2016 05 18 edge web

MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 VOL. 1 -

Issue

No.

17

www.TheEdgeLB.com The Edge Long Beach @EdgeLongBeach

SOLIDARITY THROUGH PRIDE Long Beach’s Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival celebrates 32 years

pride weekend

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO DURING PRIDE WEEKEND Each year, more than 80,000 participants engage in one of Long Beach’s most celebrated events: The Long Beach Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival.

This year the festival has big names on its music stages such as Neon Trees, Kristinia DeBarge and DeJ Loaf.

However, away from the big names, big stages, and big crowds, there are some smaller events supporting Long Beach’s LGBT community going. With help from LongBeachPride.com, here are a bevy of fun things to do to celebrate LGBT pride.

Art Theatre - Photo credit of the Long Beach Art Theatre

FRIDAY Cocktails for a Cause 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Padre 525 E. Broadway Ave.

Cocktails for a Cause benefits the AIDS Food Store. Bring a nonperishable food item for the Food Store and proceed to feel good at this all-inclusive social event.

AIDS Food Store

Long Beach Dyke March 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Bixby Park 130 Cherry Ave.

The annual march empowers the LGBT community. Support and march!

Long Beach Dyke March AFTER PARTY 8 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Paradise Bar and Restaurant 1800 E Broadway Ave.

You just finished the march and now 2/

Long Beach Pride 2016 Overboard at the Queen Mary

you’re ready to RAGE. Unwind in Paradise (Bar and Restaurant). After party will feature a performance by the band Doll Parts.

9 p.m. - 2 a.m.

The Queen Mary 1126 Queens Highway

The Pink Party

DJs, models, and drinks, oh my!

Overboard is an annual staple of Pride Week and this year promises to be bigger than ever. With the longest full bar in Long Beach and a midnight underwear fashion show, how could you say no?

7 p.m. - midnight The Packard 205 E. Anaheim St.

The new WE Labs at the Packard throws a Pride week kickoff dance party. Food trucks, cocktails, a body painting booth, and . . . plenty of parking?!; is there a better way to kick off Pride Week?

SUNDAY

SATURDAY

LOVE WINS

Pride Party Movie courtesy of PREPA (Pride Real Estate Professionals Association)

Ocean Boulevard, between Cherry and Junipero Avenues 9:30 a.m.

10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

The Art Theater 2025 Fourth St.

ET the Extra Terrestrial! For free!

The Rainbow Reel Pride Party: Do These SHORTS Make Me Look GAY? Door open at 1:30 p.m.

The Filmmakers’ Gallery 2238 E. Broadway Ave.

Fun short film festival showing web series and short films with an LGBT theme.

Tickets available online at http:// www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/2544812

| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 | www.theedgelb.com

A mass LGBT wedding ceremony celebrating the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage.

Paradise Restaurant and Bar - Photo credit of Paradise

MEGAWOOF LA – Long Beach Pride Closing Party

Healing Through Creativity: A Creative Warrior’s Journey

Doors open at 9 p.m.

The Federal Bar 102 Pine Ave.

3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Hellada Art Center and Fine Art Gallery 117 Linden Ave.

You’ll engage in therapeutic writing and art with moderator Richard Harvey with prompts aimed at letting go of “sick, challenged, or impaired” identities. Numerous local artists, musicians, and dancers will perform.

After the Pride festival, walk a few blocks over and keep the party going inside The Federal Bar Vault. Two dance floors, two deejays, one damn good night.

You are scheduled to receive this complimentary publication until further notice.

If you do not want to receive it or would like to discuss any issues, please contact us at 626-301-1010.

CONTENTS FOUNDER/PRESIDENT Von Raees CEO Jesse Dillon EDITORIAL editor@hlrmedia.com MANAGING EDITOR Gary Metzker SENIOR REPORTER Blake Pinto PHOTOGRAPHER Karen Sawyer REPORTERS Jesus Ambrosio Madison D’Ornellas Kevin Flores Olivia Otsuki Emily Rasmussen GRAPHICS/PRODUCTION Jorge Arroyo Katie Lowery Allison Rojas WEBSITE Jorge Arroyo SALES DISTRIBUTION SUPERVISOR Edward Davis ACCOUNTING Vera Shamon PUBLISHER HLR Media ADVERTISING advertising@hlrmedia.com SUBMISSIONS: Please send all press releases to: editor@hlrmedia.com

HLR Media, LLC .All contents herein are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part, without the express written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are not necessarily that of the management and staff at HLR Media, LLC 525 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach, CA 90802 Phone: (626) 386-3457 Fax: (626) 600-4452

THE EDGE-U-CATOR

This issue is our third special issue. We devoted one issue to the Beach Streets event down Broadway Avenue. We wrote about the Long Beach Grand Prix and now the second most- attended event in Long Beach, the Lesbian & Gay Pride festival that takes place Saturday and Sunday.

