March 13 – March 19, 2014

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

1986

"Parting Glances," starring Richard Ganoung, John Bolger and Steve Buscemi, is showing at the Fine Arts, 418 S. Michigan Avenue.

+++

Image: The Frog Pond – Gay Life February 17, 1978

Tracy Baim writes in Windy City Times:

"Club Baths, a private club located in Chicago for 15 years, closed last Saturday night. Manager of the local bathhouse, part of the national Club Baths chain, cited a 'drastic' drop in business as the reason for the closure.

"Lee, the manager, said no numbers were available on just how much business at the bathhouse had dropped. He said changing sexual behaviors in the gay men's community has meant not as many men are using the bathhouses."

+++

In Gay Chicago:

"Chicago Police department detectives are asking the gay communitie's assistance in solving the murder of Buddy King, 23, of Schiller Park, who was found slain last month near W. Diversey Parkway and Sheffield Avenue.

"King was found shot to death around 5:30 am Saturday, February 15. He had been robbed. His 1974 Blue Nova Hatchback was found four days later in the 3300 block of N. Seminary Ave."

+++

In the bars and clubs, it's the "Jayne Mansfield Twist Party" at Berlin, 954 W. Belmont; three days of St. Patrick's Day Party, specials and Goofy-Ness, at Bulldog Road, 2916 N. Broadway; St. Patrick's Eve Strike Against AIDS party and raffle at Big Red's, 3729 N. Halsted; it's St. Patrick's Day with guest bartender, the Hibernian Fairy, at Company, 2638 N. Halsted; "Daddy Contest," a benefit for Chicago House with special guest Judy Tenuta takes place at Christopher Street, 3458 N. Halsted; there's a St. Patrick's Day party at Dandy's, 2632 N. Halsted, with Tony Sime at the piano playing your favorite Irish tunes.

1996

Ads appear in the gay press for "Show your power – Vote for Larry McKeon, openly GAY candidate for State Representative."

+++

Image: Cover – Gay Chicago January 24, 1985

Sukie de la Croix performs at Open & Out at La Piazza Café, 3845 N. Broadway.

+++

The City of Chicago Office of Cable Communications broadcasts the 1995 Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame induction ceremony on MUTV (channels 23 and 49). The program is broadcast simultaneously on Prime Cable of Chicago and Chicago Cable TV.

+++

The Lesbian and Gay Voter Impact holds a volunteer meeting at Ann Sather, 929 W. Belmont.

+++

The West Suburban Gay Association meet for Dinner Night at Bennigan's in Schaumberg.

+++

NewTown Writers present an open mic at People Like Us Bookstore, 1115 W. Belmont. The focus is short fiction.

+++

Obituaries in this week's Gay Chicago include: Leon Davenport, 33, began his career in the entertainment business in the early 1970s as a disc jokey, known as Leon and Things. He died at home with his lover Peter Kozak at his side; Robert T. Sweet, 58, died of complications due to AIDS. He was active in community sports, especially bowling and softball, and had three other hobbies, stamp and coin collecting, and compiling his family tree; Ronald Choque, 27, was born and raised in Lima, Peru, and came to Chicago in 1992. He loved music and he liked to ride his bicycle, work on his tan, work out, cook, travel, take photographs and have his picture taken. He died of AIDS complications; Antonio Lazzara, 46, died of AIDS complications. He was born in Altavilla Milicia, near Palermo, Italy. He was employed by Boise Cacade as a store manager. He also worked for Reliable Corp, was a waiter at Pronto Ristorante and a bartender at Piggen's Pub; and Charles Christensen, 47, died at Chicago House of complications from AIDS. He was an author, designer, stage manager, property master and renaissance man, best known for his work on the long-running musical "Pump Boys and Dinettes.



+++

Image: A Salute to the Men and Women of IML ­– Gay Chicago May 23, 1991

Comic Karen Williams hosts a lively talk show "Lez B Gay" at the Mountain Moving Coffee House, at 1545 W. Morse.

+++

Artemis Singers of Chicago, in a joint effort with Lansing, Michigan's Sistrum, present a benefit concert for the Kay Gardner Healing Fund at the Sherwood Conservatory of Music, 1015 C. Michigan.

+++

The Gay and Lesbian Celtic Guild march with other Irish Queers at Chicago's St. Patrick Day Parade.

2001

The Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association hold a coffeehouse soiree with a raffle at the Buzz Café, Lombard.

+++

Image: Sing-a-long Sound of Music – Gay Chicago April 12, 2001

Scott Free's Grinder, queer words and music, is at the Willow Café, 1100 W. Thorndale. This week it's words by Ari Banias, music by Fausto Fernos and Taylor E. Ross.

+++

A Windy City Black LGBT Pride board meeting takes place at the Minority Outreach Intervention Project, 1346 S. Michigan.

+++

Quotelines in Windy City Times this week includes:

"I was very impressed by Eminem's poise accepting that [Best Rap Album] award. I really think that this experience is going to help him grow as a person. As a matter of fact, after doing the duet with Elton John, I've heard that he's agreed to go to the bathroom with George Michael, as well." – Grammy's Award host Jon Stewart

"I want to thank everybody who could look past the controversy or whatever and see the album for what it was and also for what it isn't." – Eminem accepting his Best Rap Album Grammy award.

+++

In this week's Windy City Times Sukie de la Croix writes about Sidetrack in his Street Walkin' column:

"Art, Pepe and Chuck over at Sidetrack, certainly know how to put on a show. The Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras party was an extravaganza. All the fun of the circus with drummers, a fire-eater on stilts and ...I was holding my breath ...trapeze artists in the garden bar."

+++

Rev. Elder Troy Perry, founder and moderator of the Metropolitan Community Church, preaches during the worship service at Resurrection Metropolitan Church, 5757 S. University Ave.

Homework

Are the Artemis Singers still around?

Are New Town Writers still around?

Did anyone see Judy Tenuta at Christopher Street?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

A birthday party at Different Strokes photographed by Mark DeSanto for Gay Chicago January 24, 1985

Heart of Partee photographed by Wadi Atiba for Gay Life February 15, 1980

Sidetrack Oscars Night photographed by St. Sukie de la Croix for Nightlines April 4, 2001

Cover of Nightspots photographed by St. Sukie de la Croix March 26, 2003

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph and Craig Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow for Gay Life, Malone Sizelove for Babble/Gab, David Costanza and others for Chicago Free Press, Jeff McCourt for Windy City Times, Stacy Bridges and Mark Nagel for GRAB, 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 Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.