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EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRandy Shulman

ART DIRECTORTodd Franson

POLITICAL EDITORJustin Snow

NEWS & BUSINESS EDITORJohn Riley

ASSISTANT EDITORRhuaridh Marr

CONTRIBUTING EDITORDoug Rule

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERSWard Morrison, Julian Vankim

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORScott G. Brooks

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSChristian Gerard, Troy Petenbrink,

Kate Wingfield

WEBMASTERDavid Uy

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTJulian Vankim

SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHERRandy Shulman

BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETINGChristopher Cunetto

Cunetto Creative

NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVERivendell Media Co.

212-242-6863

DISTRIBUTION MANAGERDennis Havrilla

PATRON SAINTChanel No. 5

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYLuke Gilford

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All material appearing in Metro Weekly is protected by federal copyright law and may not be

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© 2015 Jansi LLC.

4

MARCH 5, 2015Volume 21 / Issue 43

NEWS 6

NEW STUDIES ON PR EP AND HIVR EASSURE AND UNSETTLE

by Rhuaridh Marr

10 THE R IGHT’S DEAFENING SILENCE

by Justin Snow

11 TIDYING UP EQUALITY STATUTES

by John Riley

12 SMYAL LAUNCHES

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

by John Riley

14 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

FEATURE 16 PERFUME GENIUS

by Randy Shulman

OUT ON THE TOWN 22 AMP AT STRATHMORE

by Doug Rule

24 KID V ICTORY

by Doug Rule

26 DIALOUGES OF THE CARMELITES

by Kate Wingfield

28 R ICHMOND TRIANGLE PLAYERS

by Doug Rule

SPREE 29 I. GORMAN’S WEDDING R ING E VENT

by Doug Rule

GAMES 31 THE ORDER : 1886

by Rhuaridh Marr

TECH 33 MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS

by Rhuaridh Marr

NIGHTLIFE 37 TEAM DC FASHION SHOW AT TOWN

photography by Ward Morrison

CLUBLIFE 44 FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR CELEBRATES

15 Y EARS

by Doug Rule

46 LAST WORD


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New Studies on PrEP and HIVReassure and Unsettle

Reports from CROI look at the effectiveness of PrEP on-demand as well as therise in HIV infection in young gay men

Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1 budding (in green) from cultured lymphocyte

by Rhuaridh Marr

IT CAN BE ALL TOO EASY TOturn a blind eye to HIV. For those

born after the crisis peaked in the’80s, the development of power-

ful new drugs and simple, once-a-daymedication regimes have turned a death

sentence into something manageable.Indeed, men who adhere religiously to

their medication can expect to live as long

as those without the disease — they’remore likely to succumb to an age-related

C . G O L D S M I T H - T H E C E N T E R S F O R D I S E A S E C O N T R O L A N D P R E V E N T I O N ’ S P U B L I C H E A L T H I M A G E L I B R A R Y ( P H I L )

illness such as heart disease than die from

complications due to HIV/AIDS.Still, there remains a complacency —

even a willful ignorance — surroundingHIV, particularly amongst the younger

members of the community. That’s whatmakes current research into prevent-

ing transmission all the more important.There are those who refuse to use con-

doms, those who have the occasional

mishap, those who make the mistakeonce and must live with the consequenc-

es, and those in serodiscordant relation-ships who wish to remove that last bar-

rier. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP),

for instance, may be controversial, but apill that can be taken to help prevent HIV

transmission — in conjunction with other

safe sex practices — is a powerful aid inthe fight against the spread of the disease.

At the annual Conference onRetroviruses and Opportunistic

Infections (CROI), held last week, vari-ous scientific groups and government

bodies presented the findings of research

into HIV, from both a societal and medi-cal perspective. Two separate European

studies of PrEP examined its effective-

L G B TNews Now online at MetroWeekly.comNebraska’s Gay Marriage Ban OverturnedVP Biden to Address HRC


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that the study was stopped after two

years and more than 400 participantsenrolled, with those in the placebo group

recommended to be put on PrEP.The director of the CDC’s National

Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis,STD & TB Prevention, Dr. Jonathan

Mermin, was quick to caution the find-

ings of the IPERGAY study.“The IPERGAY trial provides the first

evidence that an event-driven regimen iseffective among high-risk MSM with fre-

quent sex,” he said. “Since available datasuggest that men in this study were tak-

ing PrEP an average of three to four daysper week, CDC cautions that research-

ers do not yet know if this regimen will

work among MSM who have sex lessfrequently and would therefore be taking

PrEP less often.“It is not known whether the regimen

will work if taken only a few hours or

days before sex, without any buildup ofthe drug from prior use,” he continued.

“Studies suggest that it may take days,depending on the type of sexual expo-

sure, for the active drug in PrEP to buildup to an optimal level for preventing HIV

infection.”Dr. Mermin also highlighted that the

study was specific to the control groupand could not be extrapolated to cover

heterosexual people, nor users of intra-

venous drugs. As such, the CDC standsby its recommendation of PrEP taken as a

daily dose. Still, Mermin hailed the find-ings of the IPERGAY study, and others

that are seeking ways to provide PrEP topeople without the need for a daily pill.

“We applaud ongoing efforts like

IPERGAY to identify PrEP dosing strate-gies that may be more acceptable than

oral daily dosing for some individuals atrisk, and could potentially lower costs,”

Mermin stated. “In addition, researchersare working to identify alternative delivery

vehicles, including injectable PrEP andinsertable products such as a vaginal ring.

These are exciting avenues for research.”

As for anyone considering PrEP,which is recommended by the CDC, FDA

and the World Health Organization as aneffective additional barrier against HIV

infection when combined with condomsand other safe-sex measures, the CDC

has a simple message: speak with your

doctor. If you think PrEP would be ben-eficial, do your research and take action.

That advice is particularly prudentin light of the latest statistics on HIV

diagnosis rates. New research from theCDC confirms that gay and bisexual men

ness in reducing the rate of HIV infection

in men who have sex with men (MSM).One study matched the Center for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

recommended dosing strategy of one pill,taken daily, while the other tried a more

novel approach, with participants takingthe pill on-demand, depending on when

they had sex.In the British study, conducted by

the U.K. Medical Research Group in anopen-label study called PROUD, MSM

were split into two groups, with one

given a daily dose of Truvada (the brandname for PrEP, also known as tenofovir

plus emtricitabine). The findings con-firmed those of multiple other studies

around the world: that a daily regimen ofPrEP can reduce the rate of HIV infec-

tion — in this case, by 86 percent among

study participants.The CDC’s current guidelines for

PrEP — covered by many health insur-ance policies — state that it can “reduce

the risk of HIV infection... by up to 92percent.” In a press release, the CDC

welcomed the findings of the PROUDstudy, stating it “adds to the substantial

evidence regarding the efficacy of daily

oral PrEP.”In the more controversial French

IPERGAY study, undertaken by France’snational HIV research agency ANRS, the

men provided with PrEP were instructedto take the drug as needed based on when

they were having sex. It prescribed athree-day regimen of Truvada to be takenbefore and after sex.

Two pills were to be taken betweentwo and twenty-four hours before they

had sex (or one pill, if they’d had sexin the last six days). One pill was then

taken twenty-four hours after the firstdose, with a final pill to be taken another

twenty-four hours after that. Should par-

ticipants engage in further sex beforethey finished the three-day regimen, they

were to continue taking one pill daily,until two days after they last had sex.

As a result, the number of days PrEPwas taken by participants varied depend-

ing on their level of sexual activity —

according to the findings, some partici-pants achieved near daily use, almost

matching the regimen recommended bythe CDC.

Even with variations between par-ticipants in how often they required

PrEP, the study’s findings are conclusive:On-demand PrEP reduced the rate of

HIV infection by 86 percent. The rate

of efficacy was deemed sufficiently high

remain the group most affected by HIV,

with the rate of infection in young menincreasing in recent years.

The CDC presented two studies atCROI specifically dealing with HIV and

its impact on MSM, as well as break-

ing that group down into other factorssuch as age and race. To what extent are

gay and bisexual men contracting HIV?

Each year, they account for two-thirds ofnewly diagnosed cases.

While the overall number of HIV

diagnoses decreased between 2003 and2012, between 2008 and 2012 the rate

of diagnosis increased in certain regions

of the United States, particularly amongMSM. The CDC analyzed data from

the National HIV Surveillance System(NHSS), which collated information

from what the NHSS calls MetropolitanStatistical Areas (MSA). These MSAs are

typically large cities with populations

over 500,000, such as Washington, D.C.,Miami, Dallas and New York.

We’re going to get granular, so keepon top of your acronyms. Of the 105 MSAs

analyzed, the overall rate of HIV diagno-sis decreased on average 3.7 percent —

with a significant decrease observed inalmost two-thirds of MSAs.

