Echo Magazine - Arizona LGBTQ Lifestyle - April 2020

MEET KIM ETIQUETTE

Get the scoop on this ultra-witty desert queen with east coast roots

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | Vol. 31, #7 | Issue 727 | April 2020 | COMPLIMENTARY

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INSIDE THIS

Photo by Paulann Egelhoff.

ISSUE Issue 727 | Vol. 31, #7 | April 2020

NEWS

8 Editor’s Note 12 News Briefs

COMMUNITY

50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64

Without Reservations Bands At the Box Office Opening Nights Recordings Between the Covers Talking Bodies Not That You Asked

Out & About

16 AIDS Walk 18 Second Annual Arizona Two Spirit Powwow 20 HRC Arizona Gala Dinner 40 Arizona Gay Rodeo 42 Melrose Street Fair 44 Phoenix Pride and Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce 40th Anniversary Party 70 Phoenix Regional Invitational Tournament 72 Miss Gay Melrose America Pageant

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Meet Kim Etiquette from Connecticut The alter ego of arts professional Brad DeBiase is loaded with talent. From her stage skills to her brilliant wit, find out how Ms. Etiquette came to life and what she has in store for the future, including a mainstage performance at the upcoming 2020 Phoenix Pride event.

ON THE COVER

Dinah crowds come to party; photo by Molly Adams.

Kim Etiquette from Connecticut Photo by Scotty Kirby.

MEET KIM ETIQUETTE

Get the scoop on this ultra-witty desert queen with east coast roots

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | Vol. 31, #7 | Issue 727 | April 2020 | COMPLIMENTARY

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The Dinah This weekend celebration started by Mariah Hanson in 1991 turns 30 this year. It is considered the largest lesbian/queer woman event in the world.

Megan Wadding talks to Hanson about Dinah’s past, present, and future.

Mayor Kate Gallego out and about meeting community members and pets.

Photo courtesy of the office of Mayor Kate Gallego.

Performer Matt Finish; photo by 48th & Pixel.

Double the fun: Voices of the Desert and Spellbound Burlesque join forces to raise funds

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The Voices of the Desert choir hopes to bridge community gaps by working with other organizations. This time, they’ve joined forces with the sultry Spellbound Burlesque to combine cabaret tunes, dance, and live instrumentation for spectacular results.

Mayor Kate Gallego is in a State of Pride The third mayor in Phoenix’s history talks to Timothy Rawles about how the LGBTQ community has helped change the face of Phoenix, and forty years of Phoenix Pride.

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Jane Velez-Mitchell with yoga master Andrew Sealy on her show New Day New Chef.

Photo courtesy of New Day New Chef.

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New Day New Chef: Former CNN host Jane Velez-Mitchell’s new show is about plant-based cooking Jane Velez-Mitchell’s career in media is extensive, including hosting her own CNN show. New Day New Chef is her now Amazon Prime TV cooking show, where she explores plant-based dishes. Tom Reardon talks to her about her passionate commitment to veganism.

WEB EXCLUSIVE Phoenix Pride: Voices from the community In 2020, Phoenix Pride celebrates its 40th anniversary. This long-running and vital event is important to so many people, for a variety of reasons. Michelle Talsma Everson chats with folks around town to find out what pride means to them. Visit echomag.com/phoenix-pride-2020-forty-years.

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W

elcome to Echo’s annual Pride Issue.

We are proud to feature stories this month about wonderful anniversaries, including Phoenix Pride celebrating forty years, and The Dinah turning 30.

Unfortunately,however, due to the Coronavirus, many events have been postponed or canceled. We ask you to please check websites and make calls to verify times and dates of all public events.

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT PUBLISHER: Bill Orovan ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Bill Gemmill EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR: Amy Young CONTRIBUTORS: Kimberly Blaker Grace Bolyard Edward Castro Jenna Duncan Buddy Early Michelle Talsma Everson Melissa Fossum Justin Keane Jason Kron Jeff Kronenfeld Laura Latzko

Logan Lowrey-Rasmussen Tuesday Mahrle Judy McGuire Ashley Naftule David-Elijah Nahmod Tia Norris Timothy Rawles Tom Reardon Terri Schlichenmeyer Colby Tortorici Megan Wadding

ART DEPARTMENT PHOTOGRAPHY: nightfuse.com.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING: Ashlee James ECHO READERSHIP: 50,000 SUBSCRIPTIONS: $29/year ACE PUBLISHING, INC.

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 16630 Phoenix, AZ 85011-6630 PHONE: 602-266-0550 EMAIL: manager@echomag.com Copyright © 2016 • ISSN #1045-2346

MEMBER:

Echo Magazine is published by ACE Publishing, Inc. Echo is a registered trademark of ACE Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Written permission must be obtained in advance for partial or complete reproduction of any advertising material contained therein. Opinions expressed therein are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. ACE Publishing, Inc. does not assume responsibility for claims by its advertisers or advice columnists. Publication of a name, photograph of an individual or organization in articles, advertisements or listings is not to be construed as an indication of the sexual orientation, unless such orientation is specifically stated. Manuscripts or other materials submitted remain the property of ACE Publishing, Inc. 8

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NEWS BRIEFS

New polling, business letter highlight opposition to Anti-LGBTQ legislation in Arizona Courtesy of The Human Rights Campaign

O

n March 11, HRC released an open letter from 40 major employers calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose bills that target LGBTQ people as well as polling results showing Arizonians’ broad opposition to anti-LGBTQ legislation.

Recently, on a party line vote, the Arizona House advanced HB 2706, a bill that would restrict transgender students from participating in sports teams that correspond with their gender identity. If the bill becomes law, any student at Arizona’s public and private schools, including K-12 schools, community colleges and universities, would be able to dispute an athlete’s gender. This bill discriminates and further stigmatizes trans students, and it threatens the privacy of all Arizonans by forcing people to take genetic tests.

“Anti-equality lawmakers have utilized every tool at their disposal, including misinformation and vicious, harmful rhetoric, to demonize LGBTQ people,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “However, our polling shows that Arizonans have no interest in pursuing divisiveness for the sake of divisiveness. In reality, Arizonans want lawmakers to focus on improving their lives and uniting us, not stoke racial, cultural and 12

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political divisions, or use transgender kids as pawns to further divide us. Arizonans want their state to be known for more than extremist legislation like the infamously antiimmigrant SB 1070 and anti-LGBTQ SB 1062, which both drew national attention to the state, and now HB 2706. The state senate should scrap HB 2706.”

On behalf of HRC, Change Research surveyed 614 likely voters in Arizona from March 9 to March 10 in order to understand their reaction to the anti-LGBTQ legislative agenda being pushed by state legislators. A majority of voters oppose these anti-LGBTQ bills and support policies that protect the rights of LGBTQ Arizonians.

Key Takeaways: • Less than 1% of all voters, including less than 1% of Republicans, say that “regulating transgender rights” is among the most important issues for Arizona’s state government to address.

• 79% of voters support non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people and a more inclusive view on society.

• 55% of voters, including 58% of independents, believe bills like HB 2706 “further stigmatiz[e] already vulnerable children to push their political agenda and further divide us.”

• 55% of voters, including a majority of independents, disapprove of the job Republicans in the legislature are doing on LGBTQ issues. Only 34% believe that these lawmakers are performing well at respecting the rights of LGBT people.

The polling was announced on a press call with Freedom for All Americans discussing the anti-transgender bill HB 2706 and the impact it could have on the economy. Earlier this morning, HRC and FFAA released a national business letter signed by some of the nation’s leading employers calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose dozens of bills that target LGBTQ people, and transgender children in particular. These business leaders stressed the importance of fairness and opportunity for their customers, their employees and their employees’ families.

As the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans, the Human Rights Campaign represents a force of more than 3 million members and supporters nationwide — all committed to making HRC’s vision a reality.

HRC envisions a world where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

NEWS

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CUSTOM CENTERPIECES | FLOWER BAR POP-UPS | CREATIVE GIFTS

Visit our Pride booth for a chance to win a Flower Bar!

AIDS Walk

Feb. 22 at Tempe Beach Park.

Photos by nightfuse.com.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos.

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OUT & ABOUT

Brian had his HIV under control with medication. But smoking with HIV caused him to have serious health problems, including a stroke, a blood clot in his lungs and surgery on an artery in his neck. Smoking makes living with HIV much worse. You can quit.

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2nd Annual Arizona Two Spirit Powwow

Feb. 29 at South Mountain Community College’s Performing Arts Center, Phoenix.

Photos by nightfuse.com.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos.

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OUT & ABOUT

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HRC Arizona Gala Dinner March 7 at JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, Scottsdale.

Photos by nightfuse.com.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos.

OUT & ABOUT

PRESENTS:

PHOENIX PRIDE F E S T I VA L & PA R A D E W I L L B E RESCHEDULED TO

Nov. 7

th

&8 2020

th

F O L L O W U S O N S O C I A L M E D I A F O R U P D AT E S PHOENIXPRIDE.ORG

Photo by Scotty Kirby.

earned a Bachelors in Anthropology. A theater kid at heart with a desire to become a “real life Indiana Jones,” DeBiase realized during his first year in Arizona that this route might not be the best for him.

“I was in grad school, working on a Ph. D in anthropology of religion and I was pretty miserable in academia. I realized I was not going to thrive there, and I had put my creative self away on a shelf. When I got invited to do drag for the first time, it was like kind of the first time my Arizona community saw me perform and I was very excited,” says DeBiase.

A handsome fellow, DeBiase has an easy smile and an intensity about him that easily draws you in. You want to listen to what this east coaster with no discernable accent has to say, and his theater background makes eye contact seem ultra-easy for him. In short, it’s not hard to believe that Kim Etiquette from Connecticut lives quite easily within DeBiase, but after watching video of her perform, it is also easy to wonder how Brad keeps Kim under control.

To understand this, it is best to journey back to the beginning.

Kim Etiquette was born when drag queen Afeelya Bunz reached out to DeBiase about a charity turnabout event she was hosting and wanted to see if he wanted to help raise money for LGBTQ youth.

As DeBiase so eloquently wrote in his essay that he read for a December 2018 Bar Flies event, “I consulted with my friends for all of a few hours — What do you think, should I do it? What would I even do? The usual considerations. I feigned hesitation, but in my heart of hearts, this moment was too good to pass up, and lowkey, it was an exciting prospect. Impact be damned.”

Kim Etiquette from Connecticut

Meet Brad DeBiase’s sharp-witted alter ego

By Tom Reardon

I

’ve never met Phoenix drag queen Kim Etiquette but after meeting the-man-behindthe-queen, Brad DeBiase, I’d certainly like to get a chance to get to know the budding icon.

I saw glimpses of “Kim,” who will have her own show on the main stage of Phoenix Pride in April, come out during the conversation DeBiase and I had over beers at Main Ingredient in Central Phoenix on an early March evening, but DeBiase is so entertaining

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on his own I think we’ll have do a follow-up conversation with Miss Etiquette down the road.

DeBiase, who during the day works for Arizona Commission on the Arts as a Program and Grants Coordinator, moved to Tempe in 2012 to work on his Ph.D at Arizona State University after living in Connecticut during his formative years and later attending Trinity College-Hartford in his home state where he

DeBiase’s piece was recently included in the 2019 book, Bar Flies: True Stories From The Early Years, and it sets the tone beautifully as he recalls his first-time doing drag. The glint in his eye while we discussed this might have been because of the delicious beers we were sharing, but my money is on the fact that when Kim Etiquette was born, Brad DeBiase was reborn as well.

“I’ve been afforded a lot of kindness in the Arizona Drag community. I feel very thankful.

The drag, it happened very organically. It really snowballed. The charity show happened and then that turned into Afeelya inviting me to join her for something up in Flagstaff, which turned into me doing a newcomer contest, which turned into a guest spot here and was turning to a guest spot there. And so, it just really all just organically snowballed. And then some of the performers who I came up with and got going around the same time that I did in Phoenix, like Rubye Moore and Benaddiction and Espressa Grande, they are a few that come to mind, we all found ourselves in similar places,” shares DeBiase.

A fast learner, DeBiase immersed himself in allowing Kim Etiquette to evolve as he soaked up the experience of doing his first FEATURE STORY

round of drag shows. With a theater past, both performing and on the technical side, the 30-year-old understood what it meant to put on a good show and leave the audience wanting more. After watching videos of Miss Etiquette on YouTube it is clear that she is extremely talented. With stage presence for days, two things clearly stood out in the handful of available videos: Kim is very, very funny and she can also move to the beat. DeBiase demurred a bit when asked about how much practice time he puts in when he is she, but there is visibly a lot of work that goes into a Kim Etiquette from Connecticut performance.

