(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #72, April 24, 1998)
One of the other local gay publications has recently been running a feature in which they rummage through people's closets as a way of finding out more about them. (One of those closets belonged to Roger Gregg, Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998.) Now it's my turn—I'm going to take you on a guided tour of my leather closet, with shopping pointers along the way, to illustrate the broad range of places where it is possible to find additions to a fetish wardrobe.
Vests: My first vest came from Verducci Leather when they still operated retail stores; they currently have a store in Chanhassen that will be open for another few weeks, after which they will be wholesale-only. (Going out of business bargains, anyone?) This is a motorcycle-style vest with snap closures on the front, and it's the vest on which I have most of the run pins I've collected over the years. A second vest was purchased at the Minnesota State Fair (!); it's more formal, it's made of very soft leather and it even has lapels! The vest I seem to wear most often is my bar vest. For the uninitiated, it's called a bar vest because the front has no buttons or snaps; it's intended to be worn open, the better to show off the wearer's chest in a leather bar. Mine was made by Leather Etc. (local leatherwoman P.J. Knight's leatherwear business). You won't find bar vests at places like Wilson's or Tannery West.
Bodysuit: While we're on the subject of things you won't find at Wilson's, here's a black leather bodysuit that was made by North Bound Leathers of Canada. The top looks like a black-leather athletic shirt that is cut away in front to frame the chest; continuing down, the garment ends in a zippered pouch in front that tapers to a strap up the back (no buttock coverage here). I bought mine at the International Mr. Leather Contest's Leather Market and wore it onstage when I competed in the International Mr. Drummer contest; now I understand Back in Black Leather (Club Metro Underground, St. Paul) is selling these and other items by North Bound Leather.
Pants and chaps: I bought my leather jeans at Worn Out West, a must-shop store on Castro Street in San Francisco that sells new and used leather, latex, uniforms, western, and other fetishwear. My chaps came from Mr. S. Leathers, another San Francisco leather-fetish emporium which also is a dealer for Wolf Production's locally-made heavy-duty bondage equipment.
Motorcycle jackets: Motorcycle wear by domestic manufacturers like Schott and German manufacturers such as Hein-Gericke are available new at area cycle shops. Don't overlook area Harley-Davidson dealers—the quality of their cycle wear is high, and when they have a sale the markdowns are substantial. I bought a leather shirt, belt and gloves at their store in Savage.
Motorcycle leathers are also available used at several stores in the Uptown area: Tatters (2928 Lyndale Ave. S), The Corner Store (900 W. Lake St.), and Just Broken In (3032 Hennepin Ave.). At these stores you can find jackets, vests, cycle pants, chaps, and even boots, western wear, and uniforms. And there's always Ragstock.
So where did I buy my leather motorcycle jackets? None of the above. The German one came from an estate sale, and both my black leather motorcycle jacket and my long leather trench coat came from a little cycle shop called Dayton's.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons Bar Night in Chicago
Saturday, April 25, in The Pit at The Chicago Eagle
Call for more information.
Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Weekend
Thursday-Sunday, May 7-10, various locations
It's not just a contest. It's a weekend-long party, with special bonuses for weekend-pass holders. Here's what's planned as of this writing:
• Thursday night's Kick-Off Party is at Club Metro Underground (St. Paul) from 9 pm to close.
• Friday's Motorcoach Bar Crawl starts at 7 pm at the Minnesota Bar & Grill, visits five local gay bars and ends at a Meet & Greet Reception back at the Minnesota Bar & Grill. The Meet & Greet is open to everyone, but the Motorcoach Crawl is exclusively for the first 50 people who buy weekend ticket packages. After the reception will be a private play party for weekend-pass holders only.
• Saturday's activities are at the Club Metro Underground and start with a vendor fair/cocktail/SM demonstration party at 7 pm, leading into the contest at 9 pm (show producer Michael deLeon promises an entertaining evening) followed by a wind-down party after the contest. Topping it all off after the bar closes is another private play party for weekend-pass holders only.
• Sunday evening's Victory Party will be held at The Tank (at The Saloon) from 7-9 pm.
Weekend packages are $45 and include a souvenir T-shirt in addition to all the events listed above. All events except the Motorcoach Crawl and Friday and Saturday night play parties are available on an individual basis. Call Wolf Productions for weekend packages, single events or if you want to compete. The winner will represent Minnesota in the International Mr. Fantasy Contest in Omaha, August 14-16.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Sunday, May 17: Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 Roger Gregg and The Tank present the IML Kick-Off Party, 6-10 pm at The Tank. Food, drink specials, IML weekend package giveaway (not including hotel).
May 21-25: International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago. Up-to-the-minute details at www.imrl.com.
May 29-31, 1998: The Knights of Leather present Knights Tournament 10, a tenth-anniversary celebration that even includes a Birthday Party. Bring a new participant and receive a 10% discount on your application fee. For more information or an application write Knights of Leather, Minneapolis, MN or e-mail SSCKOL@aol.com.
Friday, April 24, 1998
Friday, April 10, 1998
Leather/SM and Drug Usage
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #75, April 10, 1998)
The leather/SM experience, for many people, includes the use of drugs. Alcohol is the most obvious because it's legal; some members of the community also use illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and crystal. Some people would add poppers to this list; others don't consider them drugs. And very few would add steroids to this list, since no one takes steroids to get high. Yet the fact remains that steroids are illicit substances that are used (and sometimes abused) for often questionable reasons and often with undesirable side effects.
Before I continue, a disclaimer: I am NOT speaking from experience here. My firsthand experience with drugs has been almost nonexistent. I drink only occasionally; poppers give me a headache, so I avoid them. I've never even experimented with any other drugs. But lest you think I sound too much like Nancy "Just Say No" Reagan, let me say that the message of this column is NOT that drug use is always bad, and it is NOT that no one should ever use them. I would urge, instead, responsible usage. I simply and respectfully ask that you consider these points about drugs and their relation to leather/SM sex and the community:
• There is nothing magical about leather or SM that makes drugs more acceptable or less potentially damaging or addictive than they would be in any other setting.
• Remember "Safe, Sane, Consensual" applies to drugs. Playing under the influence of excessive drug usage is neither safe nor sane. Drug usage can impair judgment; as a result of that impaired judgment an SM scene may go too far, resulting in someone getting hurt.