However, among gay and bisexual

men in these MSAs, the rate of HIVdiagnosis increased between 2003 and

2007 by over 10 percent, before levellingoff and subsequently declining between

2008 and 2012 — but at a rate less thanthat of the national average. Over that lat-

ter four year period, rates of HIV diagno-

sis declined a mere 2.2 percent for MSM.Dig deeper and a startling statistic

becomes apparent. Over that same periodbetween 2008 and 2012, the rate of HIV

diagnosis increased by 15 percent amongMSM aged just 13 to 24. Among older

generations, particularly those over 55who lived through the HIV/AIDS crisis

of the ‘80s, the number of diagnoses

remained constant over the same period.The authors of the CDC’s study noted

that “the results are consistent with otherdata, including past estimates on new

HIV infections, finding troubling signsof recent increasing infections among

young gay and bisexual men.”

So, younger gay and bisexual menare becoming infected with HIV at rates

higher than both their peers and thenational average, but the CDC didn’t just

examine age as a factor in HIV diagnosisrates. A separate study examined the cor-

relation between ethnicity and diagnosisrates among MSM. They discovered that

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and four percent, respectively, of white

MSM reported being HIV-infected overthat time period.

HIV awareness and infection ratesshows a glaring disparity between

African-American and white MSM.

African American MSM under 40 were“significantly more likely to be HIV-

positive compared to all other racial/

ethnic groups.” What’s more, African-American MSM were less likely to beaware of their infection than their white

counterparts. All of this, despite African-

African-American men were being diag-nosed at rates higher than other racial/

ethnic groups.Using National HIV Behavioral

Surveillance data from 20 U.S. cities,the CDC discovered that, between 2008

and 2011, African-American MSM were

infected with HIV at higher rates thantheir peers. Overall, in that time peri-

od, thirty percent of African-AmericanMSM were HIV-infected, with twenty

percent of those aged 18 to 24 infected.Comparatively, only fourteen percent

American MSM not reporting higher lev-

els of condomless sex.For the CDC, the data is clear. HIV

prevention efforts need to be focusedmore on young gay and bisexual men.

Beyond that, efforts must be redoubledto reach young, black gay and bisexual

men. At a time when access to sexual

health information is more available than

ever, it seems incredulous that young gayand bisexual men are seemingly becom-ing blind to the need to be vigilant about

safe sex. l


The Right’sDeafening Silence

At CPAC, Republican politicians go quiet onmarriage equality

Jeb Bush G A G E S K I D M O R E

by Justin Snow

CANDIDATES FOR THE

Republican presidentialnomination tossed out lots of

red meat to conservatives atthis year’s Conservative Political Action

Conference, but largely absent from the

menu was any discussion of same-sexmarriage.

In speech after speech at CPAC lastweek, Republican politicians sold their

conservative bonafides to grassrootssupporters as the movement tries to

solidify behind one candidate for presi-

dent, but few seemed willing to dwellon a losing battle.New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R)

only spoke about his opposition to abor-tion when asked how he might appeal to

social conservatives. Although Christiehas said he personally opposes same-

sex marriage, he ceased fighting a courtdecision legalizing same-sex marriage in

New Jersey, has said he does not believe

being gay is a choice, and banned “ex-gaytherapy” for minors in the state.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was one ofthe few to willingly address his oppo-

sition to same-sex marriage, arguingthe movement must stand for “life and

marriage.”

“Marriage is a question for the statesand it is wrong for the federal government

or unelected judges to tear down the mar-riage laws of the states,” said Cruz, who

has vowed to introduce a constitutional

amendment later this year to make explic-it that marriage is a policy question for thelegislatures of each state.

Greeted the most skeptically of all,

however, was former Florida Gov. JebBush (R), who touted his conservative

credentials Friday before an unconvincedaudience, at one point reiterating his

opposition to same-sex marriage.During a nearly 30-minute question-

and-answer session conducted by Fox

News and radio talk show host SeanHannity, the presumed frontrunner for

the Republican presidential nominationwas asked to respond to a recent report

by McKay Coppins of BuzzFeed Newsthat his views on same-sex marriage are

evolving.“No, I believe in traditional marriage,”

the former governor of Florida said before

quickly moving on to other topics. Bush’sbrief statement on marriage equality came

when the majority of his remarks focusedon his views on immigration reform and

Common Core, which many conservativeshave criticized for being too moderate.

The report published one day prior byBuzzFeed News noted Bush is shapingup to be 2016’s gay-friendly Republican.

When he officially launches his presi-dential campaign later this year, Bush is

expected to be surrounded by a campaignstaff that consists of a number of pro-gay

Republicans, including a campaign man-ager, chief strategist, and a communica-

tions director who is openly gay. (A Bush

spokesperson said that should he run forpresident, his campaign will be based on

his views and agenda.)“Three Republican supporters who


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Council President Tony Perkins.

Nevertheless, during an event afterhis CPAC appearance with supporters

of his Right to Rise PAC, Bush said a2016 presidential campaign must focus

on outreach to those that often would not

consider voting for the Republican ticket.“The campaign needs to be about

hopeful, optimistic ideas that will allow

us to rise up again,” he told a largelyyoung crowd, many of whom swarmedBush for selfies after his remarks. “And

a campaign should be about getting to

50, not trying to tear down the differ-ences between the 35 or 40. Last time I

checked in a two-person race you gottaget to 50. And that means we need to

not just unite a conservative party, wealso need to reach out to people that

haven’t been asked in awhile: Young peo-ple, Hispanics, African-Americans, those

who want to rise up like the rest of us. All

of us want to have a chance to rise up.”When Bush last appeared at CPAC,

in 2013, he chided the Republican Partyfor not being more welcoming. “Way

too many people believe Republicans areanti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-sci-

ence, anti-gay, anti-worker,” Bush said at

the time. “And the list goes on and on andon. Many voters are simply unwilling to

choose our candidates even though theyshare our core beliefs because those vot-

ers feel unloved, unwanted and unwel-come in our party.”

CPAC has sought to take a moreinclusive tone compared to past years.

Gregory T. Angelo, executive director of

Log Cabin Republicans, spoke on a panel

have recently spoken with Bush as he’sblitzed the GOP fundraising circuit told

BuzzFeed News they came away with theimpression that on the question of mar-

riage equality, he was supportive at bestand agnostic at worst,” Coppins wrote.

Indeed, Bush has appeared to soften

his tone on whether same-sex couplesshould be allowed to marry, particularly

after marriage equality arrived in Floridalast month.

In a statement released the same daysame-sex marriages began in Florida, Bush

made no mention of his personal oppo-

sition to same-sex marriage and insteadexpressed a sympathetic understanding of

not just those who believe marriage shouldbe between a man and a woman, but of

same-sex couples seeking equality.“We live in a democracy, and regard-

less of our disagreements, we have torespect the rule of law,” Bush said. “I

hope that we can show respect for thegood people on all sides of the gay andlesbian marriage issue — including cou-

ples making lifetime commitments toeach other who are seeking greater legal

protections and those of us who believemarriage is a sacrament and want to safe-

guard religious liberty.”

Bush endorsing same-sex marriageanytime soon seems unlikely, particularly

as he tries to court conservatives whoview the son and brother of two former

presidents as the establishment candi-

date. His brief statement Friday in sup-port of “traditional marriage” appearedto confirm that, as did a meeting he

held the same day with Family Research

addressing Russian President Vladimir

Putin’s LGBT human rights abuses. Andduring an interview before the confer-

ence, Matt Schlapp, chairman of theAmerican Conservative Union, which

organizes CPAC, told Metro Weekly gay

conservatives are welcome at the confer-ence. “To be absolutely crystal clear, if

you are a conservative who is gay, you

should come to CPAC — you are welcometo come to CPAC,” he said.

Bush reiterated Friday that the con-

servative movement must start being for things, not against. But even as many in

the GOP have gone silent on their opposi-

tion or indifference to marriage equality(not even former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick

Santorum mentioned same-sex marriageduring his CPAC speech), skirting the

issue is unlikely to garner much supportfrom the LGBT community, particularly

if Hillary Clinton leads the Democratic

ticket.“At the end of the day, it isn’t rhetoric

or hiring practices that count, it’s what acandidates stands for,” said Fred Sainz,

vice president of the Human RightsCampaign, in a statement. “A candidate

who is truly committed to LGBT equalitywill support marriage equality and sup-

port protecting all LGBT Americans from

discrimination. While the tone of JebBush’s language and word choice may

have changed, he hasn’t yet articulateddifferent policies from when he opposed

marriage equality and opposed discrimi-nation protections as governor. There are

more questions than answers on whereBush stands today.” l

METROWEEKLY.COM MARCH 5, 2015

Tidying Up Equality Statutes Maryland General Assembly to consider trio of bills that would fix unresolved issues

related to LGBT rights

by John Riley

MARYLAND ALREADYenjoys marriage equality

and is one of a minority ofstates with legal protec-

tions for transgender people.