“I am so indecisive. When you have every option in the world an artist’s is the biggest barrier is to have to decide on the one thing, right? So, I will agonize over what I feel like performing. It’s always an exercise in considering your venue, considering your outfit, considering your audience. I want to bring something that’ll be successful in several ways,” says DeBiase.

One of the lessons that DeBiase has had to learn in his first four years of doing drag (and share with a newbie such as myself) was how drag shows are built. He shared that each hostess runs a show differently and figuring out where Kim Etiquette fit in, as well as what type of act to do, was a learning experience. It was within this learning that he figured out a base from which he could create and then allow Kim Etiquette to grow as learned what type of shows are best for her talents and personality.

While DeBiase is a “bourbon” guy, Miss Etiquette is a “vodka soda” girl, for example, from the East Coast who loves to take a theme and work it for an evening.

“So, you know, Kim Etiquette, the character idea began as this like housewife of the Southwest. Like this New England housewife in the Southwest. There is some cable knit sweaters in Kim’s closet. I call it ‘glamp.’ She’s FEATURE STORY

got a little Stepford Wife by day, a little glitzy by night. Being from Connecticut, she’s a little snow bunny,” says DeBiase with a bit of mischief in his eyes.

As our evening wore on, DeBiase shared some of the music that Kim Etiquette likes to sing and dance along with and it is quite an eclectic mix. Everything from Britney Spears to Michelle Branch to Celine Dion to Nicki Minaj. DeBiase also copped to serious early 2000s love of pop music, especially Willa Ford (“I Wanna Be Bad”), and then disclosed that Etiquette does Hillary Clinton doing “If I Could Turn Back Time” by Cher. Now there is a visual that must be seen to be appreciated, for sure, but after getting to know DeBiase a bit, the best is definitely yet to come from this one-time anthropologist who appreciates history.

In fact, another refreshing part of our conversation touched on the reverence DeBiase holds for the quality of drag here in Phoenix.

“Phoenix is … (DeBiase pauses and takes a sip of his Ska Brewing Modus Hoperandi) it’s drag hotspot. We’re seeing new queens pop up everywhere. We are living in the information age, so folks who’ve got to grow up with YouTube have a resource that once upon a time didn’t exist. So, that allows for people to have a knowledge that once wasn’t as widely accessible. I like storytelling. I like histories. I like genealogy. I like the history of Phoenix drag. I like to respect spaces and like what’s happening in different spaces,” says DeBiase.

An appreciation for what has come before is an excellent base from which to build a balanced career and both daytime Brad and nighttime Kim know how to balance the needs of each other.

“I do a moderate amount of drag. I’d probably do maybe three or four gigs a month and not on a weekly basis. People who have

a 10:30 at night on a Wednesday show and then have work at eight in the morning, my hat goes off to them. I would be cranky at work and that would disrupt my week. So, I admire their stamina,” says DeBiase, who often travels around the state with his work for Arizona Commission on the Arts.

It is evident DeBiase cares deeply for his audience as he expressed several times during our conversation the importance of putting on a good show for the audience and connecting with them in the space of the performance.

With this type of dedication to his craft, an appearance on the main stage at Phoenix Pride is just a drop in the bucket for what is to come for Kim Etiquette, although it is still easy for him to remember what the first few times of becoming Kim was like.

“The first few times I did it, I felt like Brad in a wig. As a theater kid I was like, ‘This is what I’m supposed to, this is how I am supposed to act.’ I move my mouth to the music, and I do heightened behaviors and I lean into my comedic timing and the character kind of grew around them,” concludes DeBiase.

It will be fun to see what and who both Brad and Kim become. Be on the lookout for upcoming Kim Etiquette shows at The Womack and on the main stage at the 2020 Phoenix Pride event.

Tom Reardon loves to write about people who are doing something to contribute to our community in a positive way. He also loves his family and family of friends, his pets, music, skateboarding, movies, good (and bad) TV, and working with children to build a better world. Tom’s favorite movie is Jaws, his favorite food is lasagna, and he loves to play music with his friends. He’s a busy guy, but never too busy to listen to what you have to say so tell him a story.

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Visa V turns things upside down. Photo by 48th & Pixel.

Voices of the Desert and Spellbound Burlesque collaborate for fundraiser show

By Laura Latzko

T

he Voices of the Desert show choir unites members of the LGBTQ and allied communities to sing, dance, and share in a love a music. It has recently been expanding its reach by performing for and working with different communities.

At its upcoming fundraiser, Voices of the Desert has a show planned that combines cabaret music and burlesque performance, along with a live pianist and drummer.

Lacey Aves Harmoania de la Virginia, a drag queen who is part of the choir, will host the shows.

Many schedules are changing due to the Coronavirus — follow the organizations’ websites for showtimes and dates.

Artistic Director Keith Clark said with the show, bringing together members of the two communities was a goal.

“It will help Voices of the Desert to meet our commitment to our mission statement, which is to bridge the gap between various communities. I think that’s good for us and good for the burlesque community, and it’s something different for pride,” Clark says.

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Voices of the Desert did a cabaret-style show last year. After attending a burlesque performance with members of his choir, Clark devised the idea for combining the two artforms in one show.

Like many dancers, Millions started performing over a decade ago during a major life change. She had just gone through a major breakup and was looking to be a part of a group with other women.

“When we saw that show, we thought that Voices of the Desert could really add something to this,” Clark said.

She had been involved in musical theater in high school and college, so burlesque allowed her to get back onstage in a different way.

Voices of the Desert will be joined by burlesque dancers from Spellbound Burlesque Productions.

Millions performs a classical style of burlesque, with vintage costumes, makeup, hair and movements, but she said in burlesque, there is room for different types of performers.

The company was founded in 2014 by Frankie Fillmore and Maxi Millions, who will perform in the Saturday and Sunday shows, respectively.

They will be joined by a group of Arizonabased male and female burlesque dancers that includes Mia Piacherrie, Visa V, Dottie May Duitt, Pepper Mint Schnapps, Dusty Button, Lil Boy Blu, Anya Graves, Luna Lovebutton, and Matt Finish.

Together, the performers will put a vintage twist on modern songs.

The burlesque dancers performing in the show have different levels of experience.

“People tend to want to think that you need to have 15 years of classical dance training to be a good burlesque performer, and to that, I say it takes all kinds. I appreciate very dance-heavy performers and very theatrical performers,” Millions said. “Every performer is going to connect differently with the audience, and we all respond to different things.”

The upcoming show is providing opportunities for more choir members, including longtime member Rachel Cohen, FEATURE STORY

to perform solo numbers. The choir members will also perform as trios, quartets and small groups.

Prior to the performances, they had a chance to workshop these numbers with each other.

“The whole goal is to help them to be more comfortable in their skin and in the choices that they’ve made,” Clark said.

Cohen, who has been with the choir for six seasons, will perform a piece from A Chorus Line along with Millions.

Last year, she did a solo of Zina Goldrich’s and Marcy Heisler’s “Alto’s Lament” and a song from City of Angels during the cabaret show.

She regularly performs with smaller and larger groups within the choir, including a quartet.

Although she had some stage fright at first, she has found solo work to be rewarding.

“Keith is pushing us. He’s definitely expanded all of us artistically. I feel like I’ve grown so much as a singer and as a choreographer working with him. I would never have taken these kinds of chances,” Cohen said.

The burlesque/cabaret show allow the choir to keep expanding on and producing

new offerings for the community.

The group has tried to reach LGBTQ and straight communities by participating in events such as Christmas fairs, the HRC Arizona Gala Dinner, a meeting of Arizona choral directors, a transgender awakening event and singing workshop with one•n•ten, a Project Nunway show with the Grand Canyon Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and an LGBTQ event for seniors.

“We are really trying to branch out into religious communities, senior communities, the youth community. This is our opportunity to get into the arts community in a very different way,” Clark said.

Clark is continually trying to reach new audiences because even though Voices of the Desert has been around since 2008, the group is still building a presence in the Phoenix area.

A mixture of newer and longtime members make up the 30-person choir. The members come from different backgrounds, including choir, musical theater and dance backgrounds.

Cohen has a musical theater and dance background and worked in the past with Cohen has a musical theater and dance background and worked in the past with TheaterWorks, Greasepaint Youtheatre, Tempe Little Theatre, Mesa Community

Performers (L to R) Maxi Millions, Frankie Fillmore, Tashie Munster, Dottie May Duitt, and Cheery Lynn. Photo by 48th& Pixel.

show, the choir’s next concert will celebrate the strength and power of women.

For its Viva La Diva concert in May, the choir will tie in the burlesque-themed song such as “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” from Gypsy, which choir members will perform as Patti Labelle, Madonna and Bette Midler.

The spring concert on May 29 and 30 will be centered around female and male singers such as Gloria Estefan, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Pink, Elton John, Elvis, Miley Cyrus, Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, and Demi Lovato.

In the show, a young girl wanting to be a diva learns about the triumphs and tribulations of legendary singers that came before her.

“We do a journey through different divas, talking about the hardships of it, the glory of it … through performance, we are showing what it takes to become a diva,” Clark says.

Following the show with Voices of the Desert, Spellbound Burlesque will also be busy with shows in April and May. The group hosts a regular second Sunday show at the Womack and larger performances at the Grand Ballroom at the end of each month.

The April show at the Grand Ballroom will showcase student and emerging burlesque performances, and the May show will be in-the-round and feature seasoned burlesque performers.

During these shows, the burlesque dancers often engage with the audiences.

Millions said this connection is a major part of burlesque.

“That is probably my favorite part of burlesque — letting the audience know I can see them, and I can see they are enjoying it, letting them know that we are in this together,” Millions said.

The shows highlight performers of different shapes and sizes and promote the idea of body positivity.

Millions hopes that through different kinds of shows, audiences will get a broader picture of what burlesque is.

Theater, Soul Invictus, Dance Theater West, and Center Dance Ensemble.

I think we’re ready for the public, and the public is ready to embrace us,” Clark said.

Being part of the choir allowed her to showcase her performance abilities in a slightly different way.

The company has developed most in its use of choreography. Cohen has been helping with this for the upcoming show in May, adjusting movements to fit with the choir members’ abilities.

Voices of the Desert has developed to the point where it is able to put on new styles of shows.

In the last few years, Clark has noticed immense growth in the choir in its performance level.

“People see that we’re doing really good work, and that’s helping us to expand.

Because we have more talent, and we are getting more polished in our performances, FEATURE STORY

Cohen said that choir members’ joy in being onstage comes through in their performances.

“We have such a good time doing the show that it just comes out for the audience.

We’re having such a blast that you can’t help but watch us and have a blast,” Cohen said.

Similarly to the burlesque/cabaret-style

“It can be beautiful and sexy, but it can also be riveting and emotionally charged. It’s always been political. Burlesque started as a way to subvert societal norms. It’s always been political for women to take charge of their own sexuality and take agency of their bodies,” Millions said. “Burlesque can be funny. It can be sad, and it can be beautiful. To me, it’s such a broad medium. That’s why I love it.”

Visit voicesofthedesert.org and spellboundburlesque.com for details.

Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

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Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego by Tony Taafe.

Gallego explained. “My first action was to sign the Mayors’ Compact to Combat Hate, Extremism and Bigotry. And one of the reasons I wanted to do that on my first day was to send a strong message that this is a key community value, that I realize that diversity is our strength and that an inclusive community is stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous.”

And stronger it is. The mayor says Phoenix was just named the top city for LGBTQ retirees. And the LGBTQ dollar is making an impact on the landscape.

“I would say that our LGBTQ community has played a huge role in our downtown and our mid-town revitalization, changing the face of Phoenix,” she said. “We have also been a leader in Arizona in terms of LGBTQ elected officials; Kyrsten Sinema being probably the most prominent example. But we have had, at many times our legislature has had, one of the highest numbers of LGBTQ elected officials.”

Although there is still some progress that needs to be made and recent news stories about a proposed law by State Senator Sylvia Allen that would remove the term “homosexual” from being taught in public schools is troublesome, Mayor Gallego is quick to point out the city’s firsts for LGBTQ Pride.

“The transgender flag comes to the country from Phoenix, Arizona,” she said.

“We are the national origin. And I think that’s important. We need to do a better job telling our story that Phoenix has played a prominent role in pushing LGBTQ rights.

We are proud that the city of Phoenix has transgender-inclusive healthcare and we were one of the early communities to adopt that.”

The state itself proved that they were ready for LGBTQ rights in 2006 after voters defeated Proposition 107, making the state the first to oppose a same-sex marriage ban.

Mayor Gallego thinks Arizona has always had a strong respect for individual rights, it Courtesy of the office of Mayor Kate Gallego.

Mayor Kate Gallego is in a State of Pride

By Timothy Rawles

B

oth Phoenix Pride and Mayor Kate Gallego are celebrating special achievements this year.

