[Club LaRay Talent Show (December 30, 1986)]
A talent show and drag competition at Chicago gay club Club LaRay, as well as footage of the dance floor.
A talent show and drag competition at Chicago gay club Club LaRay, as well as footage of the dance floor.
Club LaRay presents a “Battle of the Stars” with host Anita Baker (impersonator) and co-host Tasha Thomas. This video documents the performances throughout the night by queen impersonators of popular soul and r&b singers and groups such as Gladys Knight, Grace Jones, and The [male] Emotions.
Club LaRay was a Black, gay club in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, IL. The club was owned by Ray “LaRay” Hill. The club was housed in a former theatre consisting of two bars, a dancefloor, and a staircase that went from the floor to the ceiling, dubbed the “Stairs to Nowhere”.
This video contains footage from the runway of a voguing ball in the tradition of the Ballroom Scene, hosted by the House of Avant Garde, a Chicago-based space highlighting Black and queer performers.
Wholesome Roc Art Gallery and Cafe, an alternative art space opened in Chicago in 1987, provided a place for artists, particularly black queer artists, to display their art and engage with one another. This video features one of Wholesome Roc’s monthly “poetry tostadas,” an open mic dedicated to poetry, music, and other performances.
Wholesome Roc Art Gallery and Cafe, an alternative art space opened in Chicago in 1987, provided a place for artists, particularly black queer artists, to display their art and engage with one another. This video contains footage from the first half of the Wholesome Roc First Anniversary Show, celebrating Wholesome Roc Gallery and Cafe’s first year in operation and featuring various types of performance art.
The House of Avant Garde was a community of black LGBTQ+ individuals involved in Chicago’s ballroom scene. This video contains footage from two Balls hosted by the House: the Unity Ball in 1991 and the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Ball in 1992, as well as commentary from members of the House of Avant Garde about the House itself and its importance in building community.