For lawmakers, that’s not enough.Annapolis will consider a trio of bills

during the month of March that couldprove beneficial to LGBT families or indi-

viduals, which will effectively “clean up”Maryland’s statutes regarding same-sex

parenting or gender identity to better

reflect the state’s existing laws.The first bill, known as the De Facto

Parent Law, would authorize a court todetermine whether an individual has

been acting as a caregiver to the child inquestion and is thus the de facto parent.

The bill would require a judge to issue,in writing, a finding that a person is a de

facto parent and would require that dis-

putes over child custody and visitation beresolved in the best interests of the child.

While this would apply to a multitude of

family law situations, most of them notinvolving LGBT people, it would also

apply to same-sex couples where one par-ent has been involved in child-rearing but

does not have a biological link to the childor children in question.

The second bill deals with insurancecoverage for artificial insemination or

in vitro fertilization, and would prohibit


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bill is slated to be heard by the House

Committee on Health and GovernmentOperations on March 12.

Despite expected opposition fromsocial conservatives and religious lobby-

ing groups, the first two bills may havean easier time of passing, as they do

not exclusively apply to LGBT people.

But the third, regarding birth certifi-

cates, may be the toughest, not onlyto pass in the General Assembly, butto earn the approval of newly-elected

Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who must signit into law. While Hogan did allow a

regulation prohibiting Medicaid provid-ers from discriminating based on sex-

ual orientation or gender identity, and

included protections for transgenderstate employees in an executive order,

he also said during the 2014 campaignthat he did not support the transgender

rights law approved by his predecessor,

Martin O’Malley (D). Other governorshave also expressed opposition to such

bills: in 2014, Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.)

insurers from refusing to cover costsassociated with either procedure. It also

includes a provision for cases in which

both of the intended parents are of thesame sex.

The last bill in the trio would allowtransgender or intersex individuals to

obtain a new, clean birth certificatereflecting their correct gender identity.

The bill mirrors many provisions thatwere passed in the District when formerMayor Vince Gray signed into law the

JaParker Deoni Jones Birth CertificateEquality Amendment Act in 2013. Under

the measure, a transgender or intersexperson could obtain a new birth cer-

tificate if they present a sworn state-ment from a licensed medical practitio-

ner attesting to the fact that the person

has undergone treatment appropriatefor a gender transition or an intersex

condition, which may include “surgical,

hormonal, or other treatment appropri-ate for the individual, based on gener-ally accepted medical standards.” That

vetoed a measure similar to that pro-

posed, citing concerns over the potentialfor “fraud, deception and abuse,” adding

that requests to change birth certificatesshould be “closely scrutinized and spar-

ingly approved.”All three bills have the support of

LGBT rights organization Equality

Maryland, which sent a fundraising

email to supporters touting the impor-tance of the three bills. The organi-zation is also opposing another mea-

sure that extends tax credits for pri-vate elementary and secondary schools,

because they are exempt from having

to follow the state’s laws prohibitingdiscrimination based on both sexual

orientation and gender identity.“We will continue to remain vigilant

and keep an eye on the new governor(and all of our elected officials) to ensure

that LGBT Marylanders and our equal-

ity are not forgotten or reversed,” RabbiStephanie Bernstein, the chair of Equality

Maryland, Inc., said in the email. l


SMYAL LaunchesScholarship Program

Youth Leadership Awards will provide cash prizes to select high school graduates

by John Riley

SUPPORTING AND MENTORING

Youth Advocates and Leaders(SMYAL) announced March 5

that it is launching a scholar-ship program aimed at providing finan-

cial assistance to LGBT youth who arepursuing higher education.

The Youth Leadership Award schol-arship program will provide selected stu-

dents, who successfully complete high

school and enroll in college, cash awardsof up to $2,000 that can be used to defray

the costs associated with pursuing highereducation. The initial funding for the first

three years of awards was donated byNeil Starkey, a retired engineer who used

to work for IBM.

In a statement, Starkey said he donat-ed the funding for the awards to “encour-

age and embolden that young personwho, as a result of coming out, may have

had to deal with adversity or struggledwith their identity, family life or academ-

ics but has emerged as a leader and rolemodel to their peers.” He particularly

stressed the importance of taking into

account a person’s life experiences andsuccesses in the face of adversity, which

is as important as doing well academicallyor excelling in extracurricular activities.

“The SMYAL Youth LeadershipAward scholarships are a major new ini-

tiative for SMYAL to help launch thenext generation of leaders,” said Sultan

Shakir, SMYAL’s executive director. “We

are seeing an ever-expanding numberof LGBT youth with the self-confidence

and ability to lead across a wide range ofschool, civic and religious organizations.

With these awards, we can recognizetheir accomplishments and provide them

a boost toward their future as leaders in a

more open and equal society.”Applications for students who wish

to be eligible for the scholarship are due

by April 15. The winners announced inMay. The size of the prize and number

of awards will be determined by thestudent’s ability to demonstrate leader-

ship in school or in their community, but

Shakir expects to award anywhere fromtwo to three individuals.

SMYAL will also partner with TeamDC, the umbrella sports organization

that annually honors three out LGBTstudent-athletes with its own scholar-

ship. The partnership is aimed at increas-ing visibility for the scholarships among

LGBT youth in the D.C. area.

Brent Minor, the executive directorof Team DC, also issued his own state-

ment touting the partnership betweenthe two organizations: “With the addi-

tion of this scholarship, LGBT youth nowhave more support and opportunity to

reach their goals. Team DC and SMYAL

want to ensure that our youth know thereis a network of support available to help

them reach their goals.” l


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SUNDAY, MARCH 8BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer orga-nization, volunteers today for DC Central Kitchenand Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation in Potomac Yards. To participate, burgundycrescent.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive and radicallyinclusive church holds services at 11:30 a.m. 2217Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org.

INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT,God-centered new age church & learning center.Sunday Services and Workshops event. 5419 SherierPlace NW. isd-dc.org.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OFWASHINGTON, D.C. services at 9 a.m. (ASL inter-preted) and 11 a.m. Children’s Sunday School at 11a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. 202-638-7373, mccdc.com.

RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH, a Christ-centered,interracial, welcoming-and-affirming church, offers

service at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. 202-554-4330,riverside-dc.org.

UNITARIAN CHURCH OF ARLINGTON, anLGBTQ welcoming-and-affirming congregation,offers services at 10 a.m. Virginia Rainbow UUMinistry. 4444 Arlington Blvd. uucava.org.

UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL MEMORIALCHURCH, a welcoming and inclusive church. GLBTInterweave social/service group meets monthly.Services at 11 a.m., Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16thSt. NW. 202-387-3411, universalist.org.

MONDAY, MARCH 9The DC Center hosts a monthly meeting of its

YOUTH WORKING GROUP. 6-7:30 p.m. 200014th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visitthedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

Michael Brazell teaches BEARS DO YOGA, a pro-gram of The DC Center. 6:30 p.m., Green Lantern,1335 Green Court NW. No cost, newcomers wel-come. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice sessionat Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 6:30-8:30p.m. Garrison Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscan-dals.wordpress.com.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 5-7 p.m. 2049N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington. Appointments:703-789-4467.

The DC Center hosts COFFEE DROP-IN FOR THESENIOR LGBT COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 200014th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.

US HELPING US hosts a black gay men’s eveningaffinity group. 3636 Georgia Ave. NW.202-446-1100.

GAY DISTRICT holds facilitated discussion forGBTQ men, 18-35, on the first and third Fridays ofthe month. 8:30-9:30 p.m. The DC Center, 200014th St. NW, Suite 105. 202-682-2245,gaydistrict.org.

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-affirming socialgroup for ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia RoadNW. Contact Tamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org.

SMYAL’S REC NIGHT provides a social atmo-sphere for GLBT and questioning youth, featuringdance parties, vogue nights, movies and games.More info, [email protected].

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6 p.m., byappointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, [email protected].

SATURDAY, MARCH 7BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer orga-nization, volunteers today for Food & Friends and

Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation at Falls ChurchPetSmart. To participate, burgundycrescent.org.

CENTER GLOBAL, a program of The DC Centerdealing with LGBT immigrants, asylum seekers andhuman rights around the world, holds its monthlymeeting. 12-1:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.More information, visit thedccenter.org.

LEADING WITH PRIDE, a conference for D.C.-areaLGBTQ and allied students, youth ages 13-24, andlocal gay-straight alliance (GSA) clubs, meets toaddress various topics important to LGBTQ youth. Admission is free, but pre-registration required.Free and confidential HIV testing offered on-site.Dance to follow conference. 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. SchoolWithout Walls High School, 2130 G St. NW. For

more information visit facebook.com/DCPSlgbtq.

