It's a gay-la affair! The Twin Cities shines as one of the largest Pride festivals in the country, and we think that's definitely something to be proud of. This weekend is all about love, respect, and partying like rockstars, so get with the glitz and don't be afraid to rock those sequins!
xo-l'étoile
THURSDAY JUNE 23RD
Dail's Cookbook: A Gastronomical Inquisition
@ Ritz Theatre
345 13th Ave NE
Minneapolis
8 p.m. / $27
If you've ever been curious about spending an evening dining with Dali, now's your chance. Get a mouthful of surrealism tonight as the Ritz and local troupe Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre present Dali's Cookbook: A Gastronomical Inquisition – a “creative mash-up” cooked up by Zorongo's Susana diPalma and Ballet of the Dolls' Myron Johnson and Robert Skafte. Based on the cookbook Les Diners de Gala written by Salvador Dali, the 5-course Dalinian dance salmagundi features dance and music of the absurd variety. After the performance, stay for a gala bash benefiting Zorongo and the Dolls featuring a live salsa band, cash bar – with plenty of lively Spanish reds – and the kind of nonsensical dizzy tomfoolery Dali would be proud of.
Click HERE for more info
THURSDAY JUNE 23RD
48-Hour Film Project Awards Show
@ Riverview Theater
3800 42nd Ave S
Minneapolis
7 p.m. / $15
A couple of weeks ago hundreds of rogue filmmakers, actors, editors, costume designers, set designers, and various film-types jumped on board for the annual 48-Hour Film Project. The challenge? To write, film, and edit a short film based on a surprise genre within a mere 48 hours. Think that sounds not-so-hard? Think again. A weekend of no sleep, high stress, and gun-to-the-head creative pressure was on, and tonight's finale awards show honors the top 10 films that were nominated for "Best Film Award" and "Best Student Film". Awards will be doled out by a roster of local celeb presenters including Scott Seekings, Colin Covert, and Viva & Jerry, and two after parties will await post-show. Stick around in the Riverview lobby where there will be two (free) kegs of Surly beer to chug while you rock out to tunes from The Farewell Circuit and watch a performance of all the Lord of the Rings movies condensed into 9 minutes by Live Action Set. Then hop across the street to the Riverview Wine Bar for more sippin' and socializin'. Viva la independent film!
Click HERE for the Facebook event
FRIDAY ART PICK: VENUS DE MARS
What's l'etoile admiring this week?
Dark glam and trans icon Venus de Mars is not only a whiz at shredding guitar, spinning records, and dressing to kill in leather, she’s also brilliant with a ballpoint pen. Serving as a visual journal of sorts, Venus's ink drawings on archival notebook paper are, in a word, resplendent--despite being of but a few shades. Scenes of metamorphosis, transcendence, and bondage are depicted in minute detail; human, often transgender figures are interwoven with natural elements – branches, birds, roses, moons. Spiritual and kinetic, they convey a sense of vulnerability and immediacy that perhaps only a pen and personal notebook could achieve.
Click HERE for the collection of drawings
FRIDAY JUNE 24TH
Uptown Pride Block Party
@ Bryant Lake Bowl
810 W Lake St
Minneapolis
6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. / 18+ / Free
The 7th annual installment of Bryant Lake Bowl’s Pride party brings out the big guns. Get your face paint on early and shimmy down to BLB promptly to catch the entirety of the phenomenal affair, complete with musical performances by the spirited Maria Isa and soulful Chastity Brown, plus the deliciously goth-style glam rock of Venus DeMars & All the Pretty Horses, the talented Mrs. Smith, hard-hitting indie rockers Pennyroyal, and a cabaret number from Dykes Do Drag. All this, and it’s held together by lovely/sassy emcee Foxy Tann. This might just be the gayest show in town, y’all, and it’s going down rain or shine—so maybe invest in some Pride-worthy galoshes, yeah? Street entertainment will be happening courtesy of the North Star Roller Girls, Familia Skateshop, and dance collective Epitome-No Question. A portion of the proceeds from this event benefit OutFront MN, an organization with the goal of making Minnesota a positive place for GLBT persons. Go now, get thee gayest self to BLB for what will certainly be a colorful night.
