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LaborGay weekend events will have your executive realness in the Werqforce

Melanie Griffith is workin' our her "Executive Realness' too

Laborday is gayborday (or LaborGay, how far can I work this bad pun?) in the hard-workin’ heartland of Portland, so us young retired people are just gonna use Labor Day weekend as an excuse to extend the party…right?

Thursday

Dirtbag! – The workin’ man’s weeknight party, cuz it’s free and awesome. To find out more about the DJ workin’ this event check out yesterday’s profile of DJ Bruce laBruiser.

A painting show from Mason Bondi & I Mirror/Your Mirror art openings – Downtown/Pearl’s First Thursday may have a snootier reputation than the ridiculous and bohemian Last Thursday on Alberta but it’s always been about the art and there’s good art to be had. Here are two examples from experimental artist and former local Sarah Gottesdiener and Mason Bondi, a painter whose images of small figures amidst huge skies are at once whimsical and haunting.

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DJ of the Week — Bruce laBruiser

Jenny Bruso, DJ Bruce laBruiser

qPDX is starting a new feature! Every week we will introduce you to a local LGBTQ party DJ and ask them about their experiences in the scene and feature an audio mix they’ve made. If you’re interested in being featured contact alley@qpdx.com.

This week features DJ Bruce laBruiser, formerly known as Gutter Glamour, Jenny Bruso. You can catch her party Dirtbag! this Thursday (tomorrow) September 1st and again at Saturday September 10th at a great outdoor end of summer party called Some are Sparkles with Beyondadoubt and Chelsea Starr.

When and how did you get started DJing?

It’s kinda funny because I never actually planned on djing. It came to me. My partner and a good friend of our’s wanted to throw a benefit and for some reason they had this idea that I should dj it. Without even thinking about it I told them, “no.” I hate a lot of attention and being on the spot, but over the following next few days I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I found myself thinking about what kind of dj I would want to be and I was hearing all of my music in this new way. Suddenly, I was dying to do it! And after that first time, I was hooked, though I shudder to think about those early days. Eek. It’s actually the perfect gig for me, because I get to be this big part of the party, but i’m tucked away from the crowd and it’s totally weird, but I often find that folks really aren’t even paying that much attention to the dj. Depends on the party.

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Lady Gaga in drag at the 2011 VMAs

Gaga at Jo Calderone at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards

This Sunday Lady Gaga took to full drag character Jo Calderone for the MTV Video Music Awards. She won “Best Female Performer” dressed as a man and queered the VMAs further by staying in character for questions.

Most of what I’ve seen on Facebook so far has been pretty positive, except for comment condemning the smoking and drinking. Here are some samples:

“…the most conservative she’s ever looked…”

“I like that she’s in drag but she’s not doing some really gross misogynist thing to a female dancer…”

“…it didn’t piss me off, points for Gaga!…I was worried she would do that ‘don’t worry I’m still a hot girl underneath it all’ switch at the end, but she didn’t, she held to it, and nailed the body language…”

“Anyone who can be so creepy that they make Britney Spears feel uncomfortable… you have to love them…”

“The crowd reactions are so varied! Beiber at 4:33 is a personal favorite.”

What to you think? You can watch the whole video beneath the break.

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This weekend it’s time to be a Hot Mess as you say goodbye to Doll House and indulge in (Del Shores) Sordid Confessions

Del Shores shares all his 'Sordid Confessions' Sunday at Red Cap

Thursday

Hot mess talent contest – The first week of the up-and-coming local talent competition. Can we beat Tyra in snarkiness or Simon Cowell in cruelty? Well it’s time to find out.

Streateaters, Mishaps, Fucking Lesbian Bitches – Goddamn dyke punk ok?

The Cafeteria – Summer school’s in session so it’ll be all the bad girls and boys in class this week…

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DJ of the Week – Alicious

DJ Alicious

qPDX is starting a new feature! Every week we will introduce you to a local LGBTQ party DJ and ask them about their experiences in the scene and feature an audio mix they’ve made. If you’re interested in being featured contact alley@qpdx.com.

First on the docket is DJ Alicious, most known for Crave, Doll House and other Mirage Entertainment productions. You can catch her this Saturday at their Doll House farewell at Hamburger Mary’s.

When and how did you get started DJing?