PLYMOUTH UCC YOUTH MINISTRY hosts a filmscreening of The Central Park Five followed by adiscussion of negative stereotyping. Free and opento the public. Refreshments will be served. 2-6 p.m.5301 North Capitol St. NE. For more information,contact Shar’ron Tendai, 202-740-3042.

STONEWALL REF CLINIC, for those interested inrefereeing during the upcoming season of StonewallKickball, meets at The DC Center. 1-2:30 p.m. 200014th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visitthedccenter.org.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5The DC Center hosts a meeting of TEAM DC,Washington’s umbrella organization for gay sportsleagues. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.For more information, visit teamdc.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian square-dancing group features mainstream throughadvanced square dancing at the National CityChristian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m.Casual dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org.

The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern Virginia socialgroup meets for happy hour at Sheraton in Reston,11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.

IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testingin Gaithersburg, 414 East Diamond Ave., and inTakoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appointments other hours,

call Gaithersburg, 301-300-9978, or Takoma Park,301-422-2398.

US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics AnonymousMeeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW.The group is independent of UHU. 202-446-1100.

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE for youngLBTQ women, 13-21, interested in leadership devel-opment. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7thSt. SE. 202-567-3163, [email protected].

FRIDAY, MARCH 6The DC Center hosts a monthly peer-facilitated

TRANS SUPPORT GROUP MEETING. 7-8 p.m.2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH offersfree HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (byappointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatranscul-turalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice sessionat Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

Metro Weekly’s Community Calendar highlights important events in

the D.C.-area LGBT community, from alternative social events to

volunteer opportunities. Event information should be sent by email to

[email protected]. Deadline for inclusion is noon

of the Friday before Thursday’s publication. Questions about

the calendar may be directed to the Metro Weekly office at

202-638-6830 or the calendar email address.

LGBTCommunityCalendar


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WASHINGTON WETSKINS Water Polo Teampractices 7-9 p.m. Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 VanBuren St. NW. Newcomers with at least basic swim-ming ability always welcome. Tom, 703-299-0504,[email protected], wetskins.org.

Whitman-Walker Health HIV/AIDS SUPPORTGROUP for newly diagnosed individuals, meets 7p.m. Registration required. 202-939-7671, [email protected].

TUESDAY, MARCH 10The CAPITAL TENNIS ASSOCIATION, a nonprofitLGBT tennis organization, holds its bi-monthlymeeting at The DC Center. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St.NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedc-center.org.

DC BI WOMEN, a social group for bisexual women,meets monthly at Dupont Italian Kitchen in theupstairs room. 7-9 p.m. 1637 17th St. NW. More info,thedccenter.org.

The LATINO LGBT TASK FORCE holds its month-

ly meeting at The DC Center. 3:30-5:30 p.m. 200014th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visitthedccenter.org.

The RED SHOE AND RED LIPSTICK HIV/AIDSAWARENESS WALK, sponsored by the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services’ Officeon Women’s Health, commemorates NationalWomen and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.12-1:30 p.m. Walk starts at Lafayette Square Park,across from White House, and ends at HubertH. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Ave.SW. More information, www.womenshealth.gov/ nwghaad.

THE DC CENTER’S COMING OUT DISCUSSIONGROUP holds a monthly meeting. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000

14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visitthedccenter.org.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB meets for DuplicateBridge. 7:30 p.m. Dignity Center, 721 8th St SE,across from Marine Barrack. No reservation needed.703-407-6540 if you need a partner.

RAINBOW RESPONSE, a coalition focused oncombating LGBT intimate partner violence in thegreater D.C. area, holds its monthly meeting at TheDC Center. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For moreinformation, visit rainbowresponse.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meetsabout 6:30-6 p.m., Steam, 17th and R NW. All wel-come. For more information, call Fausto Fernandez,703-732-5174.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice sessionat Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 6:30-8:30p.m. Garrison Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscan-dals.wordpress.com.

HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH offers Wednesdayworship 7:15 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.

Washington St., Alexandria. 703-549-1450, historic-christchurch.org.

IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testingin Gaithersburg, 414 East Diamond Ave. Walk-ins 2-7 p.m. For appointments other hours, call

Gaithersburg at 301-300-9978.

JOB CLUB, a weekly support program for jobentrants and seekers, meets at The DC Center. 200014th St. NW, Suite 105. 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. More info,www.centercareers.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIVtesting. No appointment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 101214th St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 11 a.m.-

2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington. Appointments: 703-789-4467.

PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social club for mature gaymen, hosts weekly happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,Windows Bar above Dupont Italian Kitchen, 163717th St. NW. Carl, 703-573-8316. l

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Mike Hadreas — aka Perfume Genius — is on a roll aboutRufus Wainwright.

“I love him because he sings like a gay person. When I got his

album at 15, and heard a gay voice, that was really powerful tome. And I consider myself as having a gay voice as well.”

He pauses.“I’m sure some people would cringe at hearing me say that. A

lot of people find it powerful to be the opposite, to have a voicethat blends in and just happens to be gay. But, for me, hearing

gay voices is really important.”Hadreas shares much in common with Wainwright — there’s

a certain degree of flamboyance and drama to his music. Where

he differs is in the challenge he presents. Hadreas does not, on

first listen, make his music easy to like. It’s not plug-and-playaccessible. He makes you work. He makes you listen. He makesyou think. At times, he makes you want to turn it off.

And yet, when the music of Perfume Genius does finallyclick with you, after repeated exposure, it’s like a dawning. You

feel like you’re in on some kind of secret. We live in a world of

processed, uninteresting, formulaic music, and when we hearsomething truly original we don’t quite know what to make of it.

Perfume Genius puts us to that test. We are forced to listen, torespond, to react. He challenges us.

“The movies I’ve watched that left me with complicatedfeeling afterwards were the ones that shaped my life,” he says.

“They’re the ones I thought about after I watched them. Thesame with books and music that brought stuff up for me that

maybe wasn’t entirely pleasant, but it was lasting. And I guessthat’s how my music is. I would hope that it stays with you inwhatever way for some reason.”

It’s certainly resonating with critics.The New Yorker’s Sasha Frere-Jones calls Too Bright,

Hadreas’s third, recently-released album, “a profoundly beauti-ful record that remains intense throughout its brief, thirty-three-

minute running time.” The New York Times calls the album

a “transformative leap” for the artist, noting, “these are notnuanced tunes with genderless love interests, à la Morrissey. Too

Bright is the gay indie rock equivalent of a swaggering Sylvesteror Jobriath album.”

At times, there’s a soothing quality to Hadreas’s music,

Mike Hadreas had no direction in life until a stint in rehab helped him find his voice. Now, as Pefume Genius,he’s the new queen of the indie music scene. Inteview by Randy Shulman / Photogaphy by Luke Gilford

particularly on his earlier albums, 2010’s debut Learning and2012’s Put Your Back N 2 It. Too Bright is a leap forward, with an

aggressively gay demeanor, and production qualities that veer

toward the religious. Hadreas doesn’t eschew catchy melodies,instead framing them in short bursts of songs that start off quiet

and build to a weird, often ecclesiastic frenzy. There is a formulafor off-beat music, after all.

But it’s more than melody for Hadreas, who will appear inD.C. with his band at the Black Cat on Tuesday, March 17. He has

a message to impart about being “weird,” about being the out-cast, about being gay. It’s a take-charge message, one that, once

you watch his music videos, becomes more apparent, as he flings

himself at corporate types, daring them to love and embrace him.

The 33-year-old man with a penchant for lipstick and jungle rednail polish may be our most unapologetic, unabashedly gay artistever. His work is defined by his own exploration of self.

“I grew up my whole life thinking about my anxieties and myinsecurities, thinking that the things that happened to me made

me a wounded person,” says Hadreas, who was bullied in high

school and later turned to drugs and drinking as a salve and sal-vation. “[I learned] you can be a nervous, weird, tiny, feminine

man and be a fuckin’ badass. It doesn’t need to be solved for youto be okay.

“I made a career out of trying to figure things out,” he contin-ues. “But just because they’re not completely figured out doesn’t

mean there’s something wrong.”

METRO WEEKLY: Let’s start with your early life. Where were youraised?

MIKE HADREAS: I was born in Des Moines, Iowa. My family movedto Seattle when I was around 6 or 7. I grew up in different sub-

urbs around the city.MW: How old were you when you came out?

HADREAS: I was 15. It went — I don’t know, I doubt anyone was

surprised. I told my brother. I told my mom. I never really offi-cially came out to my dad. I just started ordering Out magazine

and leaving it around the house for him to find.I felt like I had been waiting to come out for years, even at

15. A lot of the people I know didn’t come out that young, but I

“I love him.”

