Mosquito Coast
Time is flying here in Ptown, the town that theme weekends built. Bear Week just ended. It was hell on the drains, but lots of the bears came to my shows and after gave me bear hugs, literally.
I left the island for the Opening Ceremonies of the Gay Games in Chicago. Chi-town welcomed us warmly. Like 106 degrees. Which I might have thought was gay-bashing if it weren’t for the kick-ass welcome from their very gay friendly mayor, Mayor Daley. My favorite moment was when, after thanking gay people for revitalizing American cities, especially Chicago, he called the thrice-divorced congressional opponents to gay marriage what they are – hypocrites. 30,000 people went wild.
The opening night was quite the spectacle – nothing like watching 12,000 athletes from 30 countries pour out onto Soldiers Field. When they shut the stadium lights down and the field became a rainbow flag of 12,000 glo-sticks, it was pretty impressive. I believe we do have the crowd moving skills to get us the heck out of Iraq.
Backstage I got to see Holly Near, Teresa Trull, Barbara Higbie, Nedra Johnson, Suzanne Westenhoffer, Jim Hormel, Margaret Cho and so many of my pals. It was a hopping green room.
The show at The Park West, one of my all time favorite venues, was sponsored by the fine folks at HRC, which I thought was Hillary Rodham Clinton, but no, it was the Human Rights Campaign. I’ve got to read my contracts more carefully. The HRC staff was way fun and professional and the place was packed. Some of the gals who were at my first Chicago show at The Mountain Moving Coffeehouse were there!
I made a quick trip with my galpal to see Melissa Etheridge on her summer tour stop in Minneapolis. Yes, I now officially have more frequent flier miles than the Widow Ratzinger, but how hard is that? Melissa was in fine form and voice and there is a transcendent joy of living about her that kicks her performance to new levels. She of course, rocked for two and a half hours. I saw her for a moment with Tammy and the twins to be – in the Twin Cities of course.
I wish the Midwest could export some of its peace to the Mideast. It’s heartbreaking – I can feel it even in my sweet summer audiences. Rest up this summer, we’ve got work to do in the upcoming midterm elections.
July 23, 2006 @ 11:16 pm
The wife and I will be going to Atlanta to see Melissa next month. I can’t wait!
Would have loved to have seen the gay games. Chicago is a long way from Alabama though. lol
Connie