EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Randy Shulman

JANUARY 7, 2016
Volume 22 / Issue 35

ART DIRECTOR
Todd Franson
MANAGING EDITOR
Rhuaridh Marr

NEWS

Leading the Way

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Doug Rule

Shoppers Remorse

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim

Teenage boy executed by ISIS

SENIOR EDITOR
John Riley

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS
Scott G. Brooks, Christopher Cunetto
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Gordon Ashenhurst, Sean Bugg, Connor J. Hogan,
Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield

by John Riley

by Rhuaridh Marr

for being gay

by Rhuaridh Marr

10

Community Calendar

WEBMASTER
David Uy
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Julian Vankim

SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHER
Randy Shulman
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Rivendell Media Co.
212-242-6863
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Dennis Havrilla

PATRON SAINT
Scott Weiland

COVER ILLUSTRATION
Jeffery Everett / Rockets Are Red

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JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

FEATURES
15
Seth Hurwitz
Interview by Doug Rule
20
Studio 9:30
by Doug Rule

22

2016s Calendar Circlers

OUT ON THE TOWN

24

Gentlemans Touch

FILM

31

Carol

FILM

33

8 Eclectic Films

MUSIC

35

Mylne Farmer

NIGHTLIFE

38

Freddies Beach bar

46

Last Word

Compiled by John Riley

by Doug Rule

by Randy Shulman

by Kate Wingfield

by Gordon Ashenhurst

photography by Ward Morrison

Louisville

Leading the Way

Local governments are often ahead of the pack when it comes to LGBT
equality measures, even in more traditionally conservative states
by John Riley

THINK LOUISVILLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN OPEN

and inclusive city, going back to its immigrant roots, when
it welcomed immigrants in the 1800s, says Chris Poynter,
the communications director for Louisville Mayor Greg
Fisher. So I think its just part of our DNA, and were sort of a
live and let live community.
According to Poynter, that attitude extends to other facets
of life in Kentuckys largest city. Thats why there was so little
pushback when his boss set a goal of having Louisville achieve
a perfect rating on the Human Rights Campaigns annual
Municipal Equality Index.
In previous years, the citys rating on the index had hovered
in the 60-70 range (out of 100), which wasnt bad. But Fisher felt
the need to push for more. To achieve its goal of a perfect rating, his administration consulted with the Fairness Campaign,
Kentuckys major LGBT rights group, and with representatives
from HRC to map out a plan of action.
6

JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

Some of the changes implemented included the appointment

of a liaison to the LGBT community within the mayors office, a
concerted effort to foster relationships between the citys police
force and the LGBT community, and requiring contractors and
vendors who work with the city to have an LGBT-inclusive
policy before the city does business with them.
As a result of those changes, Louisville was not only awarded
a 100 percent rating from the Municipal Equality Index, but was
actually profiled in the report as an example for other cities to
follow. It also received designation as an All-Star city, which
is reserved for those cities that have achieved much success in
the realm of equality, despite being in a state that lacks LGBTsupportive laws.
We worked very hard to get that 100 percent rating, because
we wanted to send a message to the nation and to the world that
Louisville is open, welcoming, inclusive, and that we value all
people here, says Poynter. Sometimes there are stereotypes

TRAXLERGIRL

LGBT

News

Now online at MetroWeekly.com

Pro-Huckabee PAC says Cruz soft on gay marriage

Actor Colton Haynes infers secret gay life is no secret

LGBTNews
associated with being from Kentucky. But Louisvilles a very
different city.... Louisville welcomes LGBTQ citizens and wants
LGBTQ visitors, and one of the ways to do that was to get 100
on the HRCs scorecard.
Indeed, Louisville has not been shy about embracing its role
as the liberal bastion within Kentucky, particularly when it
comes to LGBT equality. Following the Supreme Courts ruling legalizing marriage equality earlier this summer, the citys
Convention & Visitors Bureau launched a nationwide campaign,
Say I Do in Lou, promising to pay for the full costs of the wedding of one lucky LGBT couple. The winning couple, from Fort
Wayne, Ind., was married on Sept. 19, concurrent with the citys
inaugural Pride Festival. Several local businesses donated their
goods and services to help carry out the wedding.
While not all cities or local municipalities have gone as far
as Louisville in covering the tab for a wedding, most of the
countrys major metropolitan areas have succeeded where state
legislatures and the federal government have failed, at least
when it comes to LGBT equality measures. Topping the list of
All-Star cities with perfect 100 scores are places that are not
widely known or perceived as being LGBT-friendly, including
the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, and Tucson in Arizona; Missoula,
Montana; St. Petersburg in Florida; East Lansing and Detroit in
Michigan; Cincinnati and Columbus in Ohio.
Like Louisville, Columbus, which boasts a large LGBT
population, was encouraged by its former executive, Mayor
Michael Coleman, to make the city LGBT-friendly and welcoming, says Napoleon Bell II, executive director of the Columbus
Community Relations Commission. One of the crucial building
blocks to achieving that status was the passage of a citywide
nondiscrimination law with protections for sexual orientation,
gender identity and gender expression, which Bell is now tasked
with helping to enforce.
Bell says the city has collaborated with LGBT advocates on a
number of issues to seek input on policy, the police department
has a liaison to the LGBT community to help address concerns,
and the city provides substantial LGBT-comprehensive health
care benefits to its employees.
I think all of these things contribute to the fact that we are a
welcoming city, and embrace our LGBT community, Bell says.
Putting these things in place is a way of showing our commitment.
Of course, some municipalities are limited in what they are
able to do, particularly in states like Virginia, where municipalities are bound by what is known as Dillons Rule. Under Dillons
Rule, a great amount of deference is given to the state legislature, rather than local governments. As such, local municipalities are not allowed to pass measures, such as an LGBT nondiscrimination law, unless the state legislature has defined sexual
orientation and gender identity as a protected class in statute.
Jean Kelleher, director of the Alexandria Office of Human
Rights in Alexandria, Va., says that her citys score on the
Municipal Equality Index went down after the legalization of
marriage equality, because all cities were no longer awarded
bonus points for recognizing same-sex relationships. This year,
the city was awarded an 87.
Without bonus points, I dont think any any municipality
in Virginia can receive a perfect score, she says. Our Human
Rights Act is very weak.
Kelleher notes that because of Dillons Rule the citys addition of sexual orientation to its human rights ordinance in
1988 could still be challenged in court almost thirty years
8

JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

later. But she also says that a ruling by the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in the case of Macy v. Holder,
which found that anti-transgender discrimination constituted
sex discrimination, has allowed her office to pursue anti-LGBT
discrimination by filing charges based on gender discrimination.
In doing this, the office can still carry out its duties without violating Dillons Rule.
I think the city government, I think all of us, certainly try
to do what we think is the right thing, but always following
the law, so we are constrained by whatever the law happens to
be, she says. But when it comes to policy or benefits for our
employees, I think we always try to do what we collectively
would think is the right thing.
Libby Garvey, the Chair of the Arlington County Board, in
neighboring Arlington, Va., notes that her municipality has
always tried to ensure that LGBT residents are treated fairly,
even offering county employees domestic partner benefits in
the 1990s, only to see a state judge overturn the policy. (That
issue has since been resolved due to the legalization of marriage
equality.) Still, Garvey says, the mantra in Arlington has always
been one of tolerance.
We are a welcoming community and protect everybody,
she says. Weve been doing this for so long that its just part
of the culture.... We have diversity in a lot of ways. But I think
when it comes to the culture of our community, we tend to be a
lot more similar.... And were small, which enables that culture
to permeate pretty much everywhere in the county.
That tolerance displays itself in the variety of services and
programs made available to the countys LGBT residents, the
carefully-forged working relationship between the community
and the police, and even at the school level, where Arlington
has implemented comprehensive anti-bullying and harassment
policies the school board also recently passed pro-LGBT nondiscrimination policy.
Were always marketing Arlington as a wonderful place to
live, and weve always marketed the fact that we are welcoming and diverse, says Garvey. We really view diversity as a
strength here. And we always appreciate and want talent....
Anybody who would come here I think would feel very welcome and decide, This is the place Id like to live. l

Shoppers Remorse
Where can conservative radio host Linda Harvey shop
if everywhere is pro-gay?
by Rhuaridh Marr

E FEEL SO SORRY FOR ANTI-GAY ACTIVIST

Linda Harvey. The radio host and founder of
Mission: America, a network of parents and others
concerned about the promotion of homosexuality, couldnt find
anywhere to shop over the holidays as too many companies now
support LGBT rights. Poor thing.
In a post last year for right-wing website WND, Harvey complained that there is a growing shortage of stores that support
her anti-gay world view.
For any Christian who wants to spend hard-earned dollars
with family-friendly, Christian-affirming retailers, restaurants

LGBTNews
and service providers, the list is growing shorter all the time,
she wrote.
Harvey stopped shopping at Macys due to the retailers
grossly unjust policy against women.
Macys management said yes to a transsexual young mans
demand to change in the womens dressing room and rejected a
Christian employees attempt to block his inappropriate access,
even firing her because of her principled actions, Harvey asserted.
Except that the employee in question wasnt fired for her
principled actions. In 2011, Natalie Johnson an employee at a
San Antonio Macys prevented a transgender woman from using
the womens dressing room, according to the Houston Chronicle.
It was in direct violation of Macys policy, which states that transgender persons can use either dressing room. Johnson refused to
comply, citing her religious beliefs, and was terminated.
Harvey doesnt just hate Macys, though.
Then theres Target. Where to start?
Somewhere homophobic, it transpires.
Selling gay pride T-shirts a few years back was bad enough,
but Target is now proudly standing with homosexuals and crossdressers who want to change Americas 1964 Civil Rights Act to
add sexual orientation and gender identity, Harvey said.
She states that the Equality Act, which would add such amendments, should be opposed by every thinking, Constitutionloving American, including every GOP presidential candidate
and calls it anti-American, pro-deviance legislation. A number
of companies support the Equality Act, which was introduced
to Congress last year, including Amazon, Google, General Mills,
Levi-Strauss, American Airlines, Apple, Nike and others. Strike
those off your shopping list, too, Linda.
Harvey also took issue with recent traitor Wal-Mart. The
one-time reliable backer of Judeo-Christian standards has
apparently joined the dark side, due to Wal-Mart joining
other companies in pressuring Arkansas and Indiana to abandon so-called religious freedom laws that would have legalized discrimination of LGBT people.
Why would Wal-Mart side with sexual anarchists against
the First Amendment liberties of all Americans to oppose homosexual behavior? Harvey questions. But their unfaithfulness
doesnt end there. Wal-Mart is now a financial backer of deviant
gay pride parades. What happened to this company?
They, like most of America, have moved into the twenty-first
century, Linda.
Mattel is also off Lindas shopping list, due to an advert for
Moschino Barbie that dared to show a boy playing with the infamous doll or as Harvey puts it: a wicked accommodation to
the current gender-destructive culture.
And dont even get her started on JC Penney.
Dont even get me started on the many in-your-face-insults
of JC Penney. she writes. (We told you.) Harvey loathes that
the clothing retailer used Ellen DeGeneres as a spokesperson
and featured adverts with same-sex couples on Mothers Day
and Fathers Day.
She also falsely attributes JC Penneys dire straits with
the retailers support of LGBT people. The company apparently learned nothing from its sales decline after these miscalculations, Harvey wrote. Actually, the company changed its
entire pricing and purchasing approach under then-CEO Ron
Johnson, which drove away the bargain hunters who previously
filled its stores a move its still trying (and failing) to recover
from, according to Forbes.
But all isnt lost for Harvey and her anti-gay ilk. So dedicated

is she to shopping at businesses that dont support gay rights,

shes using the Human Rights Campaigns very own Corporate
Equality Index to see who hasnt scored well in their implementation of pro-LGBT policies.
As a result, Harvey was able to get all of her Christmas shopping done at em Dollar Tree, AutoZone, Dicks Sporting
Goods and Lowes, among others. Her poor family. l

Teenage boy executed by

ISIS for being gay
ISIS leader who allegedly had sex with him
spared death
by Rhuaridh Marr

SLAMIC STATE FIGHTERS HAVE EXECUTED A

15-year-old boy on charges of homosexuality, after he was
found in the house of an ISIS leader.
The boy was accused of being engaged in a homosexual relation with the prominent ISIS officer Abu Zaid al-Jazrawi, Sarai
al-Din, a media activist, told Syrias ARA News. Another source
told ARA that the boy was captured in the home of al-Jazrawi.
The youth was tried in the eastern Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor,
where he was sentenced to death by being thrown from the top
of a building a common method used by ISIS for those accused
of homosexuality. The horrific execution took place in front of
a large crowd, an eyewitness told ARA.
However, while the 15-year-old was killed, al-Jazrawi has
been allowed to live. The Sharia Court in Deir ez-Zor had apparently demanded the death penalty for the ISIS officer, but he
was instead sent to the battlefront in Iraq, where ISIS have been
losing ground to a resurgent Iraqi army.
Abu Zaid was forced to leave Syria and join the fighting
fronts in northwestern Iraq. The decision has been taken by the
ISIS leadership, al-Din said.
ISIS, also known as ISIL, IS, Daesh, and Islamic State, have
murdered thousands of people since their brutal regime took
over parts of Syria and Iraq. According to the Syrian Network for
Human Rights, the death toll stands at over 2,000 people in Syria
last year alone. Those living under their rule are subjected to a
strict interpretation of Shariah law, which mandates the death
penalty for homosexuality, adultery and blasphemy, among
other offences.
Men are often accused of homosexuality without any substantive evidence, before being thrown from buildings, stoned
to death, or a mixture of the two. In April last year, a man was
stoned to death by a crowd of men. That same month, ISIS
fighters embraced two men before stoning them to death, as a
crowd that included many young boys looked on. In June, three
men were dropped from the top of a 100ft high building, while
the following month, two more men were dropped from a roof
and then stoned to death after the fall failed to kill them. In
October, two more men were murdered by a large crowd that
had gathered to throw rocks at them.
While Western media has been exposed to images of dozens
of men being executed for homosexuality, the actual number of
deaths is unknown and likely much higher. l
METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 7, 2016

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, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE, 2-4

p.m. For players of all levels, gay or
straight. teamdcbasketball.org.

DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for

LGBT community, family and friends.

6:30 p.m., Immanuel Church-on-theHill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria.
All welcome. For more info, visit dignitynova.org.

GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses

critical languages and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St. NW.
RVSP preferred. brendandarcy@
gmail.com.

THURSDAY, JAN. 7

FRIDAY, JAN. 8

SATURDAY, JAN. 9

SUNDAY, JAN. 10

WEEKLY EVENTS

GAY MARRIED MENS

ASSOCIATION (GAMMA) is a con-

ADVENTURING outdoors group

hikes 8 moderate miles with 840 feet
of elevation gain to scenic overlooks
on South Mountain near Hagerstown,
Md. Bring beverages, lunch, about
$10 for fees. Carpool at 9 a.m. from
Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station,
return by dark. Jeff, 301-775-9660.
adventuring.org.

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 square-dancing 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.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker

Health. At the Elizabeth Taylor
Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,
9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9
a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment
call 202-745-7000. Visit whitmanwalker.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confiden-

tial HIV testing in Gaithersburg,

414 East Diamond Ave., and in
Takoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire
Ave., Suite 411. Walk-ins 2-6 p.m.
For appointments other hours, call
Gaithersburg, 301-300-9978, or
Takoma Park, 301-422-2398.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers

free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment
needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.
202-638-0750.
US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics

Anonymous Meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m.,

3636 Georgia Ave. NW. The group is
independent of UHU. 202-446-1100.

WOMENS LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE for young LBTQ women,
13-21, interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth
Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3163,
catherine.chu@smyal.org.
10

JANUARY 7, 2016

fidential support group for men who

are gay, bisexual, questioning and
who are married or involved with
a woman, that meets on the second
and fourth Fridays of the month in
Dupont Circle at 7:30 p.m. GAMMA
also offers additional meeting times
and places for men in Northern
Virginia and Maryland. For more
information: GAMMAinDC.org.

LGB PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP for

adults in Montgomery County offers

a safe space to explore coming out
and issues of identity. 10-11:30 a.m.
16220 S. Frederick Rd., Suite 512,
Gaithersburg, Md. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WOMEN IN THEIR TWENTIES, a

social discussion and activity group for

LBT women, meets at The DC Center
on the second and fourth Fridays of
each month. Group social activity to
follow the meeting. 8-9:30 p.m. 2000
14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice
session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr.
SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-

The DC Center hosts confidential

FREE HIV TESTING for all those
interested. Get tested, know your
status. 4-7 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
The DC Center hosts a VOLUNTEER
ORIENTATION for all those interested in giving back to the community, particularly those who wish
to become support desk volunteers.
Training is limited to 20 participants.
12-3 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite
105. For more information, email volunteer@thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
BET MISHPACHAH, founded by

members of the LGBT community,

holds Saturday morning Shabbat
services, 10 a.m., followed by Kiddush
luncheon. Services in DCJCC
Community Room, 1529 16th St. NW.
betmish.org.

affirming social group for ages 11-24.

4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road NW.
Contact Tamara, 202-319-0422, laycdc.org.

BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including others interested in Brazilian culture, meets. For location/time, email
braziliangaygroup@yahoo.com.

SMYALS REC NIGHT provides

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice

a social atmosphere for GLBT and

questioning youth, featuring dance
parties, vogue nights, movies and
games. More info, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for
youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,
410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, testing@smyal.org.

METROWEEKLY.COM

session at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,

SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/

walking/social club welcomes all

levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, socializing
afterward. Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd & P
Streets NW, for a walk; or 10 a.m. for
fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.

DC SENTINELS basketball team

meets at Turkey Thicket Recreation

BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive

and radically inclusive church holds
services at 11:30 a.m. 2217 Minnesota
Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org.
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.

FRIENDS MEETING OF
WASHINGTON meets for worship,

10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW,

Quaker House Living Room (next to
Meeting House on Decatur Place),
2nd floor. Special welcome to lesbians
and gays. Handicapped accessible
from Phelps Place gate. Hearing assistance. quakersdc.org.

HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT

GROUP for gay men living in the DC

metro area. This group will be meeting once a month. For information on
location and time, email to not.the.
only.one.dc@gmail.com.

INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL

DEVELOPMENT, God-centered new

age church & learning center. Sunday

Services and Workshops event. 5419
Sherier Place NW. isd-dc.org.
Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONAL

TEMPLE UNITED CHURCH OF

CHRIST for an inclusive, loving and

progressive faith community every

Sunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street NW,
near R in Shaw/Logan neighborhood.
lincolntemple.org.

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF
REFORMATION invites all to Sunday

worship at 8:30 or 11 a.m. Childcare is

available at both services. Welcoming
LGBT people for 25 years. 212 East
Capitol St. NE. reformationdc.org.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
services at 11 a.m., led by Rev. Onetta
Brooks. Childrens Sunday School, 11
a.m. 10383 Democracy Lane, Fairfax.
703-691-0930, mccnova.com.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpreted)

and 11 a.m. Childrens Sunday School
at 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. 202-6387373, mccdc.com.

NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN

CHURCH, inclusive church with

GLBT fellowship, offers gospel worship, 8:30 a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas Circle NW.
202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.

RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH,

a Christ-centered, interracial, welcoming-and-affirming church, offers
service at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. 202554-4330, riversidedc.org.
ST. STEPHEN AND THE
INCARNATION, an interracial,

multi-ethnic Christian Community

offers services in English, 8 a.m. and
10:30 a.m., and in Spanish at 5:15 p.m.
1525 Newton St. NW. 202-232-0900,
saintstephensdc.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.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
CHURCH OF SILVER SPRING

invites LGBTQ families and individuals of all creeds and cultures to join
the church. Services 9:15 and 11:15
a.m. 10309 New Hampshire Ave.
uucss.org.

UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL
MEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcom-

ing and inclusive church. GLBT

Interweave social/service group
meets monthly. Services at 11 a.m.,
Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16th St.
NW. 202-387-3411, universalist.org.

MONDAY, JAN. 11
The DC Center hosts a monthly meeting of its YOUTH WORKING GROUP
for people who wish to get involved
with various initiatives and serve as
mentors to LGBT youth. 6-7:30 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio
Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds

practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison

Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at

Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave. NW.
getequal.wdc@gmail.com.
HIV Testing at WHITMAN-WALKER
HEALTH. At the Elizabeth Taylor
Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,
9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY

(K.I.) SERVICES, 3333 Duke St.,

Alexandria, offers free rapid HIV

testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
703-823-4401.

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.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for
youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,
410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155 or testing@smyal.org.

METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 7, 2016

11

THE DC CENTER hosts Coffee DropIn for the Senior LGBT Community.
10 a.m.-noon. 2000 14th St. NW. 202682-2245, thedccenter.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)

US HELPING US hosts a black gay

mens evening affinity group. 3636
Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walk-

WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATER

POLO TEAM practices 7-9 p.m.

Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van

Buren St. NW. Newcomers with at
least basic swimming ability always
welcome. Tom, 703-299-0504, secretary@wetskins.org, wetskins.org.

WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH

HIV/AIDS Support Group for newly

diagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m.
Registration required. 202-939-7671,
hivsupport@whitman-walker.org.

TUESDAY, JAN. 12
GAY & LESBIAN ACTIVISTS
ALLIANCE meets at 7 p.m. in private
home in Dupont Circle to discuss
plans for rating candidates in June
primaries for DC Council. All welcome. 202-667-5139. glaa.org.

The DC Center holds a meeting of

its COMING OUT DISCUSSION
GROUP for those navigating issues
associated with coming out and personal identity. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th
St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
The DC Center holds a meeting
of its TRANS SUPPORT GROUP
for people who are transgender or
gender non-conforming and their
allies. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly
dinner in Dupont/Logan Circle area,
6:30 p.m. afwash@aol.com, afwashington.net.

12

JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

practice session at Takoma Aquatic

Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9
p.m. swimdcac.org.

ing/social club serving greater D.C.s

LGBT community and allies hosts an
evening run/walk. dcfrontrunners.org.

THE GAY MENS HEALTH

COLLABORATIVE offers free HIV

testing and STI screening and treatment every Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m.
Rainbow Tuesday LGBT Clinic,
Alexandria Health Department, 4480
King St. 703-746-4986 or text 571-2149617. james.leslie@inova.org.

THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THE

DC CENTER hosts Packing Party,

where volunteers assemble safe-sex

kits of condoms and lube. 7 p.m.,
Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court NW.
thedccenter.org.

IDENTITY offers free and confidential

HIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414 East
Diamond Ave., and in Takoma Park,
7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.
Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appointments
other hours, call Gaithersburg at
301-300-9978 or Takoma Park at 301422-2398.

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY

(K.I.) SERVICES, at 3333 Duke St.,

Alexandria, offers free rapid HIV

testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
703-823-4401.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers

free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment

needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.
202-638-0750.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUSLGBT
focused meeting every Tuesday, 7
p.m. St. Georges Episcopal Church,
915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, just
steps from Virginia Square Metro. For
more info. call Dick, 703-521-1999.
Handicapped accessible. Newcomers
welcome. liveandletliveoa@gmail.com.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for
youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,

410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, testing@smyal.org.

SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ

YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL,
410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy
Chu, 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.

US HELPING US hosts a support

group for black gay men 40 and older.
7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. 202446-1100.
Whitman-Walker Healths GAY

MENS HEALTH AND WELLNESS/

STD CLINIC opens at 6 p.m., 1701

14th St. NW. Patients are seen on

walk-in basis. No-cost screening for
HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Hepatitis and herpes testing
available for fee. whitman-walker.org.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13
GEORGE WASHINGTON
UNIVERSITY WOMENS
BASKETBALL holds a PREGAME
PRIDE PARTY at the Charles E.

Smith Center. 6-9 p.m. 600 22nd

St. NW. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.

RAINBOW RESPONSE, a coalition dedicated to combating LGBTQ

intimate partner violence, holds its
monthly meeting at The DC Center
on the second Wednesday of every
month. 6-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. For more information, visit
rainbowresponse.org.
THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB

meets for Duplicate Bridge. 7:30 p.m.

Dignity Center, 721 8th St SE (across
from Marine Barracks). No reservations needed. All welcome. 202-8410279 if you need a partner.

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.

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL
HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5

p.m., and HIV services (by appointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatransculturalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio

Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds

practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison

Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH

offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m.

and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.
Washington St., Alexandria. 703-5491450, historicchristchurch.org.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker

Health. At the Elizabeth Taylor
Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,
9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confiden-

tial HIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414

East Diamond Ave. Walk-ins 2-7 p.m.
For appointments other hours, call
Gaithersburg at 301-300-9978.

JOB CLUB, a weekly support pro-

gram for job entrants and seekers,

meets at The DC Center. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. 6-7:30 p.m. For more
info, www.centercareers.org.

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.

11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite
200, Arlington. Appointments: 703789-4467.

PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social

club for mature gay men, hosts
weekly happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,
Windows Bar above Dupont Italian
Kitchen, 1637 17th St. NW. Carl, 703573-8316. l

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JANUARY 7, 2016

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METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 7, 2016

15

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In 1980,

Dody DiSanto and the late Jon Bowers got Washingtonians talking about music.
Thats the year they opened the doors to the 9:30 Club,
a first-floor performance space at 930 F St. NW. The rockoriented music acts that played there with a start time, at
least originally, at 9:30 p.m. often reflected the clubs thenderelict downtown neighborhood: Small, scrappy, grungy, even
a little dangerous. As time went on, many of them would become
household names: Nirvana, R.E.M., Cyndi Lauper, Beastie Boys,
Green Day, to name but a few.
The clubs prestige grew alongside its predominantly alt-rock
cast of characters. Eventually, in 1995, it also grew in size, when
Seth Hurwitz and Rich Heinecke moved the institution they
had taken over from DiSanto and Bowers a decade prior. All this
week, theyre throwing a party in honor of the current locations
20th anniversary at 815 V St. NW, an interactive, commemorative presentation dubbed the 9:30 Worlds Fair. Theyve also
just published a captivating new coffee table book, relating key
moments from the institutions first 35 years.
Consistently ranked at or near the top of polls by Billboard,
Rolling Stone and Pollstar, the 9:30 Club is also the jewel in the
crown of large, local promotions company I.M.P. Productions,
which also manages The Lincoln Theatre and Merriweather
Post Pavilion. Hurwitz and Heinecke launched I.M.P. (the initials stand for Its My Party) a few months before the original
9:30 Club opened, and were booking shows at the venue from

predominantly straight nightclub owners, credits Hurwitz for

the institutions gay-friendly vibe one that goes beyond a mere
desire to bolster the coffers. Yeah, I want to do a gay event
because I want to make money, is a sentiment Bailey has often
heard from straight owners, whose plans are easily foiled by lessthan-enthusiastic straight employees.
We always had the sense that the staff at the 9:30 Club,
whether gay or progressive or alternative, were all excited for
our events and proud to be a part of it.
The bands, they have the toughest gig, says the 57-yearold Hurwitz during an hour-long interview at the 9:30 Club.
Theyre vulnerable. If you think about how many bands stay
popular? Not very many. Bands go up and down, and now, without being able to sell records, they can only make money by touring, and thats tough and grueling and it wears down on people.
But it does make for a lot of bands touring now, he continues. Which is great for me. We wanted to build a place that
would be perfect for the audience and the bands, and wed never
need to go anywhere else. So thats why we came up with everything here. Your dream home, if you will.

