Gay Place
Take a moment to enjoy Austin before SXSW barrels into town
By Sarah Marloff, Fri., March 2, 2018
This week is that moment in time I like to call: the almost-calm before the SXSW shitstorm. After this week, "Gay Place" will be so South-By'd out that the wristbands will blur and we'll have hand stamp smudges on our cheeks. But not this week. Now we're basking in the relative downtime. Of course, that doesn't mean Austin isn't popping off with events. Take tonight, for example, an all-time favorite from RuPaul's Drag Race is coming to town for her one-queen show. That's right, Bianca Del Rio returns to town and we were lucky enough to snag 15 minutes of precious phone time with her. (See "Hurricane Bianca (Del Rio) Takes Austin by Storm," Feb. 28.) Saturday, speaking of RuPaul, we say slow it down for a movie since Alamo is screening the ever-queer classic But I'm a Cheerleader. OK, OK, the movie is mostly about Natasha Lyonne and Clea DuVall and their whole adorable, cult-cinema love story, but Ru makes some killer cameos. Sashay you stay. And don't forget: Coco Coquette hosts their monthly makeup class for transwomen, nonbinary folks, and others looking to improve upon their mad makeup skillz (See Wed.). Do you feel basked yet?
GAYDAR
Boi Orbison: Purple Country Chopped & screwed Nineties country brought to you by Boi Orbison (aka GirlFriend, doin' new twangs). Thu., March 1, 6:30-9:30pm. Hotel Vegas, 1502 E. Sixth. Free.
LGBTQIA Equity & Intersectionality Town Hall Help inform the city's LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission on how to better address equity and intersectionality in ATX. Sheldon Darnell leads the convo. Thu., March 1, 7-9pm. Carver Museum, 1165 Angelina. www.austintexas.gov.
Bianca Del Rio: Blame It on Bianca Are you ready for her return? Bianca Del Rio, Drag Race's season 6 winner, returns to town for a night of cutting humor and NC-17 talk. Thu., March 1, 8-11pm. Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. $39.50-202. www.austintheatre.org.
2018 LGBT(Q) Attorney Convocation Celebrate some wins with the Austin LGBT(Q) Bar Association! Learn what they do and how to get involved too. Keynote by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman. Fri., March 2, 5:30-8pm. Gardere Wynne Sewell, 600 Congress. www.austinlgbtbar.org.
Pink Elephant Radio Join Japan and YellaStud – creators of Austin's Pink Elephant Hip-Hop Fest – for their weekly radio show. Fri., March 2, 7-9pm. Download Royalties Radio app.
Christeene, Sexy Finger Champs, Militant Babies, The Stabbies Austin's fave dirty drag queen will be spewing expletives and singin' 'bout smut. Fri., March 2, 9pm-2am. Hotel Vegas, 1502 E. Sixth, 512/524-1584.
Staff Pick: But I’m a Cheerleader Every queer's fave gay movie (right?) But I'm a Cheerleader is back on the big screen. Sat., March 3, 3pm. Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, 320 E. Sixth. $10.
Men Having Babies: Gay Parenting and Surrogacy Conference Helping gay men become dads via surrogates. Expect peer advice and an opportunity to meet with leading providers from the U.S. and Canada. Sat., March 3, 3:30-8pm; Sun., March 4, 9am-6:30pm. Austin Marriot South, 4415 S. I-35. $25-35. www.menhavingbabies.org.
Her Own Hero: The Origins of the Women’s Self-Defense Movement Hands-on self-defense with Sun Dragon Martial Arts while simultaneously learning some women's history with author Wendy Rouse. Sat., March 3, 4pm. BookWoman, 5501 N. Lamar Ste. 105-A.
Butch Queen Nine new grrrls unite with a drag mama to battle for top queen. It's a bloodbath of glitter, hosted by Louisianna Purchase. Sat., March 3, 10pm-1am. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. $10.
Gear Night Wear whatever turns ya on. All are welcome, but they ask you to check any salty comments with the clothes at the door. Sat., March 3, 10pm. The Iron Bear, 121 W. Eighth.
Bark Beats Yard Bar, DJ GirlFriend, and a dog-oriented brunch with special guest DJ Bob Barker (aka Jack the dachshund). Good Party ATX joins the fun this month with adoptable puppers from AAC and are collecting donations (blankets, dog/cat treats, pet toys)! Sun., March 4, 11am-2pm. Yard Bar, 6700 Burnet Rd.
Brainwavve, Bragglights, p1nkstar, Popper Burns From punk to electronic – this lineup is so queer it spits rainbows. Sun., March 4, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. Free.
Violent Fem There will be glitz, there will be glam, there will be grrrls. Lousianna Purchase, Mandy Quinn, Tatiana Cholula and more serve high-glamour drag to the music of Mouthfeel. Sun., March 4, 10pm-12mid. Swan Dive, 615 Red River. $5.
Half Baked Noodles hosts a night of drag. Tue., March 6, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. Free.
Magic KINGdom! Forget what you know about The Little Mermaid, let go of your qualms with Frozen, don't cry over fallen Scars. The Boiz of Austin are reimagining yer fave Disney classics. Tue., March 6, 9pm. Elysium, 705 Red River. $5-10.
Mini Makeup Class A safe and supportive class for trans and nonbinary folks to explore the magical world of makeup. Wed., March 7, 7-9pm. Coco Coquette, 2109 E. Cesar Chavez. Free.
GAYLY AHEAD
HavenCon 4: A Cosmic Journey Texas' first and only queer, geek, and gaymer convention returns for its final year so get out and get weird while you can! March 29-April 1. DoubleTree Hotel, 6505 N. I-35. $15-200. www.havencontx.com.
Austin Black Pride ABP returns for year three. New dates, new programming, same focus. Get it on the books! June 7-10. www.fb.com/austinblackpride.
The Gay Place loves you; keep those cards and letters comin’.