Click HERE for more info
FRIDAY JUNE 23RDMass Portrait: New Work by Anna Tsantir & Dan Luedtke
@ XYandZ
3258 Minnehaha Ave. S.
Minneapolis
7 p.m. / Free
When it comes to printmaking, local artists Anna Tsantir and Daniel Luedke share a penchant for abstraction. But when it comes to style, the two take on very different personas. For Tsantir, elements of symmetry, sparse coloring, and manipulated imagery serve as metaphors for a larger vision. In Luedke’s work, vivid color, witty juxtapositions, and futuristic ideas converge via handmade silkscreens and installation pieces. Together, the artists have put together Mass Portrait, opening Friday at South Minneapolis contemporary art gallery XYandZ. Both individual and collaborative pieces will be featured, an overall reflection on just how varied artistic methods can be, even within the same medium. And fear not for straying off your Pride Weekend itinerary--Dan Luedtke was recently named one of the "8 Most Important LGBT Leaders" in the Twin Cities by City Pages.
Click HERE for this art event and more at mplsart.com
FRIDAY JUNE 24TH
Identities Explored: A Celebration of Art from the GLBT Community
@ Hennes Art Company
1607 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis
6 – 11 p.m. / Free
Alright, so it's Pride. Booze, dancing and probably a few regretted (or non-regretted) make-out sessions are a given. But don't forget about the art! Tonight, peep awesome work from a few talented locals in the GLBT community. Opening night features a DJ set from ATPH's Venus in the Vinyl Venus Space Lounge and an opportunity to hang with author David Cook who will be on-hand signing copies of his anecdote-ridden humor novel, Lemonade for the Lawnboy. Featuring work from artists Connie Beckers, David Cook, Venus DeMars, Perry Ingli, Zoe Keller, Nick Minenko, James Michael Lawrence, Rachel Orman, Sarah Ruehmann, Christine Stark, Mike Welton, Matthew Wettlaufer, and Larry Miller. Plus, check back all weekend long for rotating live music and events!
Click HERE for this art event and more at mplsart.com
FRIDAY JUNE 24TH
Tropical Goth!
@ Nick and Eddie
1612 Harmon Place
Minneapolis
7:30 p.m. / 18+ / $5
Nick and Eddie is once again bringing the party, and, it being Pride weekend and all, you can bet they aren’t doing it quietly. Their Friday night dance party is a “tropical goth” themed Pride celebration, wherein the provocateurs of the restaurant-bar-nightclub call for “rainbow warriors”, “color fetishists”, “pattern lickers”, “fabric divers”, “colored fur traders”, “banana smokers”, “fruit munchers”, “salad tossers”, “blow poppers”, and many more varieties of people. Talk about tasting the rainbow. So, please leave your tried-and-true skinny black ensemb behind for this evening, and do what you must to show your true colors—we’re talking more than tropical shirts here, folks. Get into this with body painting, outfits built out of piñatas, things that glow, things that glitter, things that would give your grandmother a heart attack. There are prizes for the top three costumes, so put some effort into it, yo. (And if you really are too lazy to figure your party pants out before Friday, fear not—special guest skin colorist Jens Werner will be there to help you out.) There is also a stellar local lineup of live music featuring Two Lions, Chord and The Fawn, Mother’s Tongue (also celebrating the release of their first album this evening), Chelsea Boys, and BadNRad, plus performance art by the First Housewives of Hennepin Couty, Tomahawk Tassels, HomerrIHOMO, Dustin Maxwell, and so many more, along with a film screening from Alex Ward. The night is MC’d by the BOYZZZ of FASHIONASTY, and they are always a thrill and a half.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