Scent

Success

the

of


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just couldn’t do it anymore, you know? I was talking to my mom

about people calling me a faggot in class at school, and she asked

if I thought I was gay. I said, “Yes.” And that was it. Crying andstuff like that, and then it kind of opened up the whole coming

out thing.MW: Was it a positive thing for you, coming out that young?

HADREAS: It was a mixed bag. I wouldn’t change when I came out,but it certainly brought a bunch of shit with it. I was openly gay

in all of high school — and I was the only openly gay person in

my high school. My brother went to school with me, too, and he

even ended up getting shit becausehe had a gay brother.

High school sucks for everyone,so to openly acknowledge that you’re

different from everyone at the start

makes it even more difficult. It was avery lonely feeling, but you just end

up finding the other weirdos andbanding together. I wish I’d have

known when I was young that Iwouldn’t always be alone. I think

that’s one of the hardest things: feel-

ing so separate. You don’t get to havethe kind of things that other people

have.But I’m glad that I was open —

keeping it a secret would have beenmuch harder than all the shit I had

to go through. But the shit I had to gothrough sucked. It was not fun. It’s

now about 15 years later, and I still

think about some of the ways peopletreated me. My outlook on life is still

shaped by that.MW: I take it you were bullied.

HADREAS: Yeah, I was.MW: How badly?

HADREAS: Shit, I mean, that’s relative.

It felt pretty bad to me, but I’m sureit could have been worse.MW: Can you give an example?

HADREAS: Well, I got one letter signed

from the heterosexual populationof my high school saying that they

won’t treat me like a human being

until I stop suckin’ dick. The worst

part is, I hadn’t sucked dick yet. AllI did was say I was openly gay, but Ihad no gay experiences at all. I was

terrorized for a sexual life I didn’teven have.

MW: That’s horrendous.

HADREAS: And that was before the

Internet, too. So you had to really

work to get that kind of letter tosomebody.MW: If you hadn’t had any kind of gaysexual experience, what was it that

made you so certain at 15 that youwere gay?

HADREAS: Well, to me, being gay isn’t

just about sex. When I picture mylife, and who I’m going to be with,

who I’m going to love, it’s a man. I knew very young that that’s just what felt natural to me. It didn’t feel natural for me to be

with women. I didn’t dislike women, but it didn’t feel natural,the way that straight people just naturally develop crushes on

the opposite sex and picture their lives with them. That’s howI was born.

MW: Were you also born with musical instinct? Was there musical

background in your family?

HADREAS: My mom sang when she was younger — in nightclubs

and stuff. My dad played the conga — he’s really into salsa music

“All I did wassay I was openlygay, but I had nogay experiencesat all. I WAS

TERRORIZEDFOR A SEXUAL

LIFE I DIDN’T

EVEN HAVE.”


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and has really good taste in music. But music wasn’t part of mylife. It was basically just me taking piano lessons. I didn’t really

grow up thinking I was gonna be a musician. I always loved

music and loved playing piano, but I didn’t write music, I didn’tgrow up singing in a choir.MW: What launched you into this career?

HADREAS: I ended up going to rehab about six years ago, and

when I got out I stayed with my mom. After a couple of monthsof no activity in life, I woke up one day and decided to write a

song. It was something I always wanted to do but I was a littletoo embarrassed of my voice. I would censor myself before I ever

finished anything. I ended up finishing a song called “Learning,”

which ended up being the name of my first album. After thatsong, I never stopped writing music, so....MW: Wait, go back a moment. You say you got out of rehab. Whattook you there?

HADREAS: I moved to the city when I was around 20 and wasfinally around other people like me — other gay people, other

weird people, other creative people. I started drinking and

socializing pretty much for the first time in my life. It slowlybecame less and less about socializing, and more and more

about the actual drinking and drugs. And it wasn’t fun for yearsand years and years, but I couldn’t stop. And I didn’t know if I

really needed to, because you keep surrounding yourself, as youprogress in your habit, with people who are doing the same. It

feels normal.A lot of people treat cocaine and drinking to excess and stuff

— at least in my friend group — as kind of like a normal thing. For

some people it is recreational, and they do things like that once amonth, or once a week. But I ended up at my dealer’s house for

days on end. My life was falling apart and I didn’t care. I didn’tcare about myself, or anything. It was a very scary feeling.MW: After what sounds like a difficult high school experience, youwere impressionable.

HADREAS: A little bit, yeah. But as as far as my addiction goes, I

was pretty predisposed to that the minute I started the stuff. No

matter what my situation would have been socially, I’m prettysure I would have ended up in the same place. It’s just how mybrain is.MW: So rehab worked for you?

HADREAS: It took a few tries. It was kind of off and on, but I’ve

been sober now for about five years.MW: Is it reasonable to assume that had you not fallen into drugs,

your current musical career wouldn’t have happened?

HADREAS: I think that’s true. I definitely would be doing some-thing different. I might be doing something creative, but what

I want to talk about, the things I’m passionate about, would becompletely different. All that crap that I went through gave me a

lot of things to say, a lot of healing that I needed — and healing Iwanted to help other people with, as well. It was therapy for me,

but it gave me a message, which is corny to say. So I’m thankful

for all that stuff. I mean, when you see one end of things, you canappreciate the other end, and it makes you more compassionate

to other people. When you go to rehab and see all these peoplefrom all different walks of life having the same kind of experi-

ences as you, it opens the world up a little.MW: So how do you get from zero to suddenly releasing an album

out?

HADREAS: After I wrote that first song, it just became a manic-

obsessive thing for me. Years of things I’d been thinking about

and trying to work through, somehow writing about them wasvery helpful to me. The whole process was a lot more patient

than I am as a person, a lot smarter, a lot more articulate.

I made a bunch of songs and started putting them up onMySpace to share with my friends. Through that a record label

in the U.K. contacted me, and came to meet me in Seattle. They

signed me before I had ever played a show, or had cobbled mysongs into an album form. Through them I met my label in the

U.S., and then I made my album, made the artwork, played myfirst show and eventually started touring.MW: How does it make you feel to know that just by chance some-body recognized you had talent and gave you a shot.

HADREAS: Very surreal. I don’t have anything else to compare itto. When I sit down and think about it, which I don’t do very

often, I wish I was grateful more often, but I don’t really givemyself the chance to be.

MW: Well, give yourself the chance here. How grateful are you?

HADREAS: Really grateful. But part of being grateful means stop-

ping for a second and looking at it. And, to be honest, it’s still

kind of overwhelming. I will read press, and I know that thereare people at my shows, but I don’t let myself think about it

because it’s too much. And I’m scared that if I really pay atten-tion to everything that’s happening, I’ll freak out and stop. So I

pay attention as much as I need to, but mainly I just try to thinkof the next thing.

MW: Until a telephone call like this comes along and forces you to

examine it.

HADREAS: [ Laughs. ] Yeah.MW: The live shows. Is that something you’re enjoying? HADREAS: I do now. It took a while for me to enjoy them. I was

terrified to play live. I don’t remember my first show because Iwas so nervous. I kinda blacked out. I’m still pretty nervous and

anxious and can be kind of awkward on stage. But it’s worlds dif-ferent than it used to be. I’m actually performing now, a lot more

than I used to. Now it feels more like a transaction. I’m singing

for people, as opposed to just kind of singing and people are spy-ing on me. That’s how it felt before.MW: Your songs tend to start off starkly and simply, but then grow

“It’s frustratingto me because abunch of straightmen can write really

emotional music

AND NOBODY

ACCUSES

THEM OF

BEINGDRAMATIC.”


20/48


in complexity. At times, they reach almostecclesiastic height. The thing that kept pop-

ping into mind listening to the new album

especially was religion. The arrangementsat times evolve into an almost spiritual,

heavenly rapture. Why that style?

HADREAS: A lot of it is my weird tastes.

I’ve always really responded to hymns,choral music and spiritual music. Even

though I’m not Christian, I’ve listened toChristian music. It’s weird to have a taste

for that, but to not feel included in it. And

so, I reconcile that with the music I make.I make music that feels old or spiritual,

but I am included in it, people like me areincluded in it. I think that’s part of it.MW: Some of your music on the newalbum gets aggressively primal. “Grid” is

one. There’s a lot of discordant shouting

at one point.

HADREAS: Yeah.MW: It’s not necessarily the most pleasantthing to listen to.

HADREAS: [ Laughs. ] That’s awesome.MW: Overall, your music strikes me as part delicate, part aggres-

sive, part flamboyant. An atmosphere borne out in your videos.Your video for “Queen” is totally flamboyant, but with an edge.