Mayor Gallego is only the third female mayor in the city’s history and Phoenix Pride is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

These milestones are important because it shows that Phoenix truly is progressing beyond the reaches of its conservative past enough to be appealing for transplants who move to the state from what they assume are

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more liberal parts of the country.

The LGBTQ community is especially concerned where they land, because there are still some states that heavily discriminate against them. Mayor Gallego wants to make it clear, to both natives and visitors, that her city is inclusive and she made that clear from the time she took office.

“My first day as mayor I brought together community advocates including several folks from the LGBT community,” Mayor FEATURE STORY

She says she is going to be at Phoenix Pride this year to mark its 40th anniversary.

For her it’s not only an achievement for the city, but in a way, it defines Phoenix.

“I think it’s an important opportunity to celebrate on how far we’ve come and what we have achieved as a city,” the mayor said.

“But also recognize that we still have a lot of work to do. I am proud that Phoenix has a non-discrimination ordinance, but I don’t think that your city or zip code should determine whether you have protections from discrimination. I am pushing for a day when all of Arizona is protected by a non-discrimination law. It is wonderful that Phoenix and Tempe and Tucson and some of our peer cities have stepped up to protect our residents, but we need the entire state to do so.”

When asked if there is one place in Phoenix that the LGBTQ community has adopted and wishes to spend their money, she says she’s heard that the community feels welcome in every part of the city and that’s important.

“Many people would point to Melrose as a great example of a neighborhood where the LGBTQ community has helped build a great sense of place,” she adds. “One of the things Mayor Stanton did was rainbow crosswalks at places that are important to the LGBTQ community and one of those is in Melrose, the other is downtown near the Roosevelt corridor in the Southwest Center.”

The mayor has an LGBTQ advisor in her office named Doug Mings, but many of her employees stay involved wherever they can in the community.

Courtesy of the office of Mayor Kate Gallego.

is a diverse area and so many people have friends or family members from the LGBTQ community. “We want everyone to be able to love who they love. But time and time again when Arizonans are voting, which is an anonymous activity, they want LGBTQ elected officials, we want allies, we want to vote for LGBTQ rights.”

“For example, my economic development advisor, I challenge her to work on making sure that we have a more robust LGBTQ tourism strategy,” she said.

“We have strong data that shows LGBTQ tourists tend to spend more and stay longer, and I want to aggressively pursue that business. I also think it’s important to where we started our conversation, which is people don’t always know true Phoenix and if tourists can come here and see what a welcoming progressive city we are, they may want to do more business with us or even move to our community. But we are aggressively pursuing large LGBTQ events including the National LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce Convention.

We also pursue smaller events. We actually have the most significant non-profit for LGBTQ sports in our community and so I want to take advantage of great partners

like that to make sure whether it’s Chamber of Commerce or volleyball that they feel welcome bringing events to Phoenix.”

One of the things the mayor is trying to do is give voices to those who have historically not had one. Groups of people who have been ignored from policymaking because their perspective hasn’t been a part of the dialogue.

Annie DeGraw, the mayor’s communications director says, “The new group that seems to have that power now is young people, people of color and people who identify with groups that haven’t traditionally been a part of the conversation even though they make up a large portion of the community.”

In the end, it’s all about change and that change has already started. Phoenix is becoming an LGBTQ destination and that is in big part to Phoenix Pride which continues to grow every year.

Courtesy of the office of Mayor Kate Gallego.

Mayor Gallego wants to keep that momentum going and hopefully make Arizona’s Urban Heart beam brighter with every color of the rainbow.

“Our goal is to make Phoenix the preeminent city for the LGBT community,” she said. “We want to be a welcoming community that celebrates and supports all of our residents.”

Timothy Rawles is an award-winning journalist and California native who moved to Arizona with his husband and two children in 2019. He attended San Francisco State University many years ago and somehow managed to pass math and continue pursuing his journalism degree.

His story is not as interesting as the people he writes about, but Timothy has discovered that everyone has one, and good or bad, they all share the same thing; heart.

FEATURE STORY

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Complete the 2020 Census today.

The 2020 Census is here! You can respond online, by phone or by mail. Complete the census now to help your community receive funding for important resources.

Learn more at iCount2020.info

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JOB #: 22061-6_Census_MAG_Participation_EchoMag_7-25x4-75 · Client: Census · Agency: RIESTER · Contact: Bill Robbins · brobbins@riester.com Ad Size: 7.25"w x 4.75"h (1/2-page Horizontal) · Due Date: 03/04/20 · Insertion Date: 03/20/20 · Color: 4C no bleed · Publication: Echo Magazine

Did you know Echo Magazine offers FREE classified advertising?

Looking for a job?

Browse our classifieds for LGBTQ-friendly postings.

Have a property to rent?

Post a free classified with us to reach our readers!

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The Dinah; photo courtesy of Kingmon Creative.

Celebrating thirty years of The Dinah

By Megan Wadding

T

he largest lesbian event in the world is once again about to take over Palm Springs, filling the desert with over 20,000 women ready to have fun in the sun.

Club Skirts presents The Dinah, the annual music festival and pool party weekend.

Follow thedinah.com for event dates.

The five-day-long event is held annually and includes various performances by nationallyrenowned recording artists, shows by iconic comedians, wild pool parties with worldfamous DJs and go-go dancers, red carpet events with celebrity guests and musicians, and meet-and-greets with lesbian celebrities.

The parties and shows will be held at various locations throughout Palm Springs.

The weekend’s pool parties will take place at the Hilton Hotel & Spa’s main pool during the day, the concerts and night events will be at the Palm Springs Convention Center and the opening and closing parties will both be held at AsiaSF — Palm Springs most fabulous new supper club — to both kickstart and close the weekend.

Fun-filled weekend The Dinah weekend has become a rite of 34

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passage within the lesbian community since it was first held back in 1991 in the Palm Springs Modern Art Museum. It has grown and evolved into what has become an oasis in the desert for women from around the world.

The biggest events of the weekend include a Dinah Comedy Night , a Black and White Ball, The L Word Pool Party, and the Dinah Comedy Show.

The line-up for the weekend is full of talented, diverse women ready to have attendees partying into the night.

Musical hot-spot Over the past three decades, as well as being known as an enormous party for lesbians, the Dinah has also grown into a globally-recognized music festival. Event founder Mariah Hanson is famous for picking the next big thing in music. Year after year Hanson has tapped the most promising up-and-coming talent that have gone on to become world-renowned performers and recording artists.

While in its earlier years, the Dinah events centered more on its pool parties, the Dinah

of the past decade has focused more on not only making the pool parties and comedy shows even more amazing and extravagant, but also on by drawing in huge superstar artists such as Lizzo, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Chaka Khan, Meghan Trainor, Iggy Azalea, and Salt ‘N Pepa, most of them while they were just on the cusp of hitting it big.

Hanson has done it again with the musical performances this year, which all promise to be amazing. Headlining the Friday night Black and White Ball is rapper Saweetie who has been exploding onto the scene with her recent singles “ICY GIRL” and “My Type.”

Ally Brooke, breakout star of the multiplatinum group Fifth Harmony, will headline the Saturday night Hollywood Party. Brooke is preparing to release her debut solo album this year.

Throughout the festival, attendees can also expect performances from Layton Greene, Lion Babe, Madison Paige, Umi, Yung Baby Tate, and several world-renowned DJs, taking various stages, some poolside.

As always, Hanson picks incredible line-ups for the weekend, including a knack for finding the next hot performer to hit the airwaves.

FEATURE STORY

“The line-up this year as about as exciting as it gets,” said Hanson. “The representation is diverse, empowering, exciting and ever so talented. I would not miss one performance this year.”

has transitioned or is a male ally wants to attend, we welcome them. As such, it’s also a message of tolerance and acceptance.”

passage has been a beautiful journey for Hanson and she fully grasps what it means to the attendees.

Attendance — and Arizona girls

What’s new?

Thousands of women from all over the globe flock to the desert for The Dinah each April, and many make the short road trips from surrounding states, easily making it the largest lesbian event in the world. Arizona women always make a big showing each year, happily making the drive or short flight to join the festivities.

“It’s been a personal journey of transformation for me,” she said. “I take responsibility for this event and what it means to the community personally and am dedicated to being the best steward I can be. That means always changing and evolving to present the best, most empowering event for women possible, which means I have to be the best, most empowering producer possible.

For the first time in 30 years, The Dinah is officially collaborating with the Ladies Professional Golf Association, which is holding the ANA Inspiration tournament the same weekend.

The Dinah Shore Weekend began as a gathering of women who trekked to Palm Springs for the annual women’s golf tournament and has grown into the largest gathering of queer women in the world. “[The cocktail reception will feature] three players currently playing in the tournament which is really exciting,” said Hanson. “What a way to showcase women in sports, women in excellence and women as role models.

The three players, including Mel Reid, Cheyenne Knight and Alena Sharp, will be making a special appearance, meeting with Dinah attendees and hosting the cocktail party in collaboration with Showtime.

Reduced prices will also be offered to Dinah customers who also want to attend the golf tournament.

Lots of laughs The Dinah Comedy Night will be held on Thursday night and will feature the hilarious and brilliant Dinah veteran comediennes, Gina Yashere, Dana Goldberg, and Dinah Leffert.

On Saturday night, for the first time ever, the Dinah is holding An Intimate Evening with the Legendary John Waters, the iconic filmmaker, photographer and comedian.

The special performance will include a Dinah-specific show, and a 20 minute Q&A afterwards. A meet-and-greet and an autograph-signing event are included with the Dinah VIP weekend pass.

“I’m happy to be the comic relief in a sea of partying, ‘all-girl’ music festival fans. Thanks to The Dinah, I will finally be a true outsider!” said Waters, who proudly calls himself a “lezbro.”

Hanson said she had caught wind that Waters dedicated about ten minutes to The Dinah in his one-man show in 2017 in Palm Springs, and immediately though how great it would be to have him perform at The Dinah.

“I loved the idea of showcasing a man at The Dinah, especially one who has done so much for our community to further equality and to normalize those of us who in the past may have felt on the fringe. So I contacted him, and he loved the idea. I’m excited to include him in our 30thanniversary programming,” said Hanson. “So many women bring male friends and while we retain about 98% female attendance, if someone who FEATURE STORY

“We have so many women who attend from Arizona as it’s so easy to get here,” said Hanson.

“Our Arizonians know how to “bring it.”

This year, Hanson said the attendance is about 10% bigger than last year.

“So many women want to celebrate our milestone year and are proud to have been a part of creating one of the longest-standing musical festivals in the nation,” said Hanson.

Many fortunate attendees have so much fun during the weekend that they come back for more. And the even more fortunate and faithful attendees attend multiple years in a row.

Hanson attributes it to the friendships and connections made during the weekend.

“I find our customers experience profound connection during the weekend — to other women, to higher ideals of community, to each other — and this becomes life-changing as if you can do it here, at The Dinah, why can’t you do this everywhere?” said Hanson.

“The event serves as a reminder that what we bring to every situation is also what we receive.”

Thirty years of Dinah What started off as a weekend for women back in the 90’s has become a globallyrecognized event, that has evolved and grown and morphed into the iconic weekend it is today.

Palm Springs was specifically chosen

by Hanson back in the early 1990s as the perfect city to host The Dinah. The city, which is known for its beautiful, warm weather, gorgeous mountains, palm-lined streets, and welcoming attitude, makes for an ideal place to hold the event, which is full of sun-bathing, dancing, floating in the pool and more.

Hanson calls the “welcoming vibe” of the city the “perfect backdrop” for the Dinah.

Looking back over the past three decades, Hanson admitted that she would not change a thing.

“I love how the event has morphed into such a powerful statement of empowerment for women. I never imagined it would be quite this spectacular, but I am so pleased with what it has become, what it stands for and what it will continue to evolve into,” she said.

Producing the Dinah year after year and turning it into a famous lesbian rite of

Along with the Dinah continuing be an iconic and fun annual party for women, as well as music lesbian festival — that is always brilliantly and strategically ahead of the curve in terms of talent-booking — Hanson said she also wants it to be an event that continues to unite women.

“I want it to be a place where we can share our stories and experience the beautiful bond of strength when we share our humanity with others through our storytelling.

Who are you? Where are you from? Why are you here? Those three questions asked all weekend long will create a profound catalyst for personal change if we really listen to the answers,” said Hanson.

No special event marking the anniversary will be held during the weekend, because Hanson believes that the event is the special event in and of itself.

“The event is a celebration; the 30th is just a number,” she said. “What we do every year in our coming together is a celebration of the best within us and of us, as we show year after year that the most diverse people can come together and create a community that shares a strong bond of womanhood, of higher ideas, of the importance of being heard.”

Looking toward the future and into the next decade of Dinah, Hanson predicts that the event will continue to become an “incredibly powerful catalyst for female empowerment and celebration”.