FRIDAY JUNE 24TH
The Copper Field EP Release
@ The Aster Café
125 Main St.
Minneapolis
9 p.m. / $5
When he isn’t strumming out frenetic electro-pop with fellow Mercurial Rage members, Michael Grey is plucking indie folk tunes even the die-hardest of Mason Jennings fans could tip their straw hats to. Under the name “The Copper Field,” Grey and Joe Christenson weave honest and stylistically wide-ranging ballads, made distinct by Grey’s compelling, albeit not exactly beautiful voice. See what we mean Friday at The Aster, where the boys will be performing in celebration of the release of their debut EP, The Standard and Poor’s. Christian and Jon of Blue Sky Blackout will also be putting on a rare acoustic set. It’d be a crying shame for any local music-vore to miss this one.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
FRIDAY JUNE 24TH
Ostracon Release
@ Honey
205 E Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis
9 p.m. - 2 a.m. / 18+ / $5
We've seen the wave of the future, and it is Ostracon and their manipulated electronic sideshow. Tonight, don't miss the debut release from locals John Keston of AudioCookbook.org and drummer Graham O'Brien. Joining in the fun are a fleet of uber-talented locals including Dosh, Smyth, Ghostband, and the live painting antics of Rogue Citizen. As usual, Honey will be packed with dapper ladies and gentlemen sipping delicious cocktails and snacking on yummy bites. Duck out for a late supper upstairs at Ginger Hop if you need a break from the crowd.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
COOL LINK: PRIDE ROUNDUP
What's l'etoile looking at on the web this week?
Clearly, Minneapolis is the place to be for a Pride to remember. We do host the 3rd largest fest in the country, after all! To help you maximize all of this weekend’s goings-on, we’ve rounded up a list of loud and proud local links that give the 411 on all things Pride 2011. Start with local illustrator Kevin Cannon’s hyper-detailed map (can you spot two kissing baseball players, a gushing cherry, or a dude with a rainbow Mohawk?) of places to dance, drink, and show your colors this Pride. Too overwhelming? City Pages also has a full listing here. For those of you looking for Pride events that aim for political change, particularly through community awareness and discussion, Vita.mn has put together an “Alterna-Pride” guide PLUS a comprehensive Pride party guide penned by l'etoile's own Jahna Peloquin. Metro Mag chimes in with a well-rounded guide to artsy Pride events and a roundup of GLBT bars in the Twin Cities. And no Pride season – or summer, for that matter – would be complete without a visit to Lavender Mag’s Summer of Pride site, featuring GBLT events throughout this weekend and the entire summer. Last but not least, check out the Twin Cities Pride site, which has the most comprehensive list of what’s happening in Loring Park, including set times and vendors.
SATURDAY JUNE 25TH
39th Annual Twin Cities Pride Fest
@ Loring Park
10 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Saturday), 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Sunday) /
Beer Garden $5, Concert $10 Adv, $15 At the Gate
The Advocate recently named Minneapolis as the gayest city in America, so it's no surprise that the Twin Cities Pride Fest is a legendary event. Whether L, G, B or T or just boring old straight, this weekend is chance to celebrate the incredible diversity that makes our community so great. Highlights of the weekend include Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus actress (and 80s pop icon) Deborah Gibson headlining the Saturday night concert. Opening acts include local disco outfit Boogie Wonderland and burlesque troupe Lili's Burlesque. A giant outdoor yoga session will be held at Walker's Field on Saturday morning. And Sunday morning's infamous Pride Parade is a joyous and raucous event not to be missed. And...oh-s0-much more.
Ostracon Release
@ Honey
205 E Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis
9 p.m. - 2 a.m. / 18+ / $5
We've seen the wave of the future, and it is Ostracon and their manipulated electronic sideshow. Tonight, don't miss the debut release from locals John Keston of AudioCookbook.org and drummer Graham O'Brien. Joining in the fun are a fleet of uber-talented locals including Dosh, Smyth, Ghostband, and the live painting antics of Rogue Citizen. As usual, Honey will be packed with dapper ladies and gentlemen sipping delicious cocktails and snacking on yummy bites. Duck out for a late supper upstairs at Ginger Hop if you need a break from the crowd.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
COOL LINK: PRIDE ROUNDUP
What's l'etoile looking at on the web this week?