Gogol Borgello performing at 815 V St. Photo by John Shore

Slam dancing to British band Discharge at 9:30 F St., 1983. Photo by Jim Saah

the very start. Hurwitz calls Heinecke the play caller, the person who helps
determine who plays where, based on his acumen at ticket forecasting.
Hurwitz, meanwhile, oversees the bulk of regular operations at 9:30 and
I.M.P. He credits his predecessor DiSanto for engendering the 9:30 Clubs overall ethos and reputation as progressive and welcoming, including to the LGBT
community. Yet its clear Hurwitz is, and has always been, the driving force
behind the venues growth and success.
Seth is tremendously straightforward and easy to work with, says Town
Danceboutique co-owner Ed Bailey, who threw Millennium, a weekly gay
dance party at 9:30 in the late 90s. He was always willing to work with us
and make our events more interesting. In fact, it was because of Hurwitz that
Bailey and his business partner John Guggenmos landed Grace Jones for one
of their Millennium parties. (See page xx for more on that and other gay parties at 9:30.) Bailey, who in the last three decades has collaborated with other

METRO WEEKLY: What drew you to music and this

business? Was there an obvious moment?
SETH HURWITZ: Well, I think probably the first
exciting moment, that rock and roll moment,
was when my parents let me stay up past my
bedtime to watch the Beatles on Ed Sullivan.
It was that electricity, like that feeling you get
when you go to a concert when youre young.
When you first get out and go to a show without your parents its that danger, its that
excitement. And when the band comes on,
you make that connection. Thats the moment
that I just love. Even now its my favorite part.
When Im going to see a band at the 9:30
which actually isnt that often I always need
to get there before the band goes on. I want
to be there when they go on, cause I love that
rush. Thats just what its all about for me.
MW: Did you ever desire a career as a musician?
HURWITZ: Well, I am a musician I play drums.
Though I dont ever really feel like Im a real
drummer. I took lessons, and I just kind of
taught myself. I always felt like an imposter.
And I still do. But Ive gotten away with it,

9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30

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Ive always admired gay people, for their

courage and alternative culture.

I ADMIRE ANYONE WHO CAN SAY,

FUCK WHAT EVERYONE THINKS!
IM GOING TO BE WHO I AM.

pretty well. So if I know a band well

enough, Ill badger them till they let me
play. And thats very exciting.
MW: Have you played here, at the 9:30
Club?
HURWITZ: I played here with the Foo
Fighters, and the Goo Goo Dolls and
Robbie Williams those were over
a long period of time. And repeatedly
with Thievery Corporation and Trouble
Funk.
MW: Do you play during the whole set?
HURWITZ: No, no, just one song. With
Trouble Funk we do the standard Play
That Funky Music (White Boy). I dont
know how they thought of that one!
I love to play. I get stage fright when
I get up there, so its a real dare. Once
you get yourself into it, its like youve
got the parachute on and the plane door
is open, and youve got to jump. So that
excitement I guess bands go through
that every night and it becomes more
routine to them. But for me thats another thrill. But thats just my own little
self-indulgence. I try not to inflict it on
everyone too often.
MW: Where did you grow up?
HURWITZ: In Potomac. I went to Churchill
High School. I should say thats the station wagon part of Potomac, not the
horse country. I wasnt privileged. I was
handed nothing. Except that my parents
were very patient and very supportive.
I didnt go to college, but they could
see that I was doing something. And I
was always working. I always wanted
to work. I worked in record stores. I
originally wanted to be a disc jockey.
I was on WHFS when I was in high
school. And I thought thats what I was
going to do.
MW: Did you DJ on WHFS under your
real name?
HURWITZ: Yeah, I was Seth, 76 to 77. I
got fired from there for getting too far
ahead musically from where they were
at. They got stuck in this Robert Palmer/
Little Feat/Bonnie Raitt thing, and I
was on to Roxy Music and Lou Reed
and things like that. And then I was on
WGBT, the Georgetown station for a
long while. And then I did an interview
show, and I was interviewing a promoter and ended up working for him.
He was in a space called the Ontario
Theatre at 17th and Columbia, which is
now an apartment house.
MW: And 20 years later...
HURWITZ: Here we are. I never thought
it would be this popular. Never ever
thought it would be this great. Its really
a result of the love between the bands

0 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30

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17

and the audience and the people who

work here. Its a triangle like that. Thats
just what bands want they want to
play somewhere real, they want to play
somewhere where theyre appreciated
by the venue and the fans. And fans
want to see bands that appreciate them,
and want to go to a venue where theyre
treated well. And those three things really need to evolve together.
MW: How exactly did that manifest itself?
HURWITZ: I have to credit my staff. Dody,
the person who started the 9:30 Club a
long time ago, had this incredible cast
of characters working for her. It was
very Fellini-esque, in that she would
hire people that, maybe were not the
best bartenders, but they sure were the
most interesting ones. Original, alternative people. And she cultivated this
family that this is a place for people
who dont fit in anywhere else. And that
really spoke to my alternative mentality. When I was a kid, if a band got too
popular, well then that wasnt good. Of
course as a promoter, we like bands to
get very popular. [Laughs.] But as a fan,
as a kid thats not my band anymore.
So I would go down and see these people that was part of the show when
you went to the old 9:30. The weird guy,
the doorman with tattoos and piercings.
Take a walk on the wild side. Its where
our alternative culture was in D.C. And
when I bought the club from her, my
biggest fear was that I wouldnt be able
to carry that on.
So I really stood back and just didnt
mess with that. I made the managers
powerful and let them manage. So if
someone needed replacing, if someone
left, I would let that manager hire the
replacement and find someone also
interesting. I think thats what makes
the club what it is, the people that
work here. Every now and then, theres
enough turnover I feel like I need to
get everyone together and have a town
meeting. And as I go around the room,
I see all these beautiful people that are
different and unique. Im so proud to
have this interesting bunch of people
working for me that theyre all unique,
theyre all creative, theyre all alternative. Theres a reason why theyre here,
and I think thats really the secret.
The number one compliment I hear
from bands is not about the sound, or the
food although they do like the cupcakes but its, Your staff is so wonderful. Your people are so nice. They totally
understand us they get it. And the
audience was great. What a great vibe. I

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9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30

18

JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

think they really appreciate it.

Im all about having fun and enjoying life and letting everyone else be assholes, and not being one of them. So if someones
an asshole, Im not going to get all fired up and get in their face.
Im more likely to walk away or say, alright, have fun with that.
And I think my people, we dont escalate things. Were not going
to let these people get crazy. Thats the Zen way to do it, right?
Youve got to just be grounded in your own personality and not
let all these other people spin you around. So maybe the bands
appreciate that, and maybe that inspires them.
MW: Are there any bands or shows you can single out as favorites
in the clubs history?
HURWITZ: Oh, I get stuck on this one all the time. Ive had some
really great surprises. When youre old like me, and you went to
shows as a kid, the real thrill is when you get to do stuff that you
went to as a kid. You know, I remember getting excited about getting Bob Dylan tickets.
So whenever I promote Bob Dylan, its like, I
cant believe Im promoting Bob Dylan. Deep
Purple were heroes when I was a kid, so when
I got Deep Purple, it was like, this is too crazy.
Ive learned a lot about things. A friend of
mine was booking a Dolly Parton tour. Now,
to me, when I grew up, Dolly Parton seemed
like some cheeseball, hee-haw shit on TV. I
went, Ew, my god, how do I say no to this?
How do I politely get out of this? But when I
started asking around, it was like, Oh my god,
are you kidding? Shes a fucking legend. And
so we did Dolly Parton, I got to meet her, and
shes incredibly wonderful. I didnt know what
a genius she really was. So that was exciting.
I have to say, while I promoted them, I didnt go to a lot of
hardcore shows. All the reverence about Fugazi and all that business in the early days I hadnt really seen them. So when they
finally played here, that was one of the best bands Ive ever seen.
It was just pure music and energy.
MW: How about a worst pick?
HURWITZ: Well, when Scott Weiland did his Christmas show,
that was a real head-scratcher. He was a pretty odd fellow to
begin with, but he comes and does Christmas songs with a
lounge band. That was pretty out there. It was as fucked up as
you thought it would be, so that was pretty good. I missed the
Courtney Love show.
MW: Weve covered the bands and the staff, but the 9:30 Club
crowd is also noteworthy. They generally seem enthusiastic and
engaged with performers, to the point that bands regularly highlight it during shows.
HURWITZ: I think the audience knows that we want them to feel
good. And that were giving the band a fair shake. You know, the
reason I gave away tickets for the Worlds Fair is because its a
great way to say, Come and celebrate and reminisce. This is
your club, too. Come in here and lets all have a party. Join us.
That clich about giving back its true, you have to give back.
Its an opportunity to treat them.
MW: And obviously fans saw it as a treat. All five nights are now
sold out. Talk a bit about what the Worlds Fair is.
HURWITZ: Its going to be spectacular, a walk-through time-travel, from the beginning to where we are now. And to teach people
where the club came from, in the old location.
In my house I have almost no memorabilia. I have a picture of
the old club a photograph. And a print of F Street. Besides that,
I have a photograph of Wendys in Charles Town, West Virginia,

where we promoted Lollapalooza in 1994. The Wendys sign

said, Welcome, Lollapalooza. Im just not one to live in the
past. That would be a very easy thing to do in my business. You
know, the whole Planet Hollywood/Hard Rock and all that
stuff. So the Worlds Fair is like a chance to get out all the toys,
and all the ticket stubs and posters and memorabilia, and put it
out for a week. And then well put it away. Except for a display
with everyone whos played here, which well be debuting at the
Worlds Fair.
MW: The 9:30 Club has long drawn gay people, attracted to concerts with LGBT and LGBT-friendly performers but also to
regularly occurring gay-specific dance parties. Did you intentionally set out to engender a welcoming environment?
HURWITZ: Well, Dody always had her gay friends and employees
around. This was new to me, and I always found it fascinating.

When Scott Weiland did his

Christmas show, that was a real
head-scratcher. He comes and
does Christmas songs with
a lounge band.

IT WAS AS FUCKED UP
AS YOU THOUGHT
IT WOULD BE.
Ive always admired gay people, for their courage and alternative
culture. Im a fan of alternative culture. Obviously I hate rightwing assholes, and anything to upset them is always excellent.
And I dont think its any secret that gay people have more style
and more joie de vivre more fun. I dont know how that happened exactly.
MW: Well, no doubt one key factor is the struggle to come out. That
can be so prolonged and multi-pronged, once it happens...
HURWITZ: Its like, Fuck everybody, Im having a good time!
And I just admire that. I admire anyone who can say, Fuck
what everyone thinks! Im going to be who I am. Thats how
it should be. And Im very thankful, and I think its fascinating,
my children I have three boys they are so anti-anti-gay.
Anytime someone says something anti-gay, theyre tweeting,
What an asshole! Theyre straight, but they just think its the
equivalent to someone saying something about black people in
the 60s. And isnt that great? I cant fathom myself why this
should bother anyone. It makes no sense. Maybe the Bible thing,
maybe because real Bible-thumping people feel like they have to
spread the Gospel and the Word, how its written in there but
even that theyre wrong about.
A couple years ago, before my dad died, we were sitting at
lunch one day and I said, So pop, what do you think of this
gay marriage thing? And he says, Why is it anybodys damn
business what someone does with someone else? Why is that
anyones business? Thats how it should be. So, I dont know,
Ive just always felt like I need to help propulgate that. I promote
equality and things like that. If youre a responsible business person and a leader in the community, then youre supposed to promote everyone loving everyone. Thats just how Ive always felt.
MW: Did the original 9:30 Club have gay dance parties?