According to Hanson, she believes that core of The Dinah will always remain true to itself and continue to grow and evolve with the years.

“The core of The Dinah shall always remain the same: a dedication through musical performances and a gathering of like-minded women to celebrate our lives, empowering, supporting, connecting, in a joyous celebration of our lives for a powerful five days,” Hanson added. “We are excited to have everyone with us to celebrate out 30th and plan a fiveday extravaganza that will outdo any Dinah produced before. I am one blessed woman being able to produce this event.”

Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism.

Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.

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Arizona Gay Rodeo Sunday

Feb. 16 at Corona Ranch, Laveen.

Photos by Gregg Edelman.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos.

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OUT & ABOUT

Melrose on 7th Avenue Street Fair March 7, Phoenix.

Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos.

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Phoenix Pride and Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce 40th Anniversary Party Feb. 29 at Young’s Market, Phoenix.

Photos by nightfuse.com.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos.

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OUT & ABOUT

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(L to R): Jane Elizabeth, SeykaMejeur, Brian Mejeur, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Simone Reyes, Sean Hill, and Audrey Dunham. Photo courtesy of New Day New Chef.

New Day New Chef: Jane Velez-Mitchell’s new cooking show explores plant-based eating

By Tom Reardon

F

air warning, dear friends …

You may read something in this interview that you didn’t want to know. You may also learn some things that will change the way you look at the world.

Jane Velez-Mitchell wants the world to change. Not tomorrow, not next week or next month or next year, either. Velez-Mitchell wants the world to change now because if we don’t, there may not be any humans left to celebrate with her when she turns 100 in 2056. Even the Rolling Stones legendary totem to imperviousness, Keith Richards, could be long gone by then if we don’t change our ways according to the media personality and host of the new Amazon Prime TV show, New Day New Chef, but her message is anything but doom and gloom.

Velez-Mitchell is all about embracing a healthy, plant-based lifestyle, and healing our planet.

The 63-year-old Los Angeles resident is about as positive as you can get.

Truth be told, Velez-Mitchell has had an amazing life. Born in 46

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New York City, Velez-Mitchell grew up living across the street from Carnegie Hall. Her mother, Anita, was born in Puerto Rico and carved out a niche for herself as a dancer and writer while her father, Pearse, was an advertising executive who, as Velez-Mitchell tells it, had a career that mirrored the cast of AMC’s Mad Men. For Velez-Mitchell, her youth in the Big Apple was exciting and offered life experience that nowhere else could offer, including getting to go to the famed Studio 54 in its heyday.

After graduating from New York University, Velez-Mitchell became a broadcast journalist and spent time in Fort Myers, Florida, Minneapolis (where she first arrived in winter without a coat and wearing open-toed shoes), and Philadelphia before landing a job in her hometown at WCBS. From there, Velez-Mitchell’s career began to really take off. In 1990, she landed an anchor spot in Los Angeles and, as she puts it, she thought she had “Died and gone to heaven.” After 12 years in L.A., brighter lights came calling again and she headed back to New

York for a gig with CNN that lead to eventually hosting her own eponymously named show on the HLN (Headline News or CNN2) network for six years.

You may also recognize VelezMitchell’s name from one of her four books, as well, including Exposed: The Secret Life of Jodi Arias, which was a New York Times best seller and allowed her to spend more than her fair share of quality time in the Valley of the Sun. Velez-Mitchell worked extensively in the true crime world (does the show Celebrity Justice ring a bell?) and, in addition to the Arias case, she also spent considerable time working on the Michael Jackson molestation trial while the controversial King of Pop was still alive.

All these accomplishments would be more than enough for the average Jane, but VelezMitchell is just getting started.

She’s got her own website, janeunchained.com, that focuses on animal rights, vegan living, and the work of Velez-Mitchell and her team of collaborators and volunteers (It’s also part of a 501c3.) The website is well

worth a bookmark if you like keeping up to date on these issues and Velez-Mitchell also has a daily cooking show on her Facebook page (facebook.com/ JaneVelezMitchell/) that is also well worth checking out.

In short, Velez-Mitchell is kicking ass, taking names, and doing her part to save the planet.

We talked over the phone a few weeks ago and here is what she had to say: Echo: Did you always want to be a journalist?

Velez-Mitchell: When I was younger, I did some protests and I was actually interviewed so that’s when I decided to check out broadcast journalism. I had wanted to be a syndicated columnist, but after being interviewed, I went to NYU and after I graduated, I started my career.

You have had a remarkable career. How did you end up covering the true crime stories?

Well, after I left KCAL (in Los Angeles in 2002), I ended up going to a show called Celebrity Justice. That was a real breakthrough for me. I ended up FEATURE STORY

covering the Michael Jackson trial and I was on Larry King Live and filling in for Nancy Grace. Through that I ended up getting my own show on CNN headline news in 2008. I kept my place here (in Los Angeles) because I thought it would be short-lived.

I thought I was just going to go there for a couple of months but the show ended up running for six years. So that was really wonderful. I was in New York during those six years from 2008 to 2014 and then I spent one more year because my mother was still living at the same place across from Carnegie Hall and she was quite old. She lived until she was 99 and a half on a primarily vegan diet.

Was your mom always vegan?

No. She started me on the journey, though. She grew up in Puerto Rico on Vieques Island. She had a pet pig growing up, but it was actually a food animal and she came home one day, and her pig had been slaughtered. She literally fainted. When she woke up, she was very disillusioned by the adults around her and she shunned meat from then on.

Oh wow. I can see how that would have an impact on someone.

It wasn’t as religious as calling yourself a vegan, but we didn’t have meat in the house, and we didn’t eat it. We thought we were vegetarian, but we weren’t. We ate fish, we ate eggs, we ate cheese and milk. After I graduated from college and went off on my own, it was around 1980, just around the time that PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was getting started that I started as a journalist.

I was sent some videos of animal cruelty and it really opened my eyes. I do feel seeing the videos of what they actually do to these animals, as compared to the lies that they promulgate in their advertising, you know, happy cows roaming in grass, most of these animals are raised in concentrated animal feeding operations where they never see the sky, they never touch grass. The only time they see the sky is on a terrified and thirsty ride to the slaughterhouse.

Was that enough to encourage you to go from being a vegetarian to living a plantbased lifestyle?

FEATURE STORY

When I was in Los Angeles, a fourth-generation cattle rancher named Howard Lyman came in to do an interview. He had written a book called Mad Cowboy (1998) and he was famously on Oprah.

After the interview, he and his publicist came up to my cubicle and they said, “We hear you’re a vegetarian.” I said, “Yes” and they said, “Do you eat dairy?”

I kind of hung my head because he had just told me all about the horrors of the dairy industry.

(Such as) babies separated from their mothers, boy calves thrown on dead piles or shot or put in veal crates. It’s just a horror from beginning to end. It’s torture.

It’s institutionalized torture. So I said, “Yes” to answer his question (about) dairy and he and his publicist pointed their finger at me and they said, right at my nose, they said, “Liquid meat” (in reference to dairy) and that was the moment I went (vegan). That was about 22 or 23 years ago.

So, no meat products since then?

Or meat byproducts.

Liquid meat. That will definitely cross my mind the next time I think about getting some ice cream.

Well, you know, now there’s all this incredible vegan ice cream.

Haagen Daaz has a vegan ice cream. Ben and Jerry’s has it.

Those ice creams are just fine.

They taste great and they have the added benefit of being zero cholesterol. So, they are healthier for you than dairy. Dairy is one of the most undiagnosed allergies.

People are not meant to drink the breast milk of another species.

When you think about it that way, it starts to seem as gross as it really is.

There are so many new products out there. I’ve heard some people say that they can barely tell the difference any more between the Impossible burgers and a beef burger.

Now it’s gotten so sophisticated.

You can’t tell the difference.

That’s why we did the show (New Day New Chef). We want to make it fun. We want to invite people into this joyous lifestyle that has been unfairly painted as some sort of sacrifice. The truth is, it’s a sacrifice to eat animals. Only six different species of animals are consumed primarily. Cows,

pigs, chickens, turkeys, goats, and lamb. But when it comes to vegetables, there’s tens of thousands of vegetables. There are tens of thousands of different kinds of fruits. There are hundreds of different kinds of grains, so you can have a lot more variety in vegetarian and vegan cooking than you would in a meat-based cooking. You could do more in the kitchen with it.

So, New Day New Chef has a huge canvas to work with and it’s better for everyone, correct?

The whole world has to change because we are headed for an ecological apocalypse based on animal agriculture, but there’s a resistance because, look at the TV commercials, meat, dairy and pharmaceuticals. Nope. If you go to a plant-based diet you don’t need that erectile dysfunction drug, most likely. You don’t need that heart disease drug or the cholesterol lowering drugs. A lot of that is going to go away. Heart disease kills one in four Americans.

The truth is there is a commonality between gay rights

and animal rights. They are not mutually exclusive. When people are marching for women’s rights, human rights, gay rights, they should also march for animal rights.

They complement each other. We could eliminate world hunger if we switch to a plant-based diet. We are raising and killing 70 billion land animals per year, more if you include fish, into the trillions, and farm animals are the most inefficient food source because they eat 40 times what they produce in food.

We could all live in a world of natural abundance if we switched to a plant-based diet. Everyone would have enough to eat.

Tom Reardon loves to write about people who are doing something to contribute to our community in a positive way. He also loves his family and family of friends, his pets, music, skateboarding, movies, good (and bad) TV, and working with children to build a better world. Tom’s favorite movie is Jaws, his favorite food is lasagna, and he loves to play music with his friends. He’s a busy guy, but never too busy to listen to what you have to say so tell him a story.

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A-LIST SHOW!

June 6, 2020 at The Venue Scottsdale Join our host, Eva Angelica Stratton and guests, Violet Chachki, Naomi Smalls and Aaron Ray for an evening of pure entertainment!

VIP, meet & greet and general admission tickets available with 25% of proceeds going back to one-n-ten.

VIP and Meet & Greet at 7:00 p.m., show begins at 8:00 p.m.

Stay for our after party featuring DJ Tsunami and GoGo dancers Ricky Roman and Logan Star at 9:30 p.m.

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2:15:06 PM 49 |3/11/2020 APRIL 2020

WITHOUT RESERVATIONS

The interior of Urban Phoenix Café. Photo by Ryan Parra.

The Urban Thing: Urban Phoenix Café

By Jeff Kronenfeld

T

he orange stains on my notes are evidence the food at Urban Phoenix Café overflows with flavor. If you missed Arizona Taco Fest or Tacolandia, don’t fret. This recently opened breakfast and lunch joint is a daily shrine to folded tortillas. Stuffed inside are local ingredients imaginatively mashed up with street food hacks. There are also burritos, bowls, and lighter fare like a chicken salad sandwich and avocado toast. Whether you’re hankering for something healthy but filling or dank but dietarily-questionable, you’ll find it here.

A blue-tinted mural of the Phoenix skyline greets you by the entrance. Its center is a radiant copper star. Rise up is written above in huge red and white bubble letters.

This could be the restaurant’s motto. From décor to menu to the relaxed but friendly service, everything beams with local pride.

The Chill Elotero at Urban Phoenix Café. Photo by Ryan Parra.

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The love chef/owners Steven Contreras and Keri Frazier have for the Valley is clear, but so is their understated style. There are many places in this Arcadia-adjacent neighborhood to be seen. Go to Urban Phoenix Café if you want good food in a laid-back atmosphere.

It was a little after noon on a Friday when we arrived. The café opens at seven in the morning and closes at three in the afternoon. A friendly server with short pink hair and nice ink told us to sit anywhere.

There are booths, tables and barstools overlooking the open kitchen. We went for the window looking out on bustling Indian School. As we plotted our meal, the smell of roasting green chiles hung thick in the air.

To start things off, we each ordered an ear of the Chill Elotero. This corn on the cobb dish is a staple of Mexican street food. Traditionally served on a stick, here it

comes quartered but still on the cobb. For a moment, I was sad not to have the whole ear to gnaw like a squirrel. However, the benefits of these smaller sections quickly became clear. One could use their fingers like my friend did, clasping the exposed sides of the corn’s interior. Or, as I chose, you could easily pick them clean with a fork.

Whatever way we got it into our mouths, the results were the same. The kernels were tender, easily cleaving free as I twirled the fork. The fire roasted corn is buttered heavily with homemade chipotle crema.

Crumpled cotija cheese is liberally piled in chunks as big as an olive seed or small as a grain of sand. A few sprigs of fresh cilantro crown the four yellow hills.

The x-factor is the hot Cheeto dust which, in combination with the cheese crumbles, makes the dish almost resemble red rock mesas after a snow. There were a

The Monte, a breakfast taco, and the Throwback, a burrito. Four tacos from Urban Phoenix Café. L to Right: Yardbird, the Photo by Jeff Kronenfeld.