Clearly, Minneapolis is the place to be for a Pride to remember. We do host the 3rd largest fest in the country, after all! To help you maximize all of this weekend’s goings-on, we’ve rounded up a list of loud and proud local links that give the 411 on all things Pride 2011. Start with local illustrator Kevin Cannon’s hyper-detailed map (can you spot two kissing baseball players, a gushing cherry, or a dude with a rainbow Mohawk?) of places to dance, drink, and show your colors this Pride. Too overwhelming? City Pages also has a full listing here. For those of you looking for Pride events that aim for political change, particularly through community awareness and discussion, Vita.mn has put together an “Alterna-Pride” guide PLUS a comprehensive Pride party guide penned by l'etoile's own Jahna Peloquin. Metro Mag chimes in with a well-rounded guide to artsy Pride events and a roundup of GLBT bars in the Twin Cities. And no Pride season – or summer, for that matter – would be complete without a visit to Lavender Mag’s Summer of Pride site, featuring GBLT events throughout this weekend and the entire summer. Last but not least, check out the Twin Cities Pride site, which has the most comprehensive list of what’s happening in Loring Park, including set times and vendors.
SATURDAY JUNE 25TH
39th Annual Twin Cities Pride Fest
@ Loring Park
10 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Saturday), 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Sunday) /
Beer Garden $5, Concert $10 Adv, $15 At the Gate
The Advocate recently named Minneapolis as the gayest city in America, so it's no surprise that the Twin Cities Pride Fest is a legendary event. Whether L, G, B or T or just boring old straight, this weekend is chance to celebrate the incredible diversity that makes our community so great. Highlights of the weekend include Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus actress (and 80s pop icon) Deborah Gibson headlining the Saturday night concert. Opening acts include local disco outfit Boogie Wonderland and burlesque troupe Lili's Burlesque. A giant outdoor yoga session will be held at Walker's Field on Saturday morning. And Sunday morning's infamous Pride Parade is a joyous and raucous event not to be missed. And...oh-s0-much more.
Click HERE for the Pride site
SATURDAY JUNE 25TH
BYOB Minneapolis
@ Thorp Building
1620 Central Ave
Minneapolis
9 p.m. / Free
BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer) is a series of one-night-only-exhibitions hosting artists and their projectors. The BYOB concept was initiated by Anne de Vries & Rafael Rozendaal in Berlin and has since popped up in cities around the world, both large and small. Saturday's Minneapolis edition is presented by Permanent Art & Design Group in collaboration with curators Travis Stearns and Josh Clancy. Over 30 local, national, and international digital artists will create a pop up projection exhibit within the Thorp Building's vacant 12,000 sq foot warehouse space in Northeast Minneapolis. Expect to see work from peeps like Mike Perry, Playatta, Michael Cina, YAMAHAHA, Eric Timothy Carlson (of Hardland/Heartland), and many more. Featuring a performance by Elite Gymnastics.
Click HERE For the BYOB Minneapolis site
SATURDAY JUNE 25TH
Crash the Ball
@ The Depot (under the shed)
225 3rd Ave S
Minneapolis
8 p.m. to 1 a.m. / $75-$125
If there were ever a good excuse to don your ball gown best, tonight's the night. A young patron-focused companion piece to the Minnesota Orchestra's annual black tie gala, Crash the Ball promises an evening of swank, music, food, and plenty of free drinks. Held outdoors under the "Shed" (trust us, it's classier than it sounds) you'll be treated to tunes a la beat curator Jonathan Ackerman. A silent auction featuring oodles of gift certificates, fancy bottles of booze, jewelry, and more will be open for perusal, at bid points that won't have you running for the hills (or the open bar). Later in the evening join the fun with the big ticket gala patrons for a dancetastic set from The Sevilles. Proceeds go to benefit the Minnesota Orchestra's educational programs so it's a win-win: you get to have a fancy time and support an amazing cause while doing it. Not to mention, we're all about crashing parties.