0 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30

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19

HURWITZ: I dont know that they were labeled as such, but we

would have Divine and female impersonators, and those obviously drew a gay crowd.
The other thing about gay people, as any bar owner can tell
you gay people drink a lot. Theyre great customers.
MW: And generally speaking we tip well and arent as rowdy or
trouble-making, I suppose.
HURWITZ: Well we did have the ABC board come down on us for
one of our events because there was nudity. People were walking around in buttless chaps and things like that. And they were
like, Alright, you cant keep doing this. Youre not licensed for
nudity, and these events promote nudity. So if you dont knock it
off... I dont think it was anti-gay. I think if we did a wet T-shirt
contest or something like that, Im sure they would have come
down on us the same way.
This is a little left field, but I see guys look at pictures of
guys, and I think, theyre looking at that getting really excited
like when I look at a girl. And that fascinates me because I dont
understand it. I always want to understand people and know
how theyre feeling.... But the idea that someone would think
theres something wrong with that is so inconceivable to me.
Thats the part I dont understand. Why would anyone think
theres something wrong with it?
MW: Returning to the topic of the club, did you have any worry or
stress when planning the move to the V Street space, that it might
be too ambitious of a project?
HURWITZ: I didnt stress. I just got up every day and did it. I didnt
really think about it. I didnt have a choice. I mean, what else was

I going to do?
When we bought the club from Dody, it was a loss-leader.
It was a place where you did bands when they were little, to
start doing them [elsewhere] when they got bigger. However,
we dont treat it as just a stepping stone. Its an important, fun,
now part of the whole thing. Maybe even the most fun and
important. A club is something you have to have as a promoter.
And the way to win that particular war is to have the best
club, so you can start your relationship with the band early
on, before your competitors. My strategy has always been to
have the best venues, and to win that way. So in 93, we took
over Merriweather. And now were building this place on the
Wharf. My goal there is to build the greatest music venue ever.
And I think well do it.
MW: The Wharf is the big development at the Southwest
Waterfront, due in 2017. Do you know what your venue there is
going to be called?
HURWITZ: Were not ready to tell everyone yet. We looked for
years and years and years and years, at all kinds of buildings, all
over the place. And then I met Monty Hoffman, the developer
there, whos a great guy and a real guy and a guy with vision
who has his priorities straight. A really good person this is
important to me. I want to deal with good people. I cant deal
with assholes. I mean, I have to in my business, and I have to
book shows with them. But as far as being a partner, or having a
relationship Im just not going to have a relationship with bad
people or dishonest people. Hey, time may prove that hes got
me totally hoodwinked, but at least for now, I think Monty is a

Studio 9:30

9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30

From Millennium to Mixtape, Grace Jones to Lady Gaga,

the 9:30 Club has long had gay appeal

inquired a friend of Bob Moulds. It was 2009 and Mould

was in the midst of Blowoff, his monthly dance party at the
9:30 Club. The queen in question? Lady Gaga, in town for
the National Equality March.
Gaga did her best Eva Peron imitation, waving down at
our crowded dance floor, Mould recalls. And that was it:
Gaga waving for a few seconds from a VIP booth, immediately after Rich Morel, Moulds cohort in Blowoff, debuted
her brand-new single Bad Romance a recording of
which Gagas handlers had given to him mere minutes
beforehand. She didnt perform, and her appearance came
brief and early, within the first hour of the party. Which is
why most patrons didnt see it or werent quite sure to
believe it even happened.
The 9:30 Club has become known as a source of
unbelievable, or at least unexpected, surprises. Blowoff,
launched as a small, simple bar night in 2003, itself
became a 9:30 surprise: Within two years it had morphed
into a monthly, mainstage dance party for the bear community, put together by Morel and Mould the seminal

MILLENNIUM AD COURTESY OF ED BAILEY

Whos that drag queen?

9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30

20

BOOK PHOTO BY JOSEPH SCHAEFER

really cool guy with a great vision, what hes doing down there.
MW: And this venue will be in addition to the 9:30 Club, not a
replacement? A bigger venue?
HURWITZ: Oh yeah. Thats 6,000 capacity. Though its the same
concept as 9:30 with a stage that moves, so it goes down to
2,500.
We spent a year designing it. Were really excited about it,
and Montys really excited about heres a guy with no music
background at all, and hes super-excited about the sightlines,
and having balconies so they all point towards the stage. Hes got
a lot of pride in this, and thats what you need. I think its going to
be a really great thing, what he does down there. And Im really
excited to be a part of it. If I wasnt part of that, if I wasnt the one

doing that venue down there, I think I might retire.

MW: Why do you say that?
HURWITZ: If someone else was doing that venue, Id be like, I quit.
Im out. Becuase what were doing, I dont see how you could top it.
MW: But as it is you have no plans to retire?
HURWITZ: What does to retire mean? I mean, Im slowly getting
people to do the things in the business that I dont want to do. So
I pretty much live the life I want anyway. And so I travel and I go
on bike trips and I eat where I want. And have a lot of fun. And I
dont book the club like I did for 32 years. Im trying to get more
and more off my desk, so I can just walk in. Ill be like Jos Andrs,
you know? You walk in, you taste the food, throw a little more salt
in or something, and everyone thinks you cooked it.
Im having a lot of fun, doing what I want. So, things are great.
Im very happy that were at this anniversary, and I just wanted to
celebrate it with everyone. Because I know that you meet people
that have been going to the 9:30, and thats their own world
their own consciousness, their own set of memories that I dont
know anything about. Its nice that all these people feel like 9:30
is part of their life. l
Tickets are sold out for the remaining 9:30 Worlds Fair shows
Thursday, Jan. 7, and Friday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Jan.
9, at 2 p.m., at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Call 202-265-0930 or
visit 930.com.
For more information on the commemorative 9:30: The Book, visit
930book.com.

MILLENNIUM AD COURTESY OF ED BAILEY

0 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30

punk rock singer and guitarist turned DJ. The partys runaway success at 9:30 motivated the pair to take it on the
road. The 9:30 Club was the best venue in the world for
what we were doing, Mould says. Large projections, DJ
setup on the dance floor, banners hanging from the balcony
- and we emulated that production setup in many other
concert halls around North America.
The 9:30 Club remains my favorite club to play in the
country, Morel adds, citing Hurwitz and his staff for being
so receptive to what we were doing and to our crowd.
The 9:30 Club has long appealed to the gay community simply through routine booking of performers with gay
appeal or cachet, from Henry Rollins to Book of Love to
Ani DiFranco. And anyone whos caught a show by Nona
Hendrix, Tegan and Sara, Years and Years, Erasure or the
Scissor Sisters knows that openly LGBT artists often draw a
gay crowd to match.
Since its move to 815 V Street twenty years ago, 9:30
has regularly opened its doors to promoters of gay late-night
dance parties, including the annual spring circuit event Cherry
and Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend, which frequently closes
out its large leather festival with a dance party at the club,
including next Sunday, Jan. 17, where house DJ Ultra Nate
will turn it out. We know how fortunate we are to have
9:30 Club, with its crew and its sound, the partys organizer
Danny Linden says. Its a national monument that none of
us take for granted.
A week before Mould and Morels Blowoff party ended its
11-year-run at 9:30 in 2014, Matt Bailer and Shea Van Horns
Mixtape debuted in the space. The roaming straight-friendly
DJ party has now touched down at 9:30 seven times, and will
celebrate its 8th anniversary there next September.
But at least for Van Horn, the first time will always be

the best. On that very night, Jan. 11, 2014, during a break in
the dressing room that the club had furnished with its usual
rock star accoutrements the famous 9:30 Club cupcakes,
beer, pita and hummus Van Horns now-husband proposed to him. Bailer was the first person Van Horn told, just
before going on for his next set. It was fun looking out in
the crowd and watching Andy slowly tell people, Van Horn
says. They would stop and look and point. It was sweet.
And I was just so giddy.
But Town Danceboutiques Ed Bailey was the first to take
the concept of having a gay dance party in the new 9:30
Club and he ran with it. Working with John Guggenmos,
his longtime business partner, Bailey would set up the
Millennium party as quickly as possible generally right after
a concert earlier that evening every Saturday night for two
years. Although there were other highlights in his stint there,
from his first, full-scale Madonnarama party, timed to coincide
with the divas blockbuster album Ray of Light, to DJing
a party with Fred Schneider of the B-52s, it was the Grace
Jones experience that really takes the cake. Or make that, the
Cristal. She wouldnt go on until she had a bottle of Cristal,
Bailey says. Problem was, the 9:30 Club didnt have any of
the champagne. So Jones, scheduled to perform as part of
a disco-themed party tied to release of the Miramax film 54,
waited in her dressing room while Guggenmos located a
bottle. Even then, nearly two hours later than the scheduled
midnight performance, Jones wasnt quite ready, performing
her first number from her dressing room.
Getting Jones to perform was a minor coup in itself, which
Bailey says is all credit to Hurwitz and the 9:30 Club. Was the
extra effort to get her to perform worth it? Her show was
unbelievable, Bailey says. It was one of the greatest that I
have ever gotten to be a part of. Doug Rule

0 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30

METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 7, 2016

21

2016s Calendar Circlers

Dates to Keep in Mind for the upcoming years biggest LGBT events // Compiled by John Riley
HE DISTRICT IS A PULSATING, THRIVING METROPOLIS WITH SOME BIG HAPPENING
ALWAYS just a week away. Whether its retro dance parties, black-tie galas and fundraisers, food truck
festivals, drag pageants or even the 17th Street High Heel Race, D.C.s nightlife and social scenes boast
more unique events than much larger rival cities. From cruising the leather mart at Mid-Atlantic Leather
Weekend to marching through throngs of people screaming for beads during the annual Capital Pride
Parade, nobody whos actually lived here can say that our city doesnt know how to cut loose and party.
Weve included a few highlights you should pencil into your day planner. And remember, you can
always find the latest news, art and lifestyle updates year round by visiting MetroWeekly.com

January
MID-ATLANTIC LEATHER
WEEKEND 2016

Jan. 15-18
Celebrate with host Centaur
MC and thousands of leather
aficionados from across the
globe as part of a threeday party centered around
official events like Leather
Cocktails and the Mr. MidAtlantic Leather Contest.
Various ancillary events and
parties also occur
throughout the weekend.
Hyatt Regency on
Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Ave. NW
Late Registration $200.
Rooms $175/night.
leatherweekend.com
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
DAY OF SERVICE

Jan. 18
Hosted by the Corporation
for National and Community
Service and United We Serve
mlkday.gov

22

JANUARY 7, 2016

NO NAME-CALLING WEEK 2016

Jan. 18-22
Hosted by the Gay, Lesbian
& Straight Education
Network and various schools
throughout the country,
students take actions
to prevent bullying and
harassment in their schools.
glsen.org/
nonamecallingweek
PRIDE REVEAL

Jan. 20
Capital Pride gives D.C.s
LGBT community a sneak
peek at what to expect for the
41st anniversary celebration
of Pride in the
nations capital.
Sax Restaurant & Lounge
734 11th St. NW
7-11 p.m.
capitalpride.org
BHT ANNUAL GRANT
AWARDS RECEPTION

Jan. 30
See which community
organizations and nonprofits
walk away with the most
money for their
upcoming initiatives.
Grand Central
1001 N. Charles St., Baltimore
brotherhelpthyself.net

METROWEEKLY.COM

February

anniversary of their annual

Womens History
Month celebration.
latinoglbthistory.org

NATIONAL BLACK HIV/AIDS

AWARENESS DAY

VIRGINIA PRESIDENTIAL
PRIMARY

Feb. 7
Know your status. Get tested,
get treatment, and take part
in a number of events across
the nation to commemorate
the fight against
HIV and AIDS.
nationalblackaidsday.org

March 1
Various polling locations
elections.virginia.gov

DAY OF ACTION 2016

GAY AND LESBIAN

ACTIVISTS ALLIANCES 45TH
ANNUAL RECEPTION

Feb. 9
Equality Virginia hosts a day
when constituents can lobby
and visit their legislators to
urge them to vote in favor of
pro-lGBT legislation.
Library of Virginia
800 E. Broad St., Richmond
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
equalityvirginia.org

April
Date and location TBA
glaa.org
YOUTH PRIDE DAY

Date and location TBA

youthpridealliance.org
NATIONAL YOUTH HIV & AIDS
AWARENESS DAY

March

April 10
Advocates for Youth plans
and directs this
observance day.
amplifyyourvoice.org

WOMENS HISTORY MONTH

MUJERES EN EL MOVIMIENTO
AWARDS CELEBRATION

DAY OF SILENCE

Date TBA
Join the Latino GLBT
History Project as they
commemorate the fifth

April 15
GLSEN hosts a Day of
Silence, where students
in schools throughout the
country pledge to remain

silent for a whole day as a

show of solidarity for LGBT
youth, who are too often
bullied or harassed into
silence, either physically or
by educational policies.
dayofsilence.org
EQUALITY VIRGINIAS
13TH ANNUAL
COMMONWEALTH DINNER

April 16
Equality Virginia hosts a
reception to honor those
who have made a significant
contribution to or have
advocated on behalf of
Virginias LGBT community.
Black-tie optional.
Greater Richmond
Convention Center
403 North 3rd St., Richmond
VIP Reception, 5 p.m.
Dinner, 7 p.m.
equalityvirginia.org
MARYLAND PRESIDENTIAL
PRIMARY

April 26
Various polling locations
elections.state.md.us
DINING OUT FOR LIFE

April 28
Participating restaurants in
D.C., Maryland, and Virginia
Proceeds benefit
Food & Friends
For a list of participating
restaurants, visit
foodandfriends.org
202-269-2277

May
WHITMAN-WALKERS GOING THE
EXTRA MILE LEGAL BENEFIT

Date, location and time TBA

whitman-walker.org
HIV VACCINE AWARENESS DAY

May 18
bethegeneration.nih.gov

CAPITAL TRANS PRIDE

CAPITAL PRIDE PARADE

May 21
Reeves Center
2000 14th St. NW
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
capitaltranspride.org

June 11
Kickoff at 22nd & P Sts. NW
4:30-7:30 p.m.
capitalpride.org
CAPITAL PRIDE FESTIVAL

FOOD & FRIENDS CHEFS BEST

DINNER AND AUCTION

May 23
National Building Museum
401 F St. NW
foodandfriends.org
DC BLACK PRIDE WEEKEND 2016

May 27-30
Hyatt Regency Washington
on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Ave. NW
dcblackpride.org

June 12
Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
between 3rd and 7th Sts. NW.
Festival exhibit hours:
12-7 p.m.
Concert stage hours: 1-9 p.m.
capitalpride.org
D.C. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY

June 14
Various polling locations
dcboee.org
NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY

June
MAUTNER GALA

Date, location and time TBA

whitman-walker.org
NIGHT OUT AT THE NATIONALS

Date TBA
Sponsored by Team DC
Nationals Park
1500 S. Capitol St. SE
Pre-party 5:30 p.m.,
game 7:05 p.m.
teamdc.org
CAPITAL PRIDE HEROES GALA

June 1
Location and time TBA
capitalpride.org
DC LATINO PRIDE: LA FIESTA

June 9
The closing party to a week
of events celebrating Latino
Pride, hosted by the Latino
GLBT History Project.
Town Danceboutique
2009 8th St. NW
latinoglbthistory.org

October
THE 30TH ANNUAL
WALK TO END HIV

Date TBD
Walk or run a 5-kilometer
race to help raise money to
go towards Whitman-Walker
Healths major programs
and services for
HIV-positive people.
ANNUAL HIGH HEEL RACE

Oct. 25
17th Street NW, between
Church and S Streets
6 p.m., race at 9 p.m.