Cho, and the THC. Photo by Jeff Kronenfeld.

DINING OUT

few other sides that looked interesting as well, such as the black beans or fries and queso. I made a note to stop in to try them if I need something quick and cheap in the future. That day was not today. We were still plucking the last golden kernels when our main courses arrived.

The menu is simple and intuitive. There are breakfast tacos, burritos and bowls on one side, with their lunch counterparts on the other. In the middle are a halfdozen assorted dishes gathered under the heading, “Bomb Plates of Rad Stuff.”

I was tempted by the green chile bowl or the chicken salad sandwich on noble bread. There are some good vegetarian options in this section too. The Caulirado is a meat free chile stuffed with a garden of goodness. It has everything from pepitas, radishes, sweet potatoes and, of courses, that eponymous pale veggie cauliflower.

After shamelessly flirting with a few other dishes, I got down to business and selected four tacos. The plates, bowls and burritos all looked good, but tacos seemed the best way to try as many of the novel mashups as I could. My friend ordered a burrito and one of the breakfast tacos. I stuck to the lunch menu since it was the afternoon and I don’t like to mix meals. When the oval plates bearing my four tacos arrived, it burst with colors. I knew I made the right choice.

The first taco I tried was the FFS. This one is a real eyecatcher, mainly because of the crust of melted jack cheese. This cheese base gave the taco the same savory depth of a smashed cheese sandwich or crunchy cheese crisp. It’s very thin though, so it’s not too heavy. Piled on top is shredded beef, cabbage and a zigzag of the chipotle crema.

To give it a little kick, smoked ghost chile oil is added. The crema and cabbage balance the peppery fire, and even a wimp like me had no problem with it. This was my second favorite of the quartet.

The next taco I tried was the Yardbird.

I appreciated the light and cool palette.

You don’t see tacos like this every day. The Yardbird is a bit like a chicken Caesar salad taco minus the anchovies. The avocado, jack cheese and salsa verde contrast nicely, with the chicken acting as a good mediator. This was a unique and light taco great for those who can’t handle heat.

The third one I tried was the Cho. No, it’s not a reference to comedian Margaret Cho, but instead refers to the dark orange meat contained within. The chorizo isn’t as peppery as your probably used to. It’s a milder take on this spicy Spanish pork sausage. The heat comes after you’ve swallowed, more savory than tear inducing.

Sometime this breakfast meat really gives me heartburn, but not this time. They DINING OUT

may partly be due to all the other flavors balancing it out. On top of the sausage is black bean corn salsa, pickled onions, serrano-lime cream cheese and cotija. This was my least favorite of the four, which is no shade.

The last taco I ate also happened to be my favorite. Called the THC, about the only thing that could have made it better was some actual marijuana magic. Alas, our state’s archaic cannabis laws make such a thing only possible in dreams or trips to California. The taco’s base is grilled Spam.

On top is cabbage slaw, fancy sauce, cotija and hot Cheeto dust. I’ve had my share of Spam and even visited the Spam Museum in Minnesota on a road trip. This salty pink mystery meat is fascinating chemically and sociologically. Still, it’s usually a novelty at best and a bad joke at worse. Here though, this highly processed pork shoulder product is ready for its close up.

My friend got a carne asada burrito called the Throwback. It comes with pico, jack cheese, avocado and chipotle crema.

The special ingredient in this item is the beautifully golden French fry core. It came cut in half, its inners on display like an art object. This burrito is a real looker.

My friend reported it tasted as good as it looked. He said the steak was juicy, not over cooked and seemed fresh off the grill.

Judging by how fast he scarfed it down, I would say it was a winner.

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Less rigid categorically about his meals than myself, he also ordered the Monte, one of the breakfast tacos. There’s no flying circus here, just a solid all-American breakfast folded between a tortilla. The name refers to that most elegant of ham and cheese sandwiches, the Monte Cristo, which this taco is an homage to. It comes with sweet prickly pear jam in place of the maple syrup or preserves. There are also scrambled eggs and bacon. My friend said it was like a perfect miniature breakfast.

Alas, deadlines loomed for myself and my photographer friend. We couldn’t linger long, though I would have liked to. We didn’t even get to try the churros, one of my not-so-secret loves. It was ok though, because I was completely sated from the dank corn and quartet of tasty tacos. If you need a quick but satisfying bite, check this new kid on the block, Urban Phoenix Café.

Jeff Kronenfeld is an independent journalist based out of Phoenix, Arizona. His writing has been featured in Java Magazine, the Arts Beacon, PHXSUX, and the Phoenix Jewish News, where he received the Simon Rockower Award for excellence in news reporting from the American Jewish Press Association. Links to his previously published work are available at www.jeffkronenfeld.com.

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Jake Shears. Photo by Kevin Tachman.

BANDS

Shears’ father had some business endeavors in Seattle which required them to move to Washington for a while. “He would build these big fishing boats out of scrap metal and design all of this stuff,” he says, adding that he did return to Mesa, “for junior high and some early high school.”

Remarkably Phoenix Pride is only a year older than the openly gay singer and he says he loved living in Arizona while exploring that side of himself for the most part.

“When I came out — when I was there in junior high it was fun, it was exciting because I was sort of going back and forth from there to a very isolated island in the northwest, it was super-beautiful.”

Fueled by his love of music, Shears, then 15, was instantly drawn to the amazing music scene which dominated Phoenix and Mesa at the time.

“All the bands used to come through, as far as I know.” He remembers it being a big music and concert market at the time. “I saw so many shows at the Mesa Amphitheater. My first concert was Siouxsie and the Banshees at the Mesa Amphitheater when I was in eighth grade. So that was really exciting. And there was a radio station called KUKQ that was an AM station back then that played all alternative music. And this was pre-Nirvana so it was before grunge broke so it was a really special time in music.”

This community of music lovers was the first to embrace him while he tried to manage life as a gay teen in a school that wasn’t so accepting.

We “kiki” with native Arizonan and Scissor Sisters’ front man Jake Shears

By Timothy Rawles; photos by Kevin Tachman

T

ight pants, colorful costumes, chart-topping disco-infused bops, and dictionary entries into the gay vernacular, Scissor Sisters front man Jake Shears has given the world a lot of himself and it all started right here in Arizona.

Before he was rubbing elbows with Elton John and confiding in Kyle Minogue, Shears was walking among the orchards of Mesa, 52

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Arizona with his father.

“We had the whole huge corner of Southern and Greenfield,” Shears tells me.

You can almost hear him thinking about it over the phone. “It was all orange groves around there. So, my dad had built that house and he had all these fields around where we would grow stuff, depending on what season.”

“Even though I came out at school — I was going to Mountain View — I was having a really hard time there, I still found, in my way, I found an amazing community of people that I really could plug into and you know, I was hanging out in Tempe a lot, and Mill Avenue was a very different place back then.

But I was able to go to Rocky Horror every weekend and you could still find the weirdos — it was a great community of weirdos there.”

He was bullied in school, but he says he got through it. One of the biggest ways he dealt with all the negativity was using his resources, and the fact he could be mobile meant he didn’t have to stay in one place too long. “As hard as it was in certain ways, it was also amazing for me in other ways because at that moment I would rather have been there than being kind of stuck on the island without much to do.”

Shears started his journey to becoming a pop icon in 2001 after he formed the band Scissor Sisters. Three years later they would release their groovy chart-topping cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” which would go on to become a Grammy nominee.

The coveted golden phonograph ultimately went to Britney Spears’ for “Toxic” that year, her first-ever win.

But the Sisters were only being halfENTERTAINMENT

appreciated in the United States. Over in the UK their self-titled debut album reached number one and garnered a BRIT Award.

For many a Yankee listener, including myself, they thought the group was actually from England. Shears understands that. “We were working over there a whole lot. We got signed at Polydor over there. It was kind of our initial bread and butter in a way.”

England may have been a better fit for appreciating the sounds and style of Scissor Sisters. Shears modeled the band after some of his favorite groups that lay on the fringe of pop. He says at the time he was coming up with the persona of the group, music had a lot more variation.

“What I was really obsessed with was all those bands that I grew up with whether it was like Chili Peppers or Daft Punk that came out when I was in college or Siouxsie and the Banshees or B-52s,” he says. “There was one time I feel like classic alternative music was built by artists and bands that had really singular identities. Where you just mention the name and it’s like they’re their own genre, they got their own styles.”

Jake Shears. Photo by Kevin Tachman.

He says he was fixated on making Scissor Sisters have its own blend, a concoction of influences and a singular style. “It was really

important that we were doing our own thing.”

Whether the name of the band went over people’s heads or fans were in on the innuendo, Shears himself didn’t know what Scissor Sisters meant at first.

“A friend of mine in New York, and during this moment I was having this conversation with him on the phone and he used the term which I had never heard before and I thought it was really funny,” he laughs. “So days later when Babydaddy and I were talking about like, ‘what do we call ourselves,’ that name came up — we came up with the logo just like right then. So all this happened in one moment. It just happened.”

The group went on to see great success with songs such as “Filthy/Gorgeous,” “Take Your Mama,” and “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin.”

But after “Let’s Have a Kiki” became a big single thanks in part to the television show Glee, Shears was beginning to think it was time for the Sisters to take a break.

The front man says the decision was a tough one, but he felt it was the right time for everybody.

“No one in the band had really expected for this to become their lives,” he explains. “I was kind of the only one that like had the big dream of doing this; this sort of vision of what

it all could be, everybody else really started it to have a good time. Everyone dedicated a good ten years of their lives you know, it became everyone’s life and I just felt very strongly that it was time for everybody to get their lives back and to follow their own dreams of stuff that they had always wanted to do. I don’t know it was my instinct.”

His first album after going solo came out in 2018. It was called, simply, Jake Shears. It was a mild departure from what Scissor Sisters had made previously, but it still contained a psychedelic beat-driven flair in some spots.

“It was less about reinventing myself and just basically taking Scissor Sisters’ sound and this sort of thing that I helped create. I really consider my solo stuff and extension of Scissor Sisters,” Shears says about the effort.

“There are a lot people who probably wish my last record was more of a disco album than like a roots-y, southern boogie record whatever it was,” he laughs. “But that was my dream album, that was something that I always dreamed of making. I love it and I wouldn’t change a thing. But I also after doing that, after three years, I’m ready to make pop music again, like dance pop.”

And that brings us to his latest release “Meltdown,” a dance-heavy, disco-infused single sung with Shears’ signature falsetto.

This is only the first song in a set of singles he hopes to release in the near future. He’s also not opposed to getting the band back together when the time is right.

He’s been keeping busy beyond the studio as well. He made his debut on Broadway in Kinky Boots and just finished a stint on The Masked Singer UK as the unicorn.

We wind down our conversation and I’m struck by how down-to-earth the pop star is. His energy is so enthusiastic that you wouldn’t know he’s already a global A-list celebrity. It feels like I’m talking to the same young guy dreaming about the success he’s already experienced.

I ask how he feels about being called a gay icon. His answer is modest and feels completely sincere.

“Oh, I just say that’s for them to decide,” he laughs. “I’m just a regular person and I love doing what I do and I’m proud of all the things I’ve done and I’m excited to keep doing it. I feel very inspired just to keep going and I really hope that I have a long and varied career.”

Timothy Rawles is an award-winning journalist and California native who moved to Arizona with his husband and two children in 2019. He attended San Francisco State University many years ago and somehow managed to pass math and continue pursuing his journalism degree.

His story is not as interesting as the people he writes about, but Timothy has discovered that everyone has one, and good or bad, they all share the same thing; heart.

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AT THE BOX OFFICE

Four films in theaters this month

By Tuesday Mahrle

The New Mutants In Theaters April 3 | 94 Minutes | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things) leads a cast of up-and-comers in an action packed film about five young mutants. The first graduating class of Charles Xavier’s School for the Gifted is being held in captivity in a secret facility and the extraordinary group must fight to keep themselves alive. Continuing the X-Men sagas, you’ll find thrills and chills in this much anticipated April debut.

The Lovebirds In Theaters April 3 | Rated R | 86 Minutes | Crime, Action, Thriller, Romance, Comedy, Mystery

Every couple has one defining moment in their relationship. For Leilani and Jibran (Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani), that moment is a murder gone wrong.

The two find themselves entangled in the crosshairs of police, assassins, and secret societies all while trying to clear their names. Hilarity follows these characters in this crazy, action-packed, romantic comedy with a twist.

Promising Young Woman In Theaters April 17 | Rated PG-13 | 113 Minutes | Crime, Drama, Thriller

A young woman, Cassie (Carey Mulligan), suffers a tragic and traumatic incident that derails her life. With her future plans washed away, this once promising young woman finds herself treading the waters of life. Now, she’s a medical school dropout, living at home and working at a local coffee shop. Her boss (Laverne Cox) is worried about her but it’s ok, Cassie has a secret — a double life she leads at night.

