Out in Vancouver. It's All Hallow's Month! Oct 19-26. With Tom Coleman.
Friday. Oct 19
Twisted Apocalypse
Twisted Apocalypse is a high concept, artistic drag show that features alternatives acts, and performances stemming from a given theme. Tonight’s theme is the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Death, War, Famine and Disease. This show can be cringy, horrific, unsettling, and sometimes off putting. If you are easily squeamish or easily offended or triggered, then they caution you that Twisted might not be the show for you. Definitely not first date material unless your date is named Jason and carries a hockey mask.
9:30pm—2:30am. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. Cover $7. Twisted Apocalypse
Saturday Oct 20
Eastside Flea Market
What better way to find a curious daddy than at the East Van Flea Market. Not only do you get to search for a date you can pick up lots of good ideas and gifts for Christmas. Enjoy local vendors, delicious eats, drink specials, and special pop-ups by more participants than I can list here. Always a great time at this two-day event so check out website for vendors.
11am—5pm Saturday & Sunday. 550 Malkin Ave. Admission $3 or $5 for weekend pass. Eastside Flea Market
Heart & Soul
Help support a great event and enjoy an evening hosted by Unstoppable (or is that Untoppable) Conni Smudge and Fiona Forbes, the French & Saunders of Vancouver. This Dinner Dance Fundraiser for The Heart Of Richmond AIDS Society will have you not only dancing the night away but also provide you the chance to win airfare for two anywhere Westjet flies, and contrary to what Conni might say, you do not have to take her along. Topping it all off will be performances by Mina Mercury and Sienna Blaze.
6pm. The Radisson Vancouver Airport Hotel, 8181 Cambie Rd, Richmond. Tickets $95, and more info at Heart & Soul
Geeks Vs Nerds: Broom & Doom
Geeks versus Nerds Vancouver is officially beginning Season 6 of its Award-winning Comedy Debate show with a spooktacular Halloween Showdown. Tonight’s opener - Something wicked this way comes! Fire burn and cauldron bubble, which of these witches are nothing but trouble? It's The Sanderson Sisters vs The Craft: "Which cruel witch coven should not be crossed? Followed by the headliner - the creatures of the night take over to see who's the superior stalker in the shadows! It's Count Dracula vs Freddy Krueger: "Who is the biggest nocturnal threat? Finish your costume early as they have a double costume contest with tons of prizes to be won.
7—10pm. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. Tickets $10 and more info at Geeks Vs Nerds
HUSTLAween
Are you ready for a whole lot of fun with East Van and West End homos partying like their lives depended on it? All smiles, no pretense. You'll leave with new friends. And remember, at Hustla they make new friends with tongue and consent. Hosted by the ever-awesome Peach Cobblah and Vee P-h’o along with performances by Karmella Barr, Mary-Koi Whip and music by DJs Del Stamp and Teairah Guy. Feel your own fantasy and be spooky, sexy, or anything you want to be.
10pm—2am. Emerald Supper Club, 555 Gore St. Tickets $17 and more info at HUSTLAween
Sunday, Oct 21
Learn To Box For LGBTQ2S
Do you know how to defend yourself or do you flail your arms around and scream as you run for the hills? Or do you need a better technique than just a good placed kick to the family jewels? Now is your chance to learn to protect yourself. Queer Box Camp offers technique classes as well as fitness and conditioning classes, based on actual boxing training. They have early after work classes, classes exclusively for BIPoC/racialized queers/trans*, a class for parents to workout with their babies/toddler present, so they don’t have to worry about child care. They do traditional bag drills as well as new school mobility exercises. A great confidence booster for everyone.
7:15—8:15pm. Queer Box Camp, 2909 East 2nd Ave. $15 drop in or $40 a month. Learn To Box
Commercial Drag 33: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Welcome to East Van’s only weekly Drag Show! This month in honour of Halloween, some of the cast of Commercial Drag will be putting on characters from the Cult classic Nightmare Before Christmas! Out of all the Christmas shows you will see this year I am confident in saying Dust will be the slimmest sexy Santa of them all. With a lineup of Kings and Queens this promises to be a hit. Come early and have dinner at 8 and that will; guarantee you a great seat for the show.
8pm dinner, 9pm show. The London Pub, 700 Main St. Cover $5 for show. Commercial Drag 33
Monday, Oct 22
QueerProv Workshop
I have friends, one or two, that honestly think they are funnier than me, yes Sydney its you, so do I casually sign them up for this to show them just how wrong they are? This is an improv drop-in for all experience levels hosted by QueerProv-Improv Comedy & Qmunity. Think you could be the next Ellen then here is your chance to find out.