June 27
Get tested. Know your status.
napwa.org

November

August

WWH BE THE CARE

ANNUAL GALA

6TH ANNUAL OUTWRITE BOOK

FESTIVAL

Aug. 5-6
Hosted by The DC Center
The Reeves Center
2000 14th St. NW
thedccenter.org

September
20TH ANNUAL HRC
NATIONAL DINNER

Sept. 10
Walter E. Washington
Convention Center
801 Mt. Vernon Pl. NW
Time and ticket prices TBA
hrcnationaldinner.org

Date, location and time TBA

A dinner and awards
ceremony commemorating
the work done by WhitmanWalker over the years.

December
WORLD AIDS DAY VIGIL

Dec. 1
Join Whitman-Walker Health
for a candlelight vigil as they
reflect on those lost in the
fight against HIV and AIDS.
Location and time TBA
date may be subject to
change. l

DC FRONT RUNNERS
PRIDE RUN 5K

Congressional Cemetery
1801 E St. SE
Time TBA
dcfrontrunners.org

METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 7, 2016

23

JANUARY 7 - 14, 2016

Compiled by Doug Rule

SPOTLIGHT
BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY

Yet another boisterous and unflinchingly dark comedy from Stephen Adly
Guirgis, whose play The Motherfucker
with the Hat received much critical
praise at Studio Theatre a few years
ago. Between Riverside and Crazy was
the winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize
for Drama and is focused on an ex-cop
who is facing eviction, battling City
Hall and struggling over the recent
death of his wife. Opens in previews
Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 8 p.m. Runs
to Feb. 28. Studio Theatre, 14th & P
Streets NW. Call 202-332-3300 or visit
studiotheatre.org.

JOAN MARCUS

BRIAN GANZ WITH THE

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC

A Gentlemans Guide to Love & Murder

Gentlemans
Touch
Broadway composer Steven Lutvaks life is taking flight along with his career
W

HEN I WAS REALLY LITTLE, I WANTED TO DANCE, STEVEN LUTVAK RECALLS. SO MY

parents, who are rather sophisticated New Yorkers, took me to the shoe man as we called him.
But the shoe man in Queens wanted no part in fitting the boy. He pulled my parents aside and
said, You know what your son will become if you let him dance? A butterfly. Its like out of a bad sitcom, Lutvak
laughs. The scenario prompted his parents to give him piano lessons instead. And yes, they soon thought better
and tried to dissuade him from that, too.
Fortunately, Lutvaks passion for show tunes and musical theater couldnt be suppressed. Also fortunately, his
parents have fully come around. They were with him on the opening night of his musical, A Gentlemans Guide to
Love & Murder. And they were with him and his husband again, in 2014, when his Broadway debut as a composer
and co-lyricist, with Robert L. Freedman, won the Tony Award for Best Musical.
The success hes had with the show has spawned new projects, including two stage works for Disney and
NBC/Universal that Im contractually not allowed to talk about, he says, while noting that theyre both adaptations of well-known properties. Lutvak is also working with Oscar-winning screenwriter and stage scribe
Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. (Birdman, Broadways On Your Feet) to adapt Javier Fuentes-Leons 2009 Peruvian film
Undertow, which Lutvak describes as a gay ghost love story.
But Gentlemans Guide has also prompted some big life changes, including a new, larger apartment in Manhattan
from which he and his husband soon anticipate starting a family, aided by a surrogate. Im feeling remarkably
domestic says the man who decided to write a musical about a man who kills everyone in his family.
Gentlemans Guide is principally about a British man who plots to kill his way to an inheritance. Its the story
of an outsider pretending to be an insider, Lutvak says. So in a certain way, this is a story of a gay outsider succeeding and receiving his ultimate revenge. Although its a comedy, so its told very frothily.
The show is currently on a national tour that includes a run this month at the Kennedy Center. Lutvak, who
is a trained singer, will also offer one free night of cabaret on the Millennium Stage in the complex. Meaning that
those who take in the cabaret and the show on Tuesday, Jan. 26, will get, as he sums it up, an hour of Lutvak and
then two-and-a-half hours of Lutvak and Freedman. Doug Rule
A Gentlemans Guide to Love & Murder opens in previews Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m., and runs to Jan.
30, at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $64 to $229. Steven Lutvak also performs a free cabaret
Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 6 p.m., on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
24

JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

Every year the National Philharmonic

welcomes renowned pianist Brian
Ganz for a popular all-Chopin program. This years Chopin-Bel Canto
of the Piano includes beautiful songs
that Chopin wrote inspired by the bel
canto style of singing as known from
operatic works of Bellini, Rossini and
other Italian greats. Many of these
songs are rarely performed, a reflection of the fact that Ganz declined
to publish them. Ganz will be joined
by Polish soprano Iwona Sobotka for
these works plus some of his compositions inspired by Chopin. Saturday,
Jan. 9, at 8 p.m. Music Center at
Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,
North Bethesda. Tickets are $39 to
$89. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

DC CONTEMPORARY
DANCE THEATRE

One of D.C.s first multicultural repertory dance companies, also known

by its Spanish translation El Teatro
de Dance Contemporanea and led by
Miya Hisaka Silva, DCCDT showcases internationally and nationally
recognized choreography with dramatic appeal and universal messages.
Saturday, Jan. 9, at 8 p.m., and Sunday,
Jan. 10, 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.

FALUS BOLLYWOOD ORCHESTRA

The Village Voice has raved that this

Indian group creates some of the
more pleasurable pastiche around.
Its also some of the most unusual, a
beyond Bollywood mix of Indian
classical music, Punjabi bhangra,
even jazz and pop. Singer Falguni
Falu Shah, considered one of Indias

METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 7, 2016

25

most influential musicians though

she now lives in the U.S., leads this
septet. Friday, Jan. 15, at 8 p.m. The
Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road,
Vienna. Tickets are $22 to $27. Call
877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

KISS ME, KATE

HHHHH
Superbly executed and tremendous
fun, this production delivers a fullbore, good old-fashioned, movie-style
musical that simply cant be beat.
Written by Samuel and Bella Spewack
with music and lyrics by Cole Porter,
its a screwball comedy with all the silliness and saber wit that comes with it.
Add Porters fabulously catchy score,
choreographer Michele Lynchs big
song and dance numbers, snazzy tap,
and a whole boatload of snappy oneliners, and even the biggest curmudgeon on your list is going to find something to grin about. Prizing the individual performances from this production
will never do it justice, because its
always going to be about the spectacle.
And even without a Cecil B. DeMille
budget, director Alan Paul delivers
this show in a whirlwind of beautiful,
seamless pacing that results in entertainment far bigger and more bountiful than any of its parts. Extended to
Sunday, Jan. 10. Sidney Harman Hall,
Harman Center for the Arts, 610 F St.
NW. Tickets are $44 to $118. Call 202547-1122 or visit shakespearetheatre.
org. (Kate Wingfield)

26

JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

RENWICK GALLERY: WONDER

As part of the immersive exhibition

Wonder, nine leading contemporary artists, including Gabriel Dawe,
Patrick Dougherty and Maya Lin,
have each taken over different galleries in the newly renovated Renwick
Gallery, the first building in the U.S.
designed expressly as an art museum.
Through July 10. Renwick Gallery,
Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street
NW. Free. Call 202-633-1000 or visit
renwick.americanart.si.edu.

TIM LEE

Popular on YouTube, scientist-turnedcomedian Tim Lee brings his scientific standup show back to the Atlas
Performing Arts Center for the fourth
year in a row after previous sellout
shows. Friday, Jan. 8, at 7:30 p.m., and
Saturday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H
St. NE. Tickets are $10 to $40. Call 202399-7993 or visit mosaictheater.org.

FILM
JERUSALEM 3D

Benedict Cumberbatch narrates a

film offering the first-ever large format aerial footage of the Old City and
throughout the Holy Land including
sites ranging from the Western Wall
to the Dome of the Rock to the Sea of
Galilee. This 3D film also offers eyeopening personal stories and remarkable historical perspective. Showtimes

Saturdays and Sundays to March 31.

National Geographic Museum, 1145
17th St. NW. Tickets are $7. Call 202857-7588 or visit ngmuseum.org.

STAR WARS:
THE FORCE AWAKENS

HHHHH
The seventh film in a series that has
spanned four decades and spawned
a near limitless number of spin-offs,
merchandise and uber fans, The Force
Awakens isnt original theres too
much history for that to be possible.
But it works on several levels. And
for the most part, the screenplay by
Lawrence Kasdan, Michael Arndt
and J.J. Abrams, who directs, hits
the right notes, with the grand, operatic overtones the series has long been
known for. For its various foibles and
the awkward transition between old
characters and new, theres something undoubtedly exciting about
this new trilogy of films. This is Star
Wars returned, reformed, revitalized
for a new generation. Every time you
laugh at a reference, every time you
see a familiar face, every time John
Williams glorious score swells, you
cant help but get sucked in by it all.
Now playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

THE DANISH GIRL

HHHHH
Fashioning the tale of transgender
pioneer Lili Elbe into a mainstreamfriendly love story may seem like
shrewd packaging by a Hollywood
marketing department, but the result
is a film that succeeds above all else
because that central love story is so
well crafted. David Ebershoffs eponymous novel loosely depicted Elbes
life, but Tom Hoopers The Danish
Girl sticks closer to the facts. It follows Einar Wegener, a Danish painter,
who slowly comes to realize that he is
transgender after modeling womens
clothes for his wife Gerda. From there,
Lili is born, with the film following the
couple as they navigate Lilis exploration of her new gender identity and
Gerda deals with her love for Lili and
the loss of her husband. The Danish
Girl is a flattering, beautifully captured, captivatingly performed retelling of the marriage between a trans
pioneer and her wife and one sure

to do well this awards season. Now

playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.
com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

THE REVENANT

Alejandro G. Irritu (Babel, Birdman)

swaps a Broadway theater for the 1820s
American frontier. Leonardo DiCaprio
is Hugh Glass, a fur trapper mauled
by a bear and then robbed and left to
die by his companions (Tom Hardy,
Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter). Glass
recovers from his wounds and sets
out on a cross-country trek to exact
revenge on the men who wronged
him. It looks bleak and gritty, with an
almost unrecognizable DiCaprio, but
Glass story is certainly a compelling
one to tell. Opens Friday, Jan. 8. Area
theaters. Visit fandango.com.

STAGE
A GENTLEMANS GUIDE
TO LOVE & MURDER

Kennedy Center welcomes the national touring production of the little show
that two years ago found Tony fame
and fortune. Steven Lutvak and Robert
L. Freedmans musical is about a man
who attempts to slay his way to inheritance. Opens Wednesday, Jan. 13, at
7:30 p.m. To Jan. 30. Kennedy Center
Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $64
to $229. Call 202-467-4600 or visit
kennedy-center.org.

AS YOU LIKE IT

All the worlds a stage for Synetic

Theaters 12th silent Shakespeare
adaptation, this time the frothy comedy complete with a girl disguised as
a boy. As You Like It is also the source
of some of the Bards most famous
phrases, from all the worlds a stage
to too much of a good thing though
of course you wont hear those here.
Paata Tsikurishvili directs the adaptation featuring Taylor Robinson,
Sharisse Taylor and Philip Fletcher as
Orlando. To Jan. 17. Theater at Crystal
City, 1800 South Bell St., Arlington.
Tickets are $45 to $55. Call 800-4948497 or visit synetictheater.org.