• Tops/Daddies/Masters: You are responsible for your own drug use, but you are responsible for your bottom's/boy's/slave's drug use as well. If you give them any substance as part of a scene, you are responsible for knowing exactly what it is, how to use it, and how much of it to give. Any substance use during a scene must be by the consent of all parties involved.
• Bottoms/boys/slaves: You are responsible for your own drug use. You have the right to say no to anything in a scene which makes you uncomfortable, including drugs. If you choose to use drugs before or during a scene, it should be with the consent of your Top/Daddy/Master. At the very least, if you are using a substance, your Top/Daddy/Master needs to know about it for the sake of your safety and his.
• Leather/SM sex is not a competitive event. The use of drugs to allow yourself to "take more punishment," thereby impressing your Top or the crowd around you, is misguided. This isn't the Olympics; no one is keeping score. You won't impress other people, and you run the risk of being injured by trying to take more than your body can stand.
• The Leather/SM community values authenticity and reality; drugs are artificial. Whether it's the artifice of a steroid-bulked body, or the ephemeral high of crack, drug usage can represent either a counterfeit experience or a retreat from reality. The genuine high that comes from a chemical-free SM experience is something that is at best only dimly approached by chemical substitutes; at worst the chemicals interfere with the SM high and degrade it. SM is about being in tune and connected with your body, and savoring every sensation that the SM experience provides. Drugs can get in the way—they can put you out of touch with what's really happening and substitute their own sensations. One common-sense way to evaluate drug usage in connection with leather/SM sex is this: Do the drugs enhance the experience? Or do they detract from it? Are they a substitute for the real thing?
• If you think you might have a drug problem, you owe it to yourself to deal with it. If you need help, get it; many kinds of help are available. One community resource for questions about chemical use in leather/SM situations is Sober Leather, Minneapolis, MN.
Upcoming Leather Events
(Note: Due to a clerical error, last issue's calendar gave incorrect dates for the Minnesota Drummer contest weekend. Correct dates are listed below. We regret the error.)
Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Trash II Party
Friday, April 17, 9 pm-close, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
Meet the contestants and judges at this Leather/Sweat dance party. Also featuring a 50/50 raffle and a balloon break ($1/balloon wins whatever prize is inside). $5 at the door includes first drink free.
Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Contest
Saturday, April 18, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
Doors open at 7 pm, contest starts at approximately 8:15 pm
Come see all the action as a panel of judges (including current International Mr. Drummer Jeff Adler) choose Minnesota's next Drummer titleholders. Admission is $15, or $10 if ticket is purchased at the Friday night Trash II party. (Members of Sober Leather, the Black Guard, and the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle are assisting in the production of this weekend's events.) If you want to compete contact Colin.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Saturday, April 25: Travel to Chicago with the Atons for a fun night in The Pit (at the Chicago Eagle). Call for more info.
Friday-Saturday, May 8-9: Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Contest. If you want to compete contact Dale.
May 21-25: International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago. Up-to-the-minute details at www.imrl.com.
May 29-31, 1998: The Knights of Leather present Knights Tournament 10, a tenth-anniversary celebration that even includes a Birthday Party. Bring a new participant and receive a 10% discount on your application fee. For more information or an application write Knights of Leather, Minneapolis, MNor e-mail SSCKOL@aol.com.
The leather/SM experience, for many people, includes the use of drugs. Alcohol is the most obvious because it's legal; some members of the community also use illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and crystal. Some people would add poppers to this list; others don't consider them drugs. And very few would add steroids to this list, since no one takes steroids to get high. Yet the fact remains that steroids are illicit substances that are used (and sometimes abused) for often questionable reasons and often with undesirable side effects.
Before I continue, a disclaimer: I am NOT speaking from experience here. My firsthand experience with drugs has been almost nonexistent. I drink only occasionally; poppers give me a headache, so I avoid them. I've never even experimented with any other drugs. But lest you think I sound too much like Nancy "Just Say No" Reagan, let me say that the message of this column is NOT that drug use is always bad, and it is NOT that no one should ever use them. I would urge, instead, responsible usage. I simply and respectfully ask that you consider these points about drugs and their relation to leather/SM sex and the community:
• There is nothing magical about leather or SM that makes drugs more acceptable or less potentially damaging or addictive than they would be in any other setting.
• Remember "Safe, Sane, Consensual" applies to drugs. Playing under the influence of excessive drug usage is neither safe nor sane. Drug usage can impair judgment; as a result of that impaired judgment an SM scene may go too far, resulting in someone getting hurt.
• Tops/Daddies/Masters: You are responsible for your own drug use, but you are responsible for your bottom's/boy's/slave's drug use as well. If you give them any substance as part of a scene, you are responsible for knowing exactly what it is, how to use it, and how much of it to give. Any substance use during a scene must be by the consent of all parties involved.
• Bottoms/boys/slaves: You are responsible for your own drug use. You have the right to say no to anything in a scene which makes you uncomfortable, including drugs. If you choose to use drugs before or during a scene, it should be with the consent of your Top/Daddy/Master. At the very least, if you are using a substance, your Top/Daddy/Master needs to know about it for the sake of your safety and his.
• Leather/SM sex is not a competitive event. The use of drugs to allow yourself to "take more punishment," thereby impressing your Top or the crowd around you, is misguided. This isn't the Olympics; no one is keeping score. You won't impress other people, and you run the risk of being injured by trying to take more than your body can stand.
• The Leather/SM community values authenticity and reality; drugs are artificial. Whether it's the artifice of a steroid-bulked body, or the ephemeral high of crack, drug usage can represent either a counterfeit experience or a retreat from reality. The genuine high that comes from a chemical-free SM experience is something that is at best only dimly approached by chemical substitutes; at worst the chemicals interfere with the SM high and degrade it. SM is about being in tune and connected with your body, and savoring every sensation that the SM experience provides. Drugs can get in the way—they can put you out of touch with what's really happening and substitute their own sensations. One common-sense way to evaluate drug usage in connection with leather/SM sex is this: Do the drugs enhance the experience? Or do they detract from it? Are they a substitute for the real thing?
• If you think you might have a drug problem, you owe it to yourself to deal with it. If you need help, get it; many kinds of help are available. One community resource for questions about chemical use in leather/SM situations is Sober Leather, Minneapolis, MN.
