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 Every week (or so…) we 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. You might think this week’s is late but it’s actually for a party next weekend, so we’re a little early. Stay tuned for updates.
Wam Bam Ashleyanne is not a local DJ but PDX kinda has a little thing going with our Bay area neighbor if you know what I mean. And we’re excited to have her guest appearing at the next installment of popular newish queer soul night Sugar Town. Despite some bumps in the road and yet another new venue queer folks are excited about a dance night with an alternative to pop music and the soulful spinning of resident DJ Action Slacks is just the ticket for getting a dance party out of the gay doldrums.
 DJ Wam Bam Ashleyanne When and how did you get started DJing?
I started spinning records at dance nights in London in early 2009. I had been painstakingly over-crafting mixtapes and CDs for over thirteen years at that point, and I knew that I wanted to start playing mixes live at parties, and make a connection to more people through the music that I cared about the most. A dear friend of mine had been casually playing American soul and folk records for dance nights and gigs around London and Norwich, and I approached her to teach me her magical ways around a mixer. She showed me how to bring me and my records to life, and DJing felt like such a proactive pathway to engage with my musical obsessions on. Shortly after I moved back stateside, I began DJing regularly at several all-vinyl soul nights around the bay area, and later that year, I was also chosen to broadcast my own music review show on the public station, KALX 90.7FM.
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 Every week (or so…) we 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. This week we’ll be featuring 2, as there are 2 great upcoming parties, one brand new and one only quarterly. So while I’d rather space them out this is an exception. If you’re interested in being featured contact alley@qpdx.com.
DJ Huf 'N […]
  DJ Bender aka Christine Martins Every week (or so…) we 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. This week we’ll be featuring 2, as there are 2 great upcoming parties, one brand new and one only quarterly. So while I’d rather space them out this is an exception. If you’re interested in being featured contact alley@qpdx.com.
DJ Bender has been known by many names in our community, but has consistently put good tunes into a successful party, whether it was early gigs at Booty, the dualistically themed Sluts’n’Squares or her brand new night debuting this Thursday at Crush, Trans-It! With this new monthly cocktails and dancing hosted by Tammy Whynot, Christine Martins is back to take the night by storm with once of the first queer nights directly catering to a cross-gendered trans community.
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  DJ Freaky Outty Every week (or so…) we 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.
Freaky Outty is a fixture in queer and mainstream scenes alike. He plays club stompers to sweet sweet soul and lots in between. You can catch some of the latter during the return of one of the best new club nights, the themtastic early soul of SugarTown, this Friday at the Spare Room.
When and how did you get started DJing?
I started collecting records about 10 years ago, and gradually started dipping my toes into house parties and little outdoor raves around the last year of high school. After I’d lived in Portland about a year I managed to get a regular weekly gig at a club that forced me to really start taking the hobby more seriously and step my game up. I learned a lot on my feet at that job since I totally wasn’t prepared for it! They never should have hired me, but I lucked out and became a better DJ because of it.
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  DJ Aurora Every week (or so…) we 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.
DJ Aurora is part of a DJ duo called What the F@*K Ever (with DJ Chubby Chaser) starting a new night at Crush Bar (1400 SE Morrison) this Friday aimed at the sexy side of queers (I mean, as if there’s another). It’s called Have a Heart on: Sexxy dance party, and it’s just in time for V Day with go go dancers, lap dances, Valentine candy and all that good stuff.
When and how did you get started DJing?
As a native of Portland OR, I started DJing about two years ago. With my love and passion for music, my good friend Owen (Queer Gothic DJ at Plan B’s night Hive) referred me to DJ Entropy for his night, Bad Music for Good People at Tiger Bar. It was a free range night so I played everything from psychedelic rock to punk to contemporary pop.
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  This is a strange one... Hey, I missed you guys! Due to the dedication to the new QPDX Podcast, 2 Girls 1 Podcast, I’ve been a little busy of late. However, I love writing about movies, and little could keep me away from this blog for long.
Celestial Clockwork, made in 1995 by Venezuelan director, Fina Torres (Oriana and Woman on Top), is one of the stranger movies I’ve ever seen. Recently, going through some of my older posts, I realized how few foreign films I’ve reviewed. So, I thought I’d start with one of the first that really surprised me.
The movie begins with beautiful Ana (Ariadna Gil) at her wedding altar. It’s clear that she loves the opera, and is terrified to get married. She’s about to speak her vows, when… she realizes that settling down would compromise her biggest dream, to be an international opera star! There is no choice, but to hightail it to France where she can train.
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 Who said it was easy?
I said for me, long distance is a choice. I never said it was easy.
Well, it’s a choice most of the time, but that’s fodder for another column.
Luckily I’m not alone in my struggles (that’s not to say I wish struggle among others, it’s just nice to know folks in a similar boat).
Take D. for example. D. is a heteroflexible male med student living in Portland. His fiancé, B., is a bisexual female living in Eugene where she goes to school. It’s a 110-mile drive -certainly not a long distance relationship, but more accurately dubbed “Middle distance” by D.
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  DJ Stormy Roxx Every week (or so…) we 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.
DJ Stormy has been one of my favorites since the early days of Skervy and Booty, which really ushered me into alterna-queer Portland nightlife. He’s been playing this town for a long time and knows our changing community well. And I have seen a lot of the shifts along with him. A DJ with great energy and a wide array of friends to compliment his style behind the decks, Stormy Roxx continues to play all kinds of parties. This Saturday he plays the iconic, if controversial Blow Pony along with DJs Linoleum, Airick and others.
When & how did you start DJing?
I started DJing cuz i love music, & I just happen to love dancing too! My first attempt at DJing was during Junior year in high school. My buddy & I wanted to DJ one of the school dances. It ended up being kinda high tech in a way… we were playing from cassettes & videos, & I guess a few CDs, but I don’t remember there really being CDs much at that time. We had spent hours building DIY dance lights with a controller board & gathering music & videos. I think we rented a fog machine too. We were excited to bring the whole show! Not long after we started, we blew the speakers. That was that.
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  Right before I leave Captain’s place in Portland, I start revving up for my return to Brooklyn.
It’s been something I’ve consistently done, not exactly consciously, but as I sit on his couch at my laptop thinking about how in a few days I will be back across the country, I want to start scheduling time with people and activities. It sort of eases the pain and separation anxiety of saying good-bye.
I’ll be the first to say being in a bicoastal relationship can be weird. It’s strange to spend almost all your time with someone for a couple of weeks at a time and then separate and get back into a rhythm of e-mails, texts and Skype dates.
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 Every week (or so…) we 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. […]
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