SEATTLE GAY NEWS PRIDE ‘07 June 15, 2007 - Issue 24, Volume 35 Music Sting of The Police at Key Arena on June 7th Photo by QH on SGN assignment Dream Police Pop’s top cops at the Seattle’s Key Arena by Maggie Bloodstone fading youth you were a big part of, so just was written, constructed, and played with or something. When they followed that SGN Contributing Writer assume they already know you’ve “grown care, technical finesse, and a heapin’ helpin’ with their rockingest tune,‘Synchronicity as an artist”, and give the people what they of lily-white English soul aimed at that part II’, I could have gone home happy then, There are certain unwritten rules want- hits! of the listener’s brain that reacts to intensely but brain chemistry going back 27 years concerning reunion concerts, which vary After about 4 numbers into the Police’s appealing stimuli, i.e.: sex, chocolate, and (along with a couple of Jack & Cokes I according to the history and reputation of June 7 set, I was stricken by a revelation: all truly great Pop music. downed prior) kicked in with a vengeance individual bands, but some are as obvious their songs were hits! At the very least, hits With Bob Marley’s recording of ‘Get for a life-affirming rendition of ‘Spirits as Bono’s political leanings or the bulge in the sense that even a passive listener such Up Stand Up’ for an intro (another good In The Material World’, and I heard my in M. Jagger’s spandex knickers. First as I was back in the day will immediately reunion rule: never forget your roots) the 23-year old self yelling: “Why didn’t and foremost: Play The Hits! Your fans remember exactly where they were the first ultimate power trio kick-started the show we go see these guys in1980?!” Well… don’t want to hear any ‘experiments’, no time they heard the opening notes of ‘De with ‘Message In A Bottle’, which brought because in 1980, I was still hopelessly filler from your solo album, no covers of Do Do Do, De Da Da Da’. Pretty near every the 30-to-50something crowd to their feet ‘Louie Louie’- they want to recapture the note the Police produced in their 8-year run so fast, you’d have thought they were young see POLICE page 17 2 Seattle Gay News PRIDE ‘07 MUSIC June 15, 2007 Bette Midler is coming to Caesars Palace! “Get ready Vegas ‘cause here I come!” GREG GORMAN Bette Midler heading to Caesars Palace Thar she blows! Bette Midler officially Caesars Palace President, Gary Selesner announced that she is headed for Las Vegas. couldn’t be happier that Bette Midler will be The legendary sensation has signed on with coming aboard and calling The Colosseum entertainment promoter AEG Live for a home for the next two years. minimum two-year deal as the new resident “Caesars Palace has set the standard for artist at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace entertainment in Las Vegas by continually starting in February 2008. booking the biggest and best acts the city When asked about her upcoming run in has ever seen including Celine Dion and Las Vegas – The Divine Miss M. had this Elton John,” said Caesars Palace President to say. Gary Selesner. “Adding the inimitable “Get ready Vegas ‘cause here I come! Bette Midler to The Colosseum’s family of Caesars Palace will never be the same and entertainers adds yet another jewel to our to all those critics who have accused me of crown.” being ‘tacky,’ ‘too much’ and ‘over the top’ I say, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!” TICKETS ON-SALE NOW The show, which is scheduled to premiere Bette Midler will perform approximately on February 20, 2008, will be the biggest, one hundred shows a year at The Colosseum most imaginative production Bette Midler at Caesars Palace. The show will be has ever done. With plenty of girls, gags presented at 7:30 p.m. five nights a week and guffaws, her incomparable humor, the and will be dark on Monday and Thursday. best song catalogue in American music Tickets for performances from February 20 and her fabulous “Kiss My Brass” section, through March 9 are on sale now and can audiences will be treated to an experience be purchased by calling 1-877-7BETTEM that can only be referred to as “divine”. (723-8836) or on-line at www.ticketmaster. “All of us at AEG Live are ecstatic about com, keyword “Caesars Palace”. Tickets working with Bette and look forward to may also be purchased in person at The the fun and success we are going to