This is the 32nd year of this event and while researching this event, our reporter Emily Rasmussen found out, thanks to the Long Beach Post, that one council member didn’t want to see “queers in trees.” Or how about that, because of death threats, Judy Doyle wore a bulletproof vest during the second year?

And The Post reports that then-council members Warren Harwood and Edd Tuttle along with former mayors Eunice Sato and Ernie Kell were outspoken opponents of the festival and parade as well as LGBTQ rights in general.

Happily, mayors and council members have changed and so has the city. We have listed 10 events worth going to this weekend that are Pride-related and check our calendar, too, for Pride events.

As always, if you love us or hate us or have a story idea, let us know with a comment on our Facebook page or our work-in-progress website www.theedgelb.com. Or send me an email at editor@hlrmedia.com

top 10:

02

A bevy of fun things to do while at the Pride events

Gary Metzker Managing editor

We Buy Houses

news: 04 The Long Beach Veterans Administration hospital get accolades for its work with LGBTQ veterans, visitors, and employees.

feature: 05 Thelma Houston and Wendell James are your grand marshals for the parade.

business:

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Don’t be shy, Phat Toys can help.

cOVER: 08 The 32nd edition of the Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride festival is taking place this weekend.

entertainment:

10

The Filmmakers Gallery will play host to a series of short films about gays.

calendar: 12

Contribute to The Edge!

Are you a passionate journalist who loves writing about arts, dining and entertainment? As the independent voice of Long Beach, The Edge is welcoming a hand full of contributors who are eager to cover the latest trends happening in LB. Selected writers will have the opportunity to showcase their work in our print and digital publications while building their portfolio with professional reporter experience. From investigative stories, features on local artists, to play and movie reviews, The Edge provides a platform for writers with an array of interests. If you’re a Long Beach local who desires to take an endeavor into journalism, then contact us to see how we can

artist: 14 Bearcoon will be performing at the Dyke March.

help you!

Contact: editor@hlrmedia.com

Flag raised at the Long Beach Pride Parade in 2009. -Photo courtesy of Flickr by Loren Javier www.theedgelb.com

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news

As the Pride Festival comes to town, the VA Hospital is being recognized for its work with LGBT patients, visitors and employees.

VA HOSPITAL IDITIFIED AS LEADER IN LGBT HEALTHCARE EQUALITY

V

A Long Beach Healthcare System, serving veterans in Orange and south Los Angeles counties, as well as Long Beach, has been recognized as a “leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the country’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization.

The findings come as part of the release of HRC Foundation’s 2016 Healthcare Equality Index, an annual survey that encourages equal care for LGBT Americans by evaluating inclusive policies and practices related to LGBT patients, visitors and employees.

VA Long Beach earned top marks in meeting non-discrimination and training

by Blake Pinto

4/

criteria that demonstrate its commitment to equitable, inclusive care for LGBT veterans, and their families, who can face significant challenges in securing the quality health care and respect they deserve.

It deserves to be noted that 87 percent of the survey respondents this year (496 of 568) met the criteria for classification as a “2016 Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality.” The four criteria that must be met are considered the four pillars: Patient and employee non-discrimination policies that specifically mention sexual orientation and gender identity; a guarantee of equal visitation for same-sex partners and parents; and LGBT health education for key staff members.

“It is critical to us at this facility, to insure all veterans that served this nation and guarantee our freedom, are equally free to access

| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 | www.theedgelb.com

care in a compassionate, safe and welcoming environment, free of discrimination. We are proud of the work we have accomplished and the care we provide,” the hospital wrote in an official statement.

In a city as eclectic as Long Beach, it comes as no surprise that VA Long Beach has been classified as a leader in healthcare equality, but there is always room for continued improvement.

“Despite all the progress we’ve made, far too many LGBT people still lack inclusive and affirming healthcare,” said Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “Leaders in LGBT Healthcare Equality are helping to change that, and, in the process, making the lives of LGBT patients and their families better each and every day. LGBT people have a right to be treated equally in all aspects of our

lives, and HRC celebrates VA Long Beach for its work to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all patients.”

The Healthcare Equality Index offers healthcare facilities unique and powerful resources designed to help provide equal care to a long-overlooked group of patients, as well as assistance in complying with regulatory requirements and access to high-quality staff training. The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Health Equity coordinates facility participation in the Healthcare Equity Index.

