Mrs takes on Lisa Frank Saturday at Mississippi Studios
Thursday and all weekend
POW (Portland Oregon Women) Film Fest – POW Fest, now in its third year, aims to highlight women directors (unlike the Academy, who has never awarded a female Best Director) and has a great and eclectic assortment of films in its 4 day run. On Friday can catch 80s classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High and meet the director, Amy Heckerling, who seems hilarious judging by her eccentric bio. Or you can attend a Sunday matinee with a queer double feature of Austin Unbound (which we reviewed yesterday) and Married in Spandex. Then there’s a whole slew of shorts and other films. I’m kinda excited about Saturday’s “mature” set, but are you really surprised by that?
Friday
Bent 2 year anniversary – Can you believe this baby has been around for two whole years now? It’s starting to move from new cool kid come to town to to sweaty queer night institution. But just because it’s a bumbling toddler now doesn’t make it any less exciting than when I named it best new club night in 2010. It’s always packed, always bumpin’ and a nice break out in the wilds of North Portland. With special DJs in from the Bay area and a photobooth by Deya Card, expect the skanks to be out (which is what an early Craiglist criticism/compliment said about the night) and for the Faggy Nation to be busting at the seems in honor of this kid’s birth.
Dirty Queer – Another opportunity to get your naughty on in artsy or academic style. It’s the perfect mixture of punk and high brow while keeping In Other Words bookstore a much steamier place than Portlandia skits would have us believe.
Saturday
Mrs. Lisa Frank – Portlanders are anything but spoil sports and Mrs monthly costume parties help prove that. At least 80% of the crowd seems to dress up every time so expect your eyeballs to be overwhelmed by the brightly colored and kid style brilliance of a Lisa Frank theme. So bust out the glitter (as if you needed a theme to do that) and embrace your inner child. It’s not just for little girls anymore so bring it butchies.
Hott – New party for the lesbian crew takes a stab at a second evening. We may not have the lady-lovin’ E Room any longer but we have plenty of ladies out there trying to turn it up and make it happen. And isn’t it nice to know we have options? Crush is a gay bar that caters to everyone but these days it seems like the de facto dyke bar in SE, kinda like the Florida Room is up north.
Portland Gay Symphonic Band concert – Gay and lesbian culture in P-Town is about more than clubbing and this is a great way to have music in your life while getting out of that circuit. Band and orchestra kids in high school may not have been labeled as cool but now that we’re grown up queer folks we know that sometimes the best things are overlooked by the mainstream. Music by Copland, Zdechlik, Turina, and more means you can feel uplifted and inspired.
“unlike the Academy, who has never awarded a female Best Director”
Actually, Kathryn Bigelow got the Oscar for Best Director just two years ago. She’s the only one, though!