BAD JEWS

Already the best-selling play in its history after last years constantly extended run, Studio Theatre has reprised

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27

Joshua Harmons acerbic dramedy

Bad Jews for another go and once
again, it keeps extending the run due
to popular demand. Serge Seiden once
again directs, this year featuring a
cast including Laura Lapidus, Rowan
Vickers, Noah Averbach-Katz and
Maggie Wilder. Extended to Jan. 17.
Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW.
Tickets are $44 to $88. Call 202-3323300 or visit studiotheatre.org.

BRIGHT STAR

HHHHH
Bright Star is a feel-good musical
through and through. Its also a love
letter to the Souths musical roots and
literary culture. Steeped in bluegrass
and Americana, its quiet and understated. And the expressions of happiness and joy in Bright Star are often
tempered with sorrow and pain, a
bittersweet sensibility built into the
music as well as the narrative. That
will no doubt surprise people who
only know this musicals co-author,
Steve Martin, as the wild and crazy
guy comedian and actor. For that
matter, its a bit of a surprise from
his collaborator Edie Brickell, as well,
the folk/pop musician whose one hit,
1988s What I Am, said very little,
using very few chords, repeated over
and over. But Martin is also a playwright and an author, and a longtime,
respected bluegrass banjoist. And it
is the vibrant, lushly scored, stringbased music the duo co-wrote together that impresses you most about

28

JANUARY 7, 2016

Bright Star and your appreciation

for the music is aided immeasurably
by Walter Bobbies graceful staging. Closes Sunday, Jan. 10. Kennedy
Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets
are $45 to $175. Call 202-467-4600 or
visit kennedy-center.org. (Doug Rule)

GUYS AND DOLLS

At Olney Theatre Center, Jerry

Whiddon directs this classic musical comedy about gambling and gangsters, starring Jessica Lauren Ball as
one lucky lady. Michael J. Bobbitt
handles the choreography for this
production of composer and lyricist
Frank Loessers tale, with a book by Jo
Swerling and Abe Burrows. Extended
to Jan. 10. Mainstage at Olney Theatre
Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring
Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400
or visit olneytheatre.org.

MATILDA, THE MUSICAL

Matilda, the Musical is a show for
young audiences at heart. And because
of its critical success, its possible
adult theatergoers will find the show
wanting, or worse. Consider yourself
warned. Adapted from Roald Dahls
novel by writer Dennis Kelly and
composer Tim Minchin, and directed
by Matthew Warchus, Matilda registers almost as a circus act, particularly in Act One, which flits from one
exaggerated, eccentric scene to the

METROWEEKLY.COM

next. Theres a dose of melodrama

one moment, some cheap laughs the
next, then a high-wire trick, before
another bout of melodrama. Its catnip
for kids, who gleefully step right up to
see the assortment of freakish adults
on display. In the Kennedy Center
Opera House, serious acoustic difficulties plague the show the sound
mix is frequently indecipherable a
crime for a top ticket price of $200.
But at least the scattershot narrative
improves: Act Two significantly tones
down the buffoonery and offers a richer, clearer story arc. Closes Sunday,
Jan. 10. Kennedy Center Opera House.
Tickets are $30 to $204. Call 202467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
(Doug Rule)

WEST SIDE STORY

HHHHH
Leave it to Signature Theatre to
stage a production that reinvigorates this classic musical, giving it
more relevance and resonance than
ever before. The all-star collaboration between Leonard Bernstein,
Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents
and Jerome Robbins is widely considered one of the greatest musicals ever
made. Unlike other Signature reinventions of classics, director Matthew
Gardiner didnt pare down the calledfor 30-member cast, which is further
bolstered by a standard 17-member
orchestra, led by Jon Kalbfleisch. The
result is the largest show Signature
has ever produced. Its also one of the

most stimulating shows youve yet seen

in Shirlington, aided by Gardiners
choice to present it on a thrust stage,
with the audience on three sides in
the Max Theatre. The production
engages you in a way that standard
proscenium productions of West Side
Story cant. If this doesnt become your
favorite production of West Side Story,
I would love to know where you saw
it staged better. Extended to Jan. 31.
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell
Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $40 to $95.
Call 703-820-9771 or visit signaturetheatre.org. (Doug Rule)

WRESTLING JERUSALEM

Mosaic Theater Company of DC presents a reprise of writer and performer

Aaron Davidmans work first commissioned by Theater J and Mosaic founder Ari Roth in 2007. This personal
story of a man trying to comprehend
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict coursing through his divided psyche and
argumentative community is part of
Voices from a Changing Middle East
Festival, the provocative series formerly presented by Theater J that Roth has
revived with his new company. Now to
Jan. 24. Atlas Performing Arts Center,
1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $40.
Call 202-399-7993 or visit mosaictheater.org.

MUSIC
BALTIMORE SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA

Known for her work interpreting

Rachmaninoff, Marin Alsop leads the
BSO in a performance of his Symphony
No. 3, a melancholic ode to his Russian
youth. Also on the bill is Prokofievs
Left Hand Piano Concerto No. 4, performed by piano star Leon Fleisher.
Thursday, Jan. 7, at 8 p.m. Joseph
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212
Cathedral St., Baltimore. Also Sunday,
Jan. 10, at 3 p.m. Music Center at
Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,
North Bethesda. Tickets are $35 to
$99. Call 410-783-8000 or visit
bsomusic.org.

BOHEMIAN CAVERNS JAZZ

ORCHESTRA

Every Monday night, this 17-piece jazz

orchestra performs two shows, at 8
p.m. and 10 p.m., presenting 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.
Bohemian Caverns, 2001 11th St. NW.
Tickets are $10. Call 202-299-0800 or
visit bohemiancaverns.com.

ELISE TESTONE AND BANDS AMY

WINEHOUSE TRIBUTE

American Idol 2012 finalist Elise

Testone offers a toast to the goneway-too-soon Amy Winehouse accompanied by an eight-piece funky jazz
band also featuring vocalist Sam
Stevens. This Thankful for Amy tribute reaches the Howard Theatre after
hit performances in New York and
Philadelphia. Friday, Jan. 15, at 8 p.m.
The Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW.
Tickets are $17.50 to $35. Call 202-5885595 or visit thehowardtheatre.com.

THE ELLA AND

LOUIE TRIBUTE BAND

Swing it, this band shall do, reviving

the era of brassy big band jazz and the
music of two of the all-time greatest
jazz vocalists, frequent collaborators
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
If youve already got plans on the second Thursday in January, dont forget one of this charismatic duos most
popular songs is Lets Call The Whole
Thing Off. Thursday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m.
Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Free.
Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedycenter.org.

THE KNOCKS

A sharp neo-disco DJ/production duo

from New York, the Knocks are a justbubbling-under act who has stirred up
the All Things Go Fall Classic at Union
Market in each of its first two years.
Next weekend the duo of Ben B-Roc
Ruttner and James JPatt Patterson

will drop by the 9:30 Club to give a

preview of 55 and immerse the crowd
in a style of vocal-driven dance music
that has been described as original
material that references the golden
years of vocal house and credible pop,
or cred-pop for short. Saturday, Jan.
16. Doors at 10 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V
St. NW. Tickets are $18. Call 202-2650930 or visit 930.com.

YOLANDA ADAMS IN LET

FREEDOM RING!

Grammy-nominated gospel star

Yolanda Adams leads this years free
musical celebration honoring Martin
Luther King, Jrs legacy put on by
the Kennedy Center and Georgetown
University. Also on the bill as ever
is the Let Freedom Ring Choir with
music director Rev. Nolan Williams Jr.
And the 14th annual John Thompson
Legacy of a Dream Award will be presented to Nakeisha Neal Jones, executive director of Public Allies, one of
the first AmeriCorps national service
programs. Monday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m.
Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Free
tickets will be given away two per person on a first-come, first-served basis
starting at 4:30 p.m. that day. Call 202467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

GALLERIES
A COLLECTORS VISION:
WASHINGTONIANA COLLECTION

In addition to incorporating the Textile

Museum, the recently opened George

Washington University Museum
also houses the Albert H. Small
Washingtoniana Collection. The exhibition A Collectors Vision serves as a
perfect introduction to the collection,
featuring maps and prints, rare letters,
photographs and drawings documenting the history of Washington, D.C.
and donated by Small in 2011. Ongoing.
The George Washington University
Museum, 701 21st St. NW. Call 202-9945200 or visit museum.gwu.edu.

ART OF THE AIRPORT TOWER

The images of Smithsonian photographer Carolyn Russo offer a journey

examining contemporary and historic
air traffic control towers in this exhibition at the Air and Space Museum.
Through November. National Air and
Space Museum, Independence Ave at
6th St. SW. Call 202-633-2214 or visit
airandspace.si.edu

CHAMBER MUSIC: THE LIFE AND

LEGACY OF ELIZABETH SPRAGUE
COOLIDGE

In honor of the 150th anniversary of

her birth, the Library of Congress
presents a new exhibition about the
woman who supported establishment
of the institutions first music venue,
the intimate, finely tuned Coolidge
Auditorium that required an act of
Congress but finally opened in 1925.
An accomplished pianist and avid composer, Elizabeth Sprague Coolidges
passion was chamber music and her

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29

mission was to make it more widely

available and accessible by sponsoring
concert tours around the world and
commissioning new works. The exhibit features 40 items, most drawn from
the Coolidge Foundation Collection at
the Library, which holds the worlds
largest music collection. Through Jan.
23. Performing Arts Reading Room
Gallery in The Library of Congresss
James Madison Memorial Building,
101 Independence Ave. SE. Call 202707-8000 or visit loc.gov/exhibits.

ELAINE DE KOONING: PORTRAITS

John F. Kennedy, poets Frank OHara

and Allen Ginsberg, critic Harold
Rosenberg, choreographer Merce
Cunningham, and painters Willem
de Kooning and Fairfield Porter are
among the friends and family members represented in a National Portrait
Gallery retrospective of this abstract
expressionist painters work. Most of
de Koonings paintings hang in private
collection and have rarely been seen by
the public before. Closes Sunday, Jan.
10. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and
F Streets. NW. Call 202-633-8300 or
visit npg.si.edu.

EYE POP: THE CELEBRITY GAZE

Many never publicly displayed portraits of 53 luminaries at the top in

their fields is the focus of this exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt, Katy Perry,
Sonia Sotomayor, Michelle Obama,
Serena Williams and Kobe Bryant are
among the works, ranging from drawings to sculpture, paintings to video
portraits, and all recent additions to
the museums collection. Through July
10. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F
Streets. NW. Call 202-633-8300 or visit
npg.si.edu.

ONE LIFE: DOLORES HUERTA

The National Portrait Gallery offers

its first exhibition devoted to a Latino
figure. Dolores Heurta co-founded the
National Farm Workers Association
with Cesar Chavez in 1962 and fought
for the passage of the California
Agricultural Labor Relations Act of
1975. Taina Caragol curated an exhibition that vividly traces the 13 years
between those two actions. Through
May 15. National Portrait Gallery, 8th
and F Streets. NW. Call 202-633-8300
or visit npg.si.edu.

OUT OF THE ASHES

Subtitled New Library for Congress

and the Nation, this exhibition marks
the 200th anniversary of the acquisition of Jeffersons library of books, the
foundation of the modern Library of
Congress. The Jeffersonian concept of
a universal library covering all subjects
is the basis of the librarys comprehensive collecting policies. Through
May. Second Floor of the Library of
Congresss Thomas Jefferson Building,
10 First St. SE. Call 202-707-8000 or
visit loc.gov/concerts.

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PEARLS ON A STRING

Subtitled Artists, Patrons and Poets at

the Great Islamic Courts, Baltimores
Walters Art Museum presents its first
major exhibition of Islamic art, with
a focus on the cultures of historic
India, Iran and Turkey. The result is
a sweeping selection of works including manuscripts, paintings, sculpture,
textiles, decorated ceramics and
metalwork. Through Jan. 31. Walters
Art Museum, 600 North Charles St.
Baltimore. Call 410-547-9000 or visit
thewalters.org.

THE BIG HOPE SHOW

Baltimores American Visionary Art

Museum offers its 21st annual exhibition, featuring over 25 artists offering
works in various media that champion the radiant and transformative
power of hope. Its an original and
unabashedly idealistic exhibition,
curated by Rebecca Alban Hoffberger,
founder and director of this original
and unabashedly unusual 20-year-old
museum. Through Sept. 4. American
Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key
Highway. Baltimore. Tickets are
$15.95, or $20 for the preview party.
Call 410-244-1900 or visit avam.org.