This office is responsible for championing equitable health for all Veterans including Veterans from LGBT communities.

For more information about the Healthcare Equality Index 2016, or to download a free copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/hei.

feature

HOUSTON AND JAMES EXPECT TO HAVE A GRAND TIME AT PARADE documented James struggling to reconcile his sexual identity and his Baptist faith.

“We all have some sort of struggle in life and we all want to be heard, but some people are just too afraid to speak out for fear of what others may think,” James said in a statement.

“I lived with my struggle long enough until I spoke out and not only did it help me, but it helped others, so I decided to use my platform to speak for those who can’t.”

Both Houston and James have expressed their excitement to be part of the Long Beach Pride Festival, which last year drew over 80,000 attendees.

The parade steps off on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the corner of Ocean Boulevard and Lindero Avenue and marches west to Alamitos Avenue.

City of Long Beach Current Job Opportunities Apply Online! http://www.longbeach.gov/civilservice Effective Friday May 13, 2016

This is Thelma Houston’s second time as grand marshal of the parade. Wendell James is known for his role in “Raising Whitley” on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

T

he 33rd edition of the by Long Beach Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade is Kevin set to be a ball this year, Flores a disco ball that is.

Disco queen Thelma Houston will be one of the grand marshals for this year’s parade.

The Grammy award-winning songstress, who was inducted into the Long Beach Poly High School Walk of Fame in 2011, has been a longtime advocate of the LGBT community.

She has donated to charities such as the AIDS Project Los Angeles, Devine Design for Project Angel Food and Minority AIDS Project, where she gave her $20,000 winnings from the TV show “Hit Me Baby.”

Houston, who also served as grand marshal for the parade in 2011, has had a de-

cades-spanning career, recording hits such as “Saturday Night, Sunday Morning,” “I Can’t Go On Living Without Your Love,” “I’m Here Again,” and “If You Feel It.” In the ’80s and ’90s, her gold single “Don’t Leave Me This Way” became the unofficial theme song for those in the gay community during the AIDS epidemic.

“We have been supporting each other for so long that I consider the LGBT community my family, and I love that fact that I can continue to give back,” Houston said in a statement announcing her as a grand marshal.

The parade’s other grand marshal will be actor Wendell James, who is best known for his role as “Hollywood Husband” on the TV series “Raising Whitley,” which airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network. A recent episode

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| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 |

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business

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX (TOYS) ChryStyles will give you the skinny at Phat Toys

Phat Toys offers all sorts of items for adults.

by Jesus Ambrosio

S

ex is often one of the most difficult things to talk about – but when you work at a sex shop it’s just good business.

“Most people are embarrassed to talk about sex,” says ChryStyles, owner of Phat Toys Adult Boutique in Long Beach. “But if you want to do something we are going make it happen. I have to be open with people and make them feel comfortable.”

ChryStyles got into the business 13 years ago, but her current storefront between Redondo Avenue and Coronado Avenue on Seventh Street was never meant to be a sex shop at all.

She originally started doing home parties that educated and informed participants

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It’s important to have an open mind and know what is out there.

| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 | www.theedgelb.com

– chrystyles

about sex toys, she says she has always had a fascination with these kinds of products.

For a while she tabled at events on the Promenade in downtown Long Beach, but she could only really bring out the lingerie – and even that was a bit much for the public to handle.

She realized that she wanted to create her own private space to throw these parties instead of going into other people’s houses.

“We had public parties every day so people can come to me,” ChryStyles says. “After the parties people would ask if we carried the toys and I just told participants I just had to check in the back storage space.”

The enthusiasm from clients helped these private parties evolve her business into the store it has become today with all kinds of

business

Phat Toys has more than 14,000 items in its store on Seventh Street. items for anyone (18 or older) explore.

The storefront may no longer have room for events, but that doesn’t mean private house parties aren’t out of the question.

“We’ll do couple parties, lesbian parties, gay parties,” ChryStyle says. “You know you have to bring different things to different kinds of parties.”

She says her staff is dedicated to understanding the needs of customers, and that interacting with customers is important.

“You can buy something online, and read description,” ChryStyle says. “But you don’t have a human interaction.”

She is very aware that things can become

very uncomfortable for some people when they visit the store, but she said she thinks it’s important to understand one’s own sexuality.

Sex can be a taboo subject, but it’s a big part of people’s daily lives and ChryStyle hopes people embrace what turns them on.

“A lot of people don’t know what they like,” ChryStyle says. “You really have to experiment to find out what you do and what you don’t like.”