Upcoming Leather Events
(Note: Due to a clerical error, last issue's calendar gave incorrect dates for the Minnesota Drummer contest weekend. Correct dates are listed below. We regret the error.)
Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Trash II Party
Friday, April 17, 9 pm-close, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
Meet the contestants and judges at this Leather/Sweat dance party. Also featuring a 50/50 raffle and a balloon break ($1/balloon wins whatever prize is inside). $5 at the door includes first drink free.
Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Contest
Saturday, April 18, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
Doors open at 7 pm, contest starts at approximately 8:15 pm
Come see all the action as a panel of judges (including current International Mr. Drummer Jeff Adler) choose Minnesota's next Drummer titleholders. Admission is $15, or $10 if ticket is purchased at the Friday night Trash II party. (Members of Sober Leather, the Black Guard, and the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle are assisting in the production of this weekend's events.) If you want to compete contact Colin.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Saturday, April 25: Travel to Chicago with the Atons for a fun night in The Pit (at the Chicago Eagle). Call for more info.
Friday-Saturday, May 8-9: Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Contest. If you want to compete contact Dale.
May 21-25: International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago. Up-to-the-minute details at www.imrl.com.
May 29-31, 1998: The Knights of Leather present Knights Tournament 10, a tenth-anniversary celebration that even includes a Birthday Party. Bring a new participant and receive a 10% discount on your application fee. For more information or an application write Knights of Leather, Minneapolis, MNor e-mail SSCKOL@aol.com.
Friday, March 27, 1998
“John the Baptist Wore Leather”—Group Explores Leather and Christianity
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #74, March 27, 1998)
Are you looking for new places to wear your leather? Do you want to meet new people, but you don’t like the bar scene? Here’s an idea for you: go to church.
A Christian leather group has been meeting for about a year at All God’s Children Metropolitan Community Church (3100 Park Ave. S., Minneapolis). While the combination of leather and Christianity may sound bizarre to some, it makes perfect sense to others. Members of this group are quick to point out, for example, that the Bible is quite explicit about the fact that John the Baptist wore leather. According to Matthew 3:4, New International Version: “John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.” (The Revised Standard Version calls it a “leather girdle.” Whatever.) John lived and preached in the wilderness, and his food was “locusts and wild honey.” Nobody back then quite knew what to make of him.
In many churches today, nobody quite knows what to make of us leatherfolk, either. The Reverend Troy Perry, a modern-day Martin Luther if ever there was one, is the founder of the Christian denomination known as the Metropolitan Community Church. He has written about the early days of his church in San Francisco (the church was started in 1968)—specifically one Sunday morning when four leathermen showed up for worship services. Murmurs went through the congregation about “those people,” and Perry himself was a little unsure how to handle the situation. Were these people Hell’s Angels? Were they dangerous? They certainly looked like they could be. But after the service they sought him out and spoke to him, and he was surprised and pleased to find that they were kind, gentle, intelligent people. (Rev. Perry has since become a proud leatherman himself.)
Since that time, Metropolitan Community Churches have sprung up in cities across the country, and many of those churches have members from the leather/SM community. The Minneapolis MCC leather group meets Wednesdays at 7 pm; they also have occasional social times on Friday or Saturday nights. The first Wednesday of every month is Leather Cleaning Night: everyone brings their leather, throws it on the table, and cleans and polishes while they talk. According to one member, “You have to clean it sometime, you might as well do it with friends.”
The group is Christian but is open to all spiritual orientations; the substance of the group is what its members bring to it, and anyone wanting to explore the relationship between leather, sexuality and spirituality might find something of value here, regardless of their religious orientation (or lack thereof). For further information, call the church.
Contestants, performers and production personnel wanted for Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest
Contestant qualifications: Must be a resident of Minnesota, a woman 21 years or older, friendly, gracious, knowledgeable in leather, and ready to work equally with the men’s and women’s communities. Eager to educate, support, and listen to newcomers entering the leather scene locally, nationally, and abroad. Must possess strong leadership skills and the ability to organize and speak in public forums. You must be financially capable of supporting the expenses attached to holding this title.
Performer qualifications: Searching for three males and three females to perform in two scenes at the contest. Need dancers strong enough to lift or petite enough to be lifted. Must be SM-oriented and willing to do scenes on stage. Deadline for auditions will be April 4, 1998. Also searching for others wishing to assist with contest production.
For further information, contact W.I.L.L.O.W. Productions.
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 presents “The Blue Party”
Saturday, March 28—advance ticket sales only.
At this writing tickets are still available; call for more information.
The Tank One-Year Anniversary Party
Sunday, March 29, 6-10 pm, The Saloon (Tank doors open at 9 pm)
In one short year The Tank has become a Sunday night institution, so come celebrate “One Year of Hard Times.” Twin Cities leather clubs will be represented and Falcon Studios leather stud Steve Pierce will make an appearance. Free food, $5.00 optional cover for beer bust.
Leather Pride Celebration Planning Committee Meeting
Wednesday, April 1—Call for meeting time and location
Do you have a great idea for this summer’s Twin Cities Leather Pride Celebration? Or do you want to volunteer your time to help make it happen? All interested parties are invited to attend.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
April and May are going to be busy months, and you really will need to Mark Your Calendar if you want to keep track of everything that’s happening. Here’s what’s currently scheduled:
Friday-Saturday, April 10-11: Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Contest. If you want to compete contact Colin.
Saturday, April 18: Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest. See call for contestants and performers elsewhere in this column.
Saturday, April 25: Travel to Chicago with the Atons for a fun night in The Pit (at the Chicago Eagle). Call for more info.
Friday-Saturday, May 8-9: Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Contest. If you want to compete contact Dale.
May 21-25: International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago. Up-to-the-minute details at www.imrl.com.
May 29-31, 1998: The Knights of Leather present Knights Tournament 10, a tenth-anniversary celebration that even includes a Birthday Party. Bring a new participant and receive a 10% discount on your application fee. For more information or an application write Knights of Leather, Minneapolis, MN or e-mail SSCKOL@aol.com.
Are you looking for new places to wear your leather? Do you want to meet new people, but you don’t like the bar scene? Here’s an idea for you: go to church.