Antebellum In Theaters April 24 | Not Yet Rated | | Horror, Thriller

Janelle Monáe, Gabourey Sidibe, and Jena Malone headline this disturbing thriller from the producers of Get Out and Us. Successful author Veronica Henley (Monae) finds herself in an alternate reality and can’t diverge from it. She must uncover the dark mysteries to escape before it’s too late. This movie will have you at the edge of your seat and grasping for something in this reality to cling to.

Tuesday Mahrle is a film critic and host of “Whiskey and Popcorn,” a Phoenixbased movie podcast.

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ENTERTAINMENT

AWAKEN YOUR INNER CREATURE OF THE NIGHT!

The Rocky Horror SHOW APRIL 15 – JUNE 7 Give yourself over to the absolute pleasure of this beautifully twisted rock musical masterpiece. Dynamic tension is on the menu as naive new fiancees Brad and Janet discover a world where nothing is taboo. Awaken your inner creature of the night and explore your most sensational, interplanetary fantasies with Rocky, Eddie, Dr. Scott, Columbia, Magenta, Riff Raff and, of course, Frank-N-Furter. Brad and Janet will never be the same again, and with any luck, neither will we!

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PHOENIXTHEATRE.COM | 602.254.2151 use code ROCKYECHO Excludes tier 3. Expires 4/30.

OPENING NIGHTS

John Waters is a lezbro among lesbians The multi-talented star is a featured performer and honored guest at 2020’s annual Dinah Shore Weekend

By Ashley Naftule; photos courtesy of Noisy Ghost PR

“I

can’t stand gay men who don’t like women,” John Waters says over the phone with uncharacteristic venom.

The Baltimore legend is as genial and wry as you’d expect. Some performers turn “off” when they’re not onstage, but the Waters riffing through the speaker on Dinah Shore and Twitter sounds exactly like the Waters you’d see onstage and on the silver screen.

There are moments, though, where that smooth Uncle Beetlejuice veneer cracks a bit and something sharp and barbed slips out.

And few things bring the sharp bits out of him faster than the subject of sticking-withyour-own-kind.

“I feel like I’ve crossed a line,” Waters says. “Which I love to do cause I’m against separatism. I think everybody should hang

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around together.”

In the words of the late Charlie Murphy: John Waters is a “habitual line-stepper.”

A director, writer, storyteller, comedian, artist, and actor, Waters has been pushing envelopes, buttons, and limits ever since he first started cutting short films in the late ‘60s with names like Hag in a Black Leather Jacket and Mondo Trasho with his leading lady/maniac-muse Divine. A charming raconteur, Waters seems to come most alive when he offends and rankles. That irrepressible desire children have to do what they’re told not to do — that impish gleam in the eye that shines at its brightest when you know you’re getting away with something — Waters has held onto that feeling over the course of a career that spans 56 years.

His latest act of line-stepping came via invitation from the folks who organize the Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend. Dubbed (by Waters) “The Lesbian Coachella,” The Dinah is a five-day weekend of music and festivities that caters to the lesbian community. Taking place in Palm Springs, California, it’s considered the largest annual lesbian event in the United States. And for the first time, The Dinah is booking a man to be one of their featured headliners.

“I’ve been with the lesbian community in Baltimore and Provincetown — I am a proud Lezbro,” Waters says about his affinity for the L in LGBTQ. While Waters, who looks like a sun-dried version of Gomez Addams with his pencil mustache and Talcum-powder pale skin, ENTERTAINMENT

seems to be an odd choice to headline a banging lesbian music festival in sunny Palm Springs, it’s far from the weirdest audiences he performed for as a traveling comic/ storyteller.

“I’ve done my show in prisons,” Waters says with a laugh. “The prisoners would say to me, ‘you’re allowed to be in here telling us this?!’”

For Waters, talking in front of a new type of crowd is just continuing a tradition he’s been a proud member of for over half a century: one misfit vamping for the benefit of other misfits.

“I love to go into outlaw worlds that I’ve never been able to really explore,” Waters says. “When my movies first came out, they had an audience: It was bikers, it was criminals and crazy gay people and hippies. Radical left-wing people.

They always come to see my movies.”

If you ever doubt the power of capitalism and pop culture to subsume everything that opposes it, consider John Waters’ venerable old timer status as America’s weird gay grandad. The man who got his start filming drag queens eating dogshit now has three of his films enshrined in the Criterion Collection, shelved next to arthouse classics by Fellini and Godard. Baltimore’s enfant terrible is now America’s beloved weird gay grandpa.

It’s a transition whose immense irony is not lost on Waters.

“I’m still doing the same thing, but the group of people who accept it just got bigger,” Waters says. “When I started, I didn’t see myself getting to the point where Hairspray is playing in every school in America — which is the best sneak attack I ever did in my life.”

As one of the guests of honor at this year’s Dinah Shore event, Waters won’t have to sneak on or off the stage. He’s the honored elder, whose trash vision quests of pink flamingos and monstrous women in trouble inspired generations of queer radicals. “I love to think up new ways to push you to the edge,” Waters says. “Humor that gets people to that edge but at the same time has the audience embrace you for it.”

This year’s Dinah Shore Weekend marks the event’s 30th anniversary.

The queer women event will be jam-packed with concerts, comedy shows, pool parties, dance nights, and Waters’ Mr. Rogers-on-acidand-poppers live show.

When asked if he had an appreciation for the festival’s namesake, Waters is effusive about the hopelessly square Shore. ““She was like the female Perry Como,” Waters ENTERTAINMENT

says. “She was the most wholesome, goodygoody kind of TV host. I always liked her, but she was anything but edgy.”

One might wonder if it’s even possible for Waters to cross lines anymore. It’s not simply that so much that was once verboten and taboo is now commonplace (in the 21st, everyone and their mother eats ass!), it’s that our sensitivity to being poked by provocateurs like Waters has been heightened to. It’s hard to imagine the kind of reception Pink Flamingos would have gotten if it came out during the age of Twitter.

Unlike most aging comedians, Waters isn’t interested in denouncing political correctness. But he is quick to point out that prudery and tribalism exists even in outsider communities.

“There are so many splits within the gay community now about what is sexually allowed and what words can you say and everything,” Waters sighs. “Sometimes we have as many rules as my parents had these days.”

At the age of 73 years, Waters hasn’t lost his appreciation for the trashy, the strange, and the unappreciated. His work continues to be influential: try to imagine the existence of Adult Swim shows like the Tim & Eric show without Waters’ pioneering efforts as a D.I.Y. oddball. Hell, Jackass wouldn’t exist without Waters’ lunatic trailer park cinema sensibilities.

He’s a true American original — a countercultural icon who hasn’t lost his transgressive streak even as he’s become the welcoming face of an entire culture (a sea change you could see coming from a mile away from his cameo in The Simpsons as Homer’s new gay friend in the “Homer’s Phobia” episode).

While Waters has carved out a respectable niche for himself as a prolific writer and storyteller — like someone stuck David Sedaris, Spalding Gray, and a DVD of Grey Gardens in a blender and let it rip — he hasn’t directed a motion picture since 2004’s A Dirty Shame. While he’s had a chance to play a fair share of memorable roles in front of the camera — whether as a hapless victim in Seed of Chucky or being cast (perfectly) as P.T. Barnum-esque schlockmeister director William Castle in Feud: Bette and Joan — he hasn’t been behind one in a while.

Maybe it’d be redundant to put out another John Waters mondo movie in a world gone wild with Furries, Two Girls One Cup, and Pornhub. We’re living in the world where he made — we’re all his multiple maniacs now.

Ashley Naftule is a writer and theater artist from Phoenix, AZ. His work has been published in Pitchfork, Vice, Bandcamp, Phoenix New Times, Popula, Longreads, The Outline, SYFY Wire, AZCentral, and Java Magazine.

He’s a resident playwright and artistic director at Space55 Theatre. You can find him at @Emperor_norton on Twitter.

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RECORDINGS

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pring has sprung, kids. Whether it is high highs and beautiful moments of noisy joy or a total suck fest of wasted time, spring has sprung. Dig into these recent singles, if you dare, and feel free to dance, sing, or just enjoy the weather while it lasts. In the immortal words of famous bassist Flea as the character, “Razzle” in Penelope Spheeris’ 1983 punk classic, Suburbia, “Happy Easter, Asshole!”

By Tom Reardon

Kills Birds — “Jesus Did”

Kills Birds just played Phoenix last month with Hot Snakes and while I was unable to attend due to an injury, I was intrigued by this band a great deal. Fans of angular, a touch noisy, post-indie/post-punk music will dig this cool band from Los Angeles. One can only guess they will play Phoenix more as they grow their crowd. Female vocals, intricate guitar and bass interplay, and a fairly straight-forward drumbeat size up “Jesus Did” succinctly. There is a quiet part before a heavier bit, so they are not breaking any new ground, but when singer Nina Ljeti sing shouts, “Prog rock, fast cars, cocaine money, hi there honey” as the heavy part kicks in, I’m hooked. Give a try and you might get hooked, too.

Arizona Zervas — “Roxanne”

Let’s see: How about we all say, “Fuck this song.” Maybe the worst song ever with “Roxanne” in the title and the autotune happening here is revolting. Sting takes more talented shits than this.

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Coriky — “Clean Kill”

Dixie Chicks — “Gaslighter”

Lady Gaga — “Stupid Love”

Gaga is riding her time machine again. This song has some nifty synth work that sounds directly off of either an ABC or Yaz record.

I don’t think this song is meant to challenge any social norms or make you think about much, but it is charming in the way that Lady Gaga gets in your knickers and starts rubbing and touching your butt to help you get your groove on. I’m hoping to see local drag performer Kim Etiquette (or one of her sisters) rock this song one day, because it most definitely needs to get a treatment from a worthy queen.

so good, but this is one of those songs that will make your soul feel lighter and that’s a good thing. Fuck it, I don’t kinda love this, I really love it.

While this is not the best song I’ve ever heard by the Dixie Chicks, “Gaslighter” is lyrically interesting and describes a few people I know to a tee. We’ve all had experience with a person like this who will take and take and take. Country music in the 21st century seems to rarely pay homage to the roots of the genre but I’m guessing a lot of fans of classic country will dig this effort. Worth a listen if you like the Dixie Chicks or well-done country and western or if you know someone who wrecks everything and everyone they come in contact with a smarmy smile on their face.

Overcoats — “New Shoes” I kinda love this. These ladies have the voices of angels on “New Shoes” and I feel like I should have known about Overcoats before this but alas I have been sleeping on this New York-based duo. The instrumentation is sparse, but the vocals are so pretty that the understated acoustic guitar is just perfect here. I see this as being a great song to listen to you when you want to feel something.

Maybe it’s a good feeling and maybe it’s not

So, Fugazi’s Ian Mackaye and Joe Lally have a new band with Mackaye’s wife, Amy Farina, and it’s called Coriky. Their first single, “Clean Kill” is pretty damn good. For those, like me, who have been wishing for a new Fugazi record for a long time (sorry, it doesn’t look like that will happen) this is something of a tonic to help soothe the longing. There is some of Mackaye’s signature guitar work dancing around Lally’s always clever and intricate bass lines over Farina’s adequate, yet sparse drum style. All three sing here and any song that talks about washing off the dirtiness with soap and water in this age of the Coronavirus is good with me. Listen to it now and order a record.

Tom Reardon loves to write about people who are doing something to contribute to our community in a positive way. He also loves his family and family of friends, his pets, music, skateboarding, movies, good (and bad) TV, and working with children to build a better world. Tom’s favorite movie is Jaws, his favorite food is lasagna, and he loves to play music with his friends. He’s a busy guy, but never too busy to listen to what you have to say so tell him a story.

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BETWEEN THE COVERS

By Terri Schlichenmeyer new high school would ever think otherwise. It was bad enough that Billy Cunningham’s hatefueled gang found out who her mother was.

Bible-quoting, momblogging Christine Petersen tried to have Acceptance Across America’s billboard removed from downtown and when that didn’t happen, she took matters into her own hands.

Pastor Jim preached against homosexuality; the police ignored hate crimes; and Arturo, having recently moved to Big Burr from New Mexico because of health issues, struggled to accept his son’s husband.

Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey c.2020, Riverhead Books $27.00 / higher in Canada 288 pages

I

But things weren’t all bad in Big Burr. Linda, who recently lost her son in an accident, was delighted to find friends who didn’t treat her like broken china. Lizzie finally seized the happiness she’d been putting off.

Elsie, who hadn’t seen her children in years, found Harley, who was a

t’s worth a try.