There are over 14,000 items to choose from; things that are vanilla to those that involve more kink. She said lots of regulars visit the store and everyone is welcomed: straight, gay, lesbian and transgendered

“We get absolutely everyone,” she says.

She says the most popular question people ask is “What is the most popular toy?”, but she feels that’s the wrong question to ask when you walk into a sex shop.

“It’s what you are into because this is all personal,” ChryStyles says. “I have to talk to people and find out how they climax. What

www.theedgelb.com

are you looking to do and then I can direct you in the right direction. I have to find out what you are trying to do to point you in the right direction. It’s important to have an open mind and know what is out there.”

| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 |

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cover

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| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 | www.theedgelb.com

cover

VISION, COURAGE AND PERSEVERANCE The Lesbian & Gay Pride festival celebrates its 32nd year with its theme of “Solidarity through pride”

L

ong Beach proudly expresses its diversity in many ways.

With Mayor Robert Garcia as the city’s first openly gay mayor, down to its rainbow crosswalks on Broadway Avenue, it is no wonder that Long Beach hosts the third largest Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival in the nation.

However, it was not always like this. Around the time Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride, Inc. was created in 1983, most of the city’s LGBTQ community reflected the rest of the nation. It was a time when many people in the LGBTQ community stayed hidden and city officials were unsupportive of making any change.

Vanessa Romain, a member of LBLGP told the Long Beach Post, “It wasn’t the loud, inyour-face crowd that was L.A. – and that’s what many of us liked. We kept quiet, our neighbors kept quiet. But you can only be quiet for so long before you realize that there are things happening that are just wrong.”

With such a large gay and lesbian population in the city, the LBLGP Board of Directors felt there was a need to increase awareness and promote pride in the community, according to Long Beach Pride. Although getting a festival started was not an easy task.

Mary Martinez, the Pride vice president in 1983, told the Long Beach Press Telegram that there were arguments in city council against a Pride festival. Martinez told the Press Telegram that one of the city council members said, “I don’t want a bunch of queers in the trees.”

Despite a lack of funds or support from the city, LBLGP was able to put on the first Long Beach Pride Parade in June 1984. The parade only lasted 30 minutes with about 5,000 people attending over a two-day period, according to the Pasadena Star News, but it created enough controversy for one of Pride’s members to receive death threats for the following year’s parade.

Pride president Judy Doyle told the Press

by Emily Rasmussen

and online. The parade on Sunday begins at 10:30 a.m. starting at Lindero Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. It continues down Ocean to its termination point at Alamitos Avenue.

There is a reviewing stand across from Bixby Park. Handicapped parking and more viewing areas are available at Junipero Avenue and Ocean Avenue.

why did the Chicken cross 4th st. ?

Parade marchers walk down Ocean Ave. Telegram a caller said, “‘You slipped by us the first year, but it’s not going to be easy this time. We suggest you don’t march this year.

There could be someone who will take you down. There will be plenty of us there.”

Doyle decided to march in the 1985 parade anyway, but this time she wore a bulletproof vest. During the second Pride Parade, city council members opposing the festival came during the second day with 300 people, wearing surgical masks that wrote “AIDS mask,” according to the Long Beach Post.

In addition to threats from strangers, the City of Long Beach asked for $1 million in liability insurance for a second parade. LBLGP was able to get a court injunction without a permit and have the parade anyway, according to the Press Telegram, although the next couple years they had to fund liability insurance.

After the first two years of the Long Beach Pride Parade, it was so successful that the organization was able to start funding grants to other non-profits. Not much longer, volunteers for the parade were able to give funds to their favorite charities.

Now with more than 80,000 participants over the two-day festival, Long Beach Pride is the second largest event in the city, after the Long Beach Grand Prix.

With the parade’s success today, LBLGP is able to fund philanthropic work year-round.

In 2015, some of the recipients given grants were the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach, AIDS Foodstore, Inc., and scholarships awarded to two students.

This year, the Long Beach Pride Festival is taking place Saturday and Sunday at Marina Green Park. Tickets are available at the door www.theedgelb.com

to get to Honduras Kitchen.

Come try the chicken that didn’t make it across the street.

Long Beach . Huntington Park www.HKHondurasKitchen.com

| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 |

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entertainment

CELEBRATING THE LGBT COMMUNITY ON FILM “Do These Shorts Make Me Look Gay?” kick off Pride Weekend at the Filmmaker’s Gallery on Saturday

L

ong Beach is the Hollywood away from Hollywood, and the Filmmaker’s Gallery at 2238 E. Broadway Ave. is Long Beach’s gallery for red carpet events. This intimate gallery has red curtains draped from the ceiling to the floor that makes you feel like you are up close and personal to the stage.

