Venue Change for Champions (Dance on the Pier Afterparty)

The Saint-At-Large announces that CHAMPIONS: The Official Afterparty of Dance on the Pier benefiting HERITAGE OF PRIDE will now be held at one of New York's most spectacular venues, THE CAPITALE.

Click image for details.

Melange Lavonne's performance at Capital Pride Festival 2008 still reverberating in my head!

Since having heard Melange Lavonne at the 15 June 2008 Capital Pride Festival the voice, the lyrics, the activism and the beauty of the Lesbian Hip Hop artist has been on my mind.

And reverberating in my head!

While I do not have the time, right now, to delve into the impression that she has made upon me ... since the purpose of this posting is to provide you with links to various videos and images that I shot of Melange Lavonne performing at the Main Stage during the 2008 Capital Pride Festival, hopefully, I'll find the time later to give her a proper review.

The above photosets which are included in my 33rd Annual Capital Pride / 2008 collection and along with the following videos are accessable from my 33rd Annual Capital Pride - WDC / 2008 webpage:

• Video #1/4 featuring Gay Bash
• Video #2 & 3/4 featuring Gay Parenting & Gay Marriage
• Video #4 featuring The Game

Metro Weekly's 5 June 2008 article Mixing It Up by Doug Rule sheds light on her story.

In addition to writing songs, dabbling in music production and touring with HomoRevolution 2008, Melange has also done some modeling and acting and is attending school, majoring in graphic design with a minor in business marketing.

Having released her first cd, Melange, in 2006 ... her sophomore effort, The Movement, which I believe was released in April 2008 ... is receiving raved reviews.

I am almost certain that once you hear her music and listen to her lyrics or witness her performance ... you, too, will not be able to 'get Melange Lavonne out of your head'.

And like so many others, including me ... wishing and hoping for her next project.

Check out her website and myspace.

Friday's Photo of the Week . 27 June 2008

Commuters . VRE L'Enfant Station

The Southwest Federal Center Project

7th Street between Maryland Avenue and C Street

SW WDC . Wednesday, 25 June 2008

Friday's Photo of the Week

Les Amis Creole Trio at 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival

When leaving the Opry House Tent on Wednesday, 25 June 2008, and after having just captured Texas Johnny Brown & the Quality Blues Band and Los Texmaniacs a man named Sidney who along with many others I have documented many times over the years dancing at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival walked up to me and thanked me for the images and videos (some depicting him) that I posted on Flickr, You Tube and Google Video from the 2006 and 2007 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

He suggested that we head over to the Dancehall Tent which was where many of the folks that I've captured in past years were dancing

To my delight, I thoroughly enjoyed myself as I captured folks dancing to the Gulf Texas region music of the Les Amis Creole Trio from Beaumont, Texas.

Led by veteran fiddler and accordionist Ed Poullard, this trio ... includes James Adams and Lawrence Ardoin ... draws its inspiration from old-style French songs of the upper Gulf Coast. They expertly play and preserve a traditional repertoire of waltzes, ballads, and two-steps. Featuring the acoustic interplay of diatonic accordion, fiddle, guitar, and voice, their music is homemade, with an Afro-French twist.

I throughly enjoyed myself until when at the conclusion of their performance that, another white person approached me the way white people do "... when they see black men ..." and started to rant something about unless I had press credentials that, perhaps, I should not be video-taping.

And though I observe many white people and Asians with all kinds of cameras and video-recorders seldom is there a time that white folks and sometimes Asians do not approach me the exact same way as did that white man.

As a 50 something black man who, over the years, practiced integration and who experience the racsim everywhere that I've gone I turned and said "White man, please. I'm 54 ... years old. You don't tell me what I can or can not do!"

After that incident at the Dancehall, I headed home and in continued to document Washington DC, from the perspective of a black man, by focusing on several ongoing projects, including the VRE L'Enfant Station, the Southwest Federal Center - 7th Street, SW, the Marcel Breuer designed HUD Building and a view of the 14th Street Rush Hour Traffic from the 7th Street, SW, overpass.

Since having first seen on TV in the summer of 2001 Gordon Parks' "Solomon Northup's Odyssey - Twelve Years a Slave" when ever I now see a fiddler as was the case on Wednesday, 25 June 2008, that I captured the Les Amis Creole Trio ... I can not help but reflect on my experiences and those of Soloman Northrup.

Click the above image to view my Les Amis Creole Trio - 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival photoset and 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival collection which are accessable from my 42nd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival / WDC webpage.

Here are the videos that I shot of the Les Amis Creole Trio during my 25 June 2008 visit to the 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

• Video #1/5
• Video #2/5
• Video #3/5
• Video #4 & 5/5

Los Texmaniacs at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Another excellent group of Texas entertainers that you do not want to miss at this year's 42nd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival are the Los Texmaniacs, from San Antionio, TX.