HADREAS: It’s consciously flamboyant. People constantly tell me

that if I stop singing so specifically about gay themes, I wouldhave a broader appeal, that I could make it in the mainstream if

I changed my pronouns or didn’t use pronouns or talked aboutdifferent things, or whatever. And even some other gay people

have told me that, you know? “We get that you’re gay, but whydo you have to talk about it?” Or, “Why does every song have to

be about being gay?” Or, “Why are you wearing nail polish? We

don’t all wear nail polish. It’s giving us a bad name, blah, blah,

blah.” It’s all incredibly frustrating and backward bullshit to me.My current album cover was like, “If you think I was gaybefore, I will give you the gayest thing I can think of. And in a

fucking badass way.” Because there’s strength to that albumcover, even though I’m wearing a glittery, flesh-toned top. I

think I look like a fuckin’ badass.MW: But why get annoyed when people complain you’re too flam-

boyant? Clearly you embrace it.

HADREAS: Well, it’s frustrating to me because a bunch of straightmen can write really emotional music and nobody accuses them

of being dramatic, you know? They don’t accuse other men ofbeing flamboyant when they’re being emotional. So that is frus-

trating to me. I’m proud of who I am and it’s important to me tobe explicit and specific about what I’m talking about. But you

don’t want that to be all that everyone ever talks about when they

talk about you. It’s a really weird, complicated thing.MW: How important is mainstream success to you?

HADREAS: Mainstream success is not important to me. But I’m 33and I didn’t go to college. This is my one shot. My music career

is all I have, so I need it to be successful because I need to sustainmyself so I can continue my music and pay my rent.

MW: What’s the story behind the name Perfume Genius?

HADREAS: There isn’t one really. When I made my MySpace

profile, I didn’t think a career would come from it, so it was just

a couple of random words I put together. But as people startedtrickling in and listening to it, I felt like I couldn’t change it.MW: There’s a heightened level of gay when you consider the name

Perfume Genius, and look at the picture on your album cover, and watch your videos. Are

you consciously creating an alter ego to act

out your feelings?

HADREAS: Kind of. Most of my life, the things

I’ve been tortured about — made fun of for —are my feminine qualities. Exclusively. And

that caused a lot of shame for me growingup. As I got older, I realized how fucking

powerful and important and strong thosequalities were. Some of my favorite things

about myself are what people consider my

feminine qualities. And a lot of the qualitiespeople that think are masculine, I still con-

sider feminine. My strength, if I had to nameit, would be a feminine strength. I like my

nails red because I think it looks pretty. Partof it is a protest and intentional to present

myself in a strong way, in a feminine way.MW: Your music falls along the lines of experi-mental, and there are going to be critics who

vocally don’t like it. Does that bother you? Does it roll off your back?

HADREAS: I care. I care. I might be hurt a littlebit — but it doesn’t cut very deep, just because I’m proud of the

music on this album. It’s pretty solid. I also know that since Ireally went for it, it’s the kind of music people are going to love

or hate, and that doesn’t bother me. It’s when people get really

personal and it’s not about the music anymore that I get upset. Imean, even the good stuff can be kind of damaging for your ego.MW: How so?

HADREAS: I already think about myself too much. I’m fairly self-

absorbed, you know? But now I get my picture taken and talkabout myself all the time and read all these reviews about me. It

doesn’t do good things for your ego. You can go really high and

then you read one negative thing and it goes all the way, way

down farther than before you read anything. So it’s just reallyup, down. Especially for me, feeling like a weirdo my whole life,feeling separate from everyone, to have all those things I was

embarrassed of or made fun of for, suddenly being celebrated isan amazing feeling but it’s a strange one, too.

MW: When you look at where you are now and where you came from, does it seem remarkable this all came together the way it did?

HADREAS: Yeah, it’s insane. It’s a real feeling. It used to feel

like luck or that I happened into all of this, but the longer thatI do it, the more I realize why this had to be. It could have

happened a long time ago. It’s just as I’ve gotten healthierand more confident, I’m stripping away the shit that held me

back and clouded my mind and kept me from writing, kept meessentially from just committing and doing work, because I’ve

always been really creative but I never committed to things

and I never worked hard at them. Now that I do that, goodthings are happening. And every time I commit and follow

through, something good happens. I think that’s the secret toall of it. It took a lot of rehab-type activities to make me the

kind of person that can do that. Finally.

Perfume Genius performs Tuesday, March 17, at The Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door. Doors

at 7:30 p.m. Call 202-667-4490 or visit blackcatdc.com.

For more information on Perfume Genius and additional tour

dates, visit perfumegenius.net. l

“I ended up at my dealer’s house

for days on end. MY LIFE

WAS FALLING APART

AND I DIDN’T CARE. Itwas a very scary feeling.”


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MARCH 5 - 12, 2015

SPOTLIGHT

ANTIGONE RISING You may have seen bass guitarist Kristen Ellis-Henderson on the cover of Time kissing her wife,Sarah Kate Ellis-Henderson — the head of GLAADwho recently graced our cover — in a celebrationof marriage equality. This Friday, March 6, she joins her bandmates, including her sister CathyHenderson, at Jammin Java, where the all-lesbiancountry/rock quartet kicks off a national tour tosupport its forthcoming album Whiskey & Wine -Volume 2. Friday, March 6, at 8 p.m. Jammin Java,227 Maple Ave. E. Vienna. Tickets are $15 in advanceor $18 day-of show. Call 703-255-3747 or visit jam-minjava.com.

Davie

Compiled by Doug Rule

P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F D A V I E

Pike from the Music Center. The mid-sized concert hall,

serving food and drinks through a partnership with thetrendy Neighborhood Restaurant Group (Birch & Barley,Bluejacket), opens this weekend with concerts by alt-coun-

try crooner Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo) as well as lesbian folkrocker Toshi Reagon. — Doug Rule

“Over The Rainbow: The Songs of Harold Arlen” is Saturday,

March 14, at 8 p.m. Amp by Strathmore, 11810 Grand Park

Ave. North Bethesda. Tickets are $30. Call 301-581-5100 orvisit ampbystrathmore.com.

BIGGER THAN YOU BIGGER THAN MEField Trip Theatre, a company focused on supporting

new plays, engaging diverse audiences and reflect-ing the perspectives and identities of people in D.C.,offers a new play by Kathryn Coughlin focused onfacing fears and putting things in perspective. Nick Vargas directs a production featuring Mia Branco,Sophie Schulman and Josh Simon playing D.C. resi-dents whose new friendship has a cascading effecton their lives and jobs. Opens in a preview Thursday,March 5, at 7:30 p.m. To March 15. Anacostia ArtsCenter, 1231 Good Hope Road SE. Tickets are $10 forthe preview, or $15 regular performances. Call 202-631-6291 or visit fieldtriptheatre.com.

DEMETRI MARTIN A former writer for Late Night with Conan O’Brienas well as a former regular on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart — to say nothing of his own short-lived

Comedy Central show — Demetri Martin offers a

show the wry comedian calls “The Persistence ofJokes.” Friday, March 6, at 7 p.m., and Saturday,

March 7, at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, 1215U St. NW. Tickets are $40. Call 202-328-6000 or visitthelincolndc.com.

EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICALThe Greenbelt Arts Center offers a production ofthe Off Broadway stage adaptation of Sam Raimi’scult classic zombie film featuring book and lyrics by George Reinblatt and music by a team led byFrank Cipolla. Jeffery Lesniak directs this com-munity theater production, choreographed by RikkiHowie Lacewell. The seats up front are designatedthe Splatter Zone as, naturally, patrons will be splat-tered in blood from the stage battles. And whowouldn’t pay more for that? Opens Friday, March6, at 8 p.m. To March 28. Greenbelt Arts Center,123 Centerway. Greenbelt, Md. Tickets are $22, or

$30 for the Splatter Zone. Call 301-441-8770 or visitgreenbeltartscenter.org.

Amp’ed CabaretMichael Lavine helps christen the area’s

newest concert venue

COLE PORTER, LEONARD BERNSTEIN, GEORGE

Gershwin, Stephen Sondheim — even if you can’tname a tune, you identify those names as among the

very greatest American musical composers.

“But say Harold Arlen and people go, ‘Harold who?’Everybody knows his songs,” Michael Lavine says, “but most

people don’t know his name.”In fact, any fan of The Wizard of Oz and especially its

star, the original gay diva Judy Garland, is a fan of Arlen. Hewrote all of the music for that movie classic, as well as many

of Garland’s most popular songs, including “Get Happy” and

“The Man That Got Away.”For an Arlen cabaret revue next weekend, Lavine has

recruited some impressive singers to perform these stan-dards and more (“Stormy Weather” and “That Old Black

Magic” also among them): Eleasha Gamble, a Helen HayesAward winner who most recently starred in Arena Stage’sOklahoma!; Erin Davie, who last year played the introverted

conjoined twin Violet Hilton in the Kennedy Center’s SideShow; and Sean McDermott, a Broadway veteran and soap

opera actor who toured and performed with Barbra Streisanda decade ago.