Currently, Paul Belsito’s “The Stars Collection,” pastel drawn Hollywood portraits, hang on the wall, bringing in the energy of some of Hollywood’s greatest into the room.

Stephen Roche and Paul Belsito are partners on the set and for life. Roche has a background in theater, film, design and photography. Belsito has a background in fine arts and the film industry. Together, they have worked together, writing, producing, directing, and filming on different projects. They wrote and produced a documentary “Teach Your Children Well,” a film about homophobia, bullying, and school violence that will be shown at the gallery in the fall. Currently, they are working on a dramedy filmed in Palm Springs, called “Black Sands.” Four years ago, they put all of their multifaceted skills together and opened the Filmmaker’s Gallery. Since opening, they have hosted numerous events for both filmmakers and film lovers alike. The Filmmaker’s Gallery is a multimedia gallery where the space transforms according to the event. Some nights, the gallery space is a theater, others, it is a rotating art exhibition, a book signing, or an Academy Awards show.

This year, the Gallery will kick off Pride Weekend with The Rainbow Reel Pride Party LGBT Mini-Filmfest, “Do These SHORTS Make Me Look Gay?” On Saturday, doors will open at 1:30 p.m. for red carpet photos. From 2 p.m.

- 8 p.m., four different web series and shorts will be featured, with one special 30-minute feature film to close out the night. As an additional bonus, at the end of each segment, the audience will get to interact with at least one of the cast or crew members from the show or film, in person or via skype.

“We want people to have an up close and personal experience,” says Belsito. “When we feature films like this, it brings community.”

They create an environment for people with common interests in cinema, film, and theater, to come together and create bigger and stron-

by Olivia Otsuki

10 /

Paul Belsito (left) and Stephen Roche (right) founded the Filmmaker’s Gallery.

| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 | www.theedgelb.com

entertainment speak and answer questions guests may have.

The last web series will be “Steam Room Stories,” which are comedic sketches in a steam room. “Hot shirtless men in towels serving up steamy sketch comedy in a steam room that’s 90% laughs, and 10% body fat,” says Steam Room Stories’ Youtube page.

Most of the shorts will be funny and celebratory of the LGBT community, but the night will end with a surprise 30-minute feature. This short film, while it also has some comedic moments, touches upon some of the social problems still facing the LGBT community today. Some of the topics include coming of age, coming out, bullying, and intolerance within families and loved ones. “Most of the stuff we show is lighthearted and funny, but we wanted to end on a serious note. There are still people intolerant of our community, like the trans bathroom issue that has been all over the news,” says Belsito.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased on www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2544812.

For more information, visit the Filmmaker’s Gallery website: www.filmmakersgallery.com.

If you have any questions, call (562) 433-4500 or email thefilmmakersgallery@gmail.com.

Contact Olivia:

/oliviaotsuki /oliviaotsukii /oliviaotsuki

www.otsukio.wordpress.com

Paul Belsito’s pastel Hollywood portraits decorate the red curtain walls of this intimate theater.

ger connections within the community.

Belsito curated the shorts that will be shown throughout the evening. “Some of the [filmmakers] haven’t met each other. It will bring everyone together, where they can mix and mingle,” says Belsito. In addition to the shorts, there will be rainbow-themed cocktails served with Skittles and Mike & Ikes. There will be hot appetizers, decadent desserts, sweets & popcorn.

The first web series “My Sister is So Gay,” is “the new comedy about a family that is close. . . but only if geography counts,” says their Youtube Page. The series stars Terry Ray, the cowriter and actor in Gaydar, Wendy Michaels from America’s Most Wanted, Debra Wilson from MADtv, singer and actor Tilky Jones, and WKRP in Cincinnati’s Loni Anderson. The show explores the hilarious events that occur

when a family, all with strong and conflicting personalities, get put together.

The second web series is “Daddyhunt: The Serial.” The series begins with a young man moving into a new apartment complex, and meets his older attractive super. Some misunderstandings occur, and keeps viewers on edge of what will happen next.

After that, there will be a series of videos: “Keeping up with Ralf,” “Coming Out . . . to My Wife,” “My Coming Out Song– Gay Gay,” and “Dating in L.A.,” and “Casting in L.A.” These videos all showcase gynacologist and ur0gynacologist Dr. Ralph Mayer’s experience of coming out. Aside from his medical career, he has an acting career in Hollywood and has been on the show “The Doctors,” “Child of the 70s,” and starred in shorts and music videos.