A Christian leather group has been meeting for about a year at All God’s Children Metropolitan Community Church (3100 Park Ave. S., Minneapolis). While the combination of leather and Christianity may sound bizarre to some, it makes perfect sense to others. Members of this group are quick to point out, for example, that the Bible is quite explicit about the fact that John the Baptist wore leather. According to Matthew 3:4, New International Version: “John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.” (The Revised Standard Version calls it a “leather girdle.” Whatever.) John lived and preached in the wilderness, and his food was “locusts and wild honey.” Nobody back then quite knew what to make of him.
In many churches today, nobody quite knows what to make of us leatherfolk, either. The Reverend Troy Perry, a modern-day Martin Luther if ever there was one, is the founder of the Christian denomination known as the Metropolitan Community Church. He has written about the early days of his church in San Francisco (the church was started in 1968)—specifically one Sunday morning when four leathermen showed up for worship services. Murmurs went through the congregation about “those people,” and Perry himself was a little unsure how to handle the situation. Were these people Hell’s Angels? Were they dangerous? They certainly looked like they could be. But after the service they sought him out and spoke to him, and he was surprised and pleased to find that they were kind, gentle, intelligent people. (Rev. Perry has since become a proud leatherman himself.)
Since that time, Metropolitan Community Churches have sprung up in cities across the country, and many of those churches have members from the leather/SM community. The Minneapolis MCC leather group meets Wednesdays at 7 pm; they also have occasional social times on Friday or Saturday nights. The first Wednesday of every month is Leather Cleaning Night: everyone brings their leather, throws it on the table, and cleans and polishes while they talk. According to one member, “You have to clean it sometime, you might as well do it with friends.”
The group is Christian but is open to all spiritual orientations; the substance of the group is what its members bring to it, and anyone wanting to explore the relationship between leather, sexuality and spirituality might find something of value here, regardless of their religious orientation (or lack thereof). For further information, call the church.
Contestants, performers and production personnel wanted for Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest
Contestant qualifications: Must be a resident of Minnesota, a woman 21 years or older, friendly, gracious, knowledgeable in leather, and ready to work equally with the men’s and women’s communities. Eager to educate, support, and listen to newcomers entering the leather scene locally, nationally, and abroad. Must possess strong leadership skills and the ability to organize and speak in public forums. You must be financially capable of supporting the expenses attached to holding this title.
Performer qualifications: Searching for three males and three females to perform in two scenes at the contest. Need dancers strong enough to lift or petite enough to be lifted. Must be SM-oriented and willing to do scenes on stage. Deadline for auditions will be April 4, 1998. Also searching for others wishing to assist with contest production.
For further information, contact W.I.L.L.O.W. Productions.
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 presents “The Blue Party”
Saturday, March 28—advance ticket sales only.
At this writing tickets are still available; call for more information.
The Tank One-Year Anniversary Party
Sunday, March 29, 6-10 pm, The Saloon (Tank doors open at 9 pm)
In one short year The Tank has become a Sunday night institution, so come celebrate “One Year of Hard Times.” Twin Cities leather clubs will be represented and Falcon Studios leather stud Steve Pierce will make an appearance. Free food, $5.00 optional cover for beer bust.
Leather Pride Celebration Planning Committee Meeting
Wednesday, April 1—Call for meeting time and location
Do you have a great idea for this summer’s Twin Cities Leather Pride Celebration? Or do you want to volunteer your time to help make it happen? All interested parties are invited to attend.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
April and May are going to be busy months, and you really will need to Mark Your Calendar if you want to keep track of everything that’s happening. Here’s what’s currently scheduled:
Friday-Saturday, April 10-11: Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Contest. If you want to compete contact Colin.
Saturday, April 18: Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest. See call for contestants and performers elsewhere in this column.
Saturday, April 25: Travel to Chicago with the Atons for a fun night in The Pit (at the Chicago Eagle). Call for more info.
Friday-Saturday, May 8-9: Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Contest. If you want to compete contact Dale.
May 21-25: International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago. Up-to-the-minute details at www.imrl.com.
May 29-31, 1998: The Knights of Leather present Knights Tournament 10, a tenth-anniversary celebration that even includes a Birthday Party. Bring a new participant and receive a 10% discount on your application fee. For more information or an application write Knights of Leather, Minneapolis, MN or e-mail SSCKOL@aol.com.
Friday, March 13, 1998
(UN)LEASHED Open House Opens Minds
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #73, March 13, 1998)
Allow me to introduce you to (UN)LEASHED, a relatively new part of the Twin Cities leather community. I quote verbatim from one of their flyers:
“(UN)LEASHED is a loosely organized social, educational, and play group for women and transpeople who are into leather, BDSM, and other forms of kink/erotic expression/power play. We welcome all sexual orientations and relationship models. Monthly meetings are open to women and transpeople only; some play parties may be open to ‘bio-boys’ as well. • Second Sundays, 5-9 p.m. (potluck, business, demo/discussion, optional play). • Upcoming topics: March-Role Play; April-Fisting/Penetration; May-Impact Play; June-Mummification/Predicament Bondage. Safe, sane and consensual (including polyamory, where applicable) • Smoke-free, alcohol in moderation only. Please no perfume, cologne, hairspray, or other scented products (some of our members are violently allergic to this stuff).”
(UN)LEASHED is a group unlike any other in the area. They are not so much a club as a loosely-organized social network. The group currently has a contact list of about 30; on average, about a dozen people show up for monthly meetings. Diane Marshall, one of their founding members, articulated their goals: “outreach, visibility, access.”
Group members held an open house on a recent Sunday evening. I planned to drop in, talk to some people to get material for a column, and stay about an hour. As it turned out, I stayed for over two hours, talking constantly, and took enough notes for a small doctoral thesis. It was a fascinating, mind-expanding evening for this particular “bio-boy.” I was somewhat dismayed to find that there were so few leathermen in attendance, however. I am encouraging (UN)LEASHED to have another open house soon; if and when they do, I encourage all members of the male leather community to attend and show support for this group and these community members. (And you might even leave the open house with some newfound attitude changes.)
“Red Party” Dazzles
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 Roger Gregg outdid himself with the Red Party, the first in a series of fundraising events. Gregg, assisted by a staff of hard-working boys, presented a lavishly leathery evening of food, entertainment and surprises the likes of which these towns have never before experienced. His next one, the Blue Party, happens Saturday, March 28; Gregg promises it will be “equally as spectacular, yet totally different.” Admission will be by advance ticket sale only; more details are forthcoming on flyers which should be circulating shortly.
