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  Michael, JD, Ginger of MEN To see some truly great bands you’ve got to be willing to party mid-week. And for the likes of electro-politico-indie-dance-rockers MEN it’s work any Thursday morning hangover. Headed by frontqueer JD Samson (Le Tigre), the trio are touring with their triumphant freshman album release Talk About Body, bringing it to Rotture (315 SE 3rd) tomorrow night.
Joined by local DJ hero Mr Charming, Silver Interior (featuring Jenny Hoyston of Erase Eratta), the Aussie MC Macromantics, and indie-darlings, queer or otherwise, Portland or not, Lovers it’s going to be a show of epic proportions.
As the DJ and the MC spice up the beginning, Lovers will begin the show’s upward surge to climax but eerily tugging on your heartstrings, though you may not even know why. Intertwining in a way that makes you feel both ecstatic and sad, I compared their newest album to doing drugs with your lover when I named it album of the year.
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Fans of Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto have been eagerly awaiting her Simian Mobile Disco produced solo EP, which drops March 8th. We get a little taste right now with the release of its first video for I Wrote the Book.
Filmed in black and white by directed by Price James (Hercules & Love Affair, Peaches), most sources attribute some style elements to Madonna ala Justify My Love and bits of Vogue & Erotica, but I prefer to give props to the original vogue-ing NYC queens of color that most of us only know through the documentary Paris is Burning.
Either way there’s awesome dance moves, Beth in a bubble bath, and great fashion, as usual.
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  MEN's new album 'Talk About the Body' The new video from electro-indie trio MEN is minimalistic, even simplistic, but it is awesome. Off their newly released debut album Talk About Body the video for Who Am I to Feel So Free? features frontwoman JD Samson (of Le Tigre fame) in a very calm and commanding stance atop a cliff. The climax is epically gay and I have little doubt that Body will make next year’s list of Best Queer Albums.
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  Wolf and Owl's Shardell Dues with Wyatt Riot Last September we introduced you to queer foodie show Put It In Your Mouth with Wyatt Riot. Since then Riot and Wolf and Owl Productions have continued to keep our taste buds tingling through their videos. This time, they’ve set it to music, effectively combining pretty much all the senses.
Music and lyrics by Wolf and Owl Productions and Wyatt Riot with direction and editing by Wolf and Owl. Other music video contributors include:
1st camera: Wolf and Owl
2nd camera: Christopher Carlos
Gaffer/Best boy: Polarity Jane
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  Aubree Bernier-Clarke Local filmmaker and musician Aubree Bernier-Clarke (who you might recognize from her former band Swan Island, or more recently her cameo in Portlandia‘s “Dream of the 90s“) has been churning out the videos for queer muscians. She recently teamed up with Toronto based queer folk chanteuse Emma McKenna to direct the music video for “Run With It” and the Corin Tucker Band (Sleater-Kinney) for their song “Riley.”
Filmed partially in a tiny and quaint practice space the CTB vid also shows of some of Portland’s best features, including a nice segment on the Skidmore Bluffs. Their new album, 1000 Years, didn’t initially excite me very much, at least not in comparison to Tucker’s rockin’ roots, but it’s grown on me enough that I named it as one of 2010’s top ten queer albums.
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  Thierry Mugler menswear. AP Photo The music may not be particularly innovative, but it will get you on the dance floor. There is plenty of odd and intense artistry in the music video (below) that is a part of Lady Gaga‘s unreleased new album, ‘Born this Way,’ is set to be released in May
Produced by the Lady herself, “Scheiße,” the song below, premiered as part of the Formichetti‘s first menswear show in Paris last week. The house of Mugler is newly under the creative direction of Nicola Formichetti, Gaga’s costume cohort and personal stylist.
The video stars Canadian model Rick Genest, who has a tattooed a skull on his face and crazy zombie innards on his arms and torso. Seriously, he is one of the Top 10 Physically Modified People in the World.
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  I was in attendance last Saturday (the night of wildly competing queer events) for drag raunch queen Gula Delgado aka Eric Sellers‘ video release party. Held at Maricon at the Matador, the tiny dive bar west of downtown, the space was incredibly packed and difficult to navigate but the drinks were cheap and everyone was friendly despite (or perhaps because of) the lack of personal space.
A brilliant rendition of Robyn‘s Dancing On My Own, Delgado’ not only donned the parody outfit but actually sang the tune herself in the video directed by Devon McGrath. It wasn’t quite as out there as one might expect after seeing Gula do some really nasty things on stage, such as the sex, drugs and scattalogical references during her ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas performance but it was satisfying and easy to dance to. Some fans thought this might be an attempt not to completely scare the mainstream (or Marty Davis, who has already admitted her fear).
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  Katastrophe performs Saturday with Athens Boys choir at Gaycation Whew! So one small weekend of only a few events and we’re back to the melee of 20 million dueling events. Here’s what you got to choose from.
Thursday
Triskaidekaphilia (Just My Luck) – Former Just Out arts writer Jimmy Radosta hasn’t had the best of luck. But his loss is our comedic gain with his one man show that highlights his growing up in Salem and other gay misfortunes. Billed as blending the dry wit of David Sedaris with the political humor of Jon Stewart and the cheeky musical stylings of “Weird Al” Yankovic, this love of 13 is surely a good luck charm for the rest of us.
Radical Act at the Reel Music Festival –Radical Act may have been made in 1995 but women in rock still have a glass ceiling. The film screened at Outfest in Los Angeles and appeared in 1999 as part of Miranda July’s “Break My Chainletter” collection, and now it’s being revived at the Reel Music Festival.
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  Beth Ditto, the local diva currently in the process of taking over the world is loved by gay men and lesbians alike. It’s easy to see why in this just released music video with her band The Gossip, for “Men in Love.” This is no Glee field trip. This bus is rolling through the school of rock. In this ultimate party bus that rivals PDX drunken dream Bar-fly bus, Ditto drives her way through debauchery with fantastic red lipstick.
(Oh, and speaking of Ditto fashion…she’s going to grow her eyebrows back folks. You heard it here first.)
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  Dexter Flowers and Cooper Lee Bombardier perform Sunday at Not Enough! Festival Thursday
Bollywood Bike In with Qurbani – Giving Portland a little much needed cultural flavor local DJ Anjiali and Kid Sister are showing classic Bollywood films outside the Q Center (4115 N Mississippi) all month long. This week features Qurbani and I’m excited to see a South Asian take on the 80s…
Ratatat afterparty with Rude Dudes – Ratatat are not a gay band but they’re hipsters and isn’t that about the same thing in Portland these days? Don’t worry, they’ve teamed up with “Rude” homos for a spanktastic dance party and DJ set. This might be the most mellow Thursday I’ve seen in awhile.
Friday
Mendy’s Big Gay Boat Party – Do you need an excuse to bust out those Top-Siders and sailor hat? No, you don’t. But in case you want to fool around with others in sea garb this is your chance.
Forsorcerers with Hooray for Everything and Don’t – Didn’t think Portland could get any weirder? How about a queer fantasy metal band? Despite the schtick, hoever, Forsorcerers are incredibly talented drum and guitar heros that will aurally rock you into remembering why you love the rough stuff.
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