Don’t miss this Friday’s fundraiser for Downtown Emergency Service Center.

Performers:
The Dusty 45s
The Maldives
Lazy Susan
The Young Evils
Betsy Olson
Davidson Hart Kingsbery
The Purrs

More info about the show.

Billy Joe’s family has been touched with mental illness, as his brother has been ill for a number of years. You can read the families incredible tale in this story by Cydney Gillis in Real Change. With Downtown Emergency Service Center’s assistance in getting his brother off the street, he now has his own apartment and is safe and has a chance of healing.

More info about Downtown Emergency Service Center

Christine Gregoire, who recently proposed a same-sex marriage bill, is retiring and the likely Republican candidate for governor will be Rob McKenna.  McKenna does not support marriage equality and you may also remember he sued the federal government and President Obama for his health care plan, in the name of the citizens of Washington State.

Jay Inslee is running as the Democratic candidate for governor and he fully supports bringing marriage equality to Washington state. He’s been encouraged by the willingness of legislators on both sides of the aisle to join the effort of passing it in the Legislature, and is hopeful they will succeed.

According to a recent poll by KING 5 News, Attorney General Rob McKenna has a 46-43 percent lead over Rep. Jay Inslee and as of year’s end, he had raised $3.76 million to $3.32 million for Inslee, and had $2.28 million in the bank to $2.03 for his Democratic opponent.

Why am I telling you this? So you can take action and join us in a fundraising brunch for Jay this Sunday, January 22nd 11:30 to 1pm at the home of James and Sue Tupper near Sandpoint by Lake Washington. The snow will be gone by Sunday and we can all drink a glass of champagne to Jay’s candidacy.

We need to fill the coffers and friends are asked to donate at least $250 to attend the event, to help Jay’s candidacy and to make sure we have equal rights for all of Washington’s citizens.

RSVP to Alexa at 206-328-2969 or email to Alexa

Wanna dance? Wanna have fun? Wanna feel good about doing something great for others? Well, dernit, head on down to Highway 99 Blues club this Friday, Dec. 2  for our Rockin Tiki Toys for Tots! Wear your best Hawaiian garb, and be prepared for some great music, hula dancing by Essie Charm, and a burlesque act you are gonna love by Miss Kitty Baby!!! Bring a new unwrapped toy to donate! Bring a few dollars to buy Raffle tickets, lots of prizes including tiki mugs, tattoo certificates, DVDs, Sailor Jerry goodies, etc!!! Head on over to the Highway 99 website http://www.highwayninetynine.com/ and make your reservations now! Go early if you want to get yourself some vittles before the show, they have great food!

STATE V PAN Launch Party

Thursday, OCTOBER 13, 2011 @ FRED Wildlife Refuge
127 Boylston Avenue East, Seattle, WA
Entrance on Belmont Ave East (across from Captain Blacks)

Suggested Donation $5-$50
9pm-1am

This event begins with an informative discussion between Attorney David Whedbee and The Stranger’s Brendan Kiley followed by drinks, 60′s soul music by The Witness, a tiny set by Jose Bold, and dancing with a soundtrack provided by Seattle’s DJ Riz. Plus a mug shot photo booth by Kelly O, slideshow by DK Pan, and a cameo appearance by Orangeman. Hosted by co-MC’s Rachael Ferguson and Jennifer Zeyl.

Beginning in 2007, the Seattle Police Department instigated a “domestic terrorism” investigation that targeted our friend, DK Pan, and others from the Seattle community. For DK and others, the investigation resulted in charges of “professional gambling” based on allegedly illegal poker games that were held periodically at several well-attended “speakeasies” where DK and others also staged musical and art performances, art installations, events, and parties. DK Pan has been active in the Seattle arts community for over 15 years as a performer, producer, curator, and installation artist. He is the recent recipient of The Stranger Genius Award for Visual Art for 2011.

For a brilliant piece of investigative journalism, see Brendan Kiley’s article about DK Pan in The Stranger, The Long Con.

State V Pan is a advocacy organization focused on raising awareness of and raising funds for the legal defense of DK Pan. All additional proceeds, after the trial costs are paid, will benefit the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Seattle World’s Fair ran from April 21st 1962 to October 21st 1962 on 74 acres in downtown Seattle that is now known as the Seattle Center.

The fair featured the World of Science; The World of Century 21, which gave the fairgoer a glimpse at what the 21st century would be like; World of Commerce and Industry, a showcase of technology advances from some of the country’s greatest corporations; World of Art; World of Entertainment; Show Street, which was the World’s Fair’s own red-light district; The Gay Way which was later the Fun Forest; Boulevards of the World, the World’s Fair’s own shopping mall; the Exhibit Fair; the Food Circus (Todays Center house) and of course the concession stands.

To celebrate the coming 50th anniversary of the Seattle’s World Fair History Link, the first and largest encyclopedia of community history created expressly for the Internet, recreated the opening of the Seattle World’s Fair in the lobby of the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle

To recreate this fabulous event, History Link invited impresario Gracie Hansen, the woman who brought burlesque dancers, show girls and adult entertainment to the Gay Way and A Night in Paradise at the Seattle World’s Fair. Gracie Hansen (played by Kimberly Brangwin of Coldwell Banker Bain) managed the beautiful dancers and models who visited the luncheon from Pretty Parlor, a cool retro vintage clothing store on Capitol Hill. The models and actors included were Anna Marie Lange, Angelica Gehm, Brianna Camarda and Jamie Von Stratton.