New! Minnesota Leather Website
Recently-sashed Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Renee Indehar is the webmistress of the newly-created Minnesota Leather Website. Point your browser to www.mnleather.org and check it out.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons Installation Banquet
Sunday, March 15, 6-10 pm, Twin City Grill at Mall of America
Cocktails at 6, dinner at 7. The Atons’ new slate of officers will be formally installed. Admission is $35 and advance reservations are required. For further information: e-mail to atonsmpls@aol.com; or visit the website at www.starbase21.com/ATONS/. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 presents “The Blue Party”
Saturday, March 28-advance ticket sales only
See story above for more information.
The Tank One-Year Anniversary Party
Sunday, March 29, 6-10 pm, The Saloon (Tank doors open at 9 pm)
In one short year The Tank has become a Sunday night institution, so come celebrate “One Year of Hard Times.” Twin Cities leather clubs will be represented and Falcon Studios leather stud Steve Pierce will make an appearance. Free food, $5.00 optional cover for beer bust.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Wednesday, April 1: Do you have a great idea for this summer’s Twin Cities Leather Pride Celebration? Or do you want to volunteer your time to help make it happen? All interested parties are invited to the next meeting of the Leather Pride Celebration planning committee. Call for meeting time and location.
Saturday, April 25: Travel to Chicago with the Atons for a fun night in The Pit (at the Chicago Eagle). Call for more info.
May 29-31, 1998: The Knights of Leather present Knights Tournament 10, a tenth-anniversary celebration that even includes a Birthday Party. Bring a new participant and receive a 10% discount on your application fee. Or get early sign-up prices if you register before March 23, 1998. For more information or an application write Knights of Leather, Minneapolis, MN or e-mail SSCKOL@aol.com.
Allow me to introduce you to (UN)LEASHED, a relatively new part of the Twin Cities leather community. I quote verbatim from one of their flyers:
“(UN)LEASHED is a loosely organized social, educational, and play group for women and transpeople who are into leather, BDSM, and other forms of kink/erotic expression/power play. We welcome all sexual orientations and relationship models. Monthly meetings are open to women and transpeople only; some play parties may be open to ‘bio-boys’ as well. • Second Sundays, 5-9 p.m. (potluck, business, demo/discussion, optional play). • Upcoming topics: March-Role Play; April-Fisting/Penetration; May-Impact Play; June-Mummification/Predicament Bondage. Safe, sane and consensual (including polyamory, where applicable) • Smoke-free, alcohol in moderation only. Please no perfume, cologne, hairspray, or other scented products (some of our members are violently allergic to this stuff).”
(UN)LEASHED is a group unlike any other in the area. They are not so much a club as a loosely-organized social network. The group currently has a contact list of about 30; on average, about a dozen people show up for monthly meetings. Diane Marshall, one of their founding members, articulated their goals: “outreach, visibility, access.”
Group members held an open house on a recent Sunday evening. I planned to drop in, talk to some people to get material for a column, and stay about an hour. As it turned out, I stayed for over two hours, talking constantly, and took enough notes for a small doctoral thesis. It was a fascinating, mind-expanding evening for this particular “bio-boy.” I was somewhat dismayed to find that there were so few leathermen in attendance, however. I am encouraging (UN)LEASHED to have another open house soon; if and when they do, I encourage all members of the male leather community to attend and show support for this group and these community members. (And you might even leave the open house with some newfound attitude changes.)
“Red Party” Dazzles
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 Roger Gregg outdid himself with the Red Party, the first in a series of fundraising events. Gregg, assisted by a staff of hard-working boys, presented a lavishly leathery evening of food, entertainment and surprises the likes of which these towns have never before experienced. His next one, the Blue Party, happens Saturday, March 28; Gregg promises it will be “equally as spectacular, yet totally different.” Admission will be by advance ticket sale only; more details are forthcoming on flyers which should be circulating shortly.
New! Minnesota Leather Website
Recently-sashed Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Renee Indehar is the webmistress of the newly-created Minnesota Leather Website. Point your browser to www.mnleather.org and check it out.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons Installation Banquet
Sunday, March 15, 6-10 pm, Twin City Grill at Mall of America
Cocktails at 6, dinner at 7. The Atons’ new slate of officers will be formally installed. Admission is $35 and advance reservations are required. For further information: e-mail to atonsmpls@aol.com; or visit the website at www.starbase21.com/ATONS/. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 presents “The Blue Party”
Saturday, March 28-advance ticket sales only
See story above for more information.
The Tank One-Year Anniversary Party
Sunday, March 29, 6-10 pm, The Saloon (Tank doors open at 9 pm)
In one short year The Tank has become a Sunday night institution, so come celebrate “One Year of Hard Times.” Twin Cities leather clubs will be represented and Falcon Studios leather stud Steve Pierce will make an appearance. Free food, $5.00 optional cover for beer bust.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Wednesday, April 1: Do you have a great idea for this summer’s Twin Cities Leather Pride Celebration? Or do you want to volunteer your time to help make it happen? All interested parties are invited to the next meeting of the Leather Pride Celebration planning committee. Call for meeting time and location.
Saturday, April 25: Travel to Chicago with the Atons for a fun night in The Pit (at the Chicago Eagle). Call for more info.
May 29-31, 1998: The Knights of Leather present Knights Tournament 10, a tenth-anniversary celebration that even includes a Birthday Party. Bring a new participant and receive a 10% discount on your application fee. Or get early sign-up prices if you register before March 23, 1998. For more information or an application write Knights of Leather, Minneapolis, MN or e-mail SSCKOL@aol.com.
Friday, February 27, 1998
Black Frost and Olympus (and Other Leather News)
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #72, February 27, 1998)
Black Guard holds Black Frost 21
The Black Guard’s recent Black Frost run, their 21st, attracted out-of-towners (about 60 people were staying at the host hotel) and locals for midwinter leather-flavored fun and games. Saturday night’s banquet, held in the back room of Tropix, was as tasteful as the classical-piano-and-string-quartet chamber music which accompanied it. A wide variety of food, well-prepared and attractively presented, was served buffet-style.