He will also be present through Skype to

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| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 |

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// MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 // Long Beach Museum of Art // March 11 - May 29 // Beyond the Frame: New Media Arts from Taiwan $7 Long Beach Museum of Art An innovative exhibition featuring new media artists who continually evolve their creative practice with rapid advances in media technology. For more information, visit lbma.org.

Antonio Drive.

Every first Friday night of the month, participating Bixby Knolls unite to promote local artists and musicians through extended operating hours.

//Shakespeare Aloud - “All’s Well That Ends Well” // Live After Five

$7 Richard Oelschlaege’s creations in clay are something you must see in person.

10:45 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Carpenter Performing Arts Center 6200 Atherton St, Long Beach On a designated Saturday each month, Shakespeare Aloud hosts a free reading of each of Shakespeare’s 37 plays, one per month until the entire canon is complete.

// April 7 - May 29 // High School Exhibition – Displacement: Where Do We Belong?

// Thursday – Sunday // Live Music in the Tapas Bar at Cafe Sevilla

$7 LBUSD High School students were create an original work of art that depicts their understanding of displacement.

7 - 9 p.m.

Cafe Sevilla 140 Pine Ave. Cafe Sevilla features live music in their tapas bar Thursday through Sunday. Check out their calendar at http://cafesevilla.com/lbevents/ to see who is playing live in the tapas bar.

// March 11 - May 29 // TRANSFORMED BY FIRE

Aquarium of the Pacific // Most Fridays // Shark lagoon nights 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

See a shark! Touch a shark! Free! Are you sold out yet?

MOLAA // April 1 - Oct. 27 // Black Gold Free 4640 Atlantic Ave. A photo exhibition called “Black Gold: Oil in the Neighborhood,” which explores the industry that helped shaped the Long Beach area. Hours: Tues., Wed., Fri. from 1-5 p.m.

Thur. from 1-7 p.m. and Sat. from 11 - 5 p.m.

For more information, visit hslb.org.

// First Friday each month // First Fridays at Bixby Knolls 6 - 10 p.m.

Atlantic Ave. between Bixby Road and San

12 /

// Every Second Thursday // Live After Five 5 p.m.

Downtown Long Beach Every second Thursday is party time in downtown. After 5 p.m. of course.

Brix at the Shore LIVE music Brix at the Shore, 5372 E. 2nd St. Wednesday Thursday 7:30 p.m.

Friday 8 - 11 p.m Saturday 8 - 11 p.m.

Sunday 4 p.m.

Wine tasting Brix at the Shore, 5372 E. 2nd St. Wednesday 6 - 8 p.m.: Special wine flight $8

| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 | www.theedgelb.com

Courtesy of Long Beach Pride (Facebook)

WED 5/18 Alex’s Bar Karaoke 9 p.m., 21+ Alex’s Bar 2913 E Anaheim St., Long Beach Booze and drunk people singing classics, what’s not to like?

Salsa Dance Lessons Cover charge may apply , 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Sevilla Night Club Every Wednesday night they offer salsa dance lessons in their club taught by renowned local salsa dance instructors.

Open Mic Night at DRNK 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

DRNK Coffee + Tea 4245 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach Say what you mean, mean what you say. The perfect opportunity to speak your mind.

LIVE music @brixshore 8 - 11 p.m., Karaoke Brix at the Shore 5372 E. 2nd St.

THU 5/19 Ken O Malley Live Irish Music 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

The Auld Dubliner 71 S. Pine St., Long Beach Ken O Malley play an early evening set every Thursday.

LIVE music @brixshore 7:30 p.m., Sam Day (acoustic) Brix at the Shore 5372 E. 2nd St.

calendar Healing Through Creativity: A Creative Warrior’s Journey

FRI 5/20

3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Hellada Art Center and Fine Art Gallery, 117 Linden Ave. You’ll engage in therapeutic writing and art with moderator Richard Harvey with prompts aimed at letting go of “sick, challenged, or impaired” identities. Numerous local artists, musicians, and dancers will perform.

Long Beach Dyke march 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Bixby Park 130 Cherry Ave. The annual march empowers the LGBT community. Support and march!

SUN 5/22

Long Beach Dyke march after party 8 - 11 p.m.

Paradise Bar and Restaurant You just finished the march and now you’re ready to RAGE. Unwind in Paradise (Bar and Restaurant). After party will feature a performance by the band Doll Parts.

the pink party 7 p.m. - midnight The Packard 205 E. Anaheim St. The new WE Labs at the Packard throws a Pride week kickoff dance party. Food trucks, cocktails, a body painting booth, and . . . plenty of parking?!; is there a better way to kick off Pride Week?

Rap. Rock. Renaissance.