5:30—7pm. Qmunity, 1170 Bute St. $10 drop-in fee. QueerProv Workshop
Tuesday, Oct 23
This Fall At Pollyanna
The University of British Columbia’s Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, and the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice will host a study group on the work of Judith Butler. This multi session study group is convened in anticipation of her academic visit and public lecture in Vancouver in the Winter of 2019. This study group will engage with Butler’s writings from the last two decades, which advanced from her critical early works on gender and sex to engagements with theories of self, the nation, political agency, and transformative politics. All sessions of the study group are open to all and free to attend. Each session will be facilitated by study leaders who have selected texts from Butler’s work as primary readings paired alongside supplementary materials.
7pm. Library 221A, 221A East Georgia St. No registration necessary. This Fall At Pollyanna
Launch!
Looking for a great alternative to the bar scene to try out an open mic event? This is a safe, inclusive, accessible space for people of any genre and experience level to come perform. Or come check it out as an audience member! LGBTQ+ and allies welcome.
7:30—9pm. Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews. No cover. Launch!
Wednesday, Oct 24
Keys Live Piano And Showtunes
Sometimes it is nice to just sit back in a big comfy seat and have a few cocktails listening to mellow tunes. Fair warning: after the first couple of mellow tunes to unwind you, the showtunes start and the singalong begins. Let loose your inner Joan-E or Conni and belt that song out the best you can. Sing, drink, listen, laugh and enjoy an interactive night of live piano and show tunes. Have a request? Want to sing to a crowd? Prefer to observe and support your friends? It's all possible especially If you love musical theatre.
9pm. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. No cover. Keys Live Piano
Thursday, Oct 25
The Darlings
The worlds of conceptual theatre and modern drag come together in this immersive performance art experience. Used as an affectionate address to a beloved person, Darling is a term used widely throughout popular art history to describe a societal wonder. Featuring four non-binary performers as they join each other to explore the format associated with drag and the subculture attached to it, this is the reclamation of the word Darling. With performances by Rose Butch, Maiden China, Continental Breakfast and PM.
10:30pm—12am. Vancouver Art and Leisure, 101 West 6th Ave. Tickets $15 at The Darlings
Friday, Oct 26
Haunted House
Whether you are a big strong bear, or you scream like a little girl, trust me I know bears that are screamers too, Barclay Manor will test your inner scare-o-meter. It has been converted into a spooky scary house. Being a Heritage home, it has its own natural creepiness and ghosts. Do you have what it takes to make the 10-minute walk through the house without losing your mind? You have been warned.
7pm tonight, 4:30 - 6:00 pm and 6:30 - 8:30 pm Saturday. Barclay Manor, 1447 Barclay St. $3 at the door. Barclay Manor
Late-Night Snack
Being 6’7 and loving to eat, this is the best event on a Friday night, and yes, it is in a butcher shop. Trick or Treat Ooga Booga Bitches! You’re not ready for the cavities that are coming your way! Get ready for mouth watering drag performances as well as many food & drink specials. Come hungry, leave entertained. Performances by Gia Metric, Madame Lola, Rich Elle, Rogue, Daphne Dogwood and Amy Grindhouse are worth the admission alone. If you haven’t tried this event before you are definitely missing out, this is your Late-Night Snack!
9pm—1am. Save On Meats, 43 West Hastings. Cover $10 at door. Late Night Snack
Redrum
Just the word brings back how scary the Shining was to watch. Now an event with something even scarier: Alma Bitches. Calling all Ghosts, Ghouls, and Gays, witness the slaughter with macabre performances from the Alma, queen of the West End, and a plethora of queens too numerous to mention here. Kick off the Halloween weekend with a freakshow that will give you the chills all night long.
9pm—2am. The Woods Studio, 7 West 2nd Ave. Cover $15-$25 sliding scale. Redrum
TOM COLEMAN
New job, new great site but same old me. I will try to continue to keep you updated, entertained and hopefully not tell too many secrets about any of you. I attempt to cover the top dozen, or couple of dozen, events that not only interest me but a wide variety of others.
Please feel free to send me any listings you would like posted but they must be LGBTQ themed, whether it is a meeting, art show, event party, seminar, restaurant opening or anything else you think you would like to see my cheery self attend. tomsnewlistings@outlook.com TOM