After dinner the crowd moved to the front room, where the show was presented in-the-round. Directed by Black Guard member Carl Gscheidmeier, the show was fast-paced and entertaining throughout. It’s no surprise that Gscheidmeier knows how to put on a great show—he has had a long and illustrious career as female impersonator Allison Brooks, who appeared in several segments of the show and was as stunning as ever. Also stunning was Black Guard member Ursus Torrente, who dazzled the crowd with some breathtaking high-energy dance moves.
Unfortunately, the show ran long and at 9 pm reality intruded on the fun—the front part of Tropix had to be vacated. The last two numbers of the show had to be cut, and the crowd moved to the back room again for the finale (and one of the Black Guard’s oldest traditions): the singing of ABBA’s “The Way Old Friends Do.”
After a Sunday afternoon wind-down gathering at the Brass Rail came the Sunday night Post-Wind-Down party at the Club Metro Underground in St. Paul. That evening, emcee Colin Spriestersbach announced from the stage that because of the generosity of run participants, the community and many behind-the-scenes sponsors, The Black Guard (in the last calendar year) had raised over $12,500 for local charities, including Every Penny Counts, Agape Home, Minnesota AIDS Project, Open Arms, and others.
Meanwhile, in New Orleans . . .
The same weekend that Black Frost 21 was held (February 13-15) was also the weekend of Pantheon of Leather and the Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Contest finals in New Orleans. Minnesota had quite a presence there. The Atons were nominated for both Club of the Year and Event of the Year (for last autumn’s twenty-fifth-anniversary run). And for the first time, Minnesota sent contestants (B.D. Chambers and Renee Indehar) to the Olympus Leather Contest. Kay Hallanger, who was recently in the Twin Cities to emcee the Mr./Ms. Minnesota Olympus of Leather Contest, was there and sent me the following e-mail about the event:
“Contest was held on Sunday at Le Petite Theatre in the French Quarter. Three female and four male contestants. Female winner was Katherine, Ms. Georgia Olympus Leather; Renee was first runner up. Male winner was Charles Garrett, Mr. Florida Olympus Leather; first runner up was Paul Edenfield, Mr. Georgia Olympus Leather. Renee and B.D. did very well in answering their on-stage questions. Renee's question asked who was her leather role model and she gave kudos to Heartless. The competition was the strongest that I have seen of any of the Olympus contests. The Minnesota contestants were very well received throughout the weekend. Your community had great representation. Alan made a very generous contribution to the Pantheon cause, which was deeply appreciated by Dave Rhodes [contest/event sponsor and publisher of The Leather Journal] and the audience.” Thanks, Kay, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
New Club Officers Announced
Black Guard, installed at Black Frost 21: President, Michael Delorme; Vice President, Steve Katz; Secretary, Scott McKenzie; Treasurer, Carl Gscheidmeier.
Atons, to be installed at Installation Banquet March 15 (see event listing): President, B.D. Chambers; Vice President, Darren Holt; Secretary, Archer Madsen; Treasurer, Brian Spence.
Leather Community to Lead This Summer’s Pride Parade
Minnesota Leather Productions, producers of the Mr. Minnesota Leather and Mr. Minnesota Drummer contests, has signed on as sponsor for this year’s Twin Cities GLBT Pride Parade. They therefore receive the privilege of having the first marching spot, and they invite all leather organizations in Minnesota to join them in leading the parade. Plans also include a twenty-foot-tall float as well as the largest leather pride flag known to be constructed anywhere. Stay tuned—more details will be forthcoming.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons present Ace In The Hole
Sunday, March 1, 6-10 pm, The Saloon
An event to spark interest in the Atons’ next run, billed as “Gopher Broke, Lucky XIII” and happening July 17-19. Free food 6-8 pm, 75-cent beer and sodas, other drink specials. $5 at the door.
Atons Installation Banquet
Sunday, March 15, 6-10 pm, Twin City Grill at Mall of America
Cocktails at 6, dinner at 7. The new officers mentioned above will be formally installed. Admission is $35 and advance reservations are required. For further information: e-mail to atonsmpls@aol.com; or visit the website at www.starbase21.com/ATONS/. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Sunday, March 29: The Tank at The Saloon is holding a “One Year of Hard Times” Anniversary Party. Twin Cities leather clubs will be represented and Falcon Studios leather stud Steve Pierce will make an appearance. Event happens 6-10 pm in the disco, Tank doors open at 9. Free food, $5.00 optional cover for beer bust. If you enjoyed the recent Big Red Party, you’ll want to be there.
Black Guard holds Black Frost 21
The Black Guard’s recent Black Frost run, their 21st, attracted out-of-towners (about 60 people were staying at the host hotel) and locals for midwinter leather-flavored fun and games. Saturday night’s banquet, held in the back room of Tropix, was as tasteful as the classical-piano-and-string-quartet chamber music which accompanied it. A wide variety of food, well-prepared and attractively presented, was served buffet-style.
After dinner the crowd moved to the front room, where the show was presented in-the-round. Directed by Black Guard member Carl Gscheidmeier, the show was fast-paced and entertaining throughout. It’s no surprise that Gscheidmeier knows how to put on a great show—he has had a long and illustrious career as female impersonator Allison Brooks, who appeared in several segments of the show and was as stunning as ever. Also stunning was Black Guard member Ursus Torrente, who dazzled the crowd with some breathtaking high-energy dance moves.
Unfortunately, the show ran long and at 9 pm reality intruded on the fun—the front part of Tropix had to be vacated. The last two numbers of the show had to be cut, and the crowd moved to the back room again for the finale (and one of the Black Guard’s oldest traditions): the singing of ABBA’s “The Way Old Friends Do.”
After a Sunday afternoon wind-down gathering at the Brass Rail came the Sunday night Post-Wind-Down party at the Club Metro Underground in St. Paul. That evening, emcee Colin Spriestersbach announced from the stage that because of the generosity of run participants, the community and many behind-the-scenes sponsors, The Black Guard (in the last calendar year) had raised over $12,500 for local charities, including Every Penny Counts, Agape Home, Minnesota AIDS Project, Open Arms, and others.
Meanwhile, in New Orleans . . .