A New York-based native of Bethesda, Lavine likens thestructure of his Arlen cabaret to Side by Side by Sondheim.

It’ll take place at the area’s newest concert venue — run bythe same institution that put North Bethesda on the map,

the venerated Strathmore. Amp by Strathmore is part of the

new Pike & Rose development, further north on Rockville


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GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF WASHINGTON“When You Wish” is a salute to music from theworld of animation in the Gay Men’s Chorus’s pat-ented style — you know, as sassy and campy as it issweet and sincere, featuring drag queens, tap danc-ers and sing-a-longs. John Moran directs this showwith tunes you’ll know from Disney, Schoolhouse Rock! and Saturday morning cartoons. Friday, March13, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, March 14, at 3 p.m. and 8p.m. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are $25to $63. Call 202-328-6000 or visit thelincolndc.comor gmcw.org.

INGRID BERGMAN IN CASABLANCA,NOTORIOUSHalfway through its two-month series “LeadingLadies of Hollywood’s Golden Age,” the AmericanFilm Institute’s Silver Theatre turns its screen totwo of cinema’s greatest hits, both revolving aroundWorld War II and featuring leading lady IngridBergman: Michael Curtiz’s 1942 classic Casablanca,where she starred opposite Humphrey Bogart, and1946’s Notorious, Alfred Hitchcock’s finest film, alsostarring Cary Grant and Claude Rains. Casablancascreens Friday, March 6, at 5:15 p.m., Saturday,March 7, at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 8, at 6:45 p.m.,Monday, March 9, at 12:45 p.m., Tuesday, March 10,at 12:45 p.m., and Wednesday, March 11, at 6:30 p.m.

Notorious screens Friday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m., and

Tuesday, March 10, at 7 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre,8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $12general admission. Call 301-495-6720 or visitafi.com/Silver.

JUKEBOX THE GHOST, LITTLE DAYLIGHTBen Thornewill, Tommy Siegel and Jesse Kristin metwhile attending George Washington University andquickly started making music together. Now based inBrooklyn, the indie-pop trio returns for a hometownshow, co-headlining the 9:30 Club on a bill featuringfellow Brooklyn-based trio Little Daylight, a synth-pop band whose sound will hook any fan of similarcatchy pop acts, from former touring mate CharliXCX to Taylor Swift. Tuesday, March 10. Doors at 7p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $18.Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

MADONNAShe’s gonna carry on: The queen of queens — tomany of a certain generation, at the very least — hasannounced the first leg of her Rebel Heart WorldTour 2015. Tickets go on pre-sale for Citi cardhold-ers Wednesday, March 11, at 10 a.m. General publicsale begins Monday, March 16, for concert Saturday,Sept. 12. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. Call 202-628-3200 or visit livenation.com.

OF MONTREALDespite his band’s name, Kevin Barnes is based inthe indie-rock hotbed of Athens, Ga. He namedhis band after a woman he once dated, who was— you guessed it — from Montreal. An odd namehasn’t stopped the eccentric band, whose music is

all over the psychedelic rock map, from gaining adevoted following. Saturday, March 7. Doors at 8p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $20.Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE:BATTLE OF THE SEASONSMany of the those you loved — or loved to hate —from past seasons of Logo’s RuPaul’s Drag Racereturn to the 9:30 Club next weekend for a showto promote the latest season, as well as to keepthese queens’ names in circulation. This round,we’re talking Alaska 5000 (aka Thunderfuck),BenDeLaCreme, Darienne Lake, Ivy Winters, JigglyCaliente, Jinkx Monsoon and Pandora Boxx. As withlast year’s show, the host is Michelle Visage, who has been RuPaul’s right-hand woman for two decades

M A R G O T S C H U L M A N

Problem ChildSignature Theatre’s new musical Kid Victory asks

too much of its audience

TOWARD THE END OF JOHN KANDER AND GREG PIERCE’Snew musical Kid Victory ( HHHHH ), hilarity ensues. We get one verse

of a silly song — an improbable jingle, “Matchstick Men,” written fora fictitious gay hookup site and taking playful aim at the site’s most frequent

users. Next, we’re treated to a hysterical and totally unexpected tap number

featuring the show’s full ensemble — which springs from a hookup betweenthe show’s lead boy Luke (Jake Winn) and his light-on-his-feet date (a win-

some Parker Drown). “What’s the point of living if your feet are never tap-pin’?” the gang chants as they dance their way to a climax.

Directed by Liesl Tommy, Kid Victory is a dark show, focused as it is onthe struggles of a troubled boy and his pious parents in rural Kansas to recon-

nect after he went missing and suffered abuse for a year. But other than afew scenes with a quirky young woman Emily (a likable Sarah Litzinger) the

show doesn’t offer many moments of levity, much less humor. So to put the

two truly funny numbers back to back near the end of the show — a two hourshow with no intermission — is a lot to ask of an audience.

Further testing the audience, lyricist Pierce opts for a very atmospheric,evocative style, which despite being graceful can also make it hard to relate to

his characters, chief among them Luke. We know too little about what Lukeis thinking, feeling or even wanting.

There are some genuine moments of sparkle and finesse in Kander’smusic, a fair amount of mood-lifting choreography by Christopher Windom,

and designers Clint Ramos on set and David Weiner on lights add some depth

to the show via the large, lit photographs of Kansas wheat fields that envelopthe stage.

Obviously Kansas can be a desolate, isolating place, but the metaphorshould only be taken so far in a musical. — Doug Rule

To March 22 at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are

$40 to $95. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.



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now. “For me, it’s all about the bravery that these boys go through on a daily basis,” Visage told MetroWeekly two years ago. “From the first moment I sawa drag queen when I moved to New York City when Iwas 17, it was all about admiration. I have the utmostrespect for these people and what they go through,every day, and their transformation.” Sunday, March8. Doors at 8 p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW.Tickets are $35, $55 for VIP meet and greet at 7 p.m.Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

TORCH: SONGS FROM THE GAY LIFE

Rainbow Theatre Project continues to mix up theofferings in its second season, this month with a cab-aret show of songs deemed important to the LGBTexperience — ones we’ve sung and moved alongwith as well as those that inspired us to come outor connect with others, and made famous by artistsfrom Judy Garland to David Bowie, Little Richard to ABBA. John Moletress directs as well as performs inthis show based on an idea by H. Lee Gable and fea-turing other performers including Lucrezia Blozia, Aaren Keith, Lady Dane and Augustin Beall. Sunday,March 8, at 8 p.m. The Bier Baron Tavern, 1523 22ndSt. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202-293-1887 or visitrainbowtheatreproject.org.

TOSHI REAGONThree years after her last performance in the area,

this veteran lesbian folk artist returns to the FreeState. This time, Reagon helps christen Strathmore’snew medium-sized performing arts center, AMP,located just off the Rockville Pike in the new multi-purpose complex called Pike & Rose. The daughterof celebrated gospel singer Bernice Reagon and thegoddaughter of folk legend Pete Seeger, Reagon willperform with avant-garde New York-based drum-mer-singer Allison Miller. Vocal percussionist BeSteadwill aka B.Steady opens the show with “queerpop and soul.” Sunday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. AMP byStrathmore, 11810 Grand Park Ave. North Bethesda.Tickets are $35. Call 301-581-5100 or visit ampbys-trathmore.com.

FILM

BALLET 422Peter Martins offers an unembellished vérité por-trait of creating a new work for the New York CityBallet. From first rehearsal to world premiere, thedocumentary offers an illuminating look at all themachinations that go into creating a ballet. OpensFriday, March 6. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 55511th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmark-theatres.com.

THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTELJudi Dench, Bill Nighy and Maggie Smith all returnin another off-beat comedy about Sonny’s plans to build a second retirement hotel in India, juggling itwith his impending wedding. Opens Friday, March6. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

TOUCH OF EVILOrson Welles’s 1958 film is the final installment in amonth-long, four-film Hitchcock/Welles Film Seriesat D.C.’s Hill Center. What’s the Hitchcock connec-tion? The most obvious is Janet Leigh, so memorablefrom the infamous shower scene in Psycho. Only two years before, though, Leigh was similarly the scant-ily clad object of prey at a rural motel in Welles’sfilm, which also inspired Hitchcock in other ways,from the use of daring shots and bravado sequencesto the value in establishing a strong mise en scène.Welles again stars in his own picture: In Touch of Evil, he plays a crooked fat cop to Charlton Heston’sgood guy detective. Marlene Dietrich plays oneof Heston’s girlfriends. Capitol Hill resident andHitchcock expert Tom Zaniello leads a post-show

S C O T T S U C H M A N

Songs of PraiseThe Washington National Opera’s Carmelites resonates with dark,

complex themes

DON’T LET THE AUSTERE TITLE DETER YOU — POULENC’S MID-century Dialogues of the Carmelites is a perfect deep-winter tincture. As

rich as a vintage port, the opera delivers a soft and melodic score that

undulates with darker and complex themes.For those who don’t already know the story, this is a work best enjoyed blind.

