TGIF-SF, May 4-6

Lots going on this the first weekend in June (get your Pride act together people). Anyone is welcome to join me for my favorite treats this weekend:

Friday night (tonight): Nasty Pride—Suzan Revah's now monthly filthy fundraiser for the AIDS Emergency Fund at the Powerhouse. Tonight's Nasty celebrates Pride (okay, it always celebrates gay/leather pride, but this is officially "Pride Month") and local Mr. SF Leather and Friend of the Blog Lance Holman just back from International Mr. Leather in Chicago, where he was crowned First Runner Up!

[Personally, and I will get shit for this, I think he was robbed. It was like going up in a talent/costume contest against an adorable kid with a sick puppy. Lance lost out to a handicapped FTM transgendered person. I am ALL about diversity, clearly, but you can't tell me that those "awwww" and "celebrate diversity in the community" adjectives didn't affect the voting. Lance embodies Mister Leather. And for me, Mr. Leather is about masculinity and power (yes, the competition is about many other things too, I'm just speaking for me). A transgendered person in a wheelchair just does not embody that mental ideal for me—that of dominating power and masculinity. Of course, I am sure the winner is a great person and active in his community, and I am sure Lance will have no unkind words to say. But Lance is also a great and gracious guy who would not. But I get to rant and vent in my own blog and am doing so. Lance worked so hard for this, and I feel like he was handicapped by not being handicapped. /end grumble.]

Saturday: A day full of fun stuff, including the Union Street Fair, and I plan to cap off with Bearracuda with DJs Matt Effect and 50 Pound Note (love that name for a DJ!) at the Deco Lounge.

Sunday it's the Indie Mart starting at noon down the street along Thee Parkside (17th and "all down Wisconsin"). The Indie Marts are just FULL of awesome stuff. Nice musical lineup too.

Later Sunday night starting at 8:00 it's Maurice Tani, Jenn Courtney and 77 El Deora at Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison Street in Berkeley. Always awesome. (Opening the evening will be the singer-songwriter/ folk diva Claudia Russell & her Folk Unlimited Orchestra and the eclectic string band Don't Look Back.)

Other gay stuff: (what follows is gay, not the Indie Mart or 77)

Friday (today): AIDS Life Cycle "Bon Voyage" happy hour party at the Lookout.
Saturday: Gay Day at Raging Water (Sacramento)
Sunday: Buckin' Rodeo BBQ at Brix Nightclub (San Jose); The Royal Daddy/Daddy's Boy competition kick off at the Powerhouse (benefits the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund)

Also very much of note: Newly out Chely Wright will be playing the GLAAD Media Awards in SF this weekend, hosted by Bruce Villanch and featuring Cybill Shepard.