Max Baca, David Farias, Lorenzo Martinez and Israel Villanueva, a contemporary-sounding conjunto ensemble, Los Texmaniacs combine traditional instrumentation and repertoire, with blues, rock, R&B, and a dash of country. Leader Max Baca is a much-in-demand bajo sexto player whose music echoes that of his many genre-bending San Antonio mentors—legendary musicians like Doug Sahm, Augie Meyers, and Flaco Jimenez.

All of which can be accessed from my 42nd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival webpage, here is my Los Texmaniacs - 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival photoset and 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival photo collection.

The following are videos that I shot of Los Texmaniacs during my 25 June 2008 visit to the 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

• Video #1/6
• Video #2/6
• Video #3/6
• Video #4/6
• Video #5/6
• Video #6/6

Texas Johnny Brown at Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The first act that I had the pleasure of capturing on the Wednesday afternoon, 25 June 2008 during Opening Day of the 42nd Annual Smithsonian Folklfe Festival was Texas Johnny Brown and the Quality Blues Band who, upon my arrival was performing on the Opry House Stage's 2 - 3 pm set.

Though I'm seriously contemplating featuring my 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival to my recently launched ipernity account, for now, here is my Texas Johnny Brown & the Quality Blues Band photoset at Flickr.

And here are videos #1/2 and #2/2 that I shot of Texas Johnny Brown and the Quality Blues Band's 2 - 3pm set on the Opry House Stage.

Then too, though it has been one of ongoing projects since 1993 I am SERIOUSLY CONTEMPLATING NOT RETURNING TO THE 2008 SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL this year as a result the racism that I experience each and every time that white people see black men ...

As a 50 something black man who, over the years, practiced integration ... I'm sick and tired ...!

The Cicruit is Coming to NYC: Masterbeat World Tour hits New York This Friday at Splash - 27 June 2008

DC Cowboys on 'America's Got Talent' TONIGHT

Rebecca Armendariz of The Wash Blade Blog reports that TONIGHT's preview of 'America's Got Talent' new season will feature clips of the DC Cowboys audition session.

Though I have a few more images to upload to my DC Cowboys - Capital Pride Festival - Main Stage - 15 June 2008 photoset here are my four video projects of the DC Cowboys Dance Company's performance during the Capital Pride Festival:

• Video #1/3
• Video #2/3
• Video # 3/3
• Video Compilation (click image above)

Here are my 33rd Annual Capital Pride / WDC (2008) and GLBT Pride Seasons / 2008 documentary pages.

FUNKIN' IT UP at Baltimore's Pride Block Party

My third time for checking out the Baltimore Pride one of the artists that more than caught my attention at the Baltimore Pride 2008 Saturday Block Party was DJ Alex Funk. Who while spinnin' from the Dance Tent at the corner of Cathedral and Eager Streets managed to 'funk up' the crowd with unique mixes of gay anthems, old school soul, some rhythm and blues, a little rock and roll smashed against electronic techno.

Though I have a few more photos to upload of DJ Alex Funk performing at the 2008 Baltimore Pride here is video #1/2 and #2/2 of Alex funkin' up the crowd from the Dance Tent during Saturday's Block Party.

To learn more about DJ Alex Funk visit his website or myspace. Having just finished two busy weeks, in addition to regular appearances at Club Hippo, you can catch him at the Red Maple on Thursdays (gay boys and top 40 remix) and Fridays (international staight crowd and electro/latin/2step).

Click the above image to view my Alex Funk - Dance Tent - Block Party - Baltimore Pride - 21 June 2008 and Block Party - Baltimore Pride - 21 June 2008 photosets which are included in my 2008 Baltimore Pride photo collection.

Here are my 33rd Annual Baltimore Pride and 2008 GLBT Pride Season webpages.

Million DJ March / WDC . 28 - 30 August 2008

Sea Tea's Gay Pride Cruise: Sunday, 29 June 2008

While the summer 2008 Sea Tea's Maiden Voyage With Mateando sets sail tonight featuring DJ Robbie Leslie, there will be three Sea Tea Cruises over next weekend's NYC Pride Celebration.

Saturday, 28 June 2008's MUSCLE BEARS CRUSIE, co-hosted by Pual Skelson, featuring DJ Mark Cicero and apperances by Jonny Mack & RIck Gonzales. $25 in advance / $30 at the gate.

Sunday, 29 June 2008's CRUISE 1: GAY PRIDE CRUISE sailing on Queen of Hearts featuring DJ Robbie Leslie. Performance by Victoria Lace. $25 in advance / $30 at the gate.

Sunday, 29 June 2008's CRUISE 2: THE LATIN CRUISE, co-Hosted by Club Atlantis, sailing on The Star of Palm Beach, featuring DJ Eddie Cruz. $25 in advance / $30 at the gate. Advance Tickets for the Latin Cruise only available from Club Atlantis.