You never know what’s going to happen when a new endeavor begins. You only know what it’ll cost: time, money, effort, and a lot of patience for a great unknown. This experiment could end well, or it could end very badly but either way, as in the new novel Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey, it’s worth a try.

That was the determination made by Acceptance Across America, an LGBTQ nonprofit that needed to know before launching its grand experiment. For two years, AAA hoped to keep a task force in Big Burr to live, work, integrate, and to see if it was possible to change bigots into openminded, rational people.

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That’s because author Celia Laskey will knock the wind out of you with the pearlclutching folks in the fictitious town of Big Burr, the authenticity of their thoughts and actions, and the real-life things they do to deny this (almost implausible) social experiment. Better yet, the haters are only half the story. Laskey’s tale is also told through a series of first-person points-of-view of some of the activists who serve as glue to hold everything together.

This all amounts to a bunch of concentric circles that are tangled like a cheap necklace in a small box. Everybody’s tale is tied to half the town through barely-kept confidences and they all know it — although, like any good novel, secrets ultimately become not-so-secret.

For lovers of novels with bite, just the first page is this book will snare you and keep you rapt. Absolutely, Under the Rainbow is worth a try.

W

ords can never hurt you.

Even as a child, that last half of the retort to playground taunts never made sense to you. Of course, sticks and stones broke bones but even then, you knew that there’s no sharper weapon than a word said in anger or misunderstanding.

In the new book What’s Your Pronoun? by Dennis Baron, you’ll see that some of those weapons go way back.

Language is a funny thing. Words hurt, they sooth, and in today’s world, a “pronoun without sex is ... sexy.” We ask ourselves, and others, which ones to use as “an invitation to declare, to honor, or to reject, not just a pronoun, but a gender identity.”

Generally, though, and until relatively recently, “he” was the default pronoun used by many to indicate both masculine and undeclared gender. As far back as 1792, neutral “he” was thought to be confusing, however; one writer even suggested that “one” might work better than “he” to indicate gender neutral.

It was a scientific fact: Big Burr, Kansas, was the most homophobic place in the U.S.

Much to her dismay, that’s why Avery was taken from her very happy California home: one of her moms volunteered to head the Acceptance Across America experiment.

Karen was a lesbian and a feminist. Avery was straight and she hoped that nobody in her

Here’s a bit of advice: just before you start reading Under the Rainbow, take a deep breath. It may be the last one you get until you’re finished.

“They” was brought up for consideration in 1794.

Celia Laskey; photo by Leonora Anzaldua.

good substitute and a good friend. And Gabe Cunningham learned that the newcomers to Big Burr would open more than just a few minds.

A century later, and with mostly men controlling law and business, “he” was firmly the pronoun of choice, and it had become politicized; when women protested that “he” clearly didn’t include them, lawmakers stated that “he” also implied “she.” Women countered that if “he” could hold office, then it was implied that “she” could, too, and, well, you can imagine the arguments — not to mention the injustice of three masculine pronouns (he, his, him) but just two for the feminine (she, her). Oh, the scandal of it all!

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sometimes struggle with the right word, but in What’s Your Pronoun? he offers a solution of which readers may be skeptical.

First, though, it’s true that this etymological history is a good read, especially for word nerds. It’s not collegelecture level; Baron writes with a lighter hand and doesn’t preach, and the occasional threads that spring from the stories here are explored appropriately and in an inviting way that displays no drudgery. It’s like sitting down at a workshop you’ve eagerly anticipated and being more delighted than you hoped you’d be.

And yet, there is such a thing as information overload, and the obvious solution isn’t so obvious. Proof is at the end of the book, in which we see more than two centuries of verbal wrangling.

So: em, thon, zier, they? We haven’t heard the end of it, but maybe we’re close; certainly, reading What’s Your Pronoun? couldn’t hurt.

What’s Your Pronoun? Beyond He & She by Dennis Baron (He/Him/His) c.2020, Liveright $25.95 / $34.95 Canada 304 pages Through the decades, other words have been suggested (zie, hir, thon) to indicate gender neutral or unknown but none have seemed to stick. Many felt that there simply was no good way to signify neither male or female, or a separation of gender-neutral and nonbinary, and some bemoaned the lack of a “missing word” that was easily understandable.

Says Baron, though, in sifting through the possibilities, we’ve had the word all along.

S

ome people collect glassware.

Others collect books or sweaters or Santa statues or fancy cars or any one of a million things there are more than two of. Scientists say that, as a species, we’re hard-wired to do it, even if you just collect friends. And in Name Drop by Ross Mathews, some of them might even be famous.

From the time he was a little boy growing up in a farm community in Washington state, Mathews wanted to have friends that were celebrities. He imagined what it would be like to hang out with them and gossip … and then it actually happened.

Now, he says he hates when people “name drop,” but “honey,” he has stories.

His celebrity circle started when he was an intern on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which sent him to report on the Olympics three times, which led him to start a blog, and that’s how he became BFFs with Rosie O’Donnell. They’ve been fast friends ever since, though it was she who “made” him “sleep with a Republican.”

He worked with Chelsea Handler on Chelsea Lately and because of where the show was filmed, he met and became friends with the Kardashians, who were filming their reality show in the same building.

The Chelsea gig also gave Mathews the opportunity to be on the sidelines when his beloved Seahawks won the Super Bowl in 2013.

That was the year he also got to play celebrity matchmaker.

Dennis Baron; photo by Iryce Baron.

Sometimes, as author Dennis Baron points out in his introduction, people today offer their preferred pronoun without being asked, so ubiquitous is the question. Still, we ENTERTAINMENT

He had a chance to meet two of the Spice Girls. He got a quick-click photo op with Celine Dion. He met Omorosa and scooped every rabid reporter on TV; he met “Liza with an OMG” and spent all night talking with Christina Aguilera.

Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour by Ross Mathews c.2020, Atria Books $26.00 / $29.99 Canada 225 pages But “not every celebrity story is going to end like a fairy tale where the famous person and I end up bonding,” says Mathews.

Especially when it’s Barbara Walters, Faye Dunaway, or Elizabeth Taylor.

No doubt about it, Name Drop sure is fun.

It’s got the feel of a Friday night at your bestie’s house, where the snacks on the kitchen counter are bottomless and so are the skinny ‘ritas, and you scream yourself hoarse in mock horror and real laughter at the stories you’re told. It’s got the kind of gossip you want about the stars you love (or love to hate), spilled with a little snark and a charming amount of awe. It’s got an absolute (and absolutely relieving) sense that being famous sometimes doesn’t make a person act famous — although sometimes, it does. And it’s got “Rossipes” (Rossipes!) you can make to go along with your reading.

Like a red-carpet walk with a broken heel, though, Name Drop sometimes limps. Author Ross Mathews is funny and punny, but not both simultaneously: alas, the puns are too much, too overwhelming, so feel free to groan and ignore them. The dishy tales you get in this book are way more fun; in fact, if you love boy-meets-girl-celebrity tales, you’ll find that “Name Drop” is a great collection.

Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm, lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 13,000 books. She’s been reading since age 3 and, to this day, she never goes anywhere without a book.

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TALKING BODIES

Foolproof: Debunking fitness myths 3.0

By Tia Norris

I

n honor of April Fool’s Day approaching, let’s talk about a few more diet and fitness myths that I commonly hear from new (and experienced) clients. The truth is, most people — and even scarier, many trainers and so-called professionals — simply don’t know what they’re talking about when they discuss diet and fitness. The labyrinth of health is complicated, and the solution to the puzzle is highly individualized. I’m here to illuminate the dark and winding path to ideal health, and to dispel the common misconceptions that I most often hear. Let the myth-busting begin.

Myth: Lifting heavy weights will make me bigger. The only thing that will make you actually gain weight is eating a caloric surplus. Read that again. Similarly, the only thing that will make you lose weight is a caloric deficit. Calories are what matter in shrinking or growing your muscles. You may be able to re-composition and change your look slightly while in caloric maintenance, but the ultimate gas or brake on your size is how much you’re eating. Furthermore, strength training is essential for all athletes, all ages, all conditions! Surely by this point, I don’t need to dive into the ocean of scientific evidence that unwaveringly supports strength training.

Take my word for it: lift heavily, lift often, and always pursue getting stronger.

Myth: What works for them, will work for me. I hear, so tragically often, that my clients started dieting or exercising in a particular way only after seeing someone else do it that way … or because Suzy Trainer in Lame-o Magazine told them to do it. DOH! First, check your sources. Does Suzy actually walk the walk herself as an athlete, with scores of different types of clients aside from herself, and does she critically think outside of the silly little textbook that serves solely as the foundation for practice but not the be-all, end-all solution? Likely not. Your body is 62

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your most prized possession — without health, you have nothing. Only accept advice from trusted individuals. Second, know that each person is completely unique both in exercise prescription, and dietary guidance!

For example: that person who is squatting with knees way far forward, might have an abnormally long femur and that’s the best they can do — you might be built differently and should therefore move differently. Get what I’m saying? Be skeptical and find what works for you.

Myth: Sodium is bad for me and should be avoided. Here’s what you need to know about this complicated but essential electrolyte: first, the more you sweat, the more you need to add extra sodium, and vice versa for the less you sweat; second, sodium/sweat concentrations are highly individual, meaning some people sweat more or less salt depending on their unique biochemistry; and third, not all sodium is created equally (like all supplements) — go for pink Himalayan salt to replace your sweat loss, best. On another note, if you’re drinking lots of water, and working out lots, but still peeing your brains out, consider adding pink Himalayan salt to drinks and foods to help your body absorb the hydration. After all, that’s one of sodium’s main jobs. Water retention is not always bad.

As an athlete, you want your cells hydrated adequately, depending on goals.

Myth: To get abs, I need to do hundreds of crunches several times per week. Girl, stop it … you’re dreaming and you’re wasting your time. The tried-and-true formula for abs is simple in theory, but it just takes too long for most people’s patience. First, reduce body fat through a comprehensive, long term, carefully constructed diet and strength training program that emphasizes building muscle while in a controlled caloric deficit. And second, lift heavy weights

on compound lifts (like squats, deadlifts, pullups) with great technique and consistent, maximal core engagement — avoid machines, too much cardio, and too high of reps.

Myth: Eating late at night is bad for me.

Thank God that programs like “intermittent fasting” are catching on, to help cut through the BS on this old wives’ tale. What matters most is your total caloric intake throughout the day (all 24hrs), against your total daily estimated expenditure throughout the day. If you’re eating more than you’re burning, you will gain weight. And vice versa — if you’re eating less than you’re burning. I cannot emphasize the importance of this energy input/output equation enough. That being said, it matters so much less (for most clients) when they eat, versus how much they eat in total. For example, I work until 8-9 p.m. most nights. I keep my calories relatively light throughout the day. I usually eat a 2000+ calorie dinner and then go to sleep within one or two hours after that. Now, of course, I keep my calorie balance in check throughout the rest of my days, and I’m simply not hungry most mornings until much later in the day because of this “backloading” scheme … but it works as long as you balance your energy intake throughout the rest of the day.

Talk to a nutrition professional to find what works best for you.

Check your sources. Educate yourself, through verified research and even consider hiring a coach or nutritionist. Experiment, in a controlled way, to find what works best for you. It’s not going to be easy or cheap — make the investments in yourself, and soon you’ll be able to spot the frauds and the myths from miles away yourself.

Tia Norris is the president and head trainer at FitPro, LLC, a local fitness company. Find out more at fitprollc.com.

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63

NOT THAT YOU ASKED

original Invasion of the Body Snatchers was superior to any that followed.

But the number of things that are way better today are exponentially greater.

These things include 14 flavors of Cheerios, the College Football Playoff, and the most recent A Star Is Born.

I’d argue the Phoenix Pride Festival falls somewhere in between. The volunteers have worked tirelessly over the years to improve every aspect of the event, making it inclusive, accessible, and relevant to as many people as possible. Changes in venue, time of year, strategic philosophy, and technology have all been important to improving the Pride experience.

In fact, when I say the Festival falls somewhere between better and worse, I’m really just talking about how it’s not the same for me. That’s not the fault of Phoenix Pride.

Phoenix Pride

Thanks for the memories

By Buddy Early

T

his column ought to come with a warning: you may interpret this as one of those “things used to be better back in the day” meditations.

That’s certainly not the intent. But when you become a person of a certain age your proclivity toward nostalgia grows strong.

This time of year, I always think of past Phoenix Pride festivals and how much fun I had. I did it all: marched in the parade and/ or rode on a float — sometimes in the same parade with two different groups; I staffed booths; I handed out Echo Readers Choice awards from the mainstage; I worked at a beverage stand raising money for one group or another; and I partied pretty hard.

Nowadays if I find myself anywhere in the vicinity of the festival, I remember to make a quick U-turn because, ugh, traffic.