7 p.m., $7 DiPiazza’s 5205 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach Join the All-female lineup of local artists including DJ Sarah Green of Spare Parts for Broken Hearts, the Unit, JFP, Mickey Taelor and Blimes Brixton.

SAT 5/21

First fridays at bixby knolls

16th usa sumo open

6 - 10 p.m.

Atlantic Ave. between Bixby Rd. and San Antonio Dr. Every first Friday night of the month, participating Bixby Knolls unite to promote local artists and musicians through extended operating hours.

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Walter Pyramid Cal State Long Beach.

This US Sumo Open is going to be HUGE (no pun intended). Nearly 60 competitors from all over the world will square off in 150+ matches. Ticket prices are $27 to $72.

Snapback Long Beach 10 p.m. - Free before 11 p.m., $5 After The Federal Underground 102 Pine Ave, Long Beach Throwback Hip Hop / R&B classics

Shark Lagoon Nights 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Aquarium of the Pacific Most Fridays, some exclusions apply See a shark! Touch a shark! Free! Are you sold yet?

LIVE music @brixshore 8 - 11 p.m., Unkle Monkey (Jimmy Buffet) Brix at the Shore, 5372 E. 2nd St.

African Drum and Dance Session Free, 10 a.m.

Homeland Cultural Center, MacArthur Park 1321 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach Move to your own beat and get behind both the drum and footwork of a culture-filled morning.

2016 Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade

Courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific

BK Strollers 7 a.m. - 9 a.m.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 4105 Atlantic Ave. A neighborhood walking club meeting every Saturday morning. Get you exercise on.

Flamenco Dinner Show $59 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Café Sevilla 140 Pine Avenue, Long Beach Three course meal and a lesson in the art of Flamenco? Yes please.

Pride Party Movie courtesy of PREPA (Pride Real Estate Professionals Association) 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

The Art Theater, 2025 Fourth St. ET the Extra Terrestrial! For free!

Jazz Angels 4th Annual Signature Fundraiser “Jazz On The Patio” 7 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

908 N Park Circle, Long Beach, CA 90813 Suggested Donation: $35 Tickets Available At www.jazzangels.org/ jazz-on-the-patio An intimate family-friendly evening of live jazz, cocktails, and generous hors d’oeuvres to raise funds for the Jazz Angels’ jazz education programs.

Grammy-winning trombonist Francisco Torres, Music Director for the Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band, member of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, and director of the CSUF Latin Jazz Band will all be in attendance.

Rocky Horror Picture Show Adults: $11; Senior/Child: $8 11:55 p.m.

2025 E. 4th St. Long Beach The tradition continues. Beware if it is your first time. You’ll be in for quite a surprise

sole saturdays 10 p.m.

The Federal Underground 102 Pine Ave, Long Beach Like you’re at a house party. Is that a good or bad thing? Up for you to decide.

Starts at 9:30 a.m.

Bixby Park It’s that time of year, folks! One of Long Beach’s most celebrated and attended Pride events is back and bigger than ever. Enjoy music, food, and marching.

Sunday Funday Comedy Show at The Laugh Factory 8 p.m.

The Laugh Factory 151 S. Pine Ave., Long Beach Tickets: www.laughfactory.com Clean comedy show from the Pike at Rainbow Harbor in Downtown Long Beach!

Sunday Brunch at the Queen Mary 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Queen Mary 1126 Queens Hwy, Long Beach $49.95 per adult, $19.95 for children 12 and under. Prices on holidays and special events are $59.95 Adults & $19.95 Kids. $7 parking with validation (up to 3 hours) $12 all-day valet parking with validation.

Hosted in the Grand Salon and featuring live entertainment, the weekly Champagne Sunday Brunch sets the standard for elegance so early in the morning.

LIVE music @brixshore 4 p.m., Big E and friends Deadheads Brix at the Shore

truck squad food trucks

Traditional Irish Music Session

11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Rotating food truck every Saturday afternoon

4 - 7 p.m.

The Auld Dubliner 71 South Pine Street, Long Beach Some good ol’ live traditional Irish themed music.

molaa the art of meditation 10 - 11 a.m.

Medidate in the galleries! Zen and culture collide!

LIVE music @brixshore 4 p.m., Jennifer Hart R&B 8 - 11 p.m., Zell Family Brix at the Shore www.theedgelb.com

MOLAA Summer Comic Book Exhibition Get featured at the MOLAA this summer!

The exhibition involves comic book art and culture and revolves around the themes of Culture, Identity, Politics & Community Involvement.music.

| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 |

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artist of the week

THEY’VE GIVEN UP EVERYTHING FOR A SHOT AT SOMETHING Bearcoon are kicking off the Dyke March

Solange Igoa (left) and Andrea Walker were the grand prize winners at the 2014 Long Beach Buskerfest. Photo by Lindsey Ingram

W

hat the hell is a bearcoon?

