The Best Birthday Present Ever

Someone had a birthday yesterday, and he got the greatest present a Detroit boy (well, old man) could ever hope for.

I know, you think Kwame getting thrown in the clink is what made me so happy on my birthday, and I won't lie, I was pretty happy about that. 

The Handcuff Double-Down
(Free Press photo)

But really what thrilled me is I found out that the Burton Theater will be hosting a $5 outdoor double-feature this Saturday night, with features chosen just for me!  Or at least it seems.

Head over the Burton Theater on Saturday, May 29 at 10pm and grab a spot on the lawn to see Ken Russell's "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls," followed by "Xanadu"!  Yes, I'm serious!  Talk about a movie camp-out!  If you are a gay (or just think like one) and haven't seen these films it is your DUTY to attend.

And then, when you're done there, you can hit everyone's favorite down-and-dirty disco party Macho City at the R&R.  The special guest is Azari & III, a Toronto-based house duo. 

One of the best Macho City nights last year had Mike and Scott playing their patented underground disco sounds until about 2am, and then Nancy Fortune took over and turned the dancefloor into an old school Detroit house music party. Listening to this track, I think we might be heading for that same kind of greatness.  As one friend said, it will be a barn burner!

To get the most out of the evening you may have to cut out of "Xanadu" a little early, but if you've attended Doggy Style at any point in the past three years you've seen the finale anyway.

Talk about a great Saturday night.  Thanks Burton Theater and Macho City for planning all of this.  I know you did it just for me!

Hersch so good

I only dabble in organized religion, and even then really only with officiants, but I have come to truly enjoy downtown Detroit's Central United Methodist church.  That's the historic church right on the corner of Adams and Woodward with the saucy initials.

I have a couple friends very actively involved in the congregation, and their enthusiasm for the church's mission of social justice and community has even enticed me into visiting the church a couple times.  The first was for the wonderful Catie Curtis show two years ago, and the second was for Palm Sunday services this year.  And once I got over the extreme non-Roman Catholicness of it all it was a fantastic experience.  As was post-service brunch, natch.

One cool thing about the church is their music programming.  They often host concerts, and they are often quite renowned musicians.  World-renowned is the case this coming Saturday evening, when jazz pianist Fred Hersh will be performing.

Fred Hersh is a new name to me, but not a new name in the world of jazz.  I discovered this when I started researching him and found a huge piece in the New York Times Magazine from earlier this year.  If I wasn't sure of his prominence as an artist before, I sure was after reading, "And singular among the trailblazers of their art, a largely unsung innovator of this borderless, individualistic jazz — a jazz for the 21st century — is the pianist and composer Fred Hersch."

The Times piece is a highly recommended read, and I think once you are through with it you will agree this is a can't-miss performance!

Hersch, by the way, is also highly relevant for readers of this blog because he is one of the few openly-gay and openly-HIV positive artists in the jazz world.  His story of coming back from the edge of death is as inspiring as the story of his jazz legacy.

Now in the interest of full disclosure, part of my affection for CUM stems from the fact that my dear friend Ed Maki-Schramm is the musical director there.  And being so, well, dear, he has arranged for me to have a ticket giveaway for the Fred Hersch show this Saturday!

If you would like to win a pair of tickets to the show, all you have to do is email me at supergaydetroit (at) gmail (dot) com before Friday morning, say 8am.  At that time I will randomly draw two names and will promptly inform you of your win.  Or loss.

If you don't win, or want to secure your tickets earlier, here's the information you need.  Hope to see you Saturday evening!

Fred Hersch

Saturday, May 8,  8:00 pm 

Tickets $20 for adults, $10 for students

performing at the extraordinarily gay-friendly Central United Methodist Church

23 East Adams, downtown Detroit