This year’s History Link Luncheon was hosted by C.R. Douglas, political news analyst at KCPQ-13 News. The luncheon’s a yearly event that was launched in 2008 to raise funds for HistoryLink’s Education Initiative, which provides teachers and students with top notch, relevant historical information about Washington state.

HistoryLink.org is an evolving online encyclopedia of Washington state and local history. It provides a free, authoritative, and easily accessible history reference for the benefit of students, teachers, journalists, scholars, researchers, and the general public. Most of the essays and features on this site are original works prepared exclusively for HistoryLink.org by staff historians, contract writers, volunteers, and consulting experts. All essays and features are vetted by professional staff, and it is an incredible asset to our community.

Do you love music? Do you want to help Japan?

So does Seattle vocalist, Barbara Ireland, and her musician friends, Robert Lee Mitchell, Rick Friel, Chris Friel, and S.E. Sharma. After watching heartbreaking news footage of the tragedies affecting Japan, Barbara felt moved to write this ballad to help raise funds for the relief efforts. Immediately her friends got on board to donate their time and musical talents.

This song is offered as a FREE DOWNLOAD to you.

All Barbara asks in exchange is that you make a donation to any of the three Japan Relief organizations at the top of her page. Let’s see how much we can raise for Japan!

Website is Here – http://japanreliefsong.org/breathe/

HONK! Fest West is a three-day, non-profit, community-supported music festival that focuses on marching bands, drum corps, samba lines, 2nd line New Orleans Brass, and anything acoustic and mobile that can make a ruckus.

(Photo courtesy of West Seattle Blog)

They are having a big party and fundraiser at the Underground Event Center at 2407 1st Ave (Between Battery St \& Wall St) in Belltown on Saturday, March 19th from 8pm until 2am and it’s going to be a hoot!

Join friends, family, partygoers and some of Seattles most talented HONK! bands to raise money for HONK! Fest West IV.

Featuring Performances by:
09:00pm — Vamola
10:00pm — The Garfield High School Drumline
10:30pm — Bucharest Drinking Team
11:30pm — Tubaluba
12:30pm — Orkestar Zirkonium

Full Bar

All profits will go towards HONK! Fest West IV

$10-$20 donation at the door
21+ (Yes this is a 21+ event)

Doors at 8:00pm!

Honk! Fest West

The Dusty 45′s are partnering with the Downtown Emergency Service Center once again for the 3rd annual Gimme Shelter benefit concert on Thursday, February 24, 2011, at The Showbox at The Market at 7:30 pm.

Downtown is clear, so quit ‘yer whining about the snow. This year’s Gimme Shelter event features ten bands, united to end homelessness. The concert will be hosted by The Dusty 45s’ own Billy Joe Huels, and will include performances by The Dusty 45s, Zoe Muth, Vince Mira, Kristen Ward, Massy Ferguson, Star Anna and The Laughing Dogs, Rachel Flotard and Rusty Willoughby, Mark Pickerel, Kasey Anderson and The Honkies, and Tom Bennett & The Rolling Blackouts.

Billy Joe has a personal interest in the Dowtown Emergency Service Center, as the organization was instrumental in helping get his schizophrenic brother Matt, off the streets and into a safe environment.

Cydney Gillis writes a compelling article about this family’s journey that appears in the weeks issue of Real Change. Support your local vendor and read this excellent article and then get yourself down to The Showbox tonight for the show.

All proceeds benefit Friends of the Cedar River Watershed.

Suggested donation is $20 per person.

Egan’s Ballard Jam House, 1707 NW Market St

Join us for the entire evening or drop in to catch an act or two.

All ages are welcome!

Featuring:

Host – Susan Harper, vocalist and songwriter www.susanharper.com
Steffan Soule ~ Magic that Moves www.steffansoule.com
Seattle Boys Tree-Oh ~ Delicious Harmonies
Hugh Sutten ~ Modern Troubadour
Lee Robinson ~ Folk/Country
Emilia Sosa ~ Jazz www.myspace.com/emiliamusic
Kylie Koyote ~ Devious Desert Nymph
www.facebook.com/people/Kylie-Koyote/100001889370789
Michael Murdock ~ Thespian

Friends of the Cedar River Watershed engages citizens to enhance and sustain watersheds through restoration, education, and stewardship.   www.cedarriver.org

It’s an entire month packed with friends, prizes, nights out, cheap eats and drinks, some friendly competition, and lots and lots (and lots!) of facial hair! So, the question you should perhaps be asking yourself is: What isn’t Beard and Stache Fest?

Registration is now open for 2011!

Sign up to show off your facial hair and support Treehouse and the foster kids of King County.

Step right up and become one of the fabulous 100 furry men that will compete for facial hair glory!

Seattle’s hairiest men to come out and have their picture taken for a great cause – Treehouse, Seattle’s non profit organization that helps foster kids in the area.

Join us Sunday, January 9th, 2011 from 1 to 4pm at The High Dive in Fremont and join the competition. Its fun and free to add your facial hair to the cause and there’s plenty of goodies and prizes in store. Participating beards and/or mustaches will be a part of a team of five, and their pictures will be displayed on individual donation cans at select locations.

So, if you can commit to having your picture displayed on a donation can to benefit an awesome foundation (I know, you think you’re not photogenic, but believe us… we think you’re adorable) then you are a perfect candidate.

More information at www.beardandstachefest.com