The same weekend that Black Frost 21 was held (February 13-15) was also the weekend of Pantheon of Leather and the Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Contest finals in New Orleans. Minnesota had quite a presence there. The Atons were nominated for both Club of the Year and Event of the Year (for last autumn’s twenty-fifth-anniversary run). And for the first time, Minnesota sent contestants (B.D. Chambers and Renee Indehar) to the Olympus Leather Contest. Kay Hallanger, who was recently in the Twin Cities to emcee the Mr./Ms. Minnesota Olympus of Leather Contest, was there and sent me the following e-mail about the event:
“Contest was held on Sunday at Le Petite Theatre in the French Quarter. Three female and four male contestants. Female winner was Katherine, Ms. Georgia Olympus Leather; Renee was first runner up. Male winner was Charles Garrett, Mr. Florida Olympus Leather; first runner up was Paul Edenfield, Mr. Georgia Olympus Leather. Renee and B.D. did very well in answering their on-stage questions. Renee's question asked who was her leather role model and she gave kudos to Heartless. The competition was the strongest that I have seen of any of the Olympus contests. The Minnesota contestants were very well received throughout the weekend. Your community had great representation. Alan made a very generous contribution to the Pantheon cause, which was deeply appreciated by Dave Rhodes [contest/event sponsor and publisher of The Leather Journal] and the audience.” Thanks, Kay, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
New Club Officers Announced
Black Guard, installed at Black Frost 21: President, Michael Delorme; Vice President, Steve Katz; Secretary, Scott McKenzie; Treasurer, Carl Gscheidmeier.
Atons, to be installed at Installation Banquet March 15 (see event listing): President, B.D. Chambers; Vice President, Darren Holt; Secretary, Archer Madsen; Treasurer, Brian Spence.
Leather Community to Lead This Summer’s Pride Parade
Minnesota Leather Productions, producers of the Mr. Minnesota Leather and Mr. Minnesota Drummer contests, has signed on as sponsor for this year’s Twin Cities GLBT Pride Parade. They therefore receive the privilege of having the first marching spot, and they invite all leather organizations in Minnesota to join them in leading the parade. Plans also include a twenty-foot-tall float as well as the largest leather pride flag known to be constructed anywhere. Stay tuned—more details will be forthcoming.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons present Ace In The Hole
Sunday, March 1, 6-10 pm, The Saloon
An event to spark interest in the Atons’ next run, billed as “Gopher Broke, Lucky XIII” and happening July 17-19. Free food 6-8 pm, 75-cent beer and sodas, other drink specials. $5 at the door.
Atons Installation Banquet
Sunday, March 15, 6-10 pm, Twin City Grill at Mall of America
Cocktails at 6, dinner at 7. The new officers mentioned above will be formally installed. Admission is $35 and advance reservations are required. For further information: e-mail to atonsmpls@aol.com; or visit the website at www.starbase21.com/ATONS/. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Sunday, March 29: The Tank at The Saloon is holding a “One Year of Hard Times” Anniversary Party. Twin Cities leather clubs will be represented and Falcon Studios leather stud Steve Pierce will make an appearance. Event happens 6-10 pm in the disco, Tank doors open at 9. Free food, $5.00 optional cover for beer bust. If you enjoyed the recent Big Red Party, you’ll want to be there.
Friday, February 13, 1998
Minnesota Olympus of Leather Contest Debuts
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Friday, January 30, 1998
Look, Ma, I’m Fashionable! Leather/SM Goes Mainstream?
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #70, January 30, 1998)
Do you remember, a few years back, when only gay people went to drag shows? Then came Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and To Wong Fu, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, and suddenly drag shows were the hip, happening destination for straights as well. Drag has now gotten so ubiquitous that RuPaul’s hit talk show on the VH1 cable network doesn’t even raise eyebrows—Ru is just Sally Jesse Raphael with bigger hair.
Well, dear readers, we’re next. According to The Village Voice and Newsweek, your lifestyle of choice is either going mainstream or already there.
In an article titled “The Mainstreaming of Kink” in the November 4, 1997 issue of The Village Voice, Guy Trebay examines the increasing appearances of SM/BD imagery in mass culture. Among his examples: Janet Jackson’s nipple ring and proclamations of her high threshold of pain, and the poster for the movie Sick, featuring a portrait of the film’s “Supermasochist” subject, Bob Flanagan, “seminaked, collared, shackled, and with a 10-pound chrome weight suspended from his testicles. Is the image shocking? Not too shocking to post outside Manhattan theaters.” (As of this writing, the full text of this thought-provoking article is still available on the Web at www.villagevoice.com/ink/news/45trebay.shtml.)
Newsweek offered a slightly more irreverent take on the subject in their December 29, 1997 issue on page 85. An article titled “Lick Me, Flog Me, Buy Me!” by Rick Marin is illustrated with the recent Bass Ale boot-licking ad and a photo of a waiter at La Nouvelle Justine, Manhattan’s currently-trendy SM-themed restaurant where, along with food, the menu includes such things as Verbal Abuse and Spanking for $20.
Long-time community members may say, “So what’s new?” Wasn’t it just a few years ago that Exit to Eden appeared in movie theaters (and very quickly disappeared)? Wasn’t it about the same time that Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke posed as Rob and Laura Petrie in bondage gear? Hasn’t Madonna already taken mass culture through this territory? Well, yes, and there have been many other instances in recent history where SM imagery has been appropriated to hype something or sell something.
But recently there’s been a change. SM/BD imagery used to be viewed by the general public as a shocking outrage (or at least titillating naughtiness). Now, instead of inspiring outrage, it provokes responses ranging from curiosity to a jaded yawn. SM imagery has become so non-threatening that even Pat Boone isn’t afraid of it.
This is the general public we’re speaking about, of course. How are we in the leather/SM community, for whom this is more than a fashion statement, supposed to react? What are we to think of this turn of events? Yes, Madison Avenue and Hollywood are appropriating our imagery and our heritage for commercial purposes, but it also raises the visibility and acceptance of the real thing. It makes us less threatening and more accessible. Some people who react to the imagery with curiosity may be moved to explore further and may find a home. Others will try to get into leather spaces and dungeons for gawking purposes only. As I’ve said in this column before, I don’t relish being part of the floor show; I’m sure there will be the times I’ll wish mass culture had found some other imagery to appropriate.
And you know what? That’s exactly what will happen. After our moment in the spotlight, mass culture will move on and find something else scandalous to glom onto, and we’ll be left to ourselves again. It may already be happening—Kate Betts, a top editor at Vogue, is quoted in Newsweek dismissing SM as “last year’s trend. You can buy leather pants at the Gap.” So there!
