One of the things I love about San Francisco is that we can always seem to make a political statement and still make it a party. This weekend controversial performance artist, Tim Miller, takes the stage while the Stop AIDS Project continues its efforts to diversify the Castro gay bar scene. Even a Hella Gay Dance Party has an in-yer-face feel to it. Read on…

Friday

Tim Miller's Lay of the Land

• Tim Miller’s Lay of the Land @ YBCA. One of the original NEA 4, performance artist, Tim Miller, brings his latest work to the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. From YBCA’s website: “Lay of the Land is Tim Miller’s funny and sharp-knifed look at the State of the Queer Union during these challenging times. Leaping from a Prop 8 protest to memories of an elementary school flag monitor to a difficult conversation with the California Republic bear, Lay of the Land addresses the feeling of queer people being perpetually on trial, on the ballot, on the menu.” Check out the website for more programs and performances involving Miller. Details: Lay of the Land shows on Friday and Saturday, both at 8 PM. Tickets are $25 at YBCA on 701 Mission Street and 3rd Street.
• Blackout @ Q Bar. The Stop AIDS Project is bringing black back to the Castro. Blackout aims to give the gay African-American community more visibility in San Francisco’s most famous gay district and in doing so inject some much needed hip-hop into the normally one-note dance clubs. Details: The music starts spinning at 10 PM at Q Bar on 456 Castro Street.

Saturday

• Hella Gay Oakland Dance Party! @ The Uptown. I think the name says it all… Details: Doors open at 9 PM, $5 cover at The Uptown on 1928 Telegraph Avenue in Oakland.
• Sissy Fit @ Sub Mission. This month’s edition of Sissy Fit features Andy San Francisco in addition to the normal cabal of crusty (and cute!) homopunx. Details: Doors open at 10 PM, $6 cover at Sub Mission on 2183 Mission Street and 18th Street.