July 14-20, 2016

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

1977

Article in Gay Chicago News begins:

"Chicago's newest and most exciting club for fun and entertainment, Crystal's Blinkers, is soon to open at 3153 N. Broadway. To celebrate the grand opening, a grand opening week is planned to include a five-day benefit program to offer support to various groups and organizations which have special outreach services to the gay and lesbian community.

"According to Elly Cook, senior partner, the idea of the benefit came from Jon Jackson who coordinated the Orange Ball and was liaison for the gay/lesbian rally for human rights at the Medinah Temple on June 14. Crystal's Blinkers has retained Mr. Jackson to coordinate the benefit program."

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IMAGE: Back Street Opening Party – Gay Chicago December 9, 1982

Snippets from this week's "THE WEEK THAT IS ... .. AND WAS! column in Gay Chicago News.

"Lotsa big happenings in the Clark-Dearborn-Hubbard area. Business at My Brother's Place has been fantastic so reservations are a must. If you're planning on enjoying one of their fabulous meals, don't be disappointed-call and reserve a table for your party."

And:

"Dugan's Bistro is planning a super Christmas in July party to be held on July 23rd, 24th and 25th. The Christmas Show will be held on the 25th starting at 10 p.m. with Santa bringing lots of presents including 3 bikes and door prizes. There will also be champagne and cake."

And:

"A couple of bartender changes in the past week. Chick Rodecker (sic), a long time mainstay at Sunday's has departed and Patti Ryan at the Butterfly has left for a long summer vacation. All of their devoted customers and friends wish these two fine people the best of luck. It is difficult to find two more friendly and efficient people."

1992

Article in Gay Chicago begins:



"Singers are invited to audition for the Windy City Performing Arts, Inc.'s Lesbian and Gay Mixed Chorus. Auditions will be held on Saturday, August 8th from 10:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m., and Monday, August 10th from 6:30-10:30 p.m., at the Second Unitarian Church, 656 W. Barry.

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IMAGE: C.H.A.P.S. – Gay Chicago October 18, 1984

In the bars and clubs, Summer of Strippers featuring the Boys of Bistro at Bistro Too, 5015 N. Clark St.; there's a T Dance every Sunday at Eons, Belmont and Halsted; Beckie Menzie, Debbie Matt, Valeri Lewis, and Roberta Miles, are all performing at Gentry, 712 N. Rush St. this week; Kenned and Carl perform at North End, 3733 N. Halsted; it's Leather United Club Nite at AA Meat Market, 2933 N. Lincoln; Viola Wills performs at Our Dinosaur Disco at Vortex, 3631 N. Halsted; Two Steppin' on Fridays at Berlin, 954 W. Belmont; and Country/Western Dance Lessons at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted.

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The Human Rights Campaign Fund, the largest national gay and lesbian and AIDS political organization, hold their annual Chicago dinner on July 18 at the new Chicago Sheraton Hotel at 301 N. Wacker Drive.

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The Rodde Center and the Music Box Theatre present an opening night premiere benefit showing on Sunday, July 19th of "Voices from the Front," a new film documentary on AIDS activism in America. Several episodes celebrate the work of ACT UP/Chicago and Queer Nation activists in local demonstrations.

1999

Lesbian singer, Ellen Rosner, performs at the Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace.

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IMAGE: North End – Hotspots September 18, 2001

An article in Outlines by Gregg Shapiro headlined "Chicago Gay and Lesbian Chorus Records New CD" begins:

"The walls of a recording studio are supposed to be solid. However, I would swear that the walls of a certain recording studio in Roscoe Village were vibrating the firstSaturday morning in June of 1999. The reason for the good vibrations? The recording of the first CD by Unison, Windy City Performing Arts' GLAMA (Gay and Lesbian American Music Award) winning mixed chorus.

"The men, dressed in shorts and t-shirts, were in the studio at 10 a.m. (on aSaturday morning!) to record their part of 'The Song of One,' a 15 track CD which is tentatively scheduled for release in October 1999. John McCortney, the engineer of the project, pointed to a bicycle seat on the floor in the recording studio's long hallway as an indication, in addition to the way that everyone was dressed, of summer's arrival. For a previous winter recording session, rows of boots lined the corridor as evidence of that season.

"Welborn 'Bill' Young leads the men in vocal warm-ups. He tells them that their 'voices are still warm from last night,' referring to Friday night's recording session. Young, standing on two chairs (one foot on each) in front of the narrow end of a grand piano, facing the chorus and the piano player, offers words of encouragement ('don't push-just let the air come out-don't grab' and 'brightening a vowel makes it sing better') as they prepare to record 'O Vos Omnes' for posterity."

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IMAGE: Cover – Nightspots July 3, 2002

Hothouse and Blacklines newspaper present an evening of cultural activity at 31 E. Balbo.

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Oak Park Library hosts "Hemingway & Lesbians in his life and art," a slideshow and lecture by Marie Kuda at 834 Lake Street.

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Minority Outreach Intervention Project's (M.I.O.P.) "Lo Nuestro" is a discussion program for gay/bi/trans and questioning Latino men. Discussion group meets at 3049 S. Lock St.

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A Real Read, Chicago's premiere black theater group, performs "Colorphobia: A Perspective on Racial Issues in the LesbiGay Comm" at the Centennial Hall, 733 N. 8th St., Milwaukee.

Homework

Where is Welborn 'Bill' Young?

Is Becky Menzie still around?

Who remembers the Butterfly?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

The guys from Buddies in Nightspots June 25, 2003

Rita photographs Take Back the Night for Sister Source June 18 1982

Robert Castillo and John Pennycuff get married in Windy City Times July 2, 2008

Amy Wooten and Kat Fitzgerald on the scene in Windy City Times July 2, 2008

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.