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Put Your Hydra in my Ray Harryhausen… aka Jason and the Argonauts!

A charming threesome

There will be a boat with a talking figurehead that looks like a drag queen. It will be manned by muscley and sweaty Greek men that resemble fit Portland dudes. And they will go on the hunt of a lifetime, to find the most magical garment in all the land… the Golden Fleece. Besides looking good with almost any type of sandal, it has miracle powers. It holds the power to restore your lost kingdom. You just have to defeat a horde of Ray Harryhausen’s claymation monsters.   

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Album review: Lady Gaga’s ‘Born this Way’

Not many have little to say about Lady Gaga. My relationship and understanding of Gaga is complicated. Mainly on a thoughtful level- she is a marketing machine, she rips off queer culture, she uses queers as pawns for fucked up companies like Target, and her intense ego mania has made her the self-declared mother of all freaks. This bullshit pisses me off.

However; I like her music. I like her videos. I enjoy following her in the news. She’s a really unhealthy piece of gay candy that I often indulge in with and without the guilt. So when I was able to get an advanced copy of Born This Way- her 3rd album outside of her monster series- I was more than excited.

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Q Doc Queer Documentary Film Festival is on its way (video trailer)

Q Doc is coming up quickly. The only queer documentary film fest in the US and only the second in the world, Portland has played host to Q Doc for 5 years now. There will be a whopping 16 films shown in only 3 days this June 2-5…quite a kickoff to Pride Season. And you can get a taste of what’s to come with the official 2011 trailer below.

There’s lots of exciting tidbits to look forward to in the complete list of films,  including a look into the work of art porn auteur Bruce La Bruce, another into legendary Hole drummer Patty Schemel, a set of 5 shorts by, for and about youth, and the biggest celebrity trans documentary of our time, Becoming Chaz. The crowning glory, however, will be the opening night’s Arias with a Twist: The Docufantasy, with director Joey Arias in attendance as well as performing at the after party with Pink Martini’s Thomas Lauderdale.

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The weekend benefits Not Enough, Candy Shop and Other Voices, Scandals’ Twinks show, trans slam, and a play/start album release

play/start celebrates the release of their new album 'The Alibi' Saturday at Saratoga
play/start celebrates the release of their new album 'The Alibi' Saturday at Saratoga

play/start celebrates the release of their new album 'The Alibi' Saturday at Saratoga

Thursday

Don’t forget about PSU Pride. You can also prepare yourself for the weekend by making sure everyone’s safe at the Q Patrol training. And of course don’t forget the weekly Portland Idol and Drop Shop afterword (which I think is still happening?)

Friday

Q Center’s “Senior” Prom -Think pink and shake off the gray at this gay and lesbian community center re-imagining of that special adolescent night. Kickoff to the GG expo features dancing, entertainment and lite snacks for the 50+ set. 

Feminist Film Society presents Temple Grandin – Claire Danes in sensible shoes in this early exploration of autism.

Twinks show premier party – RapidFire Productions premiers the show they’ve been filming at Scandals for the past month, but because it has the worst website implementation I’ve really ever seen, so I can’t tell you much about it.

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PSU Pride presents Dawn of the Day of the Living Queer

Pride season is summatime, the season of short shorts and no more teachers, dirty looks. But colleges and universities love a queer too, so they start the season off early. And PSU’s week of LGBT Pride starts tomorrow with Dawn of the Day of the Living Queer. It has quite the lineup, (including li’l ol’ me with a tiny pile of last year’s stickers). It’s supposed to be a sunny and beautiful day in the park blocks from 4-9p as Tender Forever, play/start, NO/HO/MO and more take the stage.

I just recently saw Tender Forever, aka Melanie Valera, kill it at Saratoga. With a new album and all over her emo-electro charisma, Valera is sincere and swoon-worthy. Even I was charmed by her slight French accent as she convinced the audience to catch her crowd surfing. And I did see someone filming my favorite performance trick of hers, controlling the beats with a pair of WiiMotes, but they disappeared before I could commandeer the recording for the site. (But I have another chance, and with better light!)

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Captain Blood! Errol Flynn was a douchebag

How can you not become a pirate when your last name is Blood?

I originally titled this blog, Captain Blood! A Pirate Love Fest! However, on researching the lead actor, Errol Flynn, I realized I had to change directions..

Wow, I have to say I was daunted when I noticed this movie was 120 minutes long, but by the end, I was wishing it would go on and on. Captain Blood, made in 1935, was Erol Flynn’s first major role. He plays a dashing doctor in England during the revolt against King James during the 17th century. He’s woken in the middle of night, and led to some very injured rebels. He treats them, and wakes up to find himself convicted of treason. He really embraced the Hippocratic Oath.  I always want to say Hippogryphic Oath (a magic creature that’s part Griffon, and part pony).

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Jon Stewarts ‘We’re Here. We’re Queer. Get Newsed to it.’

Jon Stewart is retiring a spoof that’s past its prime, Gaywatch, but that doesn’t mean the end of his comedic take on LGBT news. Introducing We’re Here. We’re Queer. Get Newsed to it. This is the current state of queer media satire. Love it.

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Weekend full of Rae Spoon, a CJ & the Dolls Bent, FOC Fest, Queer Youth Summit, Notorious Neon, and a ‘Divine’ Mrs.

Rae Spoon plays tonight at Saratoga

Rae Spoon with Tender Forever – I don’t know too much about Rae Spoon but this musician from Montreal produces dance-able electro-pop with a deep sense of longing. And he’s apparently a big deal as excitement for this show has reached a fever pitch. I mean, he is real cute in a pink sailor hat. He’s be joined by the equally longing filled local (well, now) Tender Forever. Her beats range from dark and melancholy to nearly pop electronic and always include something interesting like video background or controlling a virtual drum snare with Wiimotes. Ok, I have to admit I’m pretty damn excited too.

Friday

Bent features CJ & the Dolls – In a very special pre-tour event, CJ & the Dolls, will be performing at and generally fluffing the crowd at this weekend’s Bent. It’ll be just a taste of what’s to come from the band, as we’ve got a project in the works. And if you thought there was excitement for Thursday night, it ain’t got nothin’ on FriGay the 13th (thanks for that one Mr Charming). The crowd will be filled with intense sexy doll makeup and fierce nails courtesy pre-party nail-fest from Nailed by Ally.

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Gaga marketing trades Target for FarmVille

When I got this press release in my inbox I thought, at first, it was a spoof from The Onion or something. Not so. Glitter and glamor will, indeed, be coming to your virtual farm. I don’t really know what to say. But my mom will be happy…they’re two of her favorite things…

Anyway, I just thought this was too weird not to share:

Lady Gaga and Zynga today announced a partnership to launch the mega-artist’s new album Born this Way. Launching May 17, the first-of-its-kind program gives “little monsters” throughout the world a first listen to exclusive un-released songs from the upcoming album when they visit GagaVille, a uniquely designed neighboring farm in FarmVille (There will be unicorns and crystals. Enough said.).

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Some Like it HOT!

Who's the prettiest? I know not.

I’m sweating. Some Like it Hot was one of the first movies my mother told me was important. It’s the cornerstone of my childhood film education. One becomes reluctant to write about one’s most oneness with one film. I had no idea as a child, that it was weird for people to parade around in drag. I mean, why not? My Catholic uniform was definitely drag. My father was an out and proud gay man, and my mother… earthy. Drag is daily wear.

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