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons present Lights Out
Friday, January 30, 9 pm-1 am, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
The Atons invite you to the first Thrust party of the year. I may have misspoken last issue when I said there’d be “lots of dancing,” but there will be music by DJ Wade Ellars; what that music accompanies is anybody’s guess. It’s safe to say there will be lots of leather and not much light. $5 at the door gets you free beer and non-alcoholic beverages from 9 pm to midnight.
Black Guard Pre-Run Party
Thursday, February 12, 9 pm-1 am, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
Mingling among the Black Guard and other locals will be out-of-towners who’ve arrived early for . . .
Black Frost ’98
Friday-Sunday, February 13-15, various locations
The Black Guard present their 21st annual run. The host hotel is the Midway Days Inn, where run registration starts Friday at 7 pm. The run offers 16 sponsored events and parties with an “around the world” theme. Banquet and show on Saturday evening is at Tropix/Rear Entry; banquet-and-show-only tickets are available by phone (see below) and will also be available at the Thursday Pre-Run Party (see above.) On Saturday night after the banquet and show is a Leather Night at Tropix/Rear Entry ($5 cover—the Black Guard promises it will be worth it!) with some not-to-be-missed “super surprises.” Awards and Wind-Down Party are Sunday afternoon at the Brass Rail, followed by a Post-Wind-Down party at the Saloon from 6-10 pm.
All run registrations and requests for information are being handled by phone through The Travel Company. (Ask for the "Black Frost Desk.") Those dates are coming up fast so register now. Rates for the run package go up after February 1.
Do you remember, a few years back, when only gay people went to drag shows? Then came Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and To Wong Fu, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, and suddenly drag shows were the hip, happening destination for straights as well. Drag has now gotten so ubiquitous that RuPaul’s hit talk show on the VH1 cable network doesn’t even raise eyebrows—Ru is just Sally Jesse Raphael with bigger hair.
Well, dear readers, we’re next. According to The Village Voice and Newsweek, your lifestyle of choice is either going mainstream or already there.
In an article titled “The Mainstreaming of Kink” in the November 4, 1997 issue of The Village Voice, Guy Trebay examines the increasing appearances of SM/BD imagery in mass culture. Among his examples: Janet Jackson’s nipple ring and proclamations of her high threshold of pain, and the poster for the movie Sick, featuring a portrait of the film’s “Supermasochist” subject, Bob Flanagan, “seminaked, collared, shackled, and with a 10-pound chrome weight suspended from his testicles. Is the image shocking? Not too shocking to post outside Manhattan theaters.” (As of this writing, the full text of this thought-provoking article is still available on the Web at www.villagevoice.com/ink/news/45trebay.shtml.)
Newsweek offered a slightly more irreverent take on the subject in their December 29, 1997 issue on page 85. An article titled “Lick Me, Flog Me, Buy Me!” by Rick Marin is illustrated with the recent Bass Ale boot-licking ad and a photo of a waiter at La Nouvelle Justine, Manhattan’s currently-trendy SM-themed restaurant where, along with food, the menu includes such things as Verbal Abuse and Spanking for $20.
Long-time community members may say, “So what’s new?” Wasn’t it just a few years ago that Exit to Eden appeared in movie theaters (and very quickly disappeared)? Wasn’t it about the same time that Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke posed as Rob and Laura Petrie in bondage gear? Hasn’t Madonna already taken mass culture through this territory? Well, yes, and there have been many other instances in recent history where SM imagery has been appropriated to hype something or sell something.
But recently there’s been a change. SM/BD imagery used to be viewed by the general public as a shocking outrage (or at least titillating naughtiness). Now, instead of inspiring outrage, it provokes responses ranging from curiosity to a jaded yawn. SM imagery has become so non-threatening that even Pat Boone isn’t afraid of it.
This is the general public we’re speaking about, of course. How are we in the leather/SM community, for whom this is more than a fashion statement, supposed to react? What are we to think of this turn of events? Yes, Madison Avenue and Hollywood are appropriating our imagery and our heritage for commercial purposes, but it also raises the visibility and acceptance of the real thing. It makes us less threatening and more accessible. Some people who react to the imagery with curiosity may be moved to explore further and may find a home. Others will try to get into leather spaces and dungeons for gawking purposes only. As I’ve said in this column before, I don’t relish being part of the floor show; I’m sure there will be the times I’ll wish mass culture had found some other imagery to appropriate.
And you know what? That’s exactly what will happen. After our moment in the spotlight, mass culture will move on and find something else scandalous to glom onto, and we’ll be left to ourselves again. It may already be happening—Kate Betts, a top editor at Vogue, is quoted in Newsweek dismissing SM as “last year’s trend. You can buy leather pants at the Gap.” So there!
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons present Lights Out
Friday, January 30, 9 pm-1 am, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
The Atons invite you to the first Thrust party of the year. I may have misspoken last issue when I said there’d be “lots of dancing,” but there will be music by DJ Wade Ellars; what that music accompanies is anybody’s guess. It’s safe to say there will be lots of leather and not much light. $5 at the door gets you free beer and non-alcoholic beverages from 9 pm to midnight.
Black Guard Pre-Run Party
Thursday, February 12, 9 pm-1 am, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
Mingling among the Black Guard and other locals will be out-of-towners who’ve arrived early for . . .
Black Frost ’98
Friday-Sunday, February 13-15, various locations
The Black Guard present their 21st annual run. The host hotel is the Midway Days Inn, where run registration starts Friday at 7 pm. The run offers 16 sponsored events and parties with an “around the world” theme. Banquet and show on Saturday evening is at Tropix/Rear Entry; banquet-and-show-only tickets are available by phone (see below) and will also be available at the Thursday Pre-Run Party (see above.) On Saturday night after the banquet and show is a Leather Night at Tropix/Rear Entry ($5 cover—the Black Guard promises it will be worth it!) with some not-to-be-missed “super surprises.” Awards and Wind-Down Party are Sunday afternoon at the Brass Rail, followed by a Post-Wind-Down party at the Saloon from 6-10 pm.
All run registrations and requests for information are being handled by phone through The Travel Company. (Ask for the "Black Frost Desk.") Those dates are coming up fast so register now. Rates for the run package go up after February 1.
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