May 22 – May 28, 2014

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

1980

Lee Hoiby's "Summer and Smoke" adapted from Tennessee Williams play, is at the Athenaeum Theatre.

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Chris Williams Live in Concert with June Millington, Jackie Robbins, and Cam Davis to celebrate the release of "Strange Paradise" on Olivia Records, at Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan.

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BJ's – Gay Chicago April 2, 1981

Article in Gay Life begins:

"When Dan White, convicted killer of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk entered Soledad Prison, he knew his life would be difficult. An inmate recently released from Soledad, who last saw Dan White in January 22, 1980, wrote the following description of the situation for the San Francisco Gay Crusader. The following is a reprint of his story:

"'When Dan White first arrived at Soledad, there were ten 'queens' in the mainline, waiting to knife him. The guards brought White in having first closed the East and West gates, and brought him into the PHU 1 (Protective Housing Unit 1) and gave him cell 108, until he went to 'Committee' who then decided to let White out onto the tiers.

'The PHU is filled with ex-cops, ex-correctional officers, paid informants, white collar workers, and people who have a 'hit' (a 'contract' out on them). People such as Juan Carona, SS (Sirhan Sirhan) and one of the Chowchilla schoolbus kidnappers were in cells next to mine and Dan White was right across from mine.

"During White's first week, Mayor Dianne Feinstein was one of his visitors, much to our surprise. And daily he had visitors, and one woman who we've been told is his wife. None of the rest of the inmates are allowed to have visitors on a daily basis.

"And right off the bat. White was given a top job as the night porter in the administration offices. There were ten other guys on the waiting list for that job, but White obviously had a lot of 'friends' outside pulling strings for him."

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Rock music groundbreaking Lou Reed brings his dark and personal artistry to the Park West, Armitage at Clark.

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Article by Mark Zubro on the front page of this week's Gay Life begins:

"On Saturday and Sunday May 24th and 25th the Lincoln Park Lagooners will host the Second National Invitational Volleyball Tournament. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday at Orr Park (Chicago and Pulaski). The tournament is sponsored by Carol's Speakeasy. Tickets may be purchased at Carol's or at the door. Thom Park, the secretary of the L.P.L. volleyball committee indicated that, 'Everybody who is anybody is going to be there.' Teams will be coming to Chicago to participate from Houston, Denver, Atlanta, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Detroit, Indianapolis, Columbus Ohio, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Dallas, Milwaukee, Madison and Washington."

1984

In the bars and clubs there's a Texas Style BBQ Sundays with Kitty Kiser at Manhandler, 1948 N. Halsted; complimentary lox and bagels every Sunday at Take One, 2570 N. Clark St.; every Wednesday Mandel and McVeigh perform comedy at Opal Station, 6655 N. Clark St; there's a Mr. Dan Contest at Dan's, 6341 N. Clark St.; now for the Big One, Mr. Redoubt Contest on Wednesday May 23 at Redoubt, 440 N. Halsted. 1st Prize $300; 2nd Prize $200; 3rdPrize $100; Bulldog Road, 2916 N. Broadway, is a Randy and Mikey kind of truck stop; welcome leathermen to Chicago newest leather bar, B'Low Blow, 3231 N. Clark St.; meet Mr. Dan Kelly, 1984 Mr. Touche, at Touche, 2825 N. Lincoln; Help Fight AIDS! O.K. leathermen, it's a rummage sale cook-out at Sam's, 2540 N. Clark St.; come to an old-fashioned indoor picnic at Company, 2683 N. Halsted; and there's live entertainment with vocalist Colette at Waterworks, 933 N. State St.

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Little Jim's – Gay Life April 25, 1985

The Mattachine Midwest discussion group talks about "What Do Gays Want?" at 615 W. Wellington.

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The Black lesbian rap group meets at Gay Horizons, 3225 N. Sheffield.

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"Quilters and Spinsters: Weavers of the Web," a slide show and discussion with teacher Ahava Brooke, takes place at Women and Children First, 922 W. Armitage.

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DJ Michael Graber of Hunters/Sidetrack picks his Top Ten: 1) "Let's Hear it for the Boy" – Deniece Williams; 2) "Jump" – Pointer Sisters' 3) "Borderline" – Madonna; 4) "No More Words" – Berlin; 5) "Who's Your Boyfriend" – Eric; 6) "Come Out of Hiding" – Pamela Stanley; 7) "Dance Hall Days" – Wang Chung; 8) "Tell Me That I'm Dreaming" – Jermaine Jackson; 9) "Give Me Tonight" – Shannon; 10) "I Want it to Real" – John Rocco.

2001

"And Then there's Bea," Bea Arthur kicks off a ten performance engagement with Billy Goldenberg at the piano, at Park West, 322 W. Armitage.

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An Aries Celebration – Gay Chicago March 27, 1997

Article in this week's Gay Chicago begins:

"According to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the Miller Brewing Company's commercial for Miller Lite breaks new ground in its representation and inclusiveness of the gay community.

"The ad – entitled 'Switcheroo' – features two women flirting with an attractive man at the end of the bar. Another handsome guy sits down beside him, the women think they're about to hit the jackpot – there's a hunky guy for each of them. But when one man takes the other's hand and both men look up and smile, the disappointed women sigh, 'Well, at least he's not married.'"

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Man's Country – Gay Chicago January 30, 2003

Gay Chicago Magazine's "Behind Closed Doors" presents "The Grabbys 2001," the erotic gay video awards.

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As a part of the International Mr. Leather weekend, there's a Tom of Finland Dance Party at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee, where the lobby staircases and foyers are transformed into an arena of leather debaucheries.

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Another IML event is the "Hot Tea" party at Transit, 1431 W. Lake St. with DJ Mark Anthony and DJ Mark Vallese.

Homework

Are the Lincoln Park Lagooners still around?

Did anyone see Mandel and McVeigh at Opal Station?

Did anyone ever go to the Waterworks, 933 N. State St.

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Jack Sitar photographs the winners of the Mr. Gold Coast Contest for Gay Chicago April 4, 1985

Jack Sitar photographs Chicago House for Gay Chicago January 15, 1987

A couple of cowboys at Carol's Speakeasy in Gay Life April 17, 1981

Lorraine Hart takes photos of a Gala (anybody know which one?) for Nightlines January 29, 1997

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.