September 11-17, 2014

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

1984

The Top 5 Non-Fiction Lesbian Bestsellers at Women & Children First, 1967 N. Halsted, are: 1) "Women-Identified Women" ed. by Darty and Partee Kampmann; 2) "Pure Lust: Elemental Feminist Philosophy" by Mary Daly; 3) "The Coming Out Stories" ed. Stanley and Wolfe; 4) "Another Mother Tongue: Gay Words, Gay Worlds" by Judy Grahn; and 5) "Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology" ed. by Barbara Smith.

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IMAGE: Minkees – Gay Chicago April 2, 1981

In the clubs and bars this week, it's the Grand Opening of the Gold Coast, 5025 N. Clark St. all month long an open bar on Saturday and Sunday 9 p.m.-Midnight for those wearing leather/Levi; c'mon and watch those winning Cubs on our 4 sets. During the month of September the Redoubt, 440 N. Halsted, buys the bar a round each home run the Cubs hit; knee slapping, Tear Jerking, and Finger Snapping, the Swing Sisters sing songs from the 30s 'til now at Cabaret Gentry, 712 N. Rush St.

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Music Playlist courtesy of Roger Wolf of Maneuvers/Joliet: 1) "Whatever I Do" – Hazel Dean; 2) "Caught in the Act" – Earlene Bentley; 3) "Keep it Up" – Betty Valentino; 4) Got to Have Your Love" – Velvette; 5) "Him" – Simone; 6) "Happiness" – Christopher St.; 7) "The Next in Line" – Eric Roberts; 8) "I Only Have Eyes for You (Remix)" – Bonnie Foreman; 9) "Breakout" – Kelly Marie; 10) "In the Evening" Sheryl Lee Ralph.

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In Rick Karlin's Bar Talk "Pot Potpourri" column in Gay Chicago:

"Last weekend Sheila E. and Prince's band partied the night away at Medusa's ...What near-north bar will close this fall? I can't say right now, but it has been around for a while ...Gay shrink John Rouse and his friend Anna (a dead ringer for Judy Garland) were hustling (pool) at Opal Station last Friday, congrats to Michelle Fire, the bar's manager, on her successful opening at the Artemesia Gallery. Michelle's wonderful architecturally inspired works will be on display (and for sale) for the next few weeks."

1998

The annual Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund Lambda Ladies at the Links golf benefit takes place at the South Shore Golf course, Lake Shore Drive & 71st St. Tee times are 10-6 p.m.; a BBQ picnic is 11:30-5 p.m. on the lawns and beach. Picnic only $15, golf only $40; $50 for both. Children are welcome; under six eat free. The lucky golfer hitting a hole-in-one is the winner of a new Subaru Forester, courtesy of Evanston Subaru.

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IMAGE: Welcome Home ...Dugan's Bistro – Gay Chicago April 2, 1981

Noted lesbian writer/cultural critic Sarah Schulman reads from her latest "Stagestruck: Theater, AIDS, & the Marketing of Gay America," at Women and Children First, 5233 N. Clark St.

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The Hot House, 31 E. Balbo St., is the venue for the Hot House Queer Beat Science Dance Party, an ethnically and genderistically all-inclusive party with queer DJ's Bathsheba and Gigglebyte.

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It's Hispanic Heritage Month in Chicago and Aldo Castillo lectures on "Outstanding Latino Artists in Chicago at the Harold Washington Library Center, Video Theater, 400 S. State.

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In "Quotelines" in Outlines:

"If anyone was ever in love with me, it must have been a well-kept secret, because I never heard about it. Love is a mistake." – Quentin Crisp.

And:

"I've been seriously offended by the lack of decent jokes on the subject, and believe me, if there were any more out there, I would have heard of them." – George Michael on his arrest in a Beverley Hills 'tea room.'

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Article in Outlines begins:

"A fire erupted at Clark's on Clark, 5001 N. Clark St in Chicago, around 12:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7. Neighbors called in the alarm at 12:55 p.m. and four Chicago Fire Department companies responded at 12:57 p.m. No one was in the bar when the fire broke out, and no injuries were reported."

2003

"The Partly Dave Show," a variety show hosted by Dave Awl, is at the No Exit Café, 6970 N. Glenwood, and features the theme Gathering of the Gods, with performers impersonating mythological figures. Rachel Claff as Persephone; Christopher Platt as Achilles; John Pierson as Loki; Stephanie Shaw as Skadi; Edward Thomas-Herrera as Dionysus; Diana Slickman as "Surprise Mystery Deity"; and Awl as Osiris.

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IMAGE: God Save the Queens – Nightspots January 19, 2006

Homolatte: Queer Words and Music is hosted by Scott Free and this week is a benefit for Unbound Books with Liberty Unlocked, Jennie Mutation, Selly Thiam, that Ducky Boy, and songs from Alan Conkle's Love Pollution, at the No Exit Café, 6970 N. Glenwood.

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Chi-Town Squares advanced level square dance classes begin at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1640 W. Foster.

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It's Bucks, 3439 N. Halsted St., Summer Carnival to benefit Direct Aid with mega-prizes.

Homework

Who remembers Medusa's?

Are Chi-Town Squares still around?

Who remembers the fire at Clarks on Clark?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Dave Ouano photographs Sidetrack crowd for Chicago Free Press April 9, 2008

Gay Chicago magazine celebrates 25 years in April 15, 2001 issue

Jack Sitar's Speak Out in Gay Chicago August 13 1987. Where are these guys and gals now?

Kirk Williamson photographs these gals at Berlin for Nightspots March 6, 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.