WINDOW TO WASHINGTON

Window to Washington: The Kiplinger

Collection at HSW is an exhibition at
Washingtons Carnegie Library that
traces the development of the nations
capital from a sleepy Southern town
to a modern metropolis, as documented through the works of artists.
The Historical Society of Washington,
D.C., exhibition was made possible by
a donation from the Kiplinger family.
Its also an early step in a reorganization effort by the society, which
has struggled to revive ever since
its short-lived effort a decade ago to
run a City Museum of Washington
proved too ambitious. Open Tuesdays
through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Historical Society of Washington,
D.C., at the Carnegie Library, 801 K
St. NW. Call 202-393-1420 or visit
dchistory.org.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

STORY DISTRICTS TOP SHELF

Top Shelf is the annual best-of showcase featuring the most popular tales
told over the past year at this storytelling organizations many events
around town. Unlike other storytelling
organizations, Story District, formerly
known as SpeakEasyDC, is focused
on congenial camaraderie rather
than competition no judged Story
Slams here. Top Shelf is a curated
group of eight storytellers, this year
partially winnowed down by a panel
of judges including Alexandra Petri of
the Washington Post, Lauren Landau
of WAMU 88.5, Ryan S. Taylor of
the Washington Rogues theater company and Martin Zysmilich of George
Washington University. Saturday,
Jan. 9, at 6:30 p.m. Lincoln Theatre,
1215 U St. NW. Call 202-328-6000 or
visit thelincolndc.com. l

film

Terms of Endearment
Exquisite, masterful and thoughtful,
Carol is a pinnacle achievement
for director Todd Haynes
by RANDY SHULMAN

THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

AROL, THE SIXTH FEATURE FROM TODD

Haynes, has the feel of a career pinnacle, as
though every other film in his canon and hes
directed some masterful, though at times idiosyncratic, films was building to this masterpiece. Based on the
novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, the movie is the
lesbian equivalent of Ang Lees Brokeback Mountain. But Carol
(HHHHH) is arguably more emotionally satisfying than Lees
film, in part because of the way Highsmith, herself a closeted lesbian (the author penned the novel under a pseudonym), crafted
the story of a young shopgirl who falls in love with an older
woman and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Published in 1952, The Price of Salt has long been regarded as a key lesbian novel, in part because, at the time, its
happy(ish) ending was a rarity in the world of gay and lesbian
literature. Gay characters in fiction, when they were present
at all, didnt embrace their sexuality in the 50s. They fled
from it, they hid, leading presumably lonely, desolate lives.
They committed suicide or, as with Highsmiths Strangers on
a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley, were seen as psychopaths

and sociopaths. The Price of Salt tipped that notion on its side;
it was obviously a wish-fulfillment for Highsmith, who, by
most biographical accounts, was a bitter, unhappy person (her
misogyny and anti-Semitism are well-known), possibly due to
a lack of romantic fulfillment.
Working from a screen adaptation by Phyllis Nagy, Haynes
remains faithful to the books narrative, as well as to the aesthetics of the period. The result is something exquisite, out of time,
elegant and otherworldly. Carol doesnt feel like a contemporary
film representing a time period, but rather a genuine throwback
to the movies of the 50s. Despite the lack of a suspense-driven
narrative, it effortlessly evokes the spirit of Alfred Hitchcock.
Carol could be a distant cousin to Vertigo.
This isnt Hayness first time to the period-drama well. In
2002s Far From Heaven, he paid homage to the technicolorsaturated melodramatics of Douglas Sirk, crafting a movie that
somehow, miraculously resonated on a primal, emotional level.
While Far From Heaven cleaved to Sirks garish approach, it
dealt with topics that, in its own time-period, were taboo. Carol
is similar, but Haynes takes a more refined, deliberate approach,
evoking the 50s in a way that is both transporting and transcendent, a finely-tuned straddle of clinging warmth and frigid
chill. And, unlike so many films these days, Carol takes its time,
with Haynes resolutely refusing to hurry things along. Some in
the audience might find the approach dull. Its not. Its captivating, absorbing, all-encompassing. Its the way movies used to be
made, an instant-born classic.
While the storyline has its twists and turns, it remains, at its
core, fairly straightforward. Socialite Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett)
is waited on by department store clerk Therese Belivet (Rooney
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31

Mara), and the immediate connection between the pair virtually

lunges off the screen. Its not a fully defined relationship at first
rather, its a slow, gradual courtship for Carol and a splash-of-coldwater awakening for Therese. Haynes is smart not to rush into the
sex emotions are conveyed by a hand gently rested on a shoulder,
or a glance that lingers for longer than it ought to, so that when the
women finally do make love, the moment hits with the force of a
romantic squall. The intimacy of their lovemaking is so authentic,
so deeply felt, so impassioned, it feels as though were prying into a
private moment and should be averting our eyes.
For a movie that takes its time to get where its going, there
are a lot of moving parts, including several bursts of uncomfortable drama between Carol and her estranged, confused husband
Harge (Kyle Chandler). How do you know my wife? he cries
out to the wide-eyed Therese, and you can see the deep pain
shredding through him. Harge knows whats happening here
and is powerless to stop it.
Haynes, himself, is gay and his sexuality has often informed
his work, both in early films like the epic Velvet Goldmine, the
shockingly near-pornographic Poison, and in Far From Heaven,
where homosexuality is treated as a shameful malady, something
unseemly, unspeakable, and in need of curing. Carol mainly
approaches same-sex attraction from an intensely romantic viewpoint, but it also veers into the attitudes of the decade, as Harge
fights his wife for custody of their daughter, eventually resorting
to emotional blackmail in a dinner scene with his controlling parents that, despite its understatedness, is one of the movies most
shattering sequences. There is much talk from Carols divorce
attorney about a morality clause, and when Carol repeats the
words, Blanchett allows them to spill forth as though horrible,
heavy bricks were tumbling from her lips. When Carol finally

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take a stand, it is, to be honest, an improbable, fantasy moment,

but its immensely gratifying nonetheless, carrying with it a triumphant message that is even more relevant today.
Praise should be lavished on Haynes for his sense of style,
his use of color (reds, in particular), his deployment of Carter
Burwells lilting, lovely music-box score, but the film would be
lost without Blanchett and Mara, who give the kinds of performances that Oscars are made for. The chemistry between them
is uncanny. Blanchett starts out seeming chilly, almost mildly
predatory. Yet its merely guardedness. As Blanchett slowly peels
away Carols layers, we get a first-hand look at the vulnerability
and softness that informs who she truly is. The story finds even
more resonance in following Maras Therese, as she evolves from
wide-eyed and innocent to self-assured. Theres a gentle, awkward hesitancy to Therese, and Mara, with her wide eyes, evokes
it beautifully. Shes a magnificent actress, fully capable, with just
a whisper of I miss you into a phone, of breaking your heart.
The cast orbiting these two stars is similarly perfect, including
Chandler, John Magaro, Kevin Crawley, Corey Michael Smith
and especially Sarah Paulson, gratefully out of her American
Horror Story confines, as a take-no-prisoners former lover of
Carols.
It seems almost diminishing to relegate Carol as merely an
LGBT movie, and yet it deserves an immediate spot at the top
of the genres canon. Its a thoughtful, exquisite film, one that
celebrates the impact of slow-burn cinema as much as it does the
power of finding your hearts desire. l
Carol runs 118 minutes and is Rated R for sexuality and adult
themes. Now playing at area theaters, including Landmarks E
Street and Bethesda Row.

film

8 Eclectic Films
Winter got you chilled? Cozy up
in front of the TV with these
offbeat selections
by KATE WINGFIELD

S THE NIGHTS DRAW IN WITH THEIR

howling winds, freezing rains and bitter temperatures, outdoor adventures soon become a bonechilling prospect. Thus arrives the season to turn
on the lamps, turn up the radiators, and tune in to some uninterrupted nocturnal viewing. This winter, as you settle into the settee, consider taking it outside the box with a foray into the world
of eclectic film. More accessible than arthouse, bigger on the
budget than your average Indie, these are the improbable gems
that have somehow defied the formulae and pale imaginings of
Hollywood and yet remain accessible and highly entertaining.
Though anything but an exhaustive list, what follows is a
smattering of titles, all of which are available at Amazon.com,
either for purchase or via streaming, that deserve a couple of
distraction-free hours, not to mention an open mind.
THE LAST WAVE (1977) Arguably his most enthralling film,

this supernatural mystery from Peter Weir seamlessly blends

authentic Aboriginal myth and belief with Weirs languidly
beautiful visions of the otherworldly. When an unassuming tax
attorney (Richard Chamberlain, at his most elegant and understated) finds himself defending a group of Aboriginal men from
a murder charge, he discovers there is more to the death than

a barroom brawl. As his investigation deepens, the certainties

and assumptions of his modern urban life begin to waver as
ancient forces take hold. The darkly wonderful film transcends
the genre as a unique contemplation on the ephemeral nature of
our realities.
KUNG FU HUSTLE (2004) A semi-satirical take on martial arts

movies, Stephen Chows film is anything but your typical Kung

Fu film. Polished, seriously funny and magically sweet at heart,
Hustle is still packed with enough intense and creative fighting
to please an aficionado. The grumpy and listless Sing (played by
the super-fit Chow) thinks his troubles will be solved by becoming a member of the ruthless and deadly Axe Gang. When Sing
thoughtlessly brings a downtrodden local neighborhood into
conflict with the gang, he finds there is more to the neighborhood and himself than he realized. Chow has the skill-set of
a Hollywood director, but the sensibility of an irreverent spirit.
NIGHT OF THE DEMON (1957) Also known as Curse of the Demon,

this vintage horror flick from director Jacques Tourneur is

touted as one of the first of its genre to emphasize atmosphere as
much as action. Set in an old-fashioned England of ivy-covered
houses and night mists, a visiting American professor (Dana
Andrews) is drawn into a dead colleagues investigation of a
mysterious cult. Though the Demon in question will be amusing
to the CGI generation (and was added later against the wishes of
Tourneur), the film as a whole unfolds with the supreme coziness of a spooky fireside story.
EUROPA REPORT (2013) Dont expect Hollywood heroics, but if

you strap in for this off-beat space film, youll be rewarded with
a uniquely absorbing experience. Beautifully choreographed,
Sebastin Corderos subtle but increasingly intense piecing
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33

together of this account of a troubled deep-space mission, this is

far superior to other found footage narratives. With extraordinary acuity and an exceptional cast Cordero captures
the non-negotiable physical and spiritual control required of
the scientist-explorers, but finally also, their irrepressible and
unbounded humanity. A cathartic and memorable film.
THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH (1994) A small and sweetly mysteri-

ous film from John Sayles, this tale of coastal living and myth
unfolds with a tone that is both pensive and slightly sinister
(though fine for most children). Capturing the gorgeous moods
of the sea and the people who live near it, this piece delicately
touches upon the ties that bind in all their innocence and
ambivalence.
THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS (1967) Though Roman Polanski
isnt known for comedy, hes terribly good at it. A hilarious vampire film, rich in East European sensibility and Jewish humor,
this oft-overlooked entertainment is a perfect diversion for
grownups. Remarkable is Polanski himself, who carries much
of the film barely uttering a word. Perfect viewing for a snowy
night over a bottle of Schnapps.
THE LAST WALTZ (1978) Considered by many to be one of
the greatest concert films ever made, Martin Scorsese documents the final concert of The Band, Bob Dylans one-time
backup group who enjoyed much success in their own right.
Interspersed with interviews, the film savors the nights performances of The Band and their guests, including Neil Young,
Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters and even Dylan, to
name a few. With multiple cameras, its all about the editing, and

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JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

Scorsese rigorously and brilliantly balances the intimacy with

the energy. For those raised on todays music, much of which is
the artistic equivalent of Spam, the musicianship, originality and
idiosyncratic faces of these retro talents will be mind-blowing.
For those who were there, it potently captures an era.
FELLINIS CASANOVA (1978) This sensuous, dream-like take on
the life and times of the 18th century womanizer, is by turns silly,
wistful and remarkably magical. As the conquests arrive like
bonbons from an ornate box of confections, Casanova (Donald
Sutherland, extraordinary in prosthetic nose) delights in their
unique flavors. Full of boisterous (if simulated and essentially
clothed) sex, this is thoroughly grown-up stuff. But, like much
of Fellinis work, it is also ripe with a childlike imagination.
Fireworks light a Venetian lagoon as an enormous decorative
head rises from the dark waters; later, Casanova escapes a cuckolded nobleman over a sea made of floating silks. For another
less-touted (and similarly narrative-driven) Fellini film, try the
absorbing Nights of Cabiria.
THE CELL (2000) Absolutely not for the faint of heart or the eas-

ily offended, Tarsem Singhs exploration into the mind of a serial

killer as he is hunted by the authorities, is a profoundly unsettling but most fascinating and sometimes beautiful film.
An Indian-American, Singh infuses his vision with the extraordinary flavors of his heritage; some are steeped in Americana,
others evoke the ornate colors and themes of Indian art. Despite
unlikely leads Jennifer Lopez and Vince Vaughn (both appearing before settling into their current, and much less adventurous,
brands), this thriller breaks the mold. If you respond to Singhs
unorthodox storytelling, see also The Fall. l

music

Blissfully
Out of Touch
On her 10th album, French
treasure Mylne Farmer conjures yet
more romantic disbelief and dreaminess
by GORDON ASHENHURST

YLNE FARMER MAY NOT BE A HOUSEhold name outside her native France, but she
has sold over 30 million albums in a career
spanning four decades. Famously reluctant
to do interviews, letting her provocative and often daring music
videos do the talking instead, Farmer recently surprised longterm fans by appearing on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

