Gay Place: Texas Is a Queer State of Mind

The catalog for the balls-out exhibit of queer expression currently up at UT's Visual Art Center delicately refers to the video of Austin's beloved Christeene as a "mashup of gender tropes." God, we love art fags. Tropes! Christeene, for those of you who've seen, felt, or been spat upon at a show, skews more toward gender gropes, we'd say. The piece features a PJ Raval-directed video on loop, so there is no question of delicacy there – unless we're going for the "rare and tasty" sense of the word. Ew. Besides Christeene, Austin queer art lovers are in for treats. Ben Aqua's diptych Hunter and He Had It Coming sees Aqua's traditional jizz-in-the-eye rainbow color palette blown to bits for a study in camo and neon orange. Meanwhile, Wura-Natasha Ogunji's document of a powerful performance piece done in Nigeria of a woman (Ogunji) pulling herself along a populated dirt road and dragging water jugs with her ankles had me feeling uneasy for not being able to get the words "boot scooting" out of my brain – this being a Texas show and all. Needless to say, we dug the hell out of this and can't recommend it enough.

ON OUR GAYDAR

MILKMILKLEMONADE A play about an 11-year-old boy named Emory who plays with Barbies and choreographs his little heart out. Yes, dear reader, your life story in the footlights. Thursdays-Sundays, through Sept. 25, 8pm. The Hideout Theatre, 617 Congress, 443-3688. $15-18, online discounts available. www.hideouttheatre.com.

OUT OF YOUR BODY Chainbow, Agent Ribbons, Black Gum, and Hatchet Wound. Get out of the house and out of your mind, for sure. Thu., Sept. 22, 11:30pm. Volstead Lounge, 1500 E. Sixth, 680-0532.

QUEER STATE(S) Texas artists queer (as in the verb) gender representations in performance and visual art. We'd call that our cup of tea (or T? or E? or pee?). Not to be missed. Through Nov. 5. Visual Arts Center, 23rd and Trinity, 471-1108. Free. www.utvac.org/node/537.

SPOTLIGHT ON ... The Octopus Club presents Trent Gentry and Lindsey Kane to lull you whilst you slosh and bid. Thu., Sept. 22, 6:30-9pm. W Hotel, 200 Lavaca, 866/961-3327 or 542-3600. $10-20 donations encouraged. www.octopusclub.org.

INFERNO NÉE HOT FLASH Your sure cure for the vapors has a new name and lower cover. This month, help a sister rebuild her life in Bastrop. DJ Lunatic spins. Sat., Sept. 24, 6-10pm. Rusty's, 405 E. Seventh, 482-9002. $8. www.hotflashdances.com/austin.html.

MEET AND GREET: A LADY'S STORY Hey, ladies, especially you shy types, Karen Le hosts this low-key hangout as a way for you to put it out there. And by "it," we mean "you." Come meet. While you're at it, greet. Sat., Sept. 24, 7pm. Rio Rita, 1308 E. Sixth, 524-0384. www.riorita.net.

SASHAY'S 'HOLLYWOOD GOES PURPLE' Aye mira! It's Isaac Ben's (aka Shashay) birthday. You know this queen's serious; she's booked an entire ballroom. Kelly Kline hosts this dragstravaganza. Hotel block rates are available for anyone wishing for the party not to end. Sat., Sept. 24, 9pm. Holiday Inn Midtown, 6000 Middle Fiskville, 451-5757. www.facebook.com/ibsanchez.

GLITZ Hosts Eugene Sepulveda and Randi Shade and Cord and Anne Shiflet invite you to this glitzy affair to raise dough for Out Youth. Sat., Sept. 24, 8-11pm. Private glitzy residence. See website for location info, 419-1233. $45, advance; $50 at the door. john.egan@outyouth.org, www.glitz.eventbrite.com.

LAZY SUNDAY Laserz, Bobby Jealousy, and Automusik. Shivery Shakes opens. Sun., Sept. 25, 6pm. Cheer Up Charlie's, 1104 E. Sixth, 431-2133. Free. www.stonefoxbooking.com.

harsh noise wildfire benefit Check out electro-pop and noise (oh, those kids these days) in this second of a series wherein Ms. B raises dough for Bastrop fire relief. Sun., Sept. 25, 7pm. Bernadette's, 2039 Airport. $3-10 donation.

TITS & ACE POKER PARTY High stakes, great prizes, and a good cause: Deal yourself in to raise money for a team of baaaad mamma jammas riding in the Mamma Jamma ride for breast cancer patients (Facebook search: "Tits and Ace"). Sun., Sept. 25, 2-6pm. The Belmont, 305 W. Sixth, 457-0300. $30 suggested donation, $20 bumps to stay in the game. www.mammajammaride.org.

VINTAGE VIVANT: A NIGHT AT THE CIRCUS An audience of clowns, bearded ladies, tattooed love children, lion tamers, and more set the stage as Agent Ribbons, Apophenia Belly Dance, aerial silks by Dominique Vyborgny, and acrobatics by Raven & Uzonna highlight this month's dip under the big top. Dress to cir-kess. Um, yeah. Sun., Sept. 25, 10pm. Swan Dive, 615 Red River. $10, vintage attire; $13, street clothes. www.vintagevivant.com.

REQUEST DENIED: QUEER PUNK NIGHT You wanna hear what? Sorry, poseur, request deeeeeenied. Two-dollar beer and 50-cent DJs spin punk, hardcore, goth, darkwave, noise, and power pop. Last Wednesday of the month, 10pm. Chain Drive, 504 Willow, 480-9017. Free.

HO-RIZON

BELOW THE TOP: DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL The Central Texas Boys of Leather celebrate nine years of the boot-lickin' art of "Thank you, sir, may I please have another." Fri.-Sun., Oct. 7-9: Fri., 9pm-12am; Sat., 12:30-4pm & 7:30pm-2am; and Sunday, 12:30-2pm. Chain Drive, 504 Willow, 480-9017. $35. ctbol2002@yahoo.com, www.ctbol.org.

See Gay Place listings for more calendar events!