Click HERE for the Crash the Ball site
SATURDAY JUNE 25TH
BNLX EP #6 Release Party
@ Cause
3001 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis
9:30 p.m. / 21+ / $6
If you need a rock n' roll respite between pride events this weekend, local superstars BLNX will be celebrating the release of their sixth EP at Cause tonight. Hubby/wife duo Ed and Ashley Ackerson are a collective powerhouse of sound, with a spirited back n' forth chemistry that calls to mind X's John Doe and Exene Cervenka. Factor in BNLX's signature trippy light show alongside a killer starting lineup featuring Red Pens and Party House, and we thinks you've got yourself a pretty awesome, eardrum-damaging Saturday night.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
SATURDAY JUNE 25TH
Gaywatch: 10th Anniversary Beach Party
@ Jetset
115 1st St. N.
Minneapolis
9 p.m. / 21+ / Free
If you’re like us, one of your earliest TV memories was of a beach in Hawaii, or rather, of shirtless men way more tan and muscular than any you’d ever seen ogling bikini-clad women who looked like your Barbies. Promising to be just as unforgettable, generation-defining, and dead sexy is Gaywatch, a beach party to celebrate Jetset’s tenth birthday. There may not be UV rays, but there will be DJs – specifically Bryan Gerrard and JR. You’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to don that red swimsuit, and here it is. Be practicing your hair flip, too.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
SATURDAY JUNE 25TH
Attitude City
@ Club Jager
923 Washington Ave
Minneapolis
10 p.m. / 21+ / Free
One of our favorite monthly dance jams is here! The debonair boys of Attitude City are at it again with their installation of super sexy music and stylish mayhem. Join the Jeff Dubois and special guest Ben Hribar (aka Benny Lojak) for a night of delicious dance beats and Clubhouse Jager’s tasty cocktails. Not only is it free, but we guarantee that you’ll have an awesome time making eyes at and dancing all up on some of Minneapolis’ foxiest.
SATURDAY JUNE 25TH
Pegasus Haunted Haus
@ Madame
3401 Chicago Ave
Minneapolis
10 p.m. / Free
The fabulousness is dialed up to 11 this weekend, and the Pegasus Haunted Haus is no exception. If you want to freak dance the night away, this should be your Saturday night home base. Because the glamour, it will haunt you. Bust spooky moves to DJs Beeth Cake and Jes Buns and the "bat pulse" of Sacred Necklace. Bring your dancing shoes, and your courage, as the peeps over at madame claim "Hear Cher’s Believe over and over and over and over again in the bathrooms. Watch uber-clone zombie gays drink in unison to the new Britney. Get an orange tan in a brand new coffin tanning booth." And who can argue with that?
BONUS: If you have the soul of an exhibitionist, shoot a message to saucy event putter-oners the Revolting Queers to sign up to do a performance of your own!
Click HERE for the Facebook event
SUNDAY JUNE 26TH
Pride Parade
@ along Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
11 a.m. / Free
If we know how to do one thing in this city, it’s have a gay old time, and few events are more telling than the annual Pride Parade. Hang out along Hennepin Avenue Sunday for a 2-hour spectacle of costumes and queens, leather and flags, tight-and-brightly-clad supporters, motorcycles, candy, and rainbow colors galore. Arrive early to get a good spot; last year’s parade drew in over 125,000 people. Before you go, make sure you stop in at Bitch n’ Brunch at Seven (9 a.m. / $25-$30, $10 admission only), where queen extraordinaire Bitch Flowers will be dishing up some of the sassiest drag around, or at Memoirs of A GAYsha (10 a.m. / $20), a dim sum brunch and “gaysha” themed party at Tom Pham’s Wondrous Azian Kitchen, which will continue after the parade and into the night with drink specials and a Tea Dance with DJs Shiek and Jonathan Ackerman.
Click HERE for the Pride site
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment