CONTENTS

JUNE 28, 2018 Volume 25 Issue 9

14 GAY GAMES
Alone in the Game’s David McFarland is hopeful that
LGBTQ athletes will come out in the future.

By André Hereford

OUR TOWN
Celebrating a Decade of DJs, Dancing, and Drag.

Interview by Randy Shulman

Photography by Ward Morrison and Julian Vankim
24
45
XCESSIVE XTINA
Christina Aguilera’s eighth album brings artistic
clarity and powerful themes in an
underwhelming package.

By Sean Maunier

SPOTLIGHT: THE TEMPEST p.7 OUT ON THE TOWN p.11

GAY GAMES: DAVID MCFARLAND p.14
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS: FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL p.16 THE FEED: FOOD FIGHT p.19
COMMUNITY p.21 COVER STORY: OUR TOWN p.24 PORTRAITS OF TOWN p.33
TOWN FORUM p.41 MUSIC: CHRISTINA AGUILERA p.45 STAGE: ON THE TOWN p.47
NIGHTLIFE p.49 SCENE: TOWN ARCHIVES p.49
LISTINGS p.50 LAST WORD p.62
Real LGBTQ News and Entertainment since 1994
Editorial Editor-in-Chief Randy Shulman Art Director Todd Franson Online Editor at metroweekly.com Rhuaridh Marr Senior Editor John Riley
Contributing Editors André Hereford, Doug Rule Senior Photographers Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim Contributing Illustrator Scott G. Brooks
Contributing Writers Sean Maunier, Troy Petenbrink, Bailey Vogt, Kate Wingfield 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 Tracks Cover Photography Randy Shulman

Metro Weekly 1775 I St. NW, Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 202-638-6830
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© 2018 Jansi LLC.

4 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

 Spotlight
DJ COREY
The Tempest
F
OR ITS PRODUCTION OF SHAKESPEARE’S
shipwreck classic, Avant Bard is donating half
of all ticket sales in its final weekend to RAICES
Texas, which provides services to refugees and immi-
grants at the southern border. In addition to being time-
ly, the “Welcome Tempest-Tossed” campaign is also
relevant to a production that frames the story as one of
refugees and exiles, torn apart by what the Bard called
acts of “mountainish inhumanity.” Tom Prewitt, the
company’s current artistic director, directs a cast head-
ed by the man he succeeded in the role, Christopher
Henley. To July 1. Theatre Two in Gunston Arts Center,
2700 South Lang St. Arlington. Tickets are $30 to $35.
Call 703-418-4808 or visit wscavantbard.org.
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 7
 Spotlight
1776
The quirky Landless Theatre Company continues to twist
the traditional, this time with a production of a patri-
otic musical dramatizing the days leading up to the signing
of the Declaration of Independence. Andrew and Melissa
1776 COURTESY OF LANDLESS THEATRE COMPANY

Baughman head a cast that also features Matt Baughman,

Clay Comer, and Alex Throne. Local elected officials and
community leaders will make cameo appearances — includ-
ing Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor and Rick Weldon,
former Maryland Delegate and current Vice President of
the Frederick Chamber of Commerce. Friday, June 29, and
Saturday, June 30, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, July 1, at 2 p.m.
Weinberg Center for the Arts, 20 W. Patrick St. Frederick,
Md. Tickets are $17 to $20. Call 301-600-2828 or visit wein-
bergcenter.org.

CEZANNE PORTRAITS
The first exhibition devoted to the often-
neglected portraits from the famed post-
impressionist. Some 60 works, on loan
from collections around the world, are
on display, showing Cézanne’s unique
vision in the genre and exploring the
unconventional aspects of his portrai-
ture and the role his portraits play in
the development of his radical style and
method. The National Gallery is the sole
American venue for the traveling exhibi-
tion. Through July 1. West Building, 6th
Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Free.
Call or visit nga.gov.

Paul Cézanne
Boy in a Red Waistcoat, 1888–1890
Oil onCanvas
89.5 x 72.4 cm (35 1/4 x 28 1/2 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Washington,
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon,
in Honor of the 50th Anniversary
of the National Gallery of Art

KIM ROBERTS:
A LITERARY GUIDE TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
National Geographic Traveler placed Washington at No. 8 in its Top 10 list of the
world’s most literary cities. Kim Roberts, a D.C.-based freelance historian and writer,
aims to help the everyday resident uncover some of the literati in our midst through
this walking tour and anthology, subtitled Walking in the Footsteps of American
Writers from Francis Scott Key to Zora Neale Hurston. Saturday, June 30, at 3:30 p.m.
Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-1919 or visit politics-
prose.com.
JON GAN

8 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

 Spotlight

KING KONG
As part of its Capital Classics series, Landmark’s
West End Cinema offers special screenings of the
original monster horror flick on Independence Day.
Fay Wray stars as the apple of the giant gorilla’s eye
in the 1933 classic directed by Merian C. Cooper
and Ernest B. Schoedsack, with groundbreaking
stop-motion animation by Willis O’Brien and a
musical score by Max Steiner. Wednesday, July 4,
at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m., 2301 M St. NW. Happy
hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 to $12.50.
Call 202-534-1907 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

IMAGINE DRAGONS
For every thudding, soul-crush-
ing anthem like “Radioactive” and
“Thunder,” this Las Vegas band sur-
prises with intriguing, sweet bursts of
pop/rock, many with clear influence
from hip-hop, such as “I Bet My Life”
and “Whatever It Takes.” The group
is even more relevant and appealing
now that its lead singer Dan Reynolds
has become an activist, pushing his
fellow Mormons to accept their fel-
low LGBTQ family members, chiefly
through his new documentary Believer,
which documents the torment many
gay Mormons have been put through.
Imagine Dragons returns to the area
for another stop on its Evolve Tour,
this time with special guest Grace

ELIOT LEE HAZEL

VanderWaal. Monday, July 2, at 7 p.m.
Jiffy Lube Live, 7800 Cellar Door Drive,
Bristow, Va. Call 703-754-6400 or visit
livenation.com.

MURDER BALLAD
The new Maryland theater company Free
Range Humans launches with a production
of this Off-Broadway rock musical by Julia
Jordan and Juliana Nash, performed inside a
working Frederick distillery. This whodunit
explores the complications of love and rela-
tionships — with a focus on a doomed love tri-
angle — and stars TJ Bolden, Allison Bradbury,
Matt Hirsh, and Kylie Smith. Remaining shows
ALEXANDRA GUSHARD-EDWARDS

are Thursday, June 28, and Friday, June 29, at

8 p.m. McClintock Distilling, 35 S. Carroll St.,
Frederick, Md. Tickets are $30. A pre-show
distillery tour and tasting is available for an
additional $5 by signing up at mcclintockdis-
tilling.com. Visit experience-human.com.

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 9

SAM BRUCK - GEORGETOWN BID
Out On The Town

INDEPENDENTS DAY GEORGETOWN

A few days before Independence Day comes a play-on-words twist on the holiday in Georgetown, where over 35
merchants will offer discounts, refreshments, activities and entertainment as part of a second annual toast to the
spirit of small business. Presented by the Georgetown BID and set for this Saturday, June 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Independents Day includes promotions such as: 20 to 50 percent off spring and summer clothing at the Phoenix; 50 to
70 percent off summer items at Fornash; 50 percent off all wares at Jill Hinckley Pottery; 15 percent off sofas, storage
units, and dining tables at BoConcept; 15 percent off Red, White, and Blue Macaron Boxes at Olivia Macaron; 10 percent
off all American wines, plus a spiked lemonade tasting, at Bacchus Wine Cellar; one free side dish with the purchase of
a Taco Trio at Chaia; and limited edition doughnut ice cream sammies at District Doughnut. Additionally, from 12 to 3
p.m., there will be patriotic food — hot dogs, cotton candy, funnel cake — and festivities, including an Uncle Sam stilt
walker and several Washington Nationals Presidents, as well as live music, face painting, and games in the lots of TD
Bank and Fornash. Visit georgetowndc.com/independentsday.

Compiled by Doug Rule

FILM
DAVE CHAPPELLE’S
BLOCK PARTY
As part of its Rock Doc series, the
American Film Institute presents a
special screening of this 2005 film
by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine
of the Spotless Mind), created at the
height of the success of Chappelle’s
Show on Comedy Central.
Interspersed with comedy sketches
from the D.C.-bred comedian are
interviews with Erykah Badu, the
Roots, Jill Scott, Yasiin “Mos Def”
Bey, Kanye West, and Lauryn Hill
and the reunited Fugees. Inspired
by the ’70s-era film Wattstax, the
footage was recorded at a daytime
concert on the streets of Brooklyn.
Wednesday, July 4, at 7:15 p.m. AFI
Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road,
Silver Spring. Tickets are $8. Call
301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver.
SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO
Sicario was a surprise smash in
2015, with Emily Blunt’s perfor-
mance as an FBI agent tasked with
bringing down a Mexican drug car-
tel leading a wave of critical praise.
A sequel seems obvious, but there
are a few key elements missing:
original director Denis Villeneuve,
composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, and
cinematographer Roger Deakins,
all of whom earned acclaim for
their work, as well as Blunt herself,
replaced by Josh Brolin’s character
from the first film. At least Benicio
del Toro is still here to assist Brolin
in ending a terrorist-smuggling
operation. Opens Friday, June 29.
Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.
(Rhuaridh Marr)
THE FIRST PURGE
Well goddamn. Who knew the pro-
ducers of dystopian action horror
franchise The Purge would offer
one of the most pointed jabs at the
Donald Trump presidency? The
films are set in a future where,
each year, America has a 12-hour
period in which all crime — even
murder — is legal. The First Purge
plans to detail how it all began,
and promos for the film are directly
tying it to Donald Trump’s “Make
America Great Again” rhetoric —
there’s even a red hat emblazoned
with “The First Purge” — and it’s all
intended to make murdering other
Americans seem palatable and even
patriotic. Given the current state of
affairs, this doesn’t seem as extreme
as we might once have thought.
The film itself will likely be hot gar-
bage, but for its ad campaign alone,
we offer all the applause. Opens
Wednesday, July 4. Area theaters.
Visit fandango.com. (RM)
STAGE
AIN’T TOO PROUD
The Kennedy Center pres-
ents this new musical about The

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 11

 OTHER LIFE FORMS
D.C. playwright Brandon McCoy
wrote this romantic comedy about
two very different roommates
and their attempts at finding love
online. Starring John Loughney,
Josh Sticklin, Aidan Quartana,
Brianna Letourneau, and Shanta
Parasuraman. To July 7. 1742
Church St. NW. Tickets are $35
to $45. Call 202-265-3768 or visit
keegantheatre.com.

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS

Joe Calarco directs Signature
Theatre’s take on Kander & Ebb’s
final musical collaboration, a
breathtaking critique of a true story
of racism and injustice from 1931.
Eight years after The Scottsboro
Boys debuted on Broadway, the D.C.
premiere features an ensemble cast
including Jonathan Adriel, Malik
PHOTO CREDIT

Akil, Christopher Bloch, Chaz

Alexander Coffin, Felicia Curry,
C.K. Edwards, DeWitt Fleming
Jr., Andre Hinds, Darrell Wayne
Purcell, Aramie Payton, Lamont
Walker II, Joseph Monroe Webb,
RARE ESSENCE and Stephen Scott Wormley, with
choreography by Jared Grimes.
Rare Essence, dubbed the “Wickedest Band Alive,” has been chugging away at go-go for
To July 1. MAX Theatre, 4200
more than four decades — ever since a group of elementary students at St. Thomas More Campbell Ave., Arlington. Call 703-
Catholic School in Southeast D.C. got together to tinker around with a then-new percus- 820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org.
sive style of funk. Soon enough, the gang — shepherded by several no-nonsense moms —
became one of the premier outfits of this thoroughly homegrown, locally popular sound,
COMMUNITY
performing regularly with the band led by go-go’s late godfather Chuck Brown as well as
another formed by students at the neighboring Ballou High School. That band, known STAGE
as E.U., or Experience Unlimited, gave the world the genre’s signature hit, the Grammy-
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
nominated “Da Butt,” as well as “Shake Your Thang,” a collaboration with Salt-N-Pepa.
Claudia Bach directs the Maryland-
E.U. remains a thriving entity under the direction of its founder, singing bassist Gregory based community troupe Rude
“Sugar Bear” Elliott. Expect musical fireworks of the best kind when the Hamilton Mechanicals’ production of one of
brings together the two bands for a great toast to the city and the nation on the eve of Shakespeare’s most controversial
yet increasingly relevant plays. The
Independence Day. Tuesday, July 3. Doors at 7 p.m. 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $25 to Merchant of Venice focuses on a
$35. Call 202-787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com. Jewish man who seizes an opportu-
nity to make his wealthy and myth-
ically splendorous city confront
the injustice and cruelty that lurks
beneath its gold-plated surface.
Temptations, a group that churned Kiss Me, Kate. Extended to July NOBODY DIES ON FRIDAY Weekends to June 30. Greenbelt
out 42 Top 10 hits, including 14 8. Sidney Harman Hall, Harman The D.C. premiere of an ironic and Arts Center, 123 Centerway.
No. 1’s. Des McAnuff (Jersey Center for the Arts, 610 F St. NW. rueful play by Robert Brustein, Greenbelt, Md. Tickets are $20 to
Boys) directs and Sergio Trujillo Call 202-547-1122 or visit shake- founding Dean of the Yale School $22. Call 301-441-8770 or visit rude-
(Memphis the Musical) choreo- spearetheatre.org. of Drama. Nobody Dies on Friday mechanicals.com.
graphs a production featuring clas- focuses on the relationship between
sics everyone knows — from “My DANCING IN MY Marilyn Monroe and the Strasberg
Girl” to “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” COCKROACH KILLERS family, headed up by her acting MUSIC
to “Just My Imagination.” To July GALA Theatre closes its 42nd sea- coach Lee Strasberg, the longtime
22. Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are son with the D.C. premiere of play- Actors Studio director considered ERIC FELTEN JAZZ ORCHESTRA
$59 to $159. Call 202-467-4600 or wright Magdalena Gómez’s sassy the father of “method acting.” Some of the Washington area’s
visit kennedy-center.org. bilingual musical featuring music Brustein’s examination into the finest musicians perform in this
and musical direction by Desmar unhealthy obsession with Monroe ensemble, led by its namesake trom-
CAMELOT Guevara. Conceived and directed by and Hollywood in mid-20th century bonist and singer, whose voice has
Alan Paul, Shakespeare Theatre Rosalba Rolón and a co-production America draws upon biographies of been compared to Michael Buble
Company’s resident musical direc- with Rolón’s Pregones Theater/ Monroe and Strasberg as well as the and Harry Connick Jr. The focus of
tor, takes on Lerner and Loewe’s PRTT of New York, Dancing In playwright’s own recollections as a its annual 4th of July show is “The
classic about the powerful love tri- My Cockroach Killers is a rollicking rising New York theater critic at the Big Band Sound of WWII.” Tickets
angle in King Arthur’s court. Ken show with characters inspired by time. Mollie Goff portrays Monroe remain for Tuesday, July 3, at 10
Clark plays the King, while Nick family, friends, and Latino icons as in a cast including Bill Hurlbutt, p.m. Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin
Fitzer is Lancelot du Lac, both in varied as Lolita Lebrón, Joe Cuba, Susan Schulman, Emily Sucher, Ave. NW. Tickets are $27.50, plus
love with Queen Guinevere, played and Iris Chacón. To July 1. Tivoli and Joe Savattieri. To July 1. Lab $5 fee and $12 minimum purchase.
by Broadway star Alexandra Silber. Square, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets I Theatre in the Atlas Performing Call 202-337-4141 or visit bluesal-
Legends Ted van Griethuysen are $30 to $45. Call 202-234-7174 or Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets ley.com.
and Floyd King are also featured visit galatheatre.org. are $15 to $25. Call 202-399-7993 or
in a show with choreography by visit atlasarts.org. FOO FIGHTERS W/THE STRUTS
Michele Lynch, who won a Helen Twenty-three years into their run,
Hayes Award for her work on STC’s Dave Grohl and company continue

12 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

 to be as powerful a force in rock
as ever — and the Virginia-reared
Grohl is still regarded as the nic-
est, humblest frontman in the busi-
ness. After kicking off as the debut
headlining act at I.M.P.’s newest
venue last fall, the Anthem on the
Wharf, the band returns with its
new Concrete and Gold Tour. The
British glam rock band the Struts
opens. Friday, July 6. Doors at 5:30
p.m. Merriweather Post Pavilion,
10475 Little Patuxent Parkway,
Columbia, Md. Tickets are $60 to
$125. Call 800-551-SEAT or visit
merriweathermusic.com.
JAZZ IN THE GARDEN: JOSH
BAYER JAZZ, BLACK MASALA
The National Gallery of Art offers
free outdoor concerts immediately
after work every Friday through
late August. Bands offering a range
of jazz styles, from swing to Latin to
ska, perform amidst the museum’s
collection of large-scale sculptur-
al works while patrons enjoy food
and drink, including beer, wine, and
sangria, as sold by the Pavilion Cafe
and outdoor grill. The 2018 series
continues with the Josh Bayer
Jazz swinging ensemble on June
29, and then a special post-4th of
July toast from D.C.’s nine-piece
Balkan and funk brass band Black
Masala — which includes members
of Thievery Corporation — on July
6. Evenings from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Sculpture Garden, between 7th and
9th Streets NW. Call 202-289-3360
or visit nga.gov.
NSO: HARRY POTTER AND THE
PRISONER OF AZKABAN
Steven Reineke leads a magical eve-
ning under the stars for Potter fans,
with the third installment of J.K.
Rowling’s series screening on pro-
jections overhead as the orchestra
plays John Williams’ score. Fans
are even encouraged to dress up
as their favorite characters. Friday,
July 6, and Saturday, July 7, at 8:30
p.m. Filene Center at Wolf Trap,
1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are
$40 to $65. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or
visit wolftrap.org.
PAPERHAUS
The popular D.C. band, consist-
ing of founder Alex Tebeleff, Matt
Dowling, and Rick Irby, makes
rhythmically oriented, psychedelic
rock with a mournful edge, recall-
ing everything from Joy Division
and the Doors to experimental con-
temporaries Deerhunter and Lower
Dens. Any fans of melodic electri-
fied rock will be hooked by the hazy,
moody rocker “Told You What To
Say,” from last year’s Are These The
Questions That We Need to Ask?
Fellow D.C. acts Park Snakes and
Bacchae open, with between-sets
music from DJ Hipsterwoods.
Saturday, June 30. Doors at 7 p.m.
Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE.
Tickets are $15. Call 202-388-ROCK
or visit rockandrollhoteldc.com.
14 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
SARAH MCLACHLAN
A year after stopping at
Merriweather Post Pavilion on tour
with Paul Simon, the founder of
Lilith Fair returns for a summer gig
in Maryland. The Canadian crooner
will fill Strathmore’s acoustically
rich Music Center with the sounds
of her quiet-storm ballads, per-
formed as part of a solo piano show.
Friday, June 29, at 8 p.m. 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.
Tickets are $66 to $146. Call 301-
581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.
SERENADE! 8TH ANNUAL
CHORAL FESTIVAL
Co-presented by Classical
Movements, the Kennedy Center
offers a free week-long festival of
choral music featuring 12 profes-
sional ensembles from 14 countries,
this year built on a theme of celebrat-
ing South Africa’s Nelson Mandela.
Still to come in this year’s Serenade!
are Millennium Stage concerts
by the Ensemble Tyva Kyzy, the
only all-female throat-singing
group from southern Siberia, per-
forming on the same bill with the
Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Canada’s
first professional group dedicated
to Afrocentric music of all styles, on
Thursday, June 28; Tiharea, a sing-
ing, dancing, and percussion-play-
ing trio of sisters from southern
Madagascar, with Afro-Venezuelan
singer Betsayda Machado and
her lifelong group La Parranda El
Clavo, on Friday, June 29; and the
Howard University Gospel Choir,
the first collegiate choir of its kind
in the world, sharing the stage with
the group Countermeasure from
Canada, on Saturday, June 30. The
festival draws to a close on Sunday,
July 1, with performances from
all 12 ensembles — also including
the Central Australian Aboriginal
Women’s Choir of Australia, the
Indonesian Children and Youth
Choir, the Olga Vocal Ensemble
from the Netherlands, and the
Chennai Children’s Choir of India
— in the Concert Hall. This concert,
“Mandela at 100: Songs of Hope,
Justice & Unity,” includes the world
premiere of a commissioned work
by South Africa’s Qinisela Sibisi fea-
turing the entire Serenade! mass
choir conducted by Scott Tucker
of the Choral Arts Society of
Washington. All shows at 6 p.m.
Kennedy Center. Call 202-467-
4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
STEPHEN STILLS
& JUDY COLLINS
Roughly 50 years ago, Stephen
Stills first met Judy Collins, and
the two singer-songwriters’ tumul-
tuous, short-lived love affair helped
inspire their musical output of the
time and remains a transformative
era for both. So much so, they’ve
decided to reunite — professional-
ly speaking — and are performing
together for the first time ever on
stage. They’ll play standards from
their rich folk catalogs as well as
new tunes from their joint Stills
& Collins album Everybody Knows,
released last September. Saturday,
June 30, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center
Concert Hall. Tickets are $39 to
$129. Call 202-467-4600 or visit
kennedy-center.org.
WICKED JEZABEL
Pauline Anson-Dross’ popular lesbian
all-covers party-rock band Wicked
Jezabel has been rocking — as well as
raising money for various good caus-
es — all over the region for a decade
now, originally under the name The
Outskirts of Town. The ladies return
to their main stomping grounds in
Virginia on Friday, June 29, at 9
p.m. JV’s Restaurant, 6666 Arlington
Blvd., Falls Church. Call 703-241-
9504 or visit jvsrestaurant.com.
DANCE
DAKSHINA: FESTIVAL
OF SOUTH ASIAN ARTS
Daniel Phoenix Singh’s dance com-
pany presents two programs as part
of this 15th annual event. Madhavi
Mudgal, one of the leading classi-
cal dancers of India and a highly
renowned exponent of the Odissi
style, brings her namesake dance
company to town for an evening
kicking off with a performance
by Nadhi Thekkek of the San
Francisco-based bharatanātyam
dance company Nava Dance
Theatre, on Saturday, July 7, at
7:30 p.m. The following evening
features New York-based artist
Mesma Belsare and a performance
incorporating her experiences as
a visual artist and actor into her
work as a dancer in the classical
bharatanātyam style. This show, on
Sunday, July 8, at 5 p.m., opens with
a Bharatanātyam Duet from the
North American-based husband-
and-wife couple Tanya & Puneet
Panda. Atlas Performing Arts
Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are
$20 to $35 each performance. Call
202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.
COMEDY
THE SECOND CITY:
GENERATION GAP
The full title of the latest show from
Chicago’s famed troupe created
especially for the Kennedy Center
is Generation Gap...Or, How Many
Millennials Does It Take to Teach a
Baby Boomer to Text Generation X?
Expect a satirical crash course span-
ning miscommunications, careers,
dating, and more in a two-act, inter-
active spin on what the troupe calls
“the age-old battle of the ages.” To
Aug. 12. Theater Lab. Tickets are $49
to $59. Call 202-467-4600 or visit
kennedy-center.org.
READINGS
ALISSA QUART
The “Outclassed” columnist for
The Guardian offers an eye-open-
ing report on the middle class in
Squeezed: Why Our Families Can’t
Afford America. Drawing on her
reporting of the challenges working
parents face, Quart tells stories of
people struggling to negotiate the
unstable job market, high child-
care costs, limited parental leave,
and a lower standard of living than
what they grew up with. Quart will
be in conversation with Barbara
Ehrenreich, author of the classic
Nickel and Dimed, with whom Quart
co-founded the Economic Hardship
Reporting Project, a nonprofit for
reporting on inequality. Friday, June
29, at 7 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015
Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-
1919 or visit politics-prose.com.
JORGE IGNACIO CORTIÑAS,
NATASHA TRETHEWEY:
LANGSTON HUGHES & NICOLÁS
GUILLÉN
During a special discussion at the
Kennedy Center titled “Harlem to
Havana: Two Poets, Two Worlds,
One Friendship,” the Cuban-
American playwright Cortiñas and
U.S. Poet Laureate Trethewey pres-
ent a reenactment of the friend-
ship and literary collaboration
between two great jazz-age poets:
America’s Hughes, the gay Harlem
Renaissance leader, and Guillén,
regarded as the national poet of
Cuba. Verses and correspondence
written by the two poets will be
shared along with anecdotes and
additional material detailing the
two writers’ exchanges with and
influences on each other’s work.
Saturday, June 30, at 11 a.m.
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater.
Tickets are free and will be distrib-
uted 30 minutes prior to the event
in front of the theater. Call 202-467-
4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
MUSEUMS
& GALLERIES
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY:
A GREAT LEAP OF FAITH
A display of prominent artifacts
highlighting the history of citizen
participation, debate and compro-
mise from the nation’s formation to
today. The American experiment
is still alive, if not altogether well
at the moment, but it has endured
rough times before and this exhibi-
tion, at the Smithsonian’s American
History Museum, highlights the var-
ious ways in which leading figures
have strived to make the country
“a more perfect union.” Objects
include Thomas Jefferson’s portable
desk he used to draft the Declaration
of Independence, the inkstand
Abraham Lincoln used to draft the
Emancipation Proclamation, and
the table on which Elizabeth Cady
Stanton wrote the Declaration of
Sentiments. Ongoing. 14th St. and
Constitution Ave. NW. Call 202-633-
1000 or visit americanhistory.si.edu.

GAY GAMES
Alone in the Game’s David McFarland is hopeful that LGBTQ athletes
will come out in the future.
T
HE NEW DOCUMENTARY ALONE IN THE
Game presents several eye-opening stories and statis-
tics about LGBTQ athletes and homophobia in sports.
However, there’s one stunning stat that probably won’t come
as a surprise to most sports fans. Of the 4,696 athletes on
the active rosters of teams in the five major North American
professional sports leagues — the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL,
and MLS — not a single one publicly identifies as LGBTQ. Of
course, that doesn’t mean that none of those athletes is gay.
“Of the big five? All of them have current LGBT athletes
playing at the elite level that are in the closet,” says David
McFarland, the film’s creator and executive producer. “So
any one of them that has an athlete that comes out, will
represent a major change in this country.”
McFarland’s passion for promoting greater LGBTQ vis-
ibility in sport was borne from personal experience. A
former elite NCAA Division I swimmer, he competed at
the national level, and although he now identifies as “a very
proud gay man,” at the time, he says, “I was closeted.”
“We need LGBT athletes to be out so young people
across this country, when they look out on the playing field
and courts of America, they can identify with others like
them,” he says. “Today they don’t see that in professional
Alone in the Game is not rated, and premieres on AT&T Audience Network and DIRECTV on Thursday, June 28, at 8 p.m.
AUDIENCE NETWORK
male sports. And they see it rarely in collegiate sports, as
well as high school sports. And that’s both for men and
women. So if we don’t see ourselves on the playing fields of
America, we feel like we don’t belong.”
The documentary, co-directed by Natalie Metzger and
Michael Rohrbaugh, captures the depth of that struggle
to belong in the stories of young LGBTQ athletes like
trans high school wrestler Trevor Betts, and gay Division
I football player Riley Tindol, who discusses his attempts
at suicide.
The film also addresses systemic issues in league and
team front offices via interviews with leading sports figures,
from NBA commissioner Adam Silver, to out ex-MLS star
Robbie Rogers. McFarland hopes the film can do more than
just provoke conversation about change.
“There’s a lot of talk about inclusion, diversity, and
support for LGBT athletes,” he says. “But what we still see
today, in sport, is the lack of equality, the lack of respect,
the lack of diversity, and the lack of inclusion, at all levels.
Without [that], it’s really gonna be impossible to achieve
and break through this barrier. So those in leadership posi-
tions, when that moment comes, really need to step up to
the plate.” —André Hereford
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 15
 BETHESDA PAINTING
AWARDS 2018
Carolyn Case of Cockeysville, Md.,
was selected as Best in Show in
this 14th annual juried competi-
tion produced by the Bethesda Arts
& Entertainment District. Case, a
graduate of the Maryland Institute
College of Art, received $10,000 for
the honor, while Khanh Le of D.C.
took second place, earning $2,000,
and Caleb Kortokrax of Baltimore
won third and $1,000. Through
CAROLINE ANGELO, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

June, Bethesda’s Gallery B features

an exhibition with paintings by
all three winners along with the
competition’s five other finalists —
Baltimore’s Emma Childs, who won
the Young Artist Award and $1,000,
Kim Abraham of Alexandria, Sarah
Boyts Yoder of Charlottesville,
Leigh Anne Chambers of Courtland,
Va., and Stephen Towns of
Baltimore. Through June 30. 7700
Wisconsin Ave., Suite E. Call 301-
215-6660 or visit bethesda.org.

HILL CENTER GALLERIES:

CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
REGIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION
Over the years, this exhibition, fea-
turing works in various mediums
and subjects, has grown to include
over 100 artists from D.C., Virginia,
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is a mix of far-flung cultural traditions, and Maryland. This year’s juror is
modern art, and feminist musicians. Annette Polan, portrait artist and

I
professor emerita of the Corcoran
College of Art + Design at the
’M SURPRISED AT HOW EVEN THE STORIES THAT ARE QUOTE-UNQUOTE FOREIGN George Washington University.
stories...are still very American stories,” Sabrina Lynn Motley says. Take the 2018 Smithsonian Artists represented include: Mary
Folklife Festival, and its programmatic focus on the rich cultural traditions of Armenia, the Ellen Abrecht, Kasse Andrews-
Weller, Cedric Baker, Kimberley
post-Soviet state that can be seen as both foreign and faraway. Bursic, Aukram Burton, Marilyn
“The Armenian-American diaspora has responded so strongly and warmly to this program,” says Christiano, MarieB De Amicis,
Motley, the festival’s director. “The pride they feel — that the Smithsonian is presenting Armenia on Sam Dixon, Nancy Freeman, Ric
the National Mall of the United States — is palpable. It reminds me [that these] are stories of your Garcia, Larry Gomez, Tom Greaves,
Sharman Johnson, Yassaman
neighbors, your teachers, your co-workers. By learning about Armenia and Catalonia, it gives you a Kashanipour, Glen Kessler, JoAnn
window into people that you encounter in your daily life.” Lamicella Laboy, Diego Montoya,
Through displays, discussions, and performances, the 51-year-old festival show- John Pacheco, Sabiyha Prince,
Judy Searles, Davood Tashayyod,
cases those two diverse cultures — one from the mountainous South Caucasus region in Carol Ward, Patricia Whittle, Justin
Eurasia, the other a cosmopolitan area of Spain along the Mediterranean. In both cul- Worrell, and Karen Zens. Now to
tures, “the traditional folk arts and crafts — [including] music, food, and dance, helps to Sept. 22. Old Naval Hospital, 921
create identity and social cohesion as well as support economic livelihood.” Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Call 202-549-
4172 or visit HillCenterDC.org.
New for 2018 is a Marketplace set up in front of the National Museum of American History, con-
ceived as “less of a museum gift shop and more of an active artisan market.” It’s a place for work- MICHAEL CROSSETT:
shops featuring everything from weaving to carving stone, along with food tastings, plus artisans FAIR CARD VALUE
For his first solo exhibition at Long
selling their wares (which can’t be done on the Mall as federal property). View Gallery, the gay mixed-media
“Obviously we want people to come and buy their Christmas gifts and holiday or birthday pres- artist has incorporated iconogra-
ents and the like, [but] it’s meant for people to really interact with artists and artisans,” says Motley. phy from the Metro system into his
Things draw to a close with a series of performances celebrating the 40th anniversary of signature graffiti-inspired, hand-
pulled silkscreen prints, comprised
Roadwork, a D.C.-based multiracial, queer-inclusive coalition of feminist musicians including of hundreds of layered portraits of
Holly Near, Martha Redbone, Urban Bush Women, Bernice Johnson Reagon, and Toshi Reagon D.C. landmarks and streetscapes.
with her band BIGLovely. This closing “Sisterfire” series also doubles as a preview of next year’s Some pieces take the shape of the
now obsolete Metro fare card, with
festival and its theme of the “Social Power of Music,” anchoring an institution-wide “Smithsonian the familiar magnetic stripe run-
Year of Music 2019.” ning the length of the ride side of
And Motley intends to make that approach — ending with programming that looks ahead — a the artwork. Others, focused on
new festival tradition. “The Olympic model is quite lovely, where you light a torch at the beginning prominent D.C. establishments
including the Black Cat and Dacha
and you pass along that torch at the end. That’s exactly what I’d like to do from here on out.” Beer Garden, are backdropped by
—Doug Rule the iconic, coffered architecture
of Metro stations. And then there
are the images of Metro cars in
The Folklife Festival runs through Sunday, July 1, and Wednesday, July 4, through Sunday, July motion running through the middle
8, from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the National Mall between 12th and 14th Streets NW. Call 202-706- of many of his artworks, nodding to
3809 or visit festival.si.edu. the speed at which the city is chang-

16 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

 cially made, technology-enhanced
cocktails from what is touted as “the
first Augmented Reality Cocktail
Bar in the United States.” Closes
Saturday, June 30. ArTecHouse,
1238 Maryland Ave. SW. Tickets for
60-minute, timed-entry sessions are
$12 for daytime or $15 for evening
admission, not including drinks.
Visit artechouse.com.
QUEERING SOUND:
DUST JACKET
The annual experimental music
concert took place the first weekend
in June, but this year’s edition also
spawned a month-long exhibition
influenced and inspired by Man Ray’s
photograph of Marcel Duchamp’s
The Great Glass covered in dust
motes, Élevage de Poussière. Works
reinterpreting or subverting lyrics,
sound, and musical ephemera from
an assortment of LGBTQ artists and
allies — including Metro Weekly’s
Todd Franson — will be on display,
with a percentage of sales benefiting
COURTESY OF CAPITAL CONCERTS
the host venue and a queer charity
TBA. Through June 30. Rhizome DC,
6950 Maple St. NW. Tickets are $10.
Visit rhizomedc.org.
THOM HALLER:
PILLOWS AND PRINTS
Miss Pixie’s offers an exhibition of
pillows and prints featuring quirky,
playful pop culture images, all dig-
ital art collages made by a D.C.-
A CAPITOL FOURTH based artist who is in the process
of launching the site popnpillows.
It’s not something you’ll want to do every year — there’s com. In all, there are 47 artworks —
far too many tourists — but everyone should experience 25 pillows and 22 prints — and all
the National Symphony Orchestra’s A Capitol Fourth con- priced under $100. Through June
30. 1626 14th St. NW. Call 202-232-
cert at least once (or even twice). Jack Everly leads the 8171 or visit misspixies.com.
NSO in a performance of American favorites and classi-
cal masterworks, while several military bands will add to UNITED/DIVIDED 2: AN
EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHY
the patriotic spirit, a celebration of the country’s 242nd Robert Miller, deputy director of
birthday. (Damn, we’re getting old.) The 38th annual photography at the Washington Post,
show, broadcast on PBS, features John Stamos as host
has juried the second installment of
with a lineup that includes The Beach Boys, Pentatonix, an annual exhibition in Glen Echo
the Temptations, and Jimmy Buffett with the Broadway
Park’s Photoworks Gallery featur-
ing works exploring the connections
cast of his musical Escape to Margaritaville. Also on tap: and divisions of the nation and in
Luke Combs, Lauren Alaina, CeCe Winans, Joshua Bell, the nation’s capital. Represented
photographers include William
Renée Fleming, and the Choral Arts Society of Washington. Edwards, Robb Hill, Sumaiya Haque,
It concludes with the NSO performing Tchaikovsky’s 1812
Carol Balassa, Diane Charnov, David
Overture as the soundtrack to what organizers tout as “the Heagy, Mercedes Jelinek, Morton
biggest, most distinctive fireworks display in the nation.” H. Friedman, Ray Alvareztorres,
Michael Jourdan, Geoff Livingston,
Wednesday, July 4, at 8 p.m. West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Sasha Hull, and Brian Dailey. On dis-
Building. Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center. play through July 1. 1st Floor of the
org/nso for more information. Arcade Building, 7300 MacArthur
Blvd., Md. Call 301-634-2274 or visit
glenechophotoworks.org.
ing. On display through July 1. Long of Physics. Developed by illustra-
View Gallery, 1234 9th St. NW. Call tor Noemi Schipfer and musician
202-232-4788 or visit longviewgal- Takami Nakamoto working togeth- FOOD AND DRINK
lery.com. er as Nonotak, the Paris-based
duo’s first solo exhibition in the U.S. CITY TAP PENN QUARTER: 4TH
NONOTAK: NAKED EYES transports viewers into a dreamlike OF JULY BEER-BQ BATTLE
The latest immersive show at environment where they’re encour- D.C.’s original City Tap location is
ArTecHouse, D.C.’s innovative sci- aged to follow the lights as they toasting Independence Day with
ence-meets-art gallery, is billed as see them — exploring the medium this fourth annual barbecue battle,
a “celebration of light” and present- in three-dimensional fashion across a competition with regional brew-
ed in partnership with the Optical four sculptural light and sound ing companies 3 Stars, Evolution
Society, the American Physical installations. During evening hours, Craft, and Center of the Universe.
Society, and the American Institute the gallery once again offers spe- Guests will vote for their favor-
18 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
ite grilled foods as prepared right
on the City Tap patio by the three
brewers as well as the host restau-
rant — plus the BBQ staples of pota-
to salad and coleslaw. In addition,
the bar will be serving special a
la carte concoctions, including fro-
zen mugs of John Daly’s hard ice
tea/lemonade, stout beer-ice cream
floats, and shandy cocktails. Finally,
it wouldn’t be a proper patriotic
bash without a prize for the custom-
er dolled up in the most patriotic
attire — earning them a $100 City
Tap gift card. Wednesday, July 4,
from Noon to 5 p.m. 901 9th St. NW.
Tickets are $18 for a BBQ sampler
platter. Call 202-733-5333 or visit
pennquarter.citytap.com.
ROSÉ ALL DAY AT THE YARDS
The hippest restaurants in D.C.’s
Navy Yard area, including Chloe,
District Winery, Due South, Piccolo
Morini, and Whaley’s, are all partic-
ipating in a one-day festival focused
on varietals of wine that come in
the once-shunned shade of pink.
Yes, everything these days seems to
be about rosé, rosé, rosé — whether
offered in sparkling, frosé, or rosé
cider form. A total of nine different
types will be poured at multiple out-
door pop-up bars as part of a festival
that also features live music and,
to quote the festival’s official flow-
ery language, “perfectly pink ins-
tagrammable installations, such as
flower walls, fashion sketches, and
a garden lounge.” Saturday, June
30, from 1 to 5 p.m. The Yards Park,
355 Water St. Se. Tickets are $10
including custom wine glass mono-
gramming, or $40 for a Rosé Gold
VIP Package with access to the Rosé
Garden at Whaley’s for a Coconut
& Pina Colada, flight of three rosés,
and six River Keeper Oysters per
person. Visit theyardsdc.com.
ABOVE
AND BEYOND
JULY 4TH AT THE
NATIONAL ARCHIVES
The home of America’s founding
documents offers special morning
programming on America’s birth-
day. The day commences at 9 a.m.
with a live performance by the local
band Brass Connection, followed
at 10 a.m. with a Declaration of
Independence Reading Ceremony
hosted by Allison Seymour of Fox 5
and featuring remarks by Archivist
of the United States David S.
Ferriero, and of course reenactors
portraying historical characters.
The ceremony also features presen-
tation of colors by the Continental
Color Guard and a performance
by the Fife and Drum Corps.
The morning concludes with the
National Independence Day Parade
starting at 11:45 a.m. Constitution
Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets
NW. NW. Call 202-357-5000 or
visit archivesjuly4.org. l
 theFeed
FACEBOOK
FOOD FIGHT
Cuba Libre cites a partnership with Casa Ruby after mistreating
a transgender customer, but Charlotte Clymer cries foul. By John Riley
L
AST SATURDAY, CHARLOTTE CLYMER, A RAPID
response press secretary for the Human Rights
Campaign, took to Facebook to complain that staff at
Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar had attempted to stop her
from using the women’s restroom early Saturday morning.
At the restaurant for a close friend’s bachelorette party,
Clymer had attempted to use the restroom around midnight,
but was stopped by an attendant who demanded to see her
ID, saying she had to be “female” in order to enter.
“This is a packed hallway in a packed club/restaurant,
and this random staff person specifically picks me out to ask
for ID,” Clymer wrote. “I told him that’s nonsense, turned
on my heel, and continued into the restroom. I go into a stall
to do my business, and I hear him walk in and search for me
in this busy restroom full of women. He is doing everything
but opening the stall doors. I ignore him, and after a few
moments, he leaves. I do my business, wash my hands, and
walk out.”
Upon exiting, Clymer was approached by the attendant
and a manager for Cuba Libre, who told her that District
law requires people use restrooms that match the gender
on their state-issued ID. Clymer, knowledgeable of D.C.’s
Human Rights Act, told the managers that transgender
people can access facilities consistent with their gender
identity. The manager insisted Clymer leave, and threatened
to call the police if she refused. When she tried to show them
that they were mistaken, Clymer alleges that the manager
mocked her.
Outside the restaurant, Clymer called police while wit-
nesses to the incident comforted her. A police incident
report says that Clymer related her story to the responding
officers, who then interviewed the attendant and the manag-
er. The manager told police that it is the restaurant’s policy
to ask for identification from everybody who wishes to use
the bathroom. An MPD spokeswoman confirmed that the
Clymer
investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
While there is no criminal statute under which the
restaurant or its employees could be charged, Clymer could
choose to bring a civil suit against the company. She could
also choose to lodge a complaint with the D.C. Office of
Human Rights, which could determine whether to assess
fines or penalties against Cuba Libre, or require that staff
undergo retraining.
On Tuesday, Clymer told Metro Weekly that she will be
talking with a lawyer about her legal options going forward.
As of press time, she has not yet lodged a complaint with the
Office of Human Rights, but plans to speak with an investi-
gator this week.
A spokeswoman for OHR could not comment on specific
cases or whether a complaint had been filed, but Mónica
Palacio, the agency’s executive director, issued a statement
reiterating D.C.’s law regarding access to public facilities
and encouraging those who believe they have been discrim-
inated against to file complaints with OHR.
The responding MPD officers also notified the Alcoholic
Beverage Regulation Administration, which licenses bars
and other nightlife spots, about the incident. If it chooses,
ABRA could launch its own inquiry into the incident.
A public relations consultant for Cuba Libre offered a
statement on Saturday apologizing for the incident and
promising to retrain its entire staff. On Monday, the compa-
ny’s co-owner, Barry Gutin, issued a more extensive apology
acknowledging that his staffers’ actions violated D.C. law
and saying that such “mistreatment” was “contrary to my
partners’ and my core beliefs and values.”
“We have directed all D.C. restaurant personnel that
they must respect a person’s restroom choice based on their
own gender identification or expression,” Gutin said in the
statement. “More importantly, we will be partnering with
Ruby Corado and the team at Casa Ruby to train our staff,
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 19
 theFeed
and to identify other initiatives that will support the trans-
gender community including a contribution to Casa Ruby to
continue their important work in the community. With the
guidance of LGBTQ representatives, we will work to ensure
that Cuba Libre is a safe and welcoming space for all of our
patrons.”
While both Corado, executive director of Casa Ruby, and
Clymer agreed that retraining staff is important, they allege
that the restaurant released its statement promising that
Casa Ruby would provide training without ever reaching a
final agreement with Corado.
Corado says that while the restaurant’s public relations
person had reached out to ask about providing sensitivity
training to Cuba Libre staff, the agreement was never final-
ized, and Corado had wanted to speak to Clymer before
agreeing. She says that were she to agree to do the training,
she would be particularly concerned about the way that the
attendant and manager mocked Clymer after she insisted
that her position was supported by D.C. law.
“She’s very brave,” says Corado, “because I would have
gone crazy.”
After learning about Gutin’s statement, Clymer posted a
follow-up post on Facebook Monday night.
“Folks, we are now at a point where the corporate leader-
ship of Cuba Libre are intentionally exploiting Ruby Corado
to do damage control,” Clymer wrote. “They are exploiting
the reputation of a phenomenal transgender woman of
color, a hero in this city, to save their own asses.
“I am furious with the conduct of the corporate leader-
20 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
ship of Cuba Libre, and any ‘benefit of the doubt’ I had for
Barry Gutin has evaporated. This corporation clearly does
not respect LGBTQ people, and I will not be satisfied until
there are appropriate consequences.”
Harvey Huddle, a public relations representative, con-
firmed that the restaurant has not yet signed an official
contract with Casa Ruby to allow for staff retraining, and did
not intend to imply otherwise.
“When we hung up the phone with Ruby, we had agreed
in principle that Ruby was going to work with us,” Huddle
says. “It is absolutely our intent to move forward with Ruby
on training and other initiatives. We reached out to Ruby
because we knew how important it was to reach out to a
local transgender organization. We respect the role that
Ruby has played in the community, and are happy that, in
principle, without a signed contract, that she has agreed to
work with us. We were honored and happy that she would
agree to work with us to fix this horrible situation.”
Meanwhile, Clymer says she’s been hearing from staffers
at Cuba Libre who have been receiving threats and harass-
ment since the incident made headlines.
“I just want to say that is absolutely unacceptable and
disgusting,” says Clymer. “The other staffers at Cuba Libre
have nothing to do with this, and I’m quite appalled that
they would be harassed because of their manager’s actions.
I’ve also publicly said I would love to get dinner — perhaps
a group dinner — with staffers of Cuba Libre, as maybe a
measure of solidarity. Or as acknowledgement that they had
nothing to do with this.” l

THURSDAY, June 28
Join LGBTQ people from all
over the D.C. Metro area for a
PRIDE MONTH HAPPY HOUR
SOCIAL at the Embassy Row
Hotel’s Station Kitchen and
Cocktails Lounge. No cover,
everyone welcome. 6-9 p.m.
2015 Massachusetts Ave. NW.
Dupont Circle Metro is two
blocks away. Visit gogaydc.org
for more information.
The Alexandria Health
Department hosts “SKETCH
AND PLAY,” a free drawing
class where participants
will sketch half-naked mod-
els to help raise awareness
about HIV/AIDS as part of
NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY.
Art supplies, free food, and
free drinks provided. Free HIV
testing is also offered on site.
6:30-9:30 p.m. Parc Meridian
at Eisenhower, 750 Port St.,
Alexandria, Va. To RSVP, or for
more information, visit alexan-
driava.gov/health.
The DC ANTI-VIOLENCE
PROJECT, a group dedicated
to combating anti-LGBT hate
crimes, holds its monthly meet-
ing at The DC Center. 7-8:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite
105. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
The DC Center offers the third
of four classes as part of its
INTRO TO MINDFULNESS
course. Participants will learn
how mindfulness can help
them manage stress, be more
resilient, and develop a greater
presence. Bill Pullen, pres-
ident of BPA Coaching and
Consulting, and program direc-
tor of the Leadership Coaching
Program at Georgetown
University, will be the instruc-
tor. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more infor-
mation, visit thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
ANDROMEDA
TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH
offers free HIV testing and HIV
services (by appointment). 9
a.m.-5 p.m. Decatur Center,
1400 Decatur St. NW. To
arrange an appointment, call
202-291-4707, or visit androm-
edatransculturalhealth.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB practice
session at Takoma Aquatic
Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 300 Van
Buren St. NW. For more infor-
mation, visit swimdcac.org.
Community
DC FRONT RUNNERS run-
ning/walking/social club
welcomes runners of all ability
levels for exercise in a fun and
supportive environment, with
socializing afterward. Route
distance is 3-6 miles. Meet at
7 p.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW.
For more information, visit
dcfrontrunners.org.
DC LAMBDA SQUARES, D.C.’s
gay and lesbian square-dancing
group, features mainstream
through advanced square
dancing at the National City
Christian Church. Please dress
casually. 7-9:30 p.m. 5 Thomas
Circle NW. 202-930-1058,
dclambdasquares.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds
practice. The team is always
looking for new members.
All welcome. 7-9 p.m. Harry
Thomas Recreation Center,
1743 Lincoln Rd. NE. For more
information, visit scandalsrfc.
org or dcscandals@gmail.com.
THE DULLES TRIANGLES
Northern Virginia social
group meets for happy hour at
Sheraton in Reston. All wel-
come. 7-9 p.m. 11810 Sunrise
Valley Drive, second-floor bar.
For more information, visit
dullestriangles.com.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-
Walker Health. 9 a.m.-12:30
p.m. and from 2-5 p.m. at 1525
14th St. NW, and 9 a.m-12
p.m. and 2-5 p.m. at the Max
Robinson Center, 2301 MLK Jr.
Ave. SE. For an appointment
call 202-745-7000 or visit whit-
man-walker.org.
IDENTITY offers free and
confidential HIV testing at
two separate locations. Walk-
ins accepted from 2-6 p.m.,
by appointment for all other
hours. 414 East Diamond Ave.,
Gaithersburg, Md. or 7676
New Hampshire Ave., Suite
411, Takoma Park, Md. To set
up an appointment or for more
information, 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. To arrange
an appointment, call 202-638-
0750.
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 test-
ing@smyal.org.
STI TESTING at Whitman-
Walker Health. 10 a.m.-12:30
p.m. and 2-3 p.m. at both 1525
14th St. NW and the Max
Robinson Center, 2301 Martin
Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE.
Testing is intended for those
without symptoms. For an
appointment call 202-745-7000
or visit whitman-walker.org.
US HELPING US hosts a
Narcotics Anonymous Meeting.
The group is independent of
UHU. 6:30-7:30 p.m., 3636
Georgia Ave. NW. For more
information, call 202-446-1100.
WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE for young LBTQ
women, 13-21, interested in
leadership development. 5-6:30
p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410
7th St. SE. For more informa-
tion, call 202-567-3163, or email
catherine.chu@smyal.org.
FRIDAY, June 29
Weekly Events
BET MISHPACHAH, founded
by members of the LGBT com-
munity, holds Friday evening
Shabbat services in the DC
Jewish Community Center’s
Community Room. 8 p.m. 1529
16th St. NW. For more informa-
tion, visit betmish.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB holds
a practice session at Howard
University. 6:30-8 p.m. Burr
Gymnasium, 2400 6th St. NW.
For more information, visit
swimdcac.org.
PROJECT STRIPES hosts
LGBT-affirming social group
for ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419
Columbia Road NW. Contact
Tamara, 202-319-0422, layc-
dc.org.
SMYAL’S REC NIGHT provides
a social atmosphere for LGBT
and questioning youth, featur-
ing dance parties, vogue nights,
movies and games. For more
info, email catherine.chu@
smyal.org.
SATURDAY, June 30
ADVENTURING outdoors
group hikes 10 level miles along
the C&O Canal in western
Maryland near Cumberland.
Bring plenty of beverages,
lunch, sunscreen, bug spray,
about $20 for fees, and money
for dinner on the way home.
Carpool at 9 a.m. from the
Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
Kiss & Ride lot. Return after
dark. For more info, contact
Craig, 202-462-0535 or visit
adventuring.org.
Weekly Events
DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a
practice session at Montgomery
College Aquatics Club. 8:30-
10 a.m. 7600 Takoma Ave.,
Takoma, Md. For more infor-
mation, visit swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS run-
ning/walking/social club
welcomes runners of all ability
levels for exercise in a fun and
supportive environment, with
socializing afterward. Route
distance will be 3-6 miles.
Walker meet at 9:30 a.m. and
runners at 10 a.m. at 23rd & P
Streets NW. For more informa-
tion, visit dcfrontrunners.org.
DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass
for LGBT community, fam-
ily and friends. 6:30 p.m.,
Immanuel Church-on-the-
Hill, 3606 Seminary Road,
Alexandria. All welcome. For
more info, visit dignitynova.org.
SUNDAY, July 1
CHRYSALIS arts & culture
group visits the National
Archives to see its exhibition
“Remembering Vietnam.” Free
admission. Lunch in the neigh-
borhood follows. Meet at 11:30
a.m. past security inside the
Constitution Avenue entrance
between 7th and 9th Streets
NW. For more info, contact
Jeff, 301-775-9660, or jeffrey-
hughes@me.com.
Weekly Events
LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS
MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL
CHURCH celebrates Low Mass
at 8:30 a.m., High Mass at 11
a.m. 2300 Cathedral Ave. NW.
202-232-4244, allsoulsdc.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB holds
a practice session at Wilson
Aquatic Center. 9:30-11 a.m.
4551 Fort Dr. NW. For more
information, visit swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS run-
ning/walking/social club
welcomes runners of all ability
levels for exercise in a fun and
supportive environment, with
socializing afterward. Route
will be a distance run of 8, 10
or 12 miles. Meet at 9 a.m. at
23rd & P Streets NW. For more
information, visit dcfrontrun-
ners.org.
21
 FAIRLINGTON UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH is an open,
inclusive church. All welcome,
including the LGBTQ commu-
nity. Member of the Reconciling
Ministries Network. Services at
9:30 and 11:00 a.m. 3900 King
Street, Alexandria, Va. 703-671-
8557. For more info, visit fairling-
tonumc.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 infor-
mation on location and time, visit
H2gether.com.
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. lincol-
ntemple.org.
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF NORTHERN
VIRGINIA services at 11 a.m., led
by Rev. Emma Chattin. Children’s
Sunday School, 11 a.m. 10383
Democracy Lane, Fairfax. 703-691-
0930, mccnova.com.
NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN
CHURCH, inclusive church with
GLBT fellowship, offers gospel wor-
ship, 8:30 a.m., and traditional wor-
ship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas Circle NW.
202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.
ST. STEPHEN AND THE
INCARNATION, an “interra-
cial, 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, saintste-
phensdc.org.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
CHURCH OF SILVER SPRING
invites LGBTQ families and indi-
viduals of all creeds and cultures to
join the church. Services 9:15 and
11:15 a.m. 10309 New Hampshire
Ave. uucss.org.
MONDAY, July 2
The DC Center hosts a
VOLUNTEER NIGHT for commu-
nity members to lend a hand with
various duties, including cleaning,
keeping safe-sex kit inventory, and
sorting through book donations.
Pizza provided. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For
22 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
more information, visit thedccen-
ter.org.
Weekly Events
DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a
practice session at Dunbar Aquatic
Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 101 N St. NW.
For more information, visit swim-
dcac.org.
The DC Center hosts COFFEE
DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBT
COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000
14th St. NW. For more information,
call 202-682-2245 or visit thedc-
center.org.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS
WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9
p.m. Newcomers with at least basic
swimming ability always welcome.
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van
Buren St. NW. For more informa-
tion, contact Tom, 703-299-0504
or secretary@wetskins.org, or visit
wetskins.org.
WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH
HIV/AIDS SUPPORT GROUP
for newly diagnosed individuals,
meets 7 p.m. Registration required.
202-939-7671, hivsupport@whit-
man-walker.org.
TUESDAY, July 3
THE HIV WORKING GROUP of
The DC Center hosts a “Packing
Party,” where volunteers assemble
safe-sex kits of condoms and lube.
7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite
105. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
DC AQUATICS CLUB practice
session at Takoma Aquatic Center.
7:30-9 p.m. 300 Van Buren St. NW.
For more information, visit swim-
dcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/
walking/social club welcomes run-
ners of all ability levels for exercise
in a fun and supportive environment,
with socializing afterward. Route
distance is 3-6 miles. Meet at 7 p.m.
at Union Station. For more informa-
tion, visit dcfrontrunners.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds prac-
tice. The team is always looking
for new members. All welcome.
7-9 p.m. Harry Thomas Recreation
Center, 1743 Lincoln Rd. NE. For
more information, visit scandalsrfc.
org or dcscandals@gmail.com.
THE GAY MEN’S 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 571-214-9617.
james.leslie@inova.org.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
holds an LGBT-focused meet-
ing every Tuesday, 7 p.m. at St.
George’s Episcopal Church, 915
Oakland Ave., Arlington, just steps
from Virginia Square Metro. For
more info. call Dick, 703-521-
1999. Handicapped accessible.
Newcomers welcome. liveandletli-
veoa@gmail.com.
STI TESTING at Whitman-Walker
Health. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at both 1525
14th St. NW and the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 Martin Luther King,
Jr. Ave. SE. Testing is intended for
those without symptoms. For an
appointment call 202-745-7000 or
visit whitman-walker.org.
Support group for LGBTQ youth
ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL. 5-6:30
p.m. 410 7th St. SE. For more
information, contact Cathy Chu,
202-567-3163, or 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. 202-446-1100.
Whitman-Walker Health holds its
weekly GAY MEN’S HEALTH AND
WELLNESS/STD CLINIC. Patients
are seen on walk-in basis. No-cost
screening for HIV, syphilis, gon-
orrhea and chlamydia. Hepatitis
and herpes testing available for fee.
Testing starts at 6 p.m, but should
arrive early to ensure a spot. 1525
14th St. NW. For more information,
visit whitman-walker.org.
WEDNESDAY, July 4
ADVENTURING outdoors group
sponsors its Ninth Annual
Independence Day Hike, an easy
5-mile hike on the C&O Canal
Towpath and nearby trails near
Great Falls Tavern, Md. Bring bev-
erages, a picnic lunch, sunscreen,
bug spray, and a few dollars for
fees. Meet at 11 a.m. in front of
the Panera at Wisconsin Avenue
and Albemarle Street NW, by the
Tenleytown Metro Station, to form
carpools. For more info, contact
Jeff, 301-775-9660, or visit adven-
turing.org.
The LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB meets
at the Dignity Center, across from
the Marine Barracks, for Duplicate
Bridge. No reservations needed.
Newcomers welcome. 7:30 p.m. 721
8th St. SE. Call 202-841-0279 if you
need a partner.
Weekly Events
AD LIB, a group for freestyle con-
versation, meets about 6-6:30 p.m.,
Steam, 17th and R NW. All wel-
come. For more information, call
Fausto Fernandez, 703-732-5174.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)
holds a practice session at Dunbar
Aquatic Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 101 N
St. NW. For more information, visit
swimdcac.org.
FREEDOM FROM SMOKING, a
group for LGBT people looking
to quit cigarettes and tobacco use,
holds a weekly support meeting at
The DC Center. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th
St. NW, Suite 105. For more infor-
mation, visit thedccenter.org.
HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH
offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m.
and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.
Washington St., Alexandria. 703-
549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.
JOB CLUB, a weekly support pro-
gram for job entrants and seekers,
meets at The DC Center. 6-7:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more info, centercareers.org.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV
testing. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N.
15th St., Suite 200, Arlington.
Appointments: 703-789-4467.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS
WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9
p.m. Newcomers with at least basic
swimming ability always welcome.
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van
Buren St. NW. For more informa-
tion, contact Tom, 703-299-0504
or secretary@wetskins.org, or visit
wetskins.org. l
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 23
 Our T
Celebrating a Decade of
Interview by R

24 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

Town
DJs, Dancing, and Drag
Randy Shulman

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 25

“Don’t fuck it up.”
To hear John Guggenmos tell it, he planted the seed for the need a space.
gay world’s most famous catchphrase. “Traditionally, people have thought of nightclubs as being
“Years ago, I picked up RuPaul in my Audi,” says the local the problem of a neighborhood, a thing that brings a lot of neg-
nightclub legend. “We paid her $900 for two shows at Tracks, ativity,” he continues. “But I don’t think people think of us that
Friday and Saturday. We were backstage getting ready to put way. I do think it’s gonna be a different neighborhood without
her on. Now, I’m from Wyoming, and one of my degrees is in our energy here.”
theater and dance. One of my professors, her big thing backstage For their part, Guggenmos, Bailey, and Boyle are shoulder-
would be to say, ‘Have a good show — and don’t fuck it up.’ So ing the closing with resolve, though Bailey has made no secret in
I said that to RuPaul, and she goes, ‘What?’ It’s now one of her recent days that he’s profoundly devastated by its closing.
taglines.” “There will be an emptiness,” he says, softly.
“You’re responsible for that?” says Jim “Chachi” Boyle. “I choose not to feel,” jokes Guggenmos. “Because it’s just a
“Yes,” replies Guggenmos. business, you know? It’s just like selling socks somewhere else!
Ed Bailey, who has worked with Guggenmos since the If you stop doing it, why would you be so emotional about it?”
Tracks days, and has managed ten venues and parties with He pauses. “Well, my mind keeps trying to convince me of that.”
him — everything from Ozone to Halo to the currently thriving Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth, and during
Number 9 and Trade — laughs. “John’s been angling on how to the course of a two-hour conversation, it becomes apparent
get this in this interview.” that the loss for Guggenmos and
Guggenmos, Bailey, Boyle, along with Yusef Khatib, are the Boyle is every bit as hard as it is
owners of Town Danceboutique, the gay nightclub that opened for Bailey.
in late 2007 and took Washington’s LGBTQ community by... “There’s going to be stories
well, storm seems too quaint. Let’s say tidal wave. In only a about Town in five, ten years,”
decade, Town grew into a destination nightspot, one that, says Bailey. “It’s nice to know that
with each passing year, strengthened its community bonds and we created the atmosphere for all
beyond. Even Mayor Bowser held her recent victory party there. those stories.”
Town transported you out of the city and into its own wonderful Adds Guggenmos, “Meanwhile,
world, one filled with fabulous drag queens and first-rate DJs, a we three will be playing bridge in
world where people could feel good and exhale. our wheelchairs.”
A year ago, Town gave the community notice. The land it
resided on had been sold and the developers were razing the METRO WEEKLY: Between the three
club to construct high-rise luxury residences in an area already of you, there is more than 75 years
oversaturated with high-rise luxury residences. of experience in the nightlife arena.
Guggenmos wryly points to the club’s gorgeous outdoor So who better to answer how night-
patio and sighs. “Do you think we would have put the money life has evolved in Washington
into developing that patio if we’d known we were going to be from your specific points of view?
asked to leave?” JOHN GUGGENMOS: I’ll jump in.
Guggenmos and Bailey, both 52, have been working together Obviously online, Uber, all of
since their days managing Tracks, which held sway with the those things have changed the gay
LGBTQ community in the ’80s and ’90s. Tracks, at the time, community, period. But I think
was arguably the city’s hottest nightclub. Then came Velvet one of the things that always made
Nation, a massive, weekly Saturday night extravaganza in the us successful is that, even from
gargantuan Nation nightclub. Both venues were eventually even the early days of Tracks, we
demolished to make way for National Stadium. Some might call really thought of [our club venues]
it the progress of economics. Others would call it a cultural loss. as an entertainment facility that
But Guggenmos, Bailey, and the 48-year-old Boyle saw it as an happened to sell alcohol. So, those
opportunity to create something in a neighborhood that was on old days of just being “we’re going
the cusp of transitioning. Something more intimate. Something to open the door and have a shot
fresh. Something wonderful. special” really changed.
Environmentally warm and welcoming, Town felt like JIM “CHACHI” BOYLE: When we
an embrace every time you walked through its doors. On a all started there were payphones
Saturday night, when the upstairs dance floor was jam-packed, in clubs, and now everyone has
Town typified the very essence of unbridled energy. Its weekly access to immediately call, post,
drag shows kicked off Friday and Saturday nights with a glittery Tweet, Snap, Insta-story. Before,
explosion of joie de vivre. In a very short time, Town became you didn’t know how the night
more than just another nightclub, but a hub for the LGBTQ was until the next day, when peo-
community. It became home. ple would say how the night was.
“Gay nightclubs mean something completely different,” Now people immediately know
says Bailey, who also serves as one of the club’s resident DJs. if there’s a great party going on
“They’re not just a nightclub, they’re a space for people that because social media will be

26 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

advertising it for us. It’s a huge instant notification to the world
on how the party is.
ED BAILEY: Yes. People know exactly what’s going on all the
time now. Used to be a few cool kids that would know every-
thing and they were the movers and shakers, but now everybody
has all of that access in their hand all the time. We tried to jump
on that at the beginning when we opened. There were technol-
ogies that were playing into that concept of where people were.
We were comping people who were checking in here on various
social media platforms.
GUGGENMOS: Town was the first to be really plugged into social
media. It was just taking off when we opened.
BAILEY: Our community was at the forefront of being socially
interactive. So we have a larger mass audience in general than
other places in our community. The traffic definitely helped us
build something here in a way that was different from the way
that we built them at other times in our career.
BOYLE: Nightlife is always evolving. I became introduced to
John and Ed at Nation. I was a minority owner there. They were
doing a Saturday party — Velvet Nation. When people came to
Nation, it was a destination. They had a plan, they knew they
were coming. You were committed if you came down there.
Now, you might come to Town, you might go to Nellie’s, you
might go to Uproar, you might go to Dirty Goose. Everything’s
within a block of each other. It’s a lot easier to go from A to B.
Nation would close and people lined up trying to get taxis. It
was hard to get a taxi. Uber wasn’t around. Now, people can
decide at the last minute to come here — more so than they
could have with Nation or Tracks. They knew all week they
were going to Tracks and that was kind of the only option. Now
they have more options. They can go to straight bars, they can
go to other gay bars. Now there’s a lot more options. The ven-
ues have gotten smaller, there’s more bars, there’s a lot more
gay friendly places than there ever was. Some people feel free
walking the streets to the clubs that they didn’t feel, in my expe-
rience, 15, 20 years ago.
MW: You’re one of the only LGBTQ clubs that has an 18-and-up
night.
BAILEY: It’s always been a part of what we’ve tried to do — have
a business model where there is some opportunity for people
under 21 to participate, because those are formative years.
Where else are you gonna go where you’re going to feel like you
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 27
can figure out who you are and what you’re all about, and what
your potential community could be all about? That’s a really
nice component to what we do. It feels like it helps people find
their community when they are looking for one. Some of us who
are older maybe feel more confident about where we fit, and
how we belong, but how do we get there?
And what has definitely evolved is gay people bringing their
straight friends to a club, which is a different concept for older
clientele to see. Some are negative about it because their history
would not be positive about having straight people in our space.
GUGGENMOS: I mean, just having that sense of being able to
come somewhere and belong, and know that it will get better.
MW: We’ve been covering nightlife for 24 years, and there has
always been this steady drumbeat of “Nightlife is dying, nightlife
is dying.” Of course, that’s never been the case, but why do you
think people say that?
BAILEY: When people say nightlife is dying, you have to try to
define what they mean when they say nightlife. It means some-
thing different to everybody. Everyone’s trying to find some-
thing different when they go out. Whether it’s just interaction,
or whether it’s meeting somebody just for the night, or meeting
someone for the rest of their life, or whether it’s just feeling like
you want to let off some steam, or get out of your own house,
or be entertained and see a show, whether you love music. It
means something different to everybody.
Being able to provide how people define that for themselves
is what we’re in the business of doing. Trying to offer different
DJs who may speak to different kinds of people that appreci-
ate music, and to be able to evolve with the times and the fact
that maybe less people are coming to a space like this to meet
28 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
somebody to go home with for the night because there are con-
siderably more efficient ways to do that with your phone. We
all hope that there will never be a sense that entertainment will
go out of style.
GUGGENMOS: Oh, entertainment will always be necessary.
BAILEY: We will contend that live entertainment is the best kind
of entertainment. While you can see the performers that might
be here on a night on YouTube before you come, or you can hear
the DJs on Soundcloud before you come, there is something
about the nature of seeing something live and being in a group
of people that are experiencing that all at once that we’re hoping
never goes out of style, because this is what we do. It’s what we
love to do.
GUGGENMOS: But you evolve with it. I mean, an outdoor space
before? Not necessary. Now, it’s critical.
BAILEY: When you first interviewed us when we were first open-
ing, I think I said we are hoping that everything we have learned
at this point has brought us to a place where we can institute
all the good things — and hopefully eliminate all the bad things
— that we’ve done for the last few decades. Looking back with
some perspective now, I can say that we were successful in
implementing things that we thought would be popular and
attractive. I would also say that we cast a wider net than I think
we had previously. I think that’s part of the evolution of our
community, and what we’ve done here at this club. I do think it
has resonated with considerably more people than other things
than we’d done previously.
We have really created something that has been well-re-
ceived by a large number of people, and that’s very satisfying
and it is what we were trying to do. Many people try to do that,
“I know people use this word, and
throw it around when they don’t
mean it, but there is something very
special about the connection here.
We’re a family.”
and not everybody succeeds, but I think we’ve been successful
in doing that, and I’m very proud of it. We all are. I think we’ve
been very adept at adapting to the reality of what things are pos-
sible here, and including as many things as we could and trying
to go after them and figure out how they fit in this space.
It’s a very satisfying feeling to be in this space on a Friday to
watch Bear Happy Hour transition into a room of college kids
who all appreciate the space for what it offers them individually.
And then they all mixed together in a way that would not hap-
pen really in any other location, or time and space.
MW: You guys have always put such meticulous care
and extra effort into everything you do. You don’t
have to — you would likely succeed despite it. So,
why do you?
GUGGENMOS: It has to be a functional experi-
ence. Even to survive you make some of the most
mundane things easier and better. For example, if
you don’t have to stock a bar with ice by taking it
through the crowd, that enhances the experience.
If having a floor scrubber that just — I mean, smell
it right now. It doesn’t smell like a bar! It doesn’t! I
mean, I’ve had people come in here and say they’re
amazed at how clean the place smells. Great sound
and lights are a given, but it’s those other elements
that you’re really not aware of that are critically
important.
BAILEY: Yep. Bright enough to see that guy across
the room, but not so bright that it’s uncomfortable
to be seen seeing that guy across the room. One of
the things people remark about what we do is that
we do constantly change the space. There’ve been a
lot of changes here. This area we’re sitting in used
to be 18 inches higher than it is right now, which
some people remember, but some people don’t. It
also didn’t use to have all these windows.
BOYLE: Internally, this club has evolved over time.
We have made lots of changes. Most of the people
probably have no idea, unless they actually think
about it, a lot of the subtle changes we’ve done. One
of the things I’m proud about here is that you can
walk all the way around the upstairs. That’s really
hard to do in any club. You can walk behind the DJ
booth. You can go all the way around, and that just
— John Guggenmos
kind of helps traffic flow. It just makes it a more enjoyable expe-
rience that you don’t have a choke point like we had at Nation.
Going from one room to the other was really just a congested
point, but that’s something we put focus on when we were
building this out, to try to make sure that you could go from
space to space, and it was easy to do it, and it wasn’t bumping
into people.
BAILEY: A lot of people ask why gay bars close all the time, and
I generally say that it is true that for a long time in our commu-
nity, gay people did not have a lot of options. They have more
options nowadays, but for a long time you could be a gay bar
owner and not really have to do a whole lot to be successful. You
just had to have a place and turn on the lights.
GUGGENMOS: And put up a rainbow flag.
BAILEY: We’re trying to create experiences. This is not just an
assembly line where we’re trying to open the door, get them in,
get the money, and get them out. I think that’s why a lot of bars
have trouble succeeding.
MW: You’re not closing because of any business reasons. You’re
closing because your landlord sold the land and you were asked
to vacate.
GUGGENMOS: The land sold for an obscene amount of money —
$25 million dollars. They’re building apartments here.
MW: So, it’s a misperception that people thought you owned the
land?
GUGGENMOS: And that we cashed in, and quit? Yes, it’s a
misperception.
BAILEY: I’ve had to reply to people who ask questions and send
emails, and I’m like, “Okay, you do understand, we’ve had this
business taken away from us.”
MW: Why do you think they don’t understand that?
GUGGENMOS: [Laughs.] Because most bar owners are greedy,
horrible people.
BAILEY: A lot of people that aren’t in the restaurant and bar busi-
ness assume that the restaurants, and bars, and nightclubs own
the property they’re in. I’d say 90 percent of us lease our prop-
erties. We lease this. It already cost more than we could afford
to build it out, nevermind buying the property too — that’s just
not realistic. We don’t own the property, we never owned the
property, never owned the building. It was a lease, and it got
sold out from under us. We’re tenants and the new landlords
would not extend our ability to be here.
The irony is I don’t think we started this project thinking
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 29
“This is just the end of the
chapter, but it’s not
the end of the story.
There’s more
chapters to be
written.”
we’d be here this long. And I don’t think, even midway, we
could have gone on for another however many years from this
point. And now that it’s being taken from us, it definitely feels
like we could have gone on for quite a while. There’s something
to be said about being at your peak of a business and going out
like this. There’s something romantic about that notion, I guess.
GUGGENMOS: It’s just disappointing. When I told these two, I
still remember their reactions. I was told at Tortilla Coast, and I
remember walking back to the house just feeling like somebody
killed my dog, you know? Then I didn’t say anything to either
of them. They were like, “What’s wrong?” I said, “We’ll talk
upstairs.” So we came to this corner.
BAILEY: We actually did it right in the spot we’re sitting in now.
GUGGENMOS: I told them and it was just, “Wait, say it again,
what do you mean?”
BAILEY: I was like, “Are you serious?” Everything changed
because this is our child — I use that analogy a lot. People say,
well you have two other children, and I’m like, would you say
that to a parent, who lost their child? The staff is our family.
Not just the staff, but the performers, the DJs, and some of the
customers.
GUGGENMOS: I know people use that word, they throw it
around when they don’t mean it, but there is something very
special about the connection here. We’re a family.
MW: How hard was it to tell the staff?
BAILEY: It sucked. But then, I am proud of the fact that we’ve
been able to let everybody know — that there’s been a one-year
celebration and no one is surprised. Everyone’s had a year to
prepare. I mean, it still sucks, but we’ve had a year to prepare for
it, our staff’s had a year to prepare, the different people we work
with have had a year to prepare.
GUGGENMOS: We’ve tried to help transition people out as our
staff. We’ve tried to get people plenty of notice.
MW: That was smart, otherwise you’d be living under a cloud of
rumors.
BAILEY: I feel like there’s been rumors of our closing since we
opened.
BOYLE: I’ve been through this before, because they were the
promoter on Saturday, at Nation. I was the operator, and I was
30 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
— Jim “Chachi” Boyle
a minority owner, and when we got notice that we were being
kicked out of Nation, I was like, well, I don’t know what to do.
So when it came time to deal with this here, there wasn’t a hes-
itation. It was like, let’s share it with the staff. Let’s make sure
that people are aware, and we have one year to have a year-long
celebration. The final Halloween, the final New Year’s, the final
Pride, the final whatever it was. I felt good about it. But unfor-
tunately, we had the experience of closing a club already. So, it
sucks. It’s disappointing and sad. I feel like so many people have
grown up here in this space. It’s been around enough that
there’s a dejavu aspect.
BAILEY: I spoke primarily when we did the announcement to
the staff, and at one point in the middle of it, my voice just
kind of cracked. There was an emotional part of it.
MW: How are you feeling right now, on the weekend before the
closing party?
BOYLE: Proud. Definitely proud. I’ve always been proud
to share the product we put out there, and I will put it up
against any other business, club, any other place I’ve ever
been. I think we’re pretty lucky — or I’m pretty lucky any-
way — to have worked with great staff. And we’ve had some
people that have been with us since the beginning. We have
some people here that came from Nation — there’s still a
couple floating around.
It’s gonna be a big change with Town gone. Not having
a big gay space that’s gay-owned, gay-operated, that’s gay
almost every night that we’re open — it’s gonna be gone and
it’s sad. I think it will change the social atmosphere in the
city.
Walking home the other day from here, I ran into two
different people on the street that I know casually and they
took their earbuds out just to tell me, “Thank you,” for what
we provided for the ten years we provided it. So, I mean,
I’m proud — very proud — of what we accomplished, what
we’ve done. I feel great. And I’m also happy that we’re going
out riding a wave of a year of people being appreciative of
how great it is.
BAILEY: We did decide to tell everybody a year ago and that
felt like owning the situation. It felt nice to kind of feel like
you had some control, even though the reality was we didn’t
really have control over this and we certainly didn’t want this to
go this way. After we announced, for the first six months, I think
when people would ask me how I felt about it — which, for the
record, everybody does all the time — for the first six months I
just did what I think most people do in polite society and I was
like, “Well, you know, it sucks but it is what it is.”
And then, I don’t know what happened. Around the holidays
I just decided I was going to be more honest with people. I have
told people when they ask me, depending on how well I know
them, that I am really profoundly sad that this is closing. I don’t
know that this is the last thing we’re going to do — we are trying
to figure out how to do another space, and that has not proven
to be, so far, fruitful, but we’re working at it.
GUGGENMOS: We just don’t wanna do anything.
BOYLE: We’re not gonna settle for mediocre space.
BAILEY: I guess that there’s a chance that this could be the thing
that you would consider to be a culmination of all of our expe-
riences to try to create the best possible space we could, and so,
if it’s gone and this is the end of that, that’s a really sad thing
for me personally. But I also think it’s sad for the city. I’m very
proud of what we created because it has provided a lot of things
for a lot of people on a lot of levels. And so, for it to not be here
is sad on a lot of those levels. It’s depressing. And that’s real, and
I decided to be real about that after a while, as opposed to kind
of sugarcoating it.
GUGGENMOS: Town could be the culmination, but it doesn’t feel
that way. We spent a great deal of wasted time on a [potential
new] space [that didn’t work out]. But there are a number of
people that are assisting us in trying to locate another space.
MW: So you’re optimistic, John, that you’ll have another space?
GUGGENMOS: Yes. There’s a list of spaces that we’re looking.
BOYLE: We definitely, we have another space in us. There’s no
doubt about it.
BAILEY: Oh, we have another club in us. We’re just hoping to
find the right spot.
GUGGENMOS: It has to be. Because we don’t just want to do it if
it’s not [right].
BOYLE: We’re not gonna settle.
BAILEY: We’ve set a standard for ourselves.
BOYLE: This is just the end of the chapter, it’s not the end of
the story. There’s more chapters to be written. I’m confident
in that. And we’ve talked about it. “Do we have another club in
us?” And absolutely we do. One hundred percent we do. It’s just
a matter of finding a space that fits our needs and we can build
out to the standards that we think that we expect and we think
our customers demand. l
Town Danceboutique will hold its final Bear Happy Hour (21+)
and Final Friday night 18+ party on Friday, June 29. Doors for
Bear Happy Hour open at 5 p.m. Last entry is at 8:30 p.m.
The doors for Friday’s drag show open at 9 p.m. and the show
starts at 9:30 p.m. Tickets for the drag show are sold out. If you
have tickets, arrive early. General admission to the club will begin
after the drag show has ended at approximately 11 p.m. Admission
is $35 and is available in person, at the door only.
Town’s final party is Saturday, June 30. The doors for Saturday’s
drag show open at 9 p.m. and the show starts at 9:30 p.m. Tickets
for the show are sold out. If you have tickets, arrive early. General
admission to the club will begin after the drag show has ended at
approximately 11 p.m. General admission is $35 and is available in
person, at the door only. Visit towndc.com.
Senior Editor Doug Rule contributed to this interview.
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 31
Portraits of Town

A selection of the bartenders, DJs, drag performers,

managers, and patrons who helped to make
Town a special destination.

Photography by Julian Vankim

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 33

 Lena Lett, Ladies of Town (Emcee), Since Opening, 2007 Paul Mazzullo, Bartender, Since Opening, 2007

DJ Adam Koussari, Since 2014 DJ Jeff Prior, Since 2014

34 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

Kris Sutton, Bartender, Since 2008 DJ Wess, Since Opening, 2007

DJ Dvonne, Since 2014 Ba’Naka, Ladies of Town (Cast), Since 2008

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 35

 Shi-Queeta-Lee, Ladies of Town (Cast),Since Opening, 2007 Ed Ault, Manager, Since Opening, 2007

DJ Twin, Since 2012 Ryan Bennett, Weekly Patron, Since Opening, 2007

36 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

 DJ Matt Bailer, Since 2011 Jim “Chachi” Boyle, Co-owner, Since Opening, 2007

Gigi Paris Couture, Ladies of Town, Since 2014 DJ/promoter Aaron Riggins, Since 2009

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 37

 Kevin Rowe, Bartender,Since Opening, 2007 Andrew Hodges, Manager, Since 2009

Sasha Adams Sanchez, Ladies of Town (Cast), Since 2012 Adam Campbell, Manager, Since 2008

38 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

 Adam Hodges, Door Staff, Since 2009 Tatianna, Ladies of Town (Cast), Since 2011

Brian Bennett, Bartender, Since Opening, 2007 DJ Chord, Since 2013

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 39

 Iyana and Brooklyn, Ladies of Town, Since 2010 Matt Miller, Bartender, Since 2008

DJ Madscience, Since 2013 Ed Bailey, Co-owner, Since Opening, 2007

40 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

 Town Forum
We asked Town’s patrons and employees, past and present, what Town meant to them,
as well as to recount their best memories.
What has Town meant to you personally?
ED AULT, 41, manager: After managing the different events,
shows, and decor installations at VelvetNation, it has been
incredibly thrilling to create memorable experiences at a
smaller, more intimate venue. Town really allowed me to
interact with individuals and learn how they wanted to have
fun. I’m moving on with a sense of pride and fulfillment which
will never fade.
BACK2BACK (BILL KEART AND ALAN CHASAN), DJs: A place to play
for thousands of people and have the parties of a lifetime. Town
has always been a place of total acceptance and fun, fun, fun.
JOHN BOUSHKA, 74, patron: It was my favorite disco. The audi-
ence or crowd tended to be diverse but was proportionally
representative of the DC gay community,
more so than any other bar, as it was
intended as a melting pot.
DESTINY B. CHILDS, 40, drag performer:
“Town has been
Town was a place to go to just have fun!
You could always count on the staff
a gathering
and management to ensure your evening
was enjoyable and safe. Being one of the place, a refuge,
original cast members for the drag show
was an honor and an experience I will
never forget. To be able to have a place
a place to shed
of that magnitude to go to showcase my
talents and to be able to entertain the
all the cares of
community was fantastic. The “kids”
that would come to watch the show the world and be
would scream, cheer, and dance along
with the queens. yourself. IT WILL
CICI, 22, patron: Town, to me, has always
meant freedom of expression. It was a
BE MISSED
place where I could walk in and unequiv-
ocally be myself in front of total strangers TERRIBLY.”
and not be judged. I no longer had to have
on the daily mask I must have when the
—DJs BacK2bACk
world isn’t ready to accept me as I am.
When I entered Town, my soul was set on
fire and I once again gained the strength
to face whatever was outside those doors. I’ll miss it so much,
but I will carry my memories with me forever.
DVONNE, 34, DJ: Town was the first major club I’ve played as a
DJ. They gave us [CTRL] the freedom to develop our party in
whichever way we saw fit. They welcomed us into their family
with open arms, and I’m forever grateful for that.
STERLING HIGGINS, 40, Event Promoter: The club was always
willing to provide space for queer women’s events such as HER
HRC and our farewell Queertopia event. The owner and man-
agement team were so friendly, professional, and responsive.
The most amazing thing about Town was how it felt to be there.
Over the years the area has changed to be safer, cleaner, and
more accessible. When Town opened it was nested in a transi-
tioning part of D.C. Once you stepped into the club there was a
welcoming feeling of inclusivity that made everyone want to be
there. As a queer woman, I never felt discriminated against or
uncomfortable. I always felt like everyone was welcome.
SHI-QUEETA LEE, 53, drag performer: Town has meant every-
thing to me — a safe space to work and play. Town has given
me chance to be on America’s Got Talent, to be the first drag
queen to perform at White House, to host my own show at the
Howard Theatre, Bethesda Jazz & Blues,
the John F. Kennedy Center Millennium
Stage, and now owning Queeta’s Palace.
It was a learning experience to build my
own brand.
DANNY LINDEN, 59, patron: I frequented
Town most often on Fridays for Bear
Happy Hour. For a long time, Town
felt like walking into “Cheers” because
almost EVERYONE you knew was either
there, or, would be there soon.
KARIE, 27, one-time visitor: It was the first
place I’ve ever been to and been “out,”
and that was a wonderful feeling.
PHILIP PANNELL, 67, patron: I fondly
remember going to Town for various
political events for both the LGBT com-
munity and the city at large. I was thrilled
that Mayor Bowser held her campaign
victory party there on June 19. What a
sweet gesture.
LT. BRETT PARSON, 50, patron: It’s been
a thrill to watch Town’s business grow
and become a landmark in the communi-
ty. The owners, management, and most importantly, staff have
made Town a uniquely D.C. place to go — with large crowds,
loud music, and carefree fun, all in a clean, safe, and accepting
space. Town welcomed everyone and provided a small respite
from the outside world.
RAYCEEN PENDARVIS, 68, patron: It’s been a place to meet new
people, network, and see fantastic drag shows.
ALEXA RODRIGUEZ, 41, patron: Town represented the oppor-
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 41
tunity to be yourself, the opportunity to create a career as a
drag performer, and a safer space for LGBTQ communities, a
space for organizations to raise funds, and a welcoming space
for all ages.
KEVIN ROWE, 35, bartender: I have been at Town since the begin-
ning, and it has been more than just a job for me. The people I
have worked with and met through my time there have become
some of my best friends. I am sad to see it go — it’s probably the
only way they could ever get rid of me.
JOSH SCHONEWOLF, 37, promoter: I emceed a monthly show at
Town for over two years. It really taught me how to be a legit
burlesque performer. I suffered from severe stage fright in my
hometown of Philadelphia, but with the love and support I
received from the audience, staff, and
drag queens backstage, I am the per-
former I am today, thanks to Town.
CHARGER STONE, 38, promoter: I start- “When I
ed working at Town as a barback
the second weekend it was open in
November, 2007. Worked there for
entered Town,
almost a year. I came back in August
of 2009 as a promoter for Bear Happy my soul was
Hour. I met my husband during Bear
Happy Hour at Town. We got engaged set on fire
in front of the entire BHH crowd after
a spectacular contemporary dance
routine developed by Derek Brown to
and I once
David Guetta’s “Without You.” Town,
its owners and staff, have become again gained
family to me. I’m going to miss it
immensely. the strength
TATIANNA, 30, drag performer: To
me, Town has always meant family!
TO FACE
I essentially grew up at Town, and I
wouldn’t be where I am today without WHATEVER
WAS OUTSIDE
everyone there. Being able to be a part
of of the Town family is something I
feel grateful for and something I won’t
ever forget. THOSE DOORS.”
TWIN (KURT GRAVES) , 34, DJ: —Cici
I remember the first time I was
asked to DJ at Town in 2012. As
an up-and-coming DJ at the time, that was a huge deal for
me. I’ll never forget that feeling of excitement. Becoming a
regular DJ at Town really helped me solidify my name as a
serious DJ in D.C. Sometimes in life we only need to be given
a chance and I am extremely humble and grateful that Town
took a chance with me.
ROBERT YORK, 50, patron: Town has been a vibrant part of the
LGBT community since the doors opened. Ed, Chachi, John, Ann
and Dougie have always opened the doors to the community. We
have been able to celebrate crowning moments, charity events,
birthdays, and we were able to celebrate life for dear friends no
longer with us. When the community was grieving after Orlando
Pulse, Town opened its doors to provide a safe place for people
to gather for comfort, as well as raise money for our Orlando
brothers, sisters and families that needed the support.
42 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
What do you think Town has meant to the
local LGBTQ community-at-large?
AULT: Despite the ease of meeting people online or through apps,
there will always be a need to have a place where a person can
feel safe and free to explore their sexuality. We worked hard to
maintain that environment and allowed people to let their hair
down in public.
BACK2BACK: It’s been a gathering place, a refuge, a place to shed
all the cares of the world and be yourself. We believe it’s been far
more than many realize, and it will be missed terribly.
CHILDS: Town gave the younger generation not old enough to
drink a place to go when not many
clubs in D.C. would allow someone 18
to 20 years old.
CICI: Town has meant everything to
our community. It has been so many
people’s first club night, first public
showing after coming out, someone’s
first drag show. Town was open to
everyone and made everyone feel wel-
come. It’s a place we will mourn like
losing a family member.
LINDEN: For many it was a comfortable
and fun home. And because of the
club’s layout, one could have more
quiet, thoughtful interactions. It facil-
itated reunion, a scheduled gathering
when many of us were most elated
about being a DMV resident during
the Obama Administration. And then
later I certainly cried in my beer with
friends who gathered there at Town to
process and discuss (and seek refuge)
from recent political changes.
KARIE: It’s a shame it’s being closed
just so another apartment building can
be built. D.C. needs more places like
Town, not expensive apartments.
STONE: Over the years it’s brought in
talent that no other gay establishment in the city would have
been capable of bringing in. They have provided employment for
hundreds of people while giving tens of thousands more some of
the greatest gay experiences of their lives. For those young men
and women 18+ it’s one of the only places they can really experi-
ence what is out there. It was an eye-opener for them.
ZAR, 32, patron: Town has been a mainstay in the LGBTQ com-
munity — and it’s located next to the best place for pizza.
Please share your fondest memory
of Town.
BACK2BACK: From the performances, to the nights the crowds
went nuts, Town is a compendium of favorites: The screams
when dancers recognized your mix, the adoring applause of fans
cheering on the amazing drag queens, the generosity of spirit
throughout the club.
BOUSHKA: One of my favorites was the recreation of Tracks,
which was the best nightclub D.C. has ever had. I also did go to
Velvet Nation, which preceded Town. Both were displaced by
Nationals Park (but I go to Nats games so I can’t complain).
CHILDS: I will never forget the night the drag cast along with
Derek and the Town dancers did the number from Hairspray,
“You Can’t Stop the Beat.” We rehearsed for a very long time
and the night finally came. It was a packed house and the place
went crazy!
CICI: I loved when a few weeks ago, when I went up on stage for
our [group] photo, all of my friends cheered so loud it was like
I had my own fanclub. In that moment, I felt like I was home.
DREWG, 35, DJ: Many many moons ago when I was just a young
DJ starting out, I was working for a liquor brand and had a meet-
ing at Town. On the way out I remember smiling and shaking Ed
Bailey’s hand and saying to him, “You know, one day I’m gonna
be one of your resident DJs.” He smiled and giggled a tad — it
was a ballsy comment on my end, so I don’t blame him. Little
did I know that not only would I actually become a resident, but
Ed would become more of a father to me
than my own.
DVONNE: Some of my favorite memories
“It’s a shame
from Town come from participating in
the sketch comedy show CRACK put on
it’s being closed
by Shea Van Horn, Chris Farris, and Karl just so anoth-
Jones. The work and creativity put into
those shows has been and will forever be er apartment
truly inspiring.
building can
LINDEN: The Tracks Reunion in April be built. D.C.
2013 when I danced nonstop for three
hours. The evening was joyous, a truly NEEDS MORE
transcendent experience — so much
so in fact, that I later hired three of PLACES LIKE
the reunion’s DJs — DJ Mykael (Tim
Sheehan) DJ Dub (James David Graham)
TOWN, NOT
and Michele Miruski — for Mid-Atlantic EXPENSIVE
Leather Weekend dances at the 9:30
Club. APARTMENTS.”
— Karie
KARIE: It was my first time at a club (gay
or otherwise) in June 2016, and it was
a blast. I met some cool people and I even DANCED WITH A
GIRL! I almost got my first kiss, but was too shy/awkward to let
her kiss me (Maria, maybe we’ll meet again). I’m sad I never got
to go back. It was such a fun place, and a night I’ll never forget.
RODRIGUEZ: La Fiesta from the GLBT History Project every year
since 2011.
STONE: The owners gave us the space to use so that we could
also get married on a Sunday afternoon in September, 2013. We
had the ceremony downstairs and decorated the upstairs for
the reception. We had 90 of our closest friends there. I sang a
song to my husband, and he had one of our friends write a song
specifically for me.
TATIANNA: All of the New Years and Pride celebrations. The
energy was always amazing and you could really see all of the
people who really loved this place.
ZAR: I have three. Attending the annual CAGLCC Mega
Networking Events, going to a Tracks Reunion event several
years ago, and having a private reception at Town in June for
Team Rayceen volunteers, performers from The Ask Rayceen
Show, and fans of Rayceen Pendarvis.
DREWG: The team behind Town is full of geniuses, and I have a
feeling we’ll all be together again someday soon.
What local LGBTQ bars will you frequent
after Town closes?
BACK2BACK: The ones we still play music and video in. And some
of the ones who have extended offers to us!
CHILDS: Freddie’s Beach Bar, Pitchers, and Cobalt. Those three
are truly the only places left that are not only there for profit,
but always there for the community. David Perruzza, Freddie
Lutz, and Brian Blanchard always open their doors for D.C.
organizations and allow them to take
over and have a successful night. Without
community members like them, the D.C.
non-profit organizations would not be
able to help our community as they do.
DVONNE: I go to Trade very often, as I DJ
there and live nearby. Otherwise I mostly
attend queer parties like TNX and raves
out in warehouses.
LEE: Queeta’s Palace at Chateau Remix. I
now own my own pop-up bar/restaurant!
ROWE: Number Nine is my most fre-
quented bar, followed by Trade. I have a
lot of friends who work at both bars.
STONE: We’ve become very fond of Trade
and Uproar the past couple years. We are
also moving Bear Happy Hour over to
Uproar, so it’s going to be our go-to now
that Town is closed.
TWIN: Flashy Sundays, of course! It’s one of the best parties in
D.C.
TATIANNA: I will probably be going to Cobalt a lot because I have
so many friends that work there.
LINDEN: I’m a creature of habit and convenience so neighbor-
hood bars like Trade and Green Lantern are easily accessible.
And, of course, there’s the legendary DC Eagle. As long as there
are happy, friendly people somewhere, I’ll make an effort to get
there. That said, I don’t go out as often as I once did, but the
appeal of any bar and nightclub is in the people, our laughs, and,
of course, a strong cocktail. l
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 43
LUKE GILFORD
Music

production and the hand-off to 2 Chainz

Xcessive Xtina
are a notable departure from what we are
used to hearing from her.
“Twice” is a safer, more formulaic
track, putting the spotlight entirely on
Christina Aguilera’s eighth album brings artistic clarity and powerful Aguilera, who belts out a pop ballad over
themes in an underwhelming package. By Sean Maunier only a piano and chorus. The high point
of Liberation, though, comes with feminist

W
power anthem “Fall in Line,” a song full of
ITH FIVE GRAMMYS, SPOTS ON SEVERAL “MOST INFLUENTIAL” frustration, anger and a long-suppressed
lists, and 50 million worldwide record sales, Christina Aguilera has very sense of defiance. Although the song was
little to prove to anyone. There is no immediately obvious reason the pop written before the #MeToo movement
icon decided to release a new record, and, six years after her last outing, this one almost took off, it landed in the middle of it and
comes as a surprise. It may be that in the intervening time, which encompassed six sea- was readily adopted as an anthem. Demi
sons as a coach on The Voice, she simply wanted to find out where she would now fit in Lovato almost manages to hold her own on
the kaleidescopic pop landscape that she had been largely absent from. the track, but when the two come together
The place she carves out on Liberation ( ) is heavily indebted to hip-hop for a soaring duet on the final chorus, her
and R&B. She has long cited these genres as influences, and has borrowed from them voice hardly registers.
on many occasions. Here, she brings them into the foreground. The album features It is no coincidence that the most mem-
heavyweights like Kanye West and Anderson Paak, who each produced two tracks, and orable moments of the album are the two
a collaboration with 2 Chainz and Ty Dolla Sign on the lead single “Accelerate.” singles that showcase Aguilera’s full vocal
Aguilera’s vision, or at least an approximation of it, is most strongly realized in the power. Her voice has always been distinct
album’s singles. When “Accelerate” dropped in May, it received a highly mixed recep- and memorable, and when it does get to
tion, but there was no disputing that this was a very weird-sounding track. Its lyrics and shine on Liberation, it seems even stron-
subtle crooning echo her early hit “Dirrrty,” but otherwise, the chatty vocals, excessive ger than it has in the past. Unfortunately,

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 45

much of the album seems to treat Aguilera still has things to try and
her as a side-piece rather than the room to grow. There is enough in
main event. the album to suggest that a spec-
Her producers seem unsure of tacular pop rebirth might still be
how to make the most of her tal- on the way, but it’s unfortunate
ent, which might be most clear on that her return to recording is
“Maria,” one of the biggest mixed a bit of a false start. She clearly
bags of the album. Aguilera brings knows where her strengths lie
characteristically flawless vocals and has a handle on the direc-
to a reflective, introspective song tion she wants to move in, but
about the interplay between her through most of the album she
personal and professional lives. appears unable to fully bring the
After a whispery intro, she comes two together.
in alongside high-pitched backing It’s hard to escape the thought
vocals, a string section, thump- that the album would have been
ing beat, and a harpsichord. It’s improved with less clutter and a
an unusual combination that tighter focus, but it has so many
pulls the track in several different moving parts that it is hard to
directions at once and the nar- know what would have been best
rative is mostly lost. Adding to left on the cutting room floor.
the issue are lyrics that are often Aside from a handful of moments
awkward and occasionally down- of clarity, the final product is scat-
right cringeworthy — a problem tered and tonally confused. If the
elsewhere, with “Pipe” being the album was meant to be a bold,
MILAN ZRNIC

worst offender on the album. multifaceted new direction for

Liberation is a highly experi- the pop diva, its main problem
mental album, and if nothing else might be that it contains so many
it’s an encouraging sign that even at the top of the pyramid, facets, she gets lost among them. l

Liberation is available now to buy on Amazon and iTunes, and on streaming services.

46 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

STAN BAROUH
Stage

Navy Yard, bound in friendship by battle

Lucky Town
and loaded with seaman swagger. Each
of them hailing from small town America,
they arrive with fresh, bright eyes for the
big city, ready to conquer a few dames.
Casey transmits Chip’s eagerness
A first-rate cast really cooks in Olney’s snappy production to explore every inch of the town, and
of Leonard Bernstein’s On the Town. By André Hereford Ludwig conveys Ozzie’s lust for cozying

D
up to whichever local love goddess he
IRECTOR JASON LOEWITH HAS ASSEMBLED A TO-DIE-FOR CAST FOR can lay his hands on. They are matched,
Olney’s snappy On the Town (HHHHH). And the buck stops with that onstage if not eclipsed, for joie de vivre by the
ensemble, including the orchestra, since the production is staged and paced ladies they happen to find: Chip’s cab-
pretty much like a revue of the show’s fabulous, often hilarious, songs. bie squeeze, Hildy Esterhazy, given a full
That’s not a bad thing given the lush, evocative Leonard Bernstein compositions and head of steam and voluminous voice by
quick-witted lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, sung by the likes of Tracy Lynn Olivera, and Ozzie’s amorous anthropolo-
Olivera, whom I’d happily hear sing a bus schedule. The songs are sewn together by an gist Claire De Loone, given a sardonic spin
adorable book by Comden and Green that provides great moments for a versatile comic by Rachel Zampelli.
talent like Bobby Smith, in a handful of roles, to keep the show sailing from tune to tune. Rhett Guter’s Gabey is something of
The dancing, choreographed by Tara Jeanne Vallee, is vigorous, though most effec- the odd man out with this lot. Guter is a
tive in the balletic passages that express the romance in Bernstein’s score. The same can convincing mope when Gabey’s discour-
be said of music director and conductor Christopher Youstra’s On the Town orchestra, aged, but it’s hard to see in him as the
which strikes a poignant chord when slowed down for a beautiful “Lonely Town” and hero and inspiration his mates and the
the second-act Pas de Deux. The band sounds less cohesive swinging to Bernstein’s jazz. script otherwise make him out to be. He
The presence of the orchestra onstage, big-band style, adds to the sense of revue, is, however, believably lovestruck over a
as do Court Watson’s flattish sets. The scenic design doesn’t offer a lot visually, but it girl whose picture he sees on the subway,
does suggest the period and scale of a fairy tale ’40s New York City. And the scenery Miss Turnstiles for the month of June, Ivy
flies on and off stage, so the story — three Navy sailors on shore leave for a day — stays Smith (Claire Rathbun).
fleet on its feet. Guter and Rathbun dance divinely
Chip (Evan Casey), Ozzie (Sam Ludwig), and Gabey (Rhett Guter) hit the Brooklyn together, and he sings with a sturdy bari-

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 47

 tone that captures longing. But his charisma is swallowed
up sometimes by the sailor suit. Rathbun also could stand
to boost her wattage, particularly in the vocal department.
Still, she expresses character in her graceful movement, and
she serves as a good straight woman to comedic whirlwind
Donna Migliaccio, as Ivy’s dipsomaniac diva music instruc-
tor, Madame Dilly. Migliaccio makes Dilly’s every gesture
pop, swaying to and fro, flask in hand, in Rosemary Pardee’s
fun yet elegant costumes. Then, she gets to dance through
a hysterical montage of outfits as club singers Diana Dream
and Dolores Dolores.
Comden and Green went to the trouble of coming up with
amusing names for these characters, and Pardee created
amusing ways to dress them. The wardrobe looks great on
everyone, from the leads to the chorus, a few of whom also
stand out for adding choice bits of atmosphere.
It’s an embarrassment of riches cast-wise, with Smith
dead-on as Claire’s very understanding fiancé Pitkin W.
Bridgework, and Suzanne Lane earning extended ovations in
the featured role of Hildy’s sneezy roomie Lucy Schmeeler.
Even randomly recurring subway riders Flossie (Ashleigh
King) and her friend (Amanda Kaplan) feel fully inhabited.
The direction keeps the baton passing smoothly, from pair-
ing to pairing, song to dance, as the sailor boys’ respective love
stories build to an ending that, well, sneaks up abruptly and
STAN BAROUH

without all the satisfaction one might anticipate. That might

be exactly like the feeling that hits a sailor in the last minute
of a 24-hour leave on the town — in which case, well done. l

On the Town runs to July 22 at the Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD.
Tickets are $64 to $84. Call 301-924-3400, or visit olneytheatre.org.

48 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY

NightLife Photography by
Ward Morrison

JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 49


DrinksDragDJsEtc...
Thursday,
June 28
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
BALTIMORE EAGLE
Doors open at 3pm •
Happy Hour, 3-9pm, all
liquors, beers and wines up
to 50% off • $5 Pitchers
of Miller Lite all night long
• $3 Well Drinks in Nest
until 11pm, $3 in Tavern
all day • RuPaul’s Drag
Race Viewing, hosted
by Washington Heights,
Whimsy Thrift and Anita
Minett, 7-10pm, in the
Nest • Show starts at
50 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
Scene
Town Archives - 2007 - 2018
Photography by Ward Morrison,
additional photos by Dylan Comstock and Brian Walker
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene
GREEN LANTERN SHAW’S TAVERN Friday, GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $5
• Shirtless Thursday, Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, June 29 Svedka, all flavors all night
10-11pm • Men in $5 House Wines, $5 Rail long • Onyx Mid-Atlantic:
7:30pm • Underwear Night
in the Code Bar, 9pm-2am
Underwear Drink Free, Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas 9 1/2 Riders of the Storm,
• For men in underwear in
12-12:30am • DJs
BacK2bACk
and Select Appetizers • All
You Can Eat Ribs, 5-10pm,
Open at 5pm • Happy
Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink,
10pm-2am • Demos begin
at 11:30pm • $5 Cover •
Code Bar, all well drinks
$24.95 • $4 Corona and 5-9pm • Friday Night Music by DJ Theo Storm
$2, 9pm-12am • • Code
NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Heineken all night Videos, 9:30pm • Rotating
enforced in Code Bar after
Beat the Clock Happy Hour DJs • Expanded craft beer NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR
9pm • Monthly Full Moon
— $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), TRADE selection • No Cover Open 3pm • Guest DJs •
Blackout Party, 9pm •
$4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Doors open 5pm • Huge Beat the Clock Happy Hour
Grateful Dead Cocktails,
Beer $15 • All Leagues Happy Hour: Any drink BALTIMORE EAGLE — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$5 • Jock Strap Contest at
Night normally served in a cock- Doors open at 2pm • $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of
Midnight • Release, fea-
tail glass served in a huge Bears & Bellies Friday Beer $15
turing DJs Thommy Davis
NUMBER NINE glass for the same price, Bear Night • $10 Cover •
and Jerry Haley in the
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any 5-10pm • Beer and wine Pay an extra $5, and get NUMBER NINE
Nest, 10pm-2am • Free
drink, 5-9pm • No Cover only $4 • RuPaul’s Drag 5 free well drinks • Haus Open 5pm • Happy Hour:
admission to the Tavern •
• RuPaul’s Drag Race Race Season 10 viewing ou Deathglam presents 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Admission to the Nest is
Viewing Party, hosted by party, hosted by the girls Depravity, 10pm • Summer • No Cover • Friday Night
free until 10:30pm • After
Ba’Naka, 8pm of Gay Bash: Donna Slash, Knight’s XXX Cabaret in Piano with Chris, 7:30pm
10:30pm, $5 Cover for
Jaxknife, Jane Saw, and the Nest, 10:30pm • $10
21 and up, $10 Cover for
PITCHERS Salavadora Dali Cover for the Show • Elyx PITCHERS
18-20 • thebaltimoreea-
2317 18th St. NW Vodka and Any Red Bull 2317 18th St. NW
gle.com
Doors open, 5pm-2am • ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Flavor for $7 all day long • Doors open, 5pm-3am •
facebook.com/PitchersDC All male, nude dancers • thebaltimoreeagle.com facebook.com/PitchersDC
FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR
Open Dancers Audition •
Crazy Hour, 4-8pm •
Urban House Music by DJ FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR
Karaoke, 9pm
Tim-e • 9pm • Cover 21+ Crazy Hour, 4-8pm •
Karaoke, 9pm
SHAW’S TAVERN
Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
$5 House Wines, $5 Rail
Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas
and Select Appetizers •
Live Music with Meredith
Rounsley, 8pm
TOWN
Patio open 6pm • Final
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
9:30pm — Tickets are $40
via Flavorus.com • Hosted
by Lena Lett and featuring
Miss Tatianna, Shi-Queeta-
Lee, Riley Knoxx and
Ba’Naka • Special show
by the Ladies of Town
upstairs later in the night
• DJ Wess upstairs, DJs
BacK2bACk downstairs fol-
lowing the show • GoGo
Boys after 11pm • Doors
open to general public at
10pm • $35 Cover • Club:
18+ • Patio: 21+
TRADE
Doors open 5pm • Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock-
tail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm • Beer and wine
only $4
ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm •
Guest dancers • Rotating
DJs • Kristina Kelly’s Diva
Fev-ah Drag Show • Doors
at 9pm, Shows at 11:30pm
and 1:45am • DJ Don T. in
Ziegfeld’s • Cover 21+
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 51
 Saturday,
June 30
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut
and $5 Bulleit Bourbon,
9pm-close • Expanded
craft beer selection •
No Cover
BALTIMORE EAGLE
Doors open at noon
• Happy Hour, 3-9pm
• Leather and Fetish
Saturdays, Code Bar,
8pm-2am • Code enforced
after 9pm in the Code
Bar • Retro Saturdays
Dance Party in the Nest,
9:30pm-2am • $5 Cover
• Drink Specials in the
Nest • Long Island Leather
Saturdays — $5 Long
Islands all day • thebalti-
moreeagle.com
FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR
Saturday Breakfast Buffet,
10am-3pm • $14.99 with
one glass of champagne
or coffee, soda or juice •
Additional champagne $2
per glass • World Tavern
Poker Tournament, 1-3pm
• Crazy Hour, 4-8pm •
Freddie’s Follies Drag
Show, hosted by Miss
Destiny B. Childs, 8-10pm
• Karaoke, 10pm-close
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm •
$5 Bacardi, all flavors,
all night long • Kristina
Kelly presents A Tribute to
52 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
Divas, 11:30pm-2:30am •
$5 Cover upstairs
NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR
Drag Brunch, hosted
by Chanel Devereaux,
10:30am-12:30pm and
1-3pm • House Rail Drinks,
Zing Zang Bloody Marys,
Nellie Beer and Mimosas,
$4, 11am-close • Buckets
of Beer, $15 • Guest DJs
NUMBER NINE
Doors open 2pm • Happy
Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink,
2-9pm • $5 Absolut and $5
Bulleit Bourbon, 9pm-close
• DJ Chord Bezerra,
9:30pm
PITCHERS
2317 18th St. NW
Doors open, Noon-3am
SHAW’S TAVERN
$15 Bottomless Mimosas,
10am-3pm • Happy Hour,
5-7pm • $3 Miller Lite,
$4 Blue Moon, $5 House
Wines, $5 Rail Drinks •
Half-Priced Pizzas and
Select Appetizers
TOWN
Town Closing Party: The
Party to End All Parties
• Doors open to public
at 10pm • DJ Ed Bailey
upstairs • Music and video
by DJ Wess downstairs
• Drag Show starts at
9:30pm — ticket required
• Hosted by Lena Lett and
featuring Tatianna, Shi-
Queeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx
and Ba’Naka • Special
show by the Ladies of
Town upstairs later in the
night • $35 Cover • 21+
TRADE
Doors open 2pm • Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock-
tail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
2-10pm • Beer and wine
only $4
ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm-4am
• Guest dancers • Ladies
of Illusion Drag Show
with host Ella Fitzgerald
• Doors at 9pm, Shows
at 11:30pm and 1:45am
• DJ Don T. in Ziegfeld’s
• DJ Steve Henderson in
Secrets • Cover 21+
Sunday,
July 1
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut
and $5 Bulleit Bourbon,
9pm-close • Multiple TVs
showing movies, shows,
sports • Expanded craft
beer selection • No Cover
BALTIMORE EAGLE
Doors open at noon •
Lizzie Beaumont and
Betty Whitecastle present
Queens Who Brunch,
12-2pm • $34 per person
includes All You Can
Eat • Free pitcher of
Mimosas per 4 admissions
• Reservations highly
suggested and can be
made online beforehand
• Sunday Fun-Day, 4-9pm
• From 2-8pm, buy a cup
for $5 and fill it with any
Absolut Flavor and Mixer
for $3 each time (excluding
energy drink mixers) •
thebaltimoreeagle.com
FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch Buffet,
10am-3pm • $24.99 with
four glasses of champagne
or mimosas, 1 Bloody
Mary, or coffee, soda
or juice • Crazy Hour,
4-8pm • Zodiac Drag
Contest, hosted by Ophelia
Bottoms, 8pm • Karaoke,
10pm-close
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm •
Karaoke with Kevin down-
stairs, 9:30pm-close
NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR
Drag Brunch, hosted
by Chanel Devereaux,
10:30am-12:30pm and
1-3pm • House Rail Drinks,
Zing Zang Bloody Marys,
Nellie Beer and Mimosas,
$4, 11am-close • Buckets
of Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
any drink, 2-9pm • $5
Absolut and $5 Bulleit
Bourbon, 9pm-close • Pop
Goes the World with Wes
Della Volla at 9:30pm •
No Cover
PITCHERS
2317 18th St. NW
Doors open, Noon-2am
• $4 Smirnoff, includes
flavored, $4 Coors Light or
$4 Miller Lites, 2-9pm
SHAW’S TAVERN
Bottomless Mimosa
Brunch, 10am-3pm •
Happy Hour, 5-7pm • $3
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
$5 House Wines, $5 Rail
Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas
and Select Appetizers
• Dinner-n-Drag, with
Miss Kristina Kelly, 7pm
• For reservations, email
shawsdinnerdragshow@
gmail.com
TRADE
Doors open 2pm • Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock-
tail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
2-10pm • Beer and wine
only $4
Monday,
July 2
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
BALTIMORE EAGLE
Doors open at 3pm •
Happy Hour, 3-9pm, all
liquors, beers and wines up
to 50% off • Micro Brew
Draft/Bottle Mondays —
$4 all day • SIN: Service
Industry Night, 11pm-2am
• First Well Drink or
Domestic Beer Free • 10%
off your Food Order all day
• thebaltimoreeagle.com
FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-8pm •
Singles Night • Half-Priced
Pasta Dishes • Poker Night
— 7pm and 9pm games •
Karaoke, 9pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm •
$3 rail cocktails and
domestic beers all night
long • Singing with the
Sisters: Open Mic Karaoke
Night with the Sisters
of Perpetual Indulgence,
9:30pm-close
NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
— $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of
Beer $15 • Paint Nite, 7pm
• PokerFace Poker, 8pm •
Dart Boards • Ping Pong
Madness, featuring 2 Ping-
Pong Tables
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm • No Cover
SHAW’S TAVERN
Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
$5 House Wines, $5 Rail
Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas
and Select Appetizers •
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 53
Shaw ’Nuff Trivia, with
Jeremy, 7:30pm
TRADE
Doors open 5pm • Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock-
tail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm • Beer and wine
only $4
Tuesday,
July 3
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
BALTIMORE EAGLE
Doors open at 3pm •
Happy Hour, 3-9pm, all
liquors, beers and wines
up to 50% off • Fibbage
Tuesdays, 8pm • Free to
play on your smartphone
• $6 Any Flavor Martinis
and $7 Manhattans (call
liquors) • thebaltimoreea-
gle.com
FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Taco
Tuesday • Poker Night —
7pm and 9pm games •
Karaoke, 9pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4pm-9pm
• $3 rail cocktails and
domestic beers all night
long
54 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
— $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of
Beer $15 • Drag Bingo
with Sasha Adams and
Brooklyn Heights, 7-9pm •
Karaoke, 9pm-close
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm • No Cover
PITCHERS
2317 18th St. NW
Doors open, 5pm-2am •
facebook.com/PitchersDC
SHAW’S TAVERN
Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
$5 House Wines, $5 Rail
Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas
and Select Appetizers •
Half-Priced Burgers and
Pizzas all night with $5
House Wines and $5 Sam
Adams
TRADE
Doors open 5pm • Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock-
tail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm • Beer and wine
only $4
Wednesday,
July 4
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
BALTIMORE EAGLE
Doors open at 3pm •
Happy Hour, 3-9pm, all
liquors, beers and wines
up to 50% off • Domestic
Bottles are $3 all day •
Team Trivia, 8-10pm •
thebaltimoreeagle.com
FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • $6
Burgers • Beach Blanket
Drag Bingo Night, hosted
by Ms. Regina Jozet
Adams, 8pm • Bingo prizes
• Karaoke, 10pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4pm-9pm •
Bear Yoga with Greg Leo,
6:30-7:30pm • $10 per
class • $3 rail cocktails
and domestic beers all
night long
NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR
SmartAss Trivia Night,
8-10pm • Prizes include
bar tabs and tickets to
shows at the 9:30 Club •
$15 Buckets of Beer for
SmartAss Teams only •
Absolutely Snatched Drag
Show, hosted by Brooklyn
Heights, 9pm • Tickets
available at nelliessports-
bar.com
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm • No Cover
PITCHERS
2317 18th St. NW
Doors open, 5pm-2am •
facebook.com/PitchersDC
SHAW’S TAVERN
Fourth of July Brunch,
11am-3pm • $15
Bottomless Mimosas •
Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
$5 House Wines, $5 Rail
Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas
and Select Appetizers
TRADE
Doors open 5pm • Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock-
tail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm • Beer and wine
only $4
Thursday,
July 5
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
BALTIMORE EAGLE
Doors open at 3pm •
Happy Hour, 3-9pm, all
liquors, beers and wines up
to 50% off • $5 Pitchers
of Miller Lite all night long
• $3 Well Drinks in Nest
until 11pm, $3 in Tavern all
day • Thrifty Minett Drag
Show, hosted by Whimsy
Thrift and Anita Minett,
8-9:30pm, in the Nest •
Cover $5 • Underwear
Night in the Code Bar,
9pm-2am • For men in
underwear in Code Bar, all
well drinks $2, 9pm-12am
• Best Underwear Contest
at Midnight • Code
enforced in Code Bar after
9pm • Release Dance
Party in the Nest, featuring
DJs Thommy Davis and
Jerry Haley, 10pm-2am
• Free admission to the
Tavern • Admission to the
Nest is free until 10:30pm
• After 10:30pm, $5 Cover
for 21 and up, $10 Cover
for 18-20 • thebalti-
moreeagle.com
FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-8pm •
Karaoke, 9pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
• Shirtless Thursday,
10-11pm • Men in
Underwear Drink Free,
12-12:30am • DJs
BacK2bACk
NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
— $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of
Beer $15 • All Leagues
Night
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm • No Cover
PITCHERS
2317 18th St. NW
Doors open, 5pm-2am •
facebook.com/PitchersDC
SHAW’S TAVERN
Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
$5 House Wines, $5 Rail
Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas
and Select Appetizers
• All-You-Can-Eat Ribs,
$24.95, 5-10pm • $4
Heineken and Corona all
night • Paint Nite, Second
Floor, 7pm
TRADE
Doors open 5pm • Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock-
tail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm • Beer and wine
only $4
ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers •
Open Dancers Audition
• Urban House Music by
DJ Tim-e • 9pm • Cover
21+ l
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 55
56 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
58 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
60 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY
JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY 61
 LastWord.
People say the queerest things

“I would like to believe that

being trans is the least interesting thing about me.”
— SHARON BRACKETT, the first transgender woman to be elected to public office in Maryland, speaking after the results were
announced. Brackett was elected to the 46th District Democratic Central Committee, coming third out of 15 candidates on the
ballot. “I recognize the significance and the importance that this moment brings,” she said, “especially to thousands of trans
individuals like myself who may have previously thought public office was unattainable.”

“Not only are we female athletes, but we’re dating as well.

It’s kind of badass.”
— MEGAN RAPINOE, a National Women’s League Soccer player, speaking to ESPN after she and partner Sue Bird, a WNBA player,
became the first same-sex couple to be featured in the ESPN’s annual Body Issue. “To celebrate who we are in our sport,
but also the fact that we’ll be the first gay couple, is pretty special,” Rapinoe said.

“Our generation is experiencing an increased level of

confusion with regard to sexual identity.”
— An excerpt from the website of PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH in Plano, Texas, which recently received a $50,000 donation from
Ivanka Trump. Trump allegedly made the donation to aid the church’s efforts in helping immigrant youth, but the church’s
anti-LGBTQ attitudes have since been unearthed, including vague references to conversion therapy — called the
“Redemptive Approach” — as well as Pastor Jack Graham’s previous anti-LGBTQ actions and statements.

“ While LGBTQ-inclusive corporate policies are becoming the norm,

LGBTQ workers too often face a climate of bias
in their workplace.
”
— DEENA FIDAS, director of HRC’s Workplace Equality Program, in a statement after a new survey from the Human Rights Campaign
Foundation found that almost half of LGBTQ workers say they are closeted at work. Top reasons for remaining closeted included
fear of being stereotyped, concerns over coworkers feeling uncomfortable, and concerns over losing connections or relationships
with coworkers. “LGBTQ employees are still avoiding making personal and professional connections at work because they fear
coming out,” Fidas added, “and that hurts not only that employee, but the company as a whole.”

“Nobody else is doing this.

We would love to see more employers doing this.
”
— RON CRAWFORD, vice president of benefits at Starbucks, in a Starbucks Newsroom article detailing the company’s plans
to offer “truly inclusive” healthcare coverage for the company’s transgender employees, including covering top surgery, facial
feminization and hair transplants. “The approach was driven...by powerful conversations with transgender partners
about how those benefits would allow them to truly be who they are,” Crawford added.

62 JUNE 28, 2018 • METROWEEKLY