Lina LecaroOutfest concluded in a suitably outlandish way this weekend: with a sweaty, crafty and homo-sexy happening called Night Moves at the Alexandria Hotel downtown, courtesy of Platinum, the performance-based offshoot series created 10 years ago by art pioneers — and former LA Weekly employees — Ron Athey and Vaginal Davis.
What began as an “Oasis” with curated rooms inside an old Hollywood motel has turned into one of Outfest's most popular film and performance components. The provocateurs who took it over have done well. This year's screenings included the L.A. premiere of “The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye” and the debut show of Thee Majesty, the latest music project of the film's star, Genesis P' Orridge (Psychic TV, Throbbing Gristle). The new Bruce La Bruce zombie flick, Nao Bustamante's “Silver & Gold” and shorts such as this Casey Spooner-directed piece starring “the real” Chloe Sevigny, were also highlights. Chloe — the queen version, aka Drew Droege — referred to in the clip and a bonafide YouTube sensation (latest clip here), made an appearance at Night Moves, which Bustamante MC'd.
Night Moves.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
The event also featured Ryan Heffington's Ladyboys, Pigs in the Palour and tons of glistening butch babes and vogueing gay boys (it was co-hosred by Lez at the Mezz and Mustache Mondays, after all). But the hit of event seemed to be the DIY (“Drag It Yourself”) room called Crafternoon, courtesy of artist Marcus Kuiland-Nazario, which saw the dance floor filled with feather head-dresses, nylon flower hats and jeweled eyebrows. More than usual anyway.
Marcus Kuiland-Nazario is crafty.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
While Platinum represented some of Outfest's most subversive and avant garde offerings, the 2011 fest overall may have been one of the most mainstream media-friendly in recent years. Clay Aiken made an appearance, presenting an episode of Drop, Dead Diva in which he stars. Kathleen Turner appeared in the fest's big closer, A Perfect Family, at the Ford Amphitheatre, and the screening of Hit So Hard- The Life and Near Death Story of Patty Schemel was a bonafide all star jam with Linda Perry, Sia and Eric Erlandson tackling Hole tunes on stage. Click the first pair's names for You Tube clips of their performances.
If you missed Hit So Hard, you have another chance to see it, this Thursday at “Don't Knock the Rock” at the Silent Movie Theatre. DKTR (which also screened “The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye”) offers some great music films now thru Aug. Check out the full schedule here. Check here next week to see our reports from the fest.
See Film editor Karina Longsworth's review of some Outfest offerings here and here.
More photos from Night Moves in our Nightranger slideshow up soon…
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.