To some it is an oversized, menacing raccoon that wants to eat your soul – and all of your food. But to many Long Beach locals, it is the dynamic band duo of Solange Igoa, 25, and Andrea Walker, 34, who have given up everything in the pursuit of a dream.

“You can never be all the way into something if you’re holding on to everything else,” Solange says, recalling a friend’s advice from years ago as her and Andrea first contemplated forming the band. “You can never be completely into your band with your job, your fancy things, and all this shit.”

Good advice? Some people might think they

by Blake Pinto

14 /

have taken it a bit literal, but their accolades speak for themselves. Grand prize at the 2014 Long Beach Buskerfest, “Best folk band” from OC Weekly, “Best Album of the Year” from the Long Beach Post and a brief stint at the very top of Amazon’s “Hot New Releases” list for their debut album “El Guapo” prove that the duo has much more than mere passion. They possess some serious talent.

Now, they will be kicking off the fourth annual Dyke March on Saturday, performing at Bixby Park at 6:30 p.m.

The pair met by chance, after attending a string of open mic nights at Portfolio Coffee House. Both had been raised outside Long Beach – Igoa in Bakersfield and Walker in North Carolina – but migrated to a city that felt much more like home, and accepting of

| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 | www.theedgelb.com

The band was only as serious as the relationshop was.

– solange igoa

their colorful personalities.

Igoa became encouraged by a friend, who clearly recognized her talent, and began busking on 4th street – an act not uncommon to many Long Beach musicians.

“Then I graduated to Second Street and I didn’t even need a job,” Igoa recalls, saying she used to only play guitar in her roller skates to draw more attention on the street. “I was making pretty all right money.”

She soon brought her act to the coffee shop, where Walker heard her voice for the first time, and immediately saw the potential for something big.

“I was like, come over to my house and we can play each other some songs,” Walker recalls. “I just pretty much never left,” Igoa adds.

Their affinity for each other ran deeper

artist of the week

Andrea Walker (Left) and Solange Igoa (Right) jamming inside their 1992 Chevy van. They will be performing at the fourth annual Dyke March on Saturday.

than just music though.

“We started dating and made our band at the same time,” Igoa says. “The band was only as serious as the relationship was.”

Soon enough, both the band and their relationship would become pretty serious, and all they had left – along with their two dogs Rajus and Dobby. They decided to trade in their apartment for a 1992 Chevy van, sell everything they had and hit the road on their first “tour.”

“We’re just kind of like nomads,” Walker explains. “I don’t really know how to count one as a tour.”

They traveled up and down the West Coast, stopping anywhere along the way where people would listen and selling their album. Now, four years after officially forming Bearcoon, the couple has been through many highs and lows and it’s reflected in their music.

“Cold Steel of Night,” the band’s most popular song, was written by Walker after her mother had died following a battle with breast cancer.

“I remember just lying on the floor and crying,” she recalls. “In that moment it just came to me, and I knew the chorus right there.”

When the cold steel of night Closes around me Can’t find a light To guide and surround me Don’t be afraid when you feel like it’s over Darkness is great Dawn is getting closer The beauty of their music is in the simplicity. Walker strums an acoustic guitar while Igoa’s voice leaves you wondering why this is your first time hearing them. They hate to classify their style, but if pressed will put an Americana/folk tag to their music.

“We’ve got a little bit of blues, funk, and soul

kind of mixed in as well,” Walker says.

Currently they are working on their second album, which they hope to release, you know, sometime before the end of the year.

“We have most of the tracks laid, it’s just hard projecting an exact date because we are always traveling so much,” Igoa explains. As Walker adds they put an estimated 2,000 per miles month on their van.

They say the title of the new album will be “Home.”

“I think that it’s perfect, because with everything we’ve done it has kind of redefined what exactly home is,” Walker explains.

Igoa peeks at Walker, and gently strokes the back of her lover’s neck before she speaks.

“Yeah, it hasn’t always been glamorous,” Igoa says.

Then, as a perfect example of their harmony as a band and couple, they simultaneously make sure I know what’s most important: “But, it’s been fun!”

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For tickets, contact (562)443-2152 or email harpproductions@gmail.com

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| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 |

/15

6.1.16 5:30 -7:00

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Free parking is available at 100 Oceangate if you leave after 7:00 pm. Entrances are at Queensway (Magnolia South of Ocean) and Ocean at Daisy.

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| MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2016 | www.theedgelb.com