It’s a pleasure to enjoy the gentle unfolding of the music and narrative, as muchas one does the old (equally predictable) movies it somewhat evokes. Suffice to

say it tells the true-life tale of the Carmelite nuns of the convent at Compiegnewho were persecuted during the French Revolution. All does not end well, but

acts of personal spiritual heroism ensue.Of course, with the slow-burn of Poulenc’s stirring, searching score, the

opera’s themes of fear, faith and the despair of the persecuted reach far beyond

the filmic genre. Director Francesca Zambello captures this in her sensitivepacing and the melancholy of the staging and tableaus, even if the periodically

marching peasants add less. The mood is given depth and contemporary ref-erence in Hildegard Bechtler’s sublime sets of enormous, curved and moving

walls and Mark McCullough’s brilliant mix of stark, gloomy and piquantlyiridescent light.

This is a powerful cast. Creating a spectacularly grim and outraged Madame

de Croissy, the ailing Prioress of the convent, Dolora Zajick sings with rafter-reaching scope in expressive, golden tone. Zajick’s acting is credible and affect-

ing — as she suffers and doubts, her anger and pain is palpable. As the noviceBlanche de la Force, the young noblewoman who takes the veil as a refuge from

life, Layla Claire is convincing in her innocence and her fears. Her soprano islarge and sweet, sometimes tending towards a slight emphasis on vibrato in the

lower notes.As Madame Lidoine, Leah Crocetto, singing with a poised, lush tone, offers a

pleasing interpretation of the new Prioress who must take the helm under dire

circumstances. As Sister Constance, Ashley Emerson is tragically but convinc-ingly cheerful and Elizabeth Bishop is an understated but highly effective Mother

Marie, who watches stoically as her beloved convent unravels. As Marquis de laForce, Blanche’s aristocratic father, Alan Held makes for an impressive bit part.

Admittedly, some may find Carmelites a slow burn. But taken with patience, itis a unique place to contemplate rich musical flavors and a story that is as tragi-

cally current as it is old. — Kate Wingfield

To March 10. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $25 to $300. Call

202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.



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discussion. Saturday, March 14, at 2 p.m. Hill Center, Old Navy Hospital, 921Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Free. Call 202-549-4172 or visit HillCenterDC.org.

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWSJemaine Clement and Taika Waititi team up to make a comedy every bit as wackyas the duo’s hit HBO series Flight of the Conchords. This time the focus is on anendearingly unhip quartet of vampires squabbling over household chores, tryingto stay trendy, antagonizing the local werewolves and dealing with pressures ofliving on a strict diet. Opens Friday, March 6. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 55511th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

STAGEBACK TO METHUSELAHOne of the first works of science fiction ever put on stage, George Bernard Shaw’s Back to Methuselah features the writer’s celebrated wit and touch of satire asit examines the human lifespan, from the Garden of Eden to “as far as thoughtcan reach.” Bill Largess directs the latest Washington Stage Guild production.To March 15. Undercroft Theatre of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church,900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Tickets are $40 to $50. Call 240-582-0050 or visitstageguild.org.

BESSIE’S BLUES

HHHHH

Twenty years ago, Studio Theatre won six Helen Hayes Awards with its produc-tion of Bessie’s Blues by Thomas W. Jones II. If you missed its first outing, youmight wonder what all the fuss was about. Bernardine Mitchell reprises the lead

role at MetroStage, and she is the chief reason to see the revival. Mitchell has oneof the most powerful voices around, with stupendous range, conjuring Smith andother blues-informed divas, from Aretha Franklin to Patti LaBelle. The subtle waythe music helps narrate the history and the influence of the blues is impressive, but the script itself is a little too loose in telling us about Smith especially. Bessie’s Blues uses both interpretive acting as well as interpretive dancing — and even if you don’t find that pretentious, it can be befuddling. The show is on soundest foot-ing when it keeps the focus on Mitchell and the music. To March 15. MetroStage,1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55 to $60. Call 800-494-8497 or visit metrostage.org. (Doug Rule)

CHEROKEEJohn Vreeke directs a Woolly Mammoth production of Lisa D’Amour’s latestcomedy, about two couples — one black, one white — fleeing their suburbanpressures in an attempt to reconnect with nature by going camping in Cherokee,N.C. A companion to last season’s hit Detroit, Cherokee takes a disparate groupof Americans beyond the brink and asks what it means to lead an authentic life.

Closes this Sunday, March 8. Woolly Mammoth, 641 D St. NW. Tickets are $35 to$68. Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.

MARY STUART

If you’ve partaken in any theater in D.C. over the past couple decades, you knowHolly Twyford, Kate Eastwood Norris and Nancy Robinette are stage royalty. And go figure: two of them are even playing queens at Folger Theatre. FriedrichSchiller’s Mary Stuart is a 19th Century Shakespearean political drama about oneof England’s most storied rivalries, that between Mary, Queen of Scots (Norris)and Queen Elizabeth I (Twyford). D.C. theater’s grand dame Robinette playsthe Catholic Mary’s attentive assistant while she’s imprisoned by the ProtestantElizabeth in England. Peter Oswald’s adaptation is one of the more compellinghistorical play productions I’ve seen, a credit to both Richard Clifford’s sharp


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eye in casting and directing and in Tony Cisek’sscenery. And Mariah Hale’s glorious costumes putthe characters in even starker relief. Mary is refinedand regal, while Elizabeth looks overbearingly over-dressed and tortured. Closes this Sunday, March 8.Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are$40 to $75. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.(Doug Rule)

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHINGThe 11th installment in Synetic Theater’s “wordlessShakespeare” series is one of the Bard’s best-loved

comedies. Synetic’s Paata Tsikurishvili has set Much Ado About Nothing in the mid-20th Century RatPack-era Las Vegas, so expect Sinatra-esque croon-ing tunes and chipper early rock songs. To March22. Theater at Crystal City, 1800 South Bell St., Arlington. Tickets are $20 to $95. Call 800-494-8497or visit synetictheater.org.

THE CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATIONRep Stage presents this sharp comedy from AnnieBaker about a group of small-town residentsenrolled in a community center drama class, inwhich they play various seemingly harmless theatergames. What could possibly go wrong? Suzanne Bealdirects. Now to March 22. Rep Stage: The HorowitzCenter’s Studio Theatre at Howard CommunityCollege, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia,

Md. Tickets are $40. Call 443-518-1500 or visitrepstage.org.

THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMOREMatthew R. Wilson directs Constellation TheatreCompany’s production of a gleeful and gruesomecomedy sending up violence from Oscar winner andacclaimed Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. Theensemble cast includes Chris Dinolfo, Megan Dominy,Thomas Keegan and Matthew Ward. To March 8.Source, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $45. Call202-204-7741 or visit constellationtheatre.org.

THE METROMANIACSMichael Kahn directs a new adaptation by DavidIves of Alexis Piron’s classic 1738 French farce, abouta would-be poet who has fallen for the works of a

mysterious Breton poetess. In fact, the works are by amiddle-aged gentleman, who pawns his own daughteroff as the author in an attempt to separate her fromthe son of a sworn enemy. Chaos ensues, as does somepoetic wooing reminiscent of Cyrano. Extended toMarch 15. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW. Call202-547-1122 or visit shakespearetheatre.org.

THE ORIGINALISTMolly Smith directs an Arena Stage world premiere ofJohn Strand’s play about one of the biggest enemies tothe LGBT cause and civil rights in general: SupremeCourt Justice Antonin Scalia. It’s hard to get excitedabout this one, although no doubt four-time HelenHayes Award winner Edward Gero will do Scalia justice. The play is performed in the Mead Center’sKogod Cradle in a new three-quarter thrust configu-

ration. Opens in previews Friday, March 6. To April26. Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St.SW. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

MUSIC

GLITTERLUST, STE MCABE ATELECTRO-QUEER DANCE PARTYLocal queer electro-punk act Glitterlust is set toperform at an Electro-Queer Dance Party at BossaBistro in Adams Morgan next Monday night. Sharingthe bill is Scottish “queercore” singer-songwriterSte McCabe, who makes DIY political electro-rock.Monday, March 9, at 9 p.m. Bossa Bistro, 2463 18thSt. NW. Tickets are $5. Call 202-667-0088 or visit

bossadc.com.l

J O H N M A C L E L L A N

Richmond’s Rainbow A gay theater company thrives in the rapidly changing capital

IT WAS ALWAYS A NICE PLAC

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