Gay life in Chicago this week, back in...

1979

A Festival of Erotic Short Films takes place at Chicago's premiere leather bar, the Gold Coast, 501 N. Clark St. The films include Kenneth Anger's "Scorpio Rising," Jean Genet's prison tale, "Un Chant D'Amour" and Lenny Bruce's "Thank You, Masked Man," in which the controversial comedian examines the seamier aspects of the Lone Ranger/Tonto relationship.

(Image: Gay & Lesbian Pride '78 – Gay Life June 2, 1978)

Events in the bars and clubs this week include: "Thursday Night at the Movies" is showing Robert Altman's "A Wedding" at Carol's Speakeasy, 1355 N. Wells; Tricia Alexander performs at His ‘n' Hers, 944 W. Addison; there's a birthday party for Gender Services founder John Prowett at the Night Life Lounge, 933 N. State St.; Windy City Wrestling Club meets at Touché, 2825 N. Lincoln; Broadway Limited, 3132 N. Broadway, raffles off $6,000 worth of diamonds at their 3rd Summer Prom "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"; and Starkissed – A Tuna Band, perform at the Greenleaf, 1770 N. Greenleaf.

Mother Carol and staff present Mr. Windy City at the Radisson Hotel, 505 N. Michigan.

Jerry Weintraub/Concerts West Proudly Presents the Village People at the Chicago Stadium.

DJ Peter Lewicki at Alfie's, 900 N. Rush St., picks his Top 5 "Disco Paylist": 1) "Aint No Stopping Us Now" – McFadden & Whitehead; 2) "Born To Be Alive" – Patrick Hernandez; 3) "When You Wake Up Tomorrow" – Candi Staton; 4) "Bad Girls" – Donna Summer; and 5) "Crank It Up" ­– Peter Brown.

Sisterblues and the Blue Suede Dyke Band perform at Parish of Holy Covenant Church, 925 W. Diversey, in a benefit for the Lesbian Community Center, which recently moved to 3435 N. Sheffield.

Ron "Polish Princess" Helizon celebrates one year of writing his gossip column for Gay Life. This week Ron writes: "Standing Room Only: His ‘n' Hers held a memorial concert for Diana Straight as an Arrow, and Marge really packed in the talent, friends, and warmth. A great evening.

"Patrons dined on stuffed pork chops, Polish sausage (!) and cool crisp salad at the Knight Out (2936 N. Clark) while over at the Bushes (3320 N. Halsted) jet setters emptied over six hundred bottles of champagne."

1995

According to Babble the best Pride parties around town include the Boom Boom Room, 1958 W. North Ave., with London Broil/DJ's Freddie Bain, Lego, and Orlando. The door diva is Byrd Bardot. $3; "Cyber Sex" at Berlin, 954 W. Belmont, is a Hauswerks production to explore the future of sexuality in an event that's sure to charge up your libido. Live Cyber-Optic performances and male and female herbal aphrodisiacs; OUT magazine and Comedy Central invite you to an "Absolutely Fabulous" Pride at Glee Club, 1543 N. Kingsbury; "Sandblast" the Gay and Lesbian Pride Day Tea Dance is at the Theatre on the Lake, Fullerton and Lake Shore Drive, with South Beach DJ David Knapp of Amnesia and special guest performer Nicki French; and Raunch-O-Rama starring Sean Rice cheap drinks, music by Wes Kidd featuring DJ Polish Sausage, at Liar's Club, 1665 W. Fullerton.

(Image: Glee Club – Gay Chicago November 2, 1995)

1998

Kindred Hearts Women's Center hosts a picnic for lesbians, 20s and 30s. Bring a dish to share and meet behind the Evanston Civic Center, one block south of Noyes and Ridge.

The 7th annual Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame country supper buffet benefit is held at Buddies, 3301 N. Clark St.

"Fingers of Color on Celluloid" is showing at the Lesbians of Color Film Festival, sponsored by AALAS, AFFINITY, Amigas Latinas, Zhuli Zaban, KOALA, L-WIDC, PALS & WACT, is at Bailiwick Theatre, 1229 W. Belmont.

PrideFest '98: "Dancing Under the Stars" benefits the programs of Horizons Community Services and takes place in Ann Sather's Parking Lot, 913 W. Belmont. Guest DJ is Dominic Bercelli.

(Image: We Care For You – Gay Life May 16, 1985)

Chicago Gay Men's Chorus is proud to present its 1998 Pride concert at the Athenaeum Theatre. "True Pride" is a celebration of song, gay life, and family.

A Chicago Neighborhood Tours bus tour of lesbian and gay history, led by Sukie de la Croix, retraces the steps of unwritten history, from the Halloween balls of the 1940s, to the bar raids of the ‘50s and ‘60s and the long struggle for acceptance that has resulted in today's vibrant gay community in Chicago.

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow for Gay Life and Tracy Baim for all the publications at the Windy City Media Group, which aided the above research. St. Sukie de la Croix is an internationally published reporter, playwright, photographer and historian. He is also the author of the book Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.

Homework

Is photographer Bill Manley still around?

Is Sassy Trade still performing?

Who misses Madrigals? I do.