).
to promote her 10th studio album, Interstellaires (
The reclusive French chanteuse has previously worked with
90s techno maestro Moby and Red One, both on 2010s wonderful Bleu Noir, ensuring that her fiercely loyal fan base can
usually expect the unexpected. And yet despite being produced
by Martin Cherry Cherry Boom Boom Kierszenbaum (Lady
Gaga, Alexandre Burke, Robyn) and a deep-house DJ named
The Avener, the album is a relatively predictable set of familiarsounding soft ballads.
A hazy rubble of tremoring guitars and drums creates a shimmering opening on Interstellaires. Farmers expressive voice,
like a bridge of sighs and coos, at once creates the kind of voluptuous and ethereal melody she has built her entire career on. As a
result of retaining her rich tapestry of sound, its swirling distress
is oddly comforting.
Kicking into gear on a dancefloor-aimed chorus, Stolen Car
METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 7, 2016

35

is the albums most immediately memorable song. The heady

chorus fuses together her signature sensuality with bruising rock
sounds. The news of a duet with Sting may have alarmed many,
but perhaps it was his oversupply of confidence that resulted in
her performance of the albums lead single on American television a first in her career.
The sullen electronica of rebours revisits the rich results
of her Moby-produced Bleu Noir album. With a tinkly piano
framing her famously understated crooning, here the less is
more approach is what allows its beauty to emerge to maximum effect. Farmer shows herself back in the groove on the
surprisingly funky Cest pas moi, its transcendent chorus a
rush of romance and seasoned flair. Sounding sexy yet dazed
on an album where such propulsive moments are few and far
between, the slinky bassline threatens to give Chaka Khans
Aint Nobody a run for its money.
Full of cloudy vocals and lingering atmospherics,
Insondables is haunting in feeling and lush in sensation. Love
Song, a steady storm of romantic anxiety, gets more sweeping and immersive as the song progresses, matched in slightly
calmer results such as the equally compelling rebours. The
throbbing electronica of Pas daccess opts for subtly menacing
dance beats. Her voice swooping down in such a setting makes
it one of the more instantly compelling compositions on hand.
For those who find Farmer on the mushy and gloopy side,
I Want You to Want Me will have them in hives. Perhaps for
those not familiar with the Cheap Trick original, it will function
as a quietly stirring introduction. Rarely concerned with pandering to an audience, the choice of cover material remains baffling
however much it retains her distinctively airy aesthetic.
With atypically perky verses, Voie lacte is the closest a

36

JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

Mylne song will probably get to being described as buoyant.

Displaying all her usual characterizations to grand effect on a
rippling chorus, her trademark understated drama predictably
washes over.
The ghostly air of City of Love flows like a shower of falling
leaves. Her knack for conjuring otherworldly, striking beauty
out of the softest of arrangements is especially lovely. With
exalting vocal layers, the songs lavish march harnesses her
expressive gasp-like vocals to dreamy effect. Chosen as a single,
its video depicts the singer as an inquisitive goblin in a stormlit,
empty mansion, sealing the songs fate as a future classic.
If there are extreme highs, there are also mild slumps. The
even more delicate and shrill than usual Un jour ou laure is a
song that could define the entire album. In terms of finding her
own vision and sticking to it, by now Farmer knows how to present her songs to an ever refined degree but it is to the expense of
sounding distinct from previous works.
As a whole, Interstellaires is a soft and soothing stream of
romantic melancholy, even if the singers ambition to cover new
ground seems to have run dry. The songs mostly do not instantly
distinguish themselves from the last, but nevertheless commit
to her dependably lush and celebrated standards. If lacking anything as world-conquering as her biggest hit Dsenchante,
her devastatingly understated approach is as meditative and
assured as ever, but overall the album lacks anything attentiongrabbing enough to warrant special attention away from her
best work. The album has already topped the French charts
(her twelfth to do so), and although it is unlikely to make much
impact in the U.S., it nonetheless deserves to find an audience,
if only to inspire deeper investigation into a back catalogue that
boasts far better albums than merely a very good one. l

38

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NIGHT

LIFE
LISTINGS
THURS., 01.07.16
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection
Music videos featuring
DJ Wess
ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
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: $6 Call
Martini, $3 Miller Lite, $4
Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm Open
Day for Stonewall Darts,
6-10pm $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 Miss Kristina
Kelly and BaNaka $200
Cash Prize Doors open
10pm, 18+ $5 Cover
under 21 and free with
college ID
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 5pm
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts, $3 Domestic
Bottles, $4 Rail and Import
Bottle Beer, $6 Call MidAtlantic Kennel Korps on
Club Bar, 9pm-2am No
Cover 21+

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm

METROWEEKLY.COM

39

40

JANUARY 7, 2016

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scene
Freddies Beach Bar
Saturday, January 2
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!

Photography by
Ward Morrison

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Ladies Drink Free Power
Hour, 4-5pm Shirtless
Thursday, 10-11pm DJs
BacK2bACk
JR.S
All You Can Drink for $15,
5-8pm $3 Rail Vodka
Highballs, $2 JR.s drafts,
8pm-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
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4

ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
9pm Cover 21+
FRI., 01.08.16
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 and
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out Free Rail
Vodka, 11pm-Midnight, $6
Belvedere Vodka Drinks all
night DJ MadScience
upstairs DJ Keenan Orr
downstairs $10 cover

10pm-1am, $5 after 1am

21+
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 5pm
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts, $3 Domestic
Bottles, $4 Rail and Import
Bottle Beer, $6 Call No
Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm $5
Smirnoff, all flavors, all
night long Khalid El-Bey
Leatherman of Color 2016
Bar Night, 10pm-2am
Kink Demos, Fetish Play,
Jello Shots, Raffles by the
men of ONYX Featuring
music by DJ Theo Storm
$5 Cover
JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm
$2 Skyy Highballs and $2

Drafts, 10pm-midnight
Retro Friday $5 Coronas,
$8 Vodka Red Bulls, 9pmclose

TOWN PATIO
Open 6pm No Cover
before 10pm Cover after
10pm (entry through Town)

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

TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4

NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour: 2
for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
TOWN
DC Bear Crue Happy Hour,
6-11pm $3 Rail, $3 Draft,
$3 Bud Bottles Free Pizza,
7pm No cover before
9:30pm 21+ Drag Show
starts at 10:30pm Hosted
by Lena Lett and featuring Miss Tatianna, ShiQueeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx
and BaNaka DJ Wess
upstairs, DJs BacK2bACk
downstairs GoGo Boys
after 11pm Doors open
at 10pm For those 21
and over, $10 For those
18-20, $15 18+

ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers,
hosted by LaTroya Nicole
Ladies of Ziegfelds,
9pm Rotating Hosts
DJ in Secrets VJ Tre in
Ziegfelds Cover 21+
SAT., 01.09.15
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 3-9pm $5 Absolut
& Titos, $3 Miller Lite
after 9pm Expanded craft
beer selection No Cover
Music videos featuring
various DJs

METROWEEKLY.COM

COBALT/30 DEGREES
Drag Yourself to Brunch at
Level One, 11am-2pm 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
AFTERGLOW Dance
Party, 10pm-close Drink
specials all night Doors
open 10pm $7 cover
before midnight, $10 cover
after 21+
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 4-6pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 8pm
Happy Hour, 8-10pm
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts, $3 Domestic
Bottles, $4 Rail and Import
Bottle Beer, $6 Call
Centaur MC hosts Pre-MidAtlantic Leather Kick-Off on
Club Bar, 9pm-2am No
Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Drag Queen Broadway
Brunch, 10am-3pm

JANUARY 7, 2016

41

 Starring Freddies
Broadway Babes Crazy
Hour, 4-7pm Freddies
Follies Drag Show, 8-10pm,
hosted by Miss Destiny B.
Childs No Cover
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm $5
Bacardi, all flavors, all
night long JOX: The GL
Underwear Party, 9pmclose Featuring DJ David
Merrill $5 Cover (includes
clothes check)
JR.S
$4 Coors, $5 Vodka
Highballs, $7 Vodka Red
Bulls
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
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, 3-9pm No Cover
TOWN
DC Rawhides host Town
& Country: Two-Step, Line
Dancing, Waltz and West

42

JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

Coast Swing, $5 Cover to

stay all night Doors open
6:45pm, Lessons 7-8pm,
Open dance 8-10:30pm
Music and video downstairs
by DJ Wess Drag Show
starts at 10:30pm Hosted
by Lena Lett and featuring Miss Tatianna, ShiQueeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx
and BaNaka Doors open
10pm $12 Cover 21+
TOWN PATIO
Open 10pm (entry through
Town) $12 Cover
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 2pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
2-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Guest dancers Ladies
of Illusion with host Ella
Fitzgerald Doors at 9
p.m., first show at 11:30
p.m. % DJs Doors open
8pm Cover 21+

SUN., 01.10.15
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 3-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
$4 Stoli, Stoli flavors
and Miller Lite all day
Homowood Karaoke with
Robert Bise, 10pm-close
No Cover 21+
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 2-6pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 12pm
Football on Big Screens
Happy Hour, 12-6pm
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts, $3 Domestic
Bottles, $4 Rail and Import
Bottle Beer, $6 Call
Buffet, 2-7pm Like on
Facebook for menu options
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts all day and night
No Cover 21+

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Champagne Brunch Buffet,
10am-3pm Crazy Hour,
4-7pm Karaoke, 8pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Mamas Trailer Park
Karaoke, 9:30pm-close
JR.S
Sunday Funday Liquid
Brunch Doors open at
1pm $2 Coors Lights and
$3 Skyy (all flavors), all day
and night
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
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 9:30pm
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
any drink, 3-9pm No
Cover

ROCK HARD SUNDAYS

@THE HOUSE
NIGHTCLUB
3530 Georgia Ave. NW
Diverse group of all male,
all nude dancers Doors
open 8pm Shows all
night until close, starting
at 8:30pm $5 Domestic
Beer, $6 Imports
$10 cover For Table
Reservations, 202-487-6646
rockharddc.com
TOWN
Flip Out DC League Flip Cup
games, 4pm
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 2pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
2-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
9pm Cover 21+

MON., 01.11.15
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
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis

DC EAGLE
Doors open at 5pm
Happy Hour, 5-8pm $1
Bud and Bud Light Draughts
Free Pool all day and
night Monday Night
Football on Big Screens
Men in jerseys get Happy
Hour, 8pm-close $2 Bud
and Bud Light Draughts, $3
Domestic Bottles, $4 Rail
and Import Bottle Beer, $6
Call No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm

COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Monday Nights A Drag,
hosted by Kristina Kelly
$50 Entry Fee $500
Cash Prize Doors open at
10pm $3 Skyy Cocktails,
$8 Skyy and Red Bull $8
Long Islands No Cover,
18+

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long
Michaels Open Mic Night
Karaoke, 9:30pm-close

DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Texas Holdem
Poker, 8pm Dart Boards

JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm
Showtunes Songs &
Singalongs, 9pm-close
DJ James $3 Draft Pints,
8pm-midnight

NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
TUES., 01.12.15
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
4@4 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 Service Industry

METROWEEKLY.COM

Night $1 Rail Drinks

all night
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close
JR.S
Birdie La Cage Show,
10:30pm Underground
(Indie Pop/Alt/Brit Rock),
9pm-close DJ Wes
Della Volla 2-for-1, 5pmmidnight
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
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
Safe Word: A Gay Spelling
Bee, 8-11pm Prizes to the

JANUARY 7, 2016

43

top three spellers After

9pm, $3 Absolut, Bulleit
& Stella
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
WED., 01.13.15
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
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis

44

JANUARY 7, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Wednesday Night
Karaoke, hosted by Miss
India Larelle Houston,
10pm-close $4 Stoli and
Stoli Flavors and Miller Lite
No Cover 21+
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo
Night, hosted by Ms.
Regina Jozet Adams, 8pm
Bingo prizes Karaoke,
10pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close
JR.S
Buy 1, Get 1 Free, 4-9pm
Trivia with MC Jay Ray,
8pm The Feud: Drag
Trivia, hosted by BaNaka,
10-11pm, with a $200 prize
$2 JR.s Drafts and $4
Vodka ($2 with College ID
or JR.s 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 members
and each get a free $10
Dinner
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
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+ l

SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SCENE

45

I have a quick question.

Do you think I chose to be gay?
An UNIDENTIFIED LGBT ACTIVIST, who accosted presidential hopeful Ben Carson at a town hall meeting, ABC News reports.
Thats a long conversation, Carson replied. I think youre full of shit, the person responded, before walking off.
Carson has previously said that he believes being gay is a choice.

I am a firm believer that

in order for true equality to exist for anyone, we must
pursue it for everyone,
and that is a goal of mine.

Salt Lake City Mayor JACKIE BISKUPSKI, speaking with reporters after she was sworn in as the citys first openly gay mayor.

just because its hard, thats no excuse not to try.

A womans right to vote didnt happen overnight. The liberation of
African-Americans didnt happen overnight. LGBT rights, that was decades worth of work. So

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, in a speech discussing his planned actions on gun control.

Be assured that
as a channel and network we celebrate diversity
evident across many of our shows and characters.
CARTOON NETWORKs European affiliate, in a statement to PinkNews responding to allegations that it had unfairly censored
a same-sex kiss from animated show Steven Universe in a British broadcast. The network argued that it
removed the kiss to comply with broadcast standards, but British regulators allow kissing and
cuddling regardless of sexuality in all broadcast content.

Uber celebrates diversity

and does not tolerate any form of discrimination whatsoever.

An UBER SPOKESPERSON, in a statement to Britains Evening Standard, after a driver was suspended for trying to
eject a lesbian couple from his car for kissing.

46

JANUARY 7, 2016

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