday Night Videos with
resident DJ Shea Van Horn
VJ Expanded craft beer
selection No cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis Upstairs open
5-11pm
COBALT/30 DEGREES
All You Can Drink Happy
Hour $15 Rail &
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out Free Rail
Vodka, 11pm-Midnight, $6
Belvedere Vodka Drinks all
night DJ Keenan Orr in
Cobalt, DJ Barronhawk in
30 Degrees $10 cover
TOWN
Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-QueetaLee, Epiphany B. Lee
and BaNaka DJ Wess
upstairs, BacK2bACk
downstairs Doors open
at 10pm For those 21 and
over, $5 from 10-11pm and
$10 after 11pm For those
18-20, $12 all night 18+
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers,
hosted by LaTroya Nicole
Ladies of Illusion with host
Kristina Kelly, 9pm DJ
Steve Henderson in Secrets
DJ Don T. in Ziegfelds
Cover 21+
SAT., 02.07.15
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
$5 Absolut & Titos, $3
Miller Lite after 9pm
Expanded craft beer selection No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Drag Yourself to Brunch
at Level One, 11am-2 and
2-4pm Featuring Kristina
Kelly and the Ladies of
Illusion Bottomless
Mimosas and Bloody Marys
Happy Hour: $3 Miller
Lite, $4 Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Rumba Latina by Johnny
Vasquez presents GLOW
NIGHT, 10pm-3am With
DJs Willie and MadScience
Featuring Divas de la
Rumba: Sylvanna Duve,
Miss Gay Maryland Jordan
Sinclair, Mayline Guerrero,
Candy Crawford, Candice
Michelle and Kamillie
Glam Free Glow Sticks
$5 Modello, $5 Corona,
$6 Captain Morgan Cuba
Libres, $6 Jose Cuervo
shots and $8 Long Islands
21+
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Highwaymen Bar Night,
9pm-close $5 Bacardi
Buffet, All Flavors, All Night
TOWN
DC Rawhides host Town
& Country: Two-Step, Line
Dancing, Waltz and West
Coast Swing, $5 Cover to
stay all night Doors open
6:45pm, Lessons 7-8pm,
Open dance 8-10:30pm
JR.S
$4 Coors, $5 Vodka highballs, $7 Vodka Red Bulls
NELLIES
Guest DJs Zing Zang
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer,
House Rail Drinks and
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm
Buckets of Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
any drink, 5-9pm No
Cover DILF Daddy Party,
9:30pm-close Featuring
DJ Douglas Sullivan $3
Miller Lite, $5 Titos and
Bulleit bourbon, 9pm-close
METROWEEKLY.COM
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
37
COBALT/30 DEGREES
$4 Stoli and Miller Lite all
day Gay Capital Cities
United States presents
Hollywood Glitz Pageant,
6pm-2am Hosted by
Kristina Kelly and Big
Daddy $6 Cover
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch Buffet,
10am-3pm Crazy Hour,
4-7pm Karaoke 8pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Upstairs: Bears Can Party,
6-10pm Featuring DJ
Jeff Eletto Downstairs:
Mamas Trailer Park
Karaoke, 9:30pm-close
JR.S
Sunday Funday Liquid
Brunch Doors open at
1pm $2 Coors Lights &
$3 Skyy (all avors), all day
and night
38
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
NELLIES
Drag Brunch, hosted by
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm
$20 Brunch Buffet
House Rail Drinks, Zing
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Pop Goes the World with
Wes Della Volla at 9:30
pm Happy Hour: 2 for
1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
8pm Cover 21+
MON., 02.09.15
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Multiple TVs showing
movies, shows, sports
Expanded craft beer selection No Cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Drag Show hosted by
Kristina Kelly Doors open
at 10pm, show starts at
11pm $3 Skyy Cocktails,
$8 Skyy and Red Bull No
Cover, 18+
FREDDIES
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm
Showtunes Songs &
Singalongs, 9pm-close
DJ Jamez $3 Drafts
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Multiple TVs showing
movies, shows, sports
Expanded craft beer selection No Cover
ANNIES
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $4
Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
SIN Industry Night
Half-price Cocktails, 10pmclose
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
JR.S
Underground (Indie Pop/Alt/
Brit Rock), 9pm-close DJ
Wes Della Volla 2-for-1,
all day and night
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat The Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Karaoke and
Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour: 2
for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover Safe Word: A
Gay Spelling Bee, 8-11pm
Prizes to top three
spellers After 9pm, $3
Absolut, Bulleit & Stella
WED., 02.11.15
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $4
Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Wednesday Night
Karaoke downstairs, 10pm
$4 Stoli and Stoli Flavors
and Miller Lite No Cover
21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo
Night, hosted by Ms.
Regina Jozet Adams
Karaoke, 10pm-1am
JR.S
Trivia with MC Jay Ray,
8pm The Queen, 10-11pm
$2 JRs Drafts & $4
Vodka ($2 with College I.D./
JRs Team Shirt)
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
SmartAss Trivia Night, 8pm
and 9pm Prizes include
bar tabs and tickets to
shows at the 9:30 Club
$15 Buckets of Beer for
SmartAss Teams only
Bring a new team member
and each get a free $10
Dinner
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Night, 10-11pm,
12-12:30am Military
Night, no cover with
military ID DJ Don T. in
Secrets 9pm Cover 21+
THURS., 02.12.15
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
4@4 Happy Hour, 4pm-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Call
Martini, $3 Miller Lite, $4
Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm $3
Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight,
$5 Red Bull, Gatorade
and Frozen Virgin Drinks
Locker Room Thursday
Nights DJs Sean Morris
and MadScience Ripped
Hot Body Contest at midnight, hosted by Sasha
J. Adams and BaNaka
$200 Cash Prize Doors
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
39
FRI., 02.13.15
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Friday Night Videos with
resident DJ Shea Van Horn
VJ Expanded craft beer
selection No cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis Upstairs open
5-11pm
COBALT/30 DEGREES
All You Can Drink Happy
Hour $15 Rail &
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out Free Rail
Vodka, 11pm-Midnight, $6
Belvedere Vodka Drinks all
night DJ Keenan Orr in
Cobalt, DJ Barronhawk in
30 Degrees $10 cover
10pm-1am, $5 after 1am
21+
40
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
DC BEAR CRUE
@Town Bear Happy
Hour, 6-11pm $3 Rail,
$3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles
Free Pizza, 7pm Hosted
by Charger Stone No
cover before 9:30pm 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
JR.S
Buy 1, Get 1, 11pm-midnight Happy Hour: 2-for1, 4-9pm $5 Coronas, $8
Vodka Red Bulls, 9pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat The Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour: 2
for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
TOWN
Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-QueetaLee, Epiphany B. Lee
and BaNaka DJ Wess
upstairs, BacK2bACk
downstairs Doors open
at 10pm For those 21 and
over, $5 from 10-11pm and
$10 after 11pm For those
18-20, $12 all night 18+
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers,
hosted by LaTroya Nicole
Ladies of Illusion with host
Kristina Kelly, 9pm DJ
Steve Henderson in Secrets
DJ Don T. in Ziegfelds
Cover 21+ l
41
scene
Nellies Sports Bar
Saturday, January 31
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
WARD MORRISON
42
43
BY DOUG RULE
CLUBLIFE
S Budding
Cherry
The Cherry Fund aims to warm spirits this weekend with a preview of the club heat it will bring this spring
HIS WEEKEND,
organizers of the
annual charity dance
event Cherry aim to
warm spirits with a preview
of the club heat to come this
spring. This Saturday, Feb. 7,
the Cherry Fund helps Town
Danceboutique welcome
back DJ Paulo, the main
event DJ at Cherry last year
and the draw for its debut at
the Howard Theatre in April.
And Paulos set this Saturday
at Town will be followed by
a party at the club that has
become Cherrys partner in
reviving after-hours events the
past couple years. Late into
the night Saturday, Feb. 7,
Tropicalia, the stellar-sounding
subterranean club below
Subway at 14th and U Streets
NW, will offer the D.C. debut
of DJ Billy Lace. The New
York DJ has been the resident
at an increasingly popular
44
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
scene
CTRL at Town
Saturday, January 31
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
WARD MORRISON
45
I acknowledge the hurt and pain of the trans community and welcome their feedback.
I made a mistake; it was horrible judgment.
JILL SOLOWAY, creator of Transparent Amazons Golden Globe-winning show about a transgender character coming to
terms with their gender identity late in life in a post on her Facebook page. Soloway was forced to apologize after sharing an
image of Bruce Jenner and the Kardashian family photoshopped in place of the cast of Transparent in a poster for the show.
Jenner has been subject to invasive media speculation regarding the former Olympians gender identity,
and Soloways post was viewed as being complicit in the invasion of Jenners privacy.
Blogger PEREZ HILTON, during an argument on Celebrity Big Brother a version of the CBS reality show which airs in the
United Kingdom. Hilton, who gained prominence by trashing celebrities and outing people on his website, made the ridiculous
comparison after another housemate refused to accept his childish behavior in the house. RuPaul star Michelle Visage, a longtime LGBT ally, called Hilton out on his comments, stating, Having lost 20 plus friends to AIDS, that is a bit extreme.
With the rights of the LGBT community under attack around the globe, we must
stand hand-in-hand with them in the struggle
for recognition
and equality everywhere.
Senator EDWARD MARKEY (D-Mass.), in a statement. Senator Markey and House Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) have introduced bicameral legislation which aims to further the advancement of LGBT rights across the globe by directing the State
Department to make tackling LGBT discrimination a key part of its foreign policy. We must do what we can as a nation to
enforce the precept that all human beings... are entitled to a basic set of human rights which include the right to love who they
choose without fear of punishment or death, Lowenthal added in a statement.
46
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
METROWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
47