Music has always been a huge passion of mine.  I used to sit in my bedroom for hours on end as a little kid and craft what I would consider to be the perfect mix tapes!  As I got older, I would be the go to person for music.  In college I hosted many parties and always provided the music.  As for getting started professionally, I officially started deejaying back in February, 2010 for Crave’s “Gold Masquerade Party”.  I have continued to spin for every Crave since then.  It’s so exciting to be a contributing factor in making people dance, smile, and have a good time =)

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Baconfest, Bent feat Jeau Breedlove, Mrs HoMotown, Chunky Dunk and and Q Center open house make a summer weekend

Bacon Salt man at last year's Portland Baconfest. 2011 version takes place this Saturday on E Burnside

Thursday

Q center open house – Come say hi to the new Executive Director, Barbara McCullough-Jones while you check out featured art on the history of Portland drag from photographer Greg Pitts.

Kerry Hallet @ Alberta Pub – The pub may be eclipsed by its newer hipster neighbors across the street but it’s still got amazing fries and damn good acoustic music sets, like this one by local Kerry Hallet.

Friday

Bent featuring Jeau Breedlove – This months gay ass dance party up north features the homo hop stylings of Jeau Breedlove. The name will probably get old quickly but I heard the cat at the Queer Music Fest the rhymes are pretty dope.

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Beth Ditto performs Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ (video)

here’s a little Monday morning perk-me-up of scantily-clad Beth Ditto performing a cover of Madonna’s iconic Vogue complete with backup dancers. Her own dance routine at the Moscow Miller party ain’t bad and I’m pretty sure that’s hometown DJ hero Beyondadoubt in the booth behind it all.

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Slutwalkers, link arms and head down to Sugar Town, a jock auction, a porch parlor, and the waiting arms of Lady Bunny this weekend

The infamous Lady Bunny performs Friday at Red Cap

Thursday

Sugar Town queer soul night – Rotture’s soul night has become a staple in Portland nightlife both gay and straight. But as with many popular nights the douchebags inevitably catch on, and it can be even worse at a “straight” night. I’m not sure if this happened to the beloved soul night, but it was time for us to have our own anyway (Pansy Soul is great but Sloan’s is more for hanging out than dancing). Anyway, all of this to say I’m more than a little excited that one of the best dressed butchies I have ever seen, DJ Action Slacks, will lead us all in a little soulful 70s love starting this Thursday, and hopefully forever more. It’s free but donations for Q Patrol are welcomed.

Cafeteria turns 1 – Oh my god Freshman year is over! Now we can give swirlies to all the new queer club nights in town. And guest DJ Girlfriends will be spinnin’ in your parents’ back yard (i.e. the Vendetta patio) ’til 11, just like at the popular kids’ parties. We’ve made it folks. Sophomore year is gonna rule.

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Interview with Portland Queer Music Festival’s Samuel Thomas

Samuel Thomas, the man behind the music

Portland may be known for both its music and its queerness but the two have never come together in quite the cohesive way that this Saturday’s Portland Queer Music Festival aims to. A full day and two stages of back to back acts at Red Cap Garage for only 3 bucks is one of the most reasonable prices I’ve ever heard too, in true PDX fashion. Plus, despite the dive drink prices, Red Cap’s bar menu is quite delicious, with that unpretentious but slightly upscale goodness that Portland bars are starting to do so well.

Bands, producers and DJs of multiple genres and genders have come from our own backyards as well as across the country to participate. You can see a lineup of all 30 in an earlier post for just a taste of the days never-ending aural pleasure.

And the man behind it all? That would be Samuel Thomas, director and founder of the Portland FREE Music Project and an organizer of the (nearly) weekly Maricon dance party. This hard workin’ man booked all 30 acts himself. He’s hopeful that the fest will be a success, anticipating over 800 attendees over the course of the day. Here’s what he had to say on the eve of his inaugural summer celebration of queer music.

qPDX: What made you want to start a queer music fest in Portland?

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This weekend reclaim your pink, get a butch crush and don’t fall into the blow pony man trap

Cat Fancy performs Saturday at Fat Fancy

Thursday

Reclaiming Pink a short performance by Max Voltage – The co-creator of Homomentum and Homo’s Got Talent hasn’t been heard from all summer (oh my god so long!), but Max is back with a free performance that is part of the JAW Playwrights Festival. This journey through gender and back again is sure to be the colorful and expressive performance we’ve come to expect from Voltage and I’m particularly excited to see how the Men’s restroom plays out as a stage for the piece. It continues throughout the weekend so make sure you spare a half hour somewhere along the way.

Friday

Mantrap@RedCap – Fridays at Red Cap just got a lot better with the introduction of current It Boys DJ Lunchlady  and photographer Wayne Bund. Surprise performances round out the part. This week it’s Sweat/Shine and Devan McGrath, making any guy’s dream team.

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