have Colosseum at Caesars Palace Box Office together on this project,” said John Meglen, open daily from 10a.m. to 10p.m. For Co-CEO and President of AEG Live/ groups of 20 or more, call 702.731.7208. Concerts West. “The show is going to be Ticket prices are $95, $140, $175, Bette at her absolute best and her fans are and $250. Visit bette.aeglive.com for going to be blown away!” more information on Bette Midler at The For over 40 years, Caesars Palace has set Colosseum at Caesars Palace. the standard in entertainment by offering its guests world-class performers and Printed by permission of AEG Live. musicians. In keeping with that standard, June 15, 2007 PRIDE ‘07 MUSIC Seattle Gay News 3 Getting sloppy with an American Idol COURTESY OF COURTESY by Gary M. Kramer Philadelphia Gay News Special to the SGN NEWS PHILADELPHIA GAY Jim Verraros may be best known as the openly Gay “American Idol” contestant on the show’s first series. But hopefully that will soon change. Since the show, Verraros has appeared in the film “Eating Out” and produced a CD, “Rollercoaster.” Now Verraros is back as the lead in “Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds,” the better-than- the-first sequel to the hit film now out on DVD. In “Eating Out 2,” Verraros plays Kyle, an insecure Gay guy whose boyfriend Marc (Brett Chukerman) dumps him. When Kyle and his female friends Gwen (Emily Brooke Hands) and Tiffani (Rebekah Kochan) meet the hunky but sexually confused Troy (Marco Dapper), they try to determine what team Troy American Idol Jim Verraros plays for. The screwball plot has Kyle pretending to be Tiffani’s boyfriend so he can get close in real life. There are two types of straight to Troy in a romantic way, even if it means men. One who is a bit more insecure about teaching him how to score with women. his sexuality, who’s homophobic and then Verraros met with PGN to discuss his you have the straight man who’s like, “Hey, acting and singing careers, as well as his this is work. It’s a fucking kiss and I’m not sexy scenes in “Eating Out 2.” going to make a big deal out of it.” And the latter is how they were. They made me feel PGN: Jim, you may be more well-known comfortable. for singing than for acting — how did you PGN: Can you discuss the scene where get involved in performing? Would you you teach Troy about the fine art of rather be an actor or a singer? cunnilingus? How were you and Marco Jim Verraros: After I was eliminated not bursting out in hysterics licking each [from “American Idol”] back in 2002, I other’s fingers? wasn’t even thinking about music to be JV: It looks funny. I was worried how honest. I had taken such a beating from it would come off. I wanted to ask about that show that I was just focused on acting. women, if they watch that scene and think That was my niche. My cast mates would it’s hot/get off on it. And some girls are say, “Jim, you’re fucking hilarious, be in a like, “I was a little moist.” So we delivered. sitcom or something.” I got an e-mail from That’s all that matters. I know, I’m so my producer about [Q.] Allan Brocka, who crude! was the director of the first [“Eating Out”]. PGN: Most of the cast gets naked. But I met him, read the script, fell in love with you are wearing two shirts in every scene! it, auditioned and he cast me. I don’t really JV: Before we shot, I had worked out want to choose between either. I want both. for two-and-a-half months so I could feel PGN: Were you surprised that you were a better about taking my shirt off. It was supporting character in “Eating Out” but the actually written in the original script that lead part here? How did that come about? when Octavio [Adrian Quinonez] takes JV: People connect with my role. I don’t his shirt off [during his love scene with my know one Gay man who does not feel they character], he was supposed to unbutton aren’t “good enough.” mine. It never happened. Kyle doesn’t need PGN: Your character, Kyle, is not a to [get naked]. I think his character is a bit confident guy, which hurts his relationships. more conservative. How are you when it comes to relationships PGN: You had three songs of yours on — shy or in control? the soundtrack of the first “Eating Out;” did JV: People think that I would be the shy you try to get a tune in “Eating Out 2”? one — to be taken control of — but I’m JV: I submitted some brand-new stuff kind of the more aggressive one.