Truth is, I don’t think Pride is any better or worse than the two decades I attended.

It’s just … different. If you were to ask 100 people, you’d get positive and negative responses about Phoenix Pride. Back in 64

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the day, now, and in the future. I firmly believe that on the date of the second annual Phoenix Pride, there were folks complaining that it’s not the way it used to be. It’s in people’s nature to complain, I suppose.

I’ve seen and even participated in all these debates about Pride: • It should be free.

• It should be in February.

• It should be in November.

• It should feature more local talent.

• It should feature more big names.

• It should be family-friendly.

• It should be a celebration of sexuality.

• The parade should be on Saturday.

• The parade should be on Sunday.

• Beyoncé should be the headliner.

Some things definitely were better back in the day. These things include the way we taught math, the way we didn’t wear pajamas on airplanes, and the way the

When I first attended Pride in the mid-1990s, it was still an act of courage.

Showing up at Pride, for a lot of us, was essentially “coming out.” Today’s Pride is so mainstream that a person is not even assumed to be gay just because they are there. In the 90s our community was still on the margins of society, had experienced very few victories in the social/political arenas, and was slow and calculated when addressing inequality. (“Now is not the time to push a bill for marriage equality” was common back then.) Today’s Pride celebrates many victories and demands equality across the board.

I won’t even attempt to say what Pride festivals were like in the 1970s and 1980s, other than to state that being a participant could cost you your job, your friends and family, your freedom, and your life!

I’ll probably never enjoy Pride the way I used to. And that’s ok. Sometimes memories are all we’re meant to have.

However, my hope for everyone else presently in their Pride glory days is that you find something worth celebrating.

Please don’t waste your time complaining that your favorite artist isn’t performing, or that there are long lines at the beer truck, or that a lesbian is wearing pasties. Make memories. Please.

And do another thing (to humor me).

Thank a Pride volunteer or board member while you’re there. Theirs is a thankless job, so even the slightest acknowledgment will brighten their weekend.

Buddy Early grew up in Tempe and has been involved in various communities across the Valley since.

He is a former managing editor of both Echo Magazine and Compete Magazine.

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PHOENIX BARS 18

6

21 4 24

20

17

15 9

14 25

5th

8

32nd St.

7

23 19 2

e.

Av

1 13 22

11 3

16

12

10 *MAP IS NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

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5

11

ANVIL

2424 E. Thomas Road

602-334-1462

M, D, L

32

BAR 1

3702 N. Sixteenth St.

602-266-9001

M, E, N

43

BLISS/ReBAR

901 N. Fourth St.

602-795-1792

MF, N, R

54

BOYCOTT BAR

4301 N. Seventh Ave.

602-515-3667

MF, D, E

65

BS WEST

7125 E. Fifth Ave., Scottsdale

480-945-9028

MF, D, E

76

BUNKHOUSE

4428 N. Seventh Ave.

602-200-9154

M, L, N

87

CARAVAN TAP ROOM CLOSED

4835 N. Fifteenth Ave.

602-592-9386

MF, E, N

98

CHARLIE’S

727 W. Camelback Road

602-265-0224

M, E, D

11 9

CRUISIN’ 7TH

3702 N. Seventh St.

602-212-9888

M, E, N

2 10

DICK’S CABARET

3432 E. Illini St.

602-274-3425

M

11 13

FEZ

105 W. Portland St.

602-287-8700

MF, R

12 14

FLEX SPAS PHOENIX

1517 S. Black Canyon Highway

602-271-9011

M, A

15 13

KARAMBA NIGHTCLUB

1724 E. McDowell Road

602-254-0231

D, E

14 16

KOBALT

3110 N. Central Ave., Ste. 175

602-264-5307

MF, E, N

17 15

LOS DIABLOS

1028 E. Indian School Road

602-795-7881

MF, N, R

16 18

NU TOWNE SALOON

5002 E. Van Buren St.

602-267-9959

M, L, N

17 19

OFF CHUTE TOO

4115 N. Seventh Ave.

602-274-1429

MF, A

20 18

OZ BAR

1804 W. Bethany Home Road

602-242-5114

MF, N

21 19

PLAZMA

1560 E. Osborn Road

602-266-0477

MF, E, N

22 20

ROYAL VILLA INN

4312 N. Twelfth St.

602-266-6883

M, A

23 21

STACY’S @ MELROSE

4343 N. Seventh Ave.

602-264-1700

MF, D, N

24 22

THE CASH NIGHTCLUB AND LOUNGE

1730 E. McDowell Road

(602) 244-9943

F, D, N

25 23

THE CHUTE

1440 E. Indian School Road

602-234-1654

M, A

27 24

THE ROCK

4129 N. Seventh Ave.

602-248-8559

MF, E, N

25 28

2601 ON CENTRAL

2601 N. Central Ave.

602-466-2074

MF, E, R

MAP CODES: M F MF

Mostly Males Mostly Females Mixed Male/Female

A Adult Retail & Accomodations D Dance Club E Entertainment (Karaoke, Drag)

L N R

Leather/Bears Neighborhood Bar Restaurant

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69

BAR SPECIALS

2020 Phoenix Regional Invitational Tournament Feb. 14 at Let It Roll Bowl, Phoenix.

Photos by nightfuse.com.

BUNKHOUSE S HH and $1 Drafts all day. Indian Fry Bread M T W T F S

with Joe Jackson Thames 12 p.m. - 9 p.m., Live Jazz with Kenny Thames 7:30 - 10 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m., Pool tournament 9 p.m.

2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m.

2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m., Karaoke 9 p.m.-close 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m., Underwear/Gear night $1 off drinks if in gear or underwear 8-close, WMW dancers 10-12 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m. $2.50 Miller 8- close 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m., $2.50 Bud 8 - close

CHARLIE’S S Super HH 4 - 7 p.m., $3 pitchers; $3 Long

Islands open - close

M 2 - 8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles,

T W

T F

S

$3 pitchers; 8 p.m.-close, 1/2 off drinks for wearing underwear, $3 Jack Daniels 2 - 8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-4-1 cocktails & beer 8 p.m - close 2 -8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; $3 Three Olives vodka, 8 p.m. close 2 - 8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-4-1 drinks open - close 2 - 7 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestics, $3 pitchers; HH 7 - 9 p.m.; $1 well & domestics, $1 drafts 10 p.m. - midnight Noon - 7 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestics; HH 7 - 9 p.m.; $1 well & domestics, $3 Absolut & Bacardi 10 p.m. - midnight

STACY’S @ MELROSE S $2 Wells, RR & BL Drafts, 2-7; $3 Bud Light

M T W T F S

70

Bottles, 2-Close; $3.50 Fireball shots, 7-Close; Happy Hours & $5.00 Absolut cocktails, 10-Close Happy Hours & $3 RR & Bud Lt Draft, 4-Close; $3.50 Fireball, 8-Close Happy Hours, $4 Margaritas, $3 RR & Bud Lt Draft, 4-Close; Taco Tuesday, $1 Street Taco 2-4-1 all day, No Shots, 4-Midnight; Happy Hours, Midnight-close; 2-4-1 Chits good all night Happy Hours, 4-close; We Accept 2-4-1’s from Other Bars, 4-close Happy Hours 4-8.; $3.00 RR & Bud Lt Draft,4-Close; $5.00 Deep Eddy flavors & Fireball, 8-Close Happy Hours 4-8; $3.00 Rolling Rock & Bud Light Draft,4-Close; $5.00 Deep Eddy flavors & Fireball, 8-Close APRIL 2020

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ECHOMAG.COM

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos OUT & ABOUT

Call Jeffrey today to find out about his personal approach to limiting your tax burden.

If you owe the IRS or have unfilled tax returns I am authorized by the US Treasury to help you negotiate a settlement option you can afford, sometimes for less than you owe. Have you been charged a penalty? Let me see If I can eliminate it, and have the money refunded to you.

ECHOMAG.COM

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APRIL 2020

71

Miss Gay Melrose America Pageant March 7 at The Rock, Phoenix.

Photos by Melissa Fossum.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos.

72

APRIL 2020

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ECHOMAG.COM

ECHOMAG.COM

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APRIL 2020

73

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Please support our advertisers who help keep Echo free

ACCOUNTANTS/ TAX PREPARATION Bridge Tax Resolution 47 Jeffrey J. Quatrone PLLC 71 Phoenix Bookkeeping Specialists, LLC 63 Robert F. Hockensmith, CPA, PC 43 Steve Price, CPA 66

15 55 33

FINANCIAL SERVICES JW Advisors Inc. MariSol Federal Credit Union

66 59

GALLERIES

ADULT ENTERTAINMENT Flex Spas Phoenix The Chute

StemSwag The Phoenix Theatre Company United States Census 2020

71 73

Exposed Studio & Gallery Shaneland Arts

38 37

East and West Apartments

66

ATTORNEYS Jackson White-Attorneys At Law

AZ Perfect Comfort Rainbow Bug Valdez Refrigeration

43 66 66

39

HOSPICE AUTO DEALERS

Hospice of the Valley

Infiniti on Camelback

38

76

INSURANCE

AUTO SERVICES

Benefits Arizona

Community Tire Pros & Auto Repair

59

13 LGBTQ.one

Bunkhouse Charlie’s Phoenix Stacy’s @ Melrose

69 9 14, 41, 65, 68, 69

DENTISTS Encanto Family Dental Care My Dentist Open Wide Dental

73 59 4

EDUCATION Maricopa County Community College District

59

EVENTS 48 75 45 37 49 21 36

Fred Delgado Team, Keller Williams

3

Matthew Hoedt, Realty One

3

Nicholas Yale, Brokers Hub Realty

3

Shawn Hertzog, West USA

3

Tricia Amato, HomeSmart

3

REAL ESTATE 16 Ocotillo

Community Church of Hope

51

China Chili

69

Hula’s Modern Tiki

51

Whyld Ass Restaurant

67

RETAIL

Strategy Financial Group

Salon 24 59 71

Stephanie Rimmer for Congress

16 Ocotillo

APRIL 2020

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ECHOMAG.COM

66

SENIOR LIVING Beautitudes Campus

American Regenerative Medicine CAN Community Health

2

37

3 66 3 3

5 10-11

CDC

17

FitPro, LLC

66

Ripple PHX

39

Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS

19

Stonewall Institute

63

Terros - Turning the Tide

38

Willo Medi Spa

To find out more about advertising in Echo, call 602-266-0550 74

3

WELLNESS 43

REALTORS Arizona Gay Realtors Alliance Berney Streed, Re/Max Excalibur Bobbi Ryals, HomeSmart Bradley B. Brauer, HomeSmart

72

RETIREMENT PLANNING

SALONS

PHARMACIES

66

Brunch Café

Jeremy Schachter, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp.

3 Jill Littlefield, Fairway West Valley 63

CVS specialty Pharmacy Fairmont Pharmacy

37

RESTAURANTS

Calvin Goetz,

REAL ESTATE

A-List Show Are You Worth A Rug Burn?

Chamber Rainbow Classic Franciscan Renewal Center Phurfest Phoenix Pride Festival Red is the Night

3

MORTGAGE

PUBLIC AFFAIRS 49

Edward Vasquez, Allstate

Off Chute Too

MARKETING

BARS & CLUBS

3

RELIGIOUS GROUPS

HOME SERVICES

APARTMENTS

David Oesterle, ReMax

59, 66

Phoenix’s Latest Sensation

ARE YOU WORTH A RUG BURN? The ONLY live action game show about oral sex!!

$500

Open Bar

Grand Prize

Well & Domestic Beer

Hosted by: The Metropolitan Cowboy www.metropolitancowboy.com

To compete for the cash send text to 480-750-9565

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39-month lease. On approved Tier 1 credit through INFINITI Financial Services (IFS). Not all will qualify. Price plus tax, title and license. 10,000 miles per year. An extra charge may be imposed at the end of the lease term. No security deposit required. VIN: LF100750, LF106689. Expires 9/30/20. 239-month lease. On approved Tier 1 credit through IFS. Not all will qualify. Price plus tax, title and license. 10,000 miles per year. An extra charge may be imposed at the end of the lease term. No security deposit required. VIN: LM205382, LM201775. Expires 9/30/20. 339-month lease. On approved Tier 1 credit through IFS. Not all will qualify. Price plus tax, title and license. 10,000 miles per year. An extra charge may be imposed at the end of the lease term. No security deposit required. VIN: LM340606, LM340778. Expires 9/30/20. 439-month lease. On approved Tier 1 credit through IFS. Not all will qualify. Price plus tax, title and license. 10,000 miles per year. An extra charge may be imposed at the end of the lease term. No security deposit required. VIN: LC505225, LC514133. Expires 9/30/20.

1

INFINITI On Camelback 1250 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85014

602-313-8967