I’m almost afraid to write the word parade – given the parade controversy of the last week – but don’t forget to celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday at 11:15 am down at Pride Northwest‘s annual Gay Pride Parade.

The first time I went out with my best friend and his new (at the time – now 6 years strong) boyfriend during Pride week – we simply went bar hopping and dancing over on ‘Vaseline Alley’ with some other friends that were in town for the weekend’s festivities. There were so many people packed into that club – that my usually mild claustrophobia kicked in and I had to get outside simply to breathe. Our fine city certainly knows how to celebrate! But I’ve never been able to make it to the parade – and this year I think that I can – so I’m stoked! I guess that might make up for not getting to go to the sold out Indigo Girls show at the Aladdin on Saturday.

Portland Pride is growing every year – this year’s Pride 2007 Festival runs in Waterfront park Sat and Sunday from noon to 10 pm with dozens of acts on 2 different stages. There have already been numerous parties, events, smaller parades and of course Darcelle – but there’s still more running through the weekend with the finale of the event on Sunday – Portland’s own Storm Large and the Balls and NYC’s God-Des & She.

Checkout today’s Mercury for a complete guide of events.

photo by Wire Moore. wiremoore.com

The sultry, sexy, singing kind of Storm not the cold, wet, windy one.

Mark your calendars Storm Large and the Balls will be on the next live taping of Live Wire at the Aladdin Theater on December 14!

I was lucky enough to be in the last Live Wire show when Storm and the Balls performed. It was incredible. You can hear Storm‘s amazing performance for yourself at the Live Wire website.

Anyhow, I just thought I would give everyone a heads up.

…and buy tickets to see Supernova (or whatever their name now is) in February.

I would have, you see – just so I could see Storm Large on the big stage with the “big dawgs” (yes, my tongue’s planted firmly in my, um, cheek on that one…). But since she’s just been axed from the Supernova tour (along with Magni and the House Band) – well, I can save that forty bucks towards seeing her locally instead.

The Oregonian update speculates that it was for ‘financial reasons’, while Storm had this to say on her site:

Dave Navarro called me to get the scoop, even HE didn’t know what the heck was going on . (Note to self: Don’t sleep with Dave Navarro, he isn’t in the loop … )

Oh, and – don’t even bother trying to get tickets for the Storm and the Balls show tomorrow at Cafe Wonder; they’re sold out…(am I going? Uh, no – I missed the announcement & missed my chance because I’m lame, lame, lame lately…)

In case you needed another reason to watch tonight’s season premiere of Battlestar Galactica— though if being the best damn kick-ass show on TV, with great writing, acting, 9/11 allegorical action, and hot men and women isn’t enough for you, then you’ve already got problems that won’t be solved by watching the TV– one of the stars of the show, Ms. Katee Sackhoff, is a native of our fair town (or at least the surrounding area).

While I’m sure a bunch of people are watching already, if you’re not, it’s time to start. Come on, people, you watched a crappy show like Rockstar: Supernova just for the Storm Large action, right? Katee’s just as hot and just as talented– while I don’t know if she can carry a tune, she sure knows how to kick some toaster ass and look good doing it. So flip the channel to Sci-Fi (I know it’s scary over there in nerd-land, but we don’t bite, we just might smell a little ripe) and prepare to be surprised by how good this show is. Don’t let the spaceships fool you.

And while there doesn’t appear to be a Portland Frak Party that you can attend, I’m sure one of your friends is secretly a fan of the show and will watch it with you.

This entry paid for by the New Capricans for the Re-election of Roslin coalition.

As announced in the message board on her website, Storm (and her Balls) will be hanging out at Dante’s from 8 pm on. They won’t be performing – BUT there’ll be news of upcoming local appearances, plus details of the parts of the Supernova (or whatever their name will soon be – the Supernova name was apparently taken, ha!) tour that Storm will be opening for with the house band, I’m sure.

Don’t show up early – it’s press and invite only from 6-8 – but there will be no more interviewing, cameras, etc. after 8. The lady says she wants time with her fans – and “that’s that.”

C’mon PDX – let’s welcome Storm back to town with style, shall we?

Storm did a very poised interview on the Ellen show yesterday afternoon – here’s the clip if you missed it or forgot to set your TiVo:

Looks like she’ll be touring with the house band – and the hardest thing she had to do while doing the whole RS: Supernova thing? “Wearing high heels.” (The second hardest thing had to be coaxing the tight-assed Ellen audience to sing along to “We Are the Champions”…)

So much to talk about, so little time.

And why so much? Well, considering Portland is pretty much a one-horse town in terms of pro sports franchises, and that horse is trying to lay low for a month or so, there’s still a lot happening on the Portland sports scene that we can discuss, as it were, in passing.

AFTER THE JUMP:
> No more “Primetime with Ian and Big Suke”
> Joey! Joey!
> Where will the Ducks and Beavers end up?
> Rose City Rollers getting ready to close out a successful first season
> Obligatory Storm Large reference
(more…)

In Storm Large’s latest Storm’s Space Blog post on the Rockstar area of Windows Live Spaces, she tells the world that perceived Rockstar Supernova rival Dilana is really cool.

“When I was really down, recently,” our own Storm ‘fesses, “the stress was getting to me…Dilana gave me a card to cheer me up and it said, “The most beautiful flowers had to grow through a lot of dirt before they became so beautiful.”

And then this doves-of-peace release.

“PS: All that drama last week with Dilana? Please know that she is an awesome lady and I love her. Dilana is a friend and I stand by her – she did nothing wrong. Let’s all get over it, and XO.”

One-two-three: a-w-w-w-w.

But that’s not all Storm has to say in this post.
(more…)

Do you ever wonder what’s going on with Rockstar:Supernova? For the third week in a row, it seems like Storm Large is getting screwed with song choices. Is this planned? The songs that have been chosen for Storm are not good songs. Mind you, Storm Large does each song justice, even making me want to sing them by the water cooler, but come on, you can’t put lipstick on a pig and make it pretty. Unless it’s a damn cute pig.
Last night’s song by Evanescence was plainly a bad song and had already been sung once or more. Storm did it justice as much as she could. Where others would have used the whole scratchy voice at the higher registers, Storm stayed true and kept a solid voice throughout the entire song, proving she has some pipes. I just hope this isn’t a concerted effort by the band and the producers to drive her out. She is the best singer there.
Ok, another question – does the show only have the rights to sing like 18 unique songs? We’ve heard Lithium three times I think, Evanescence twice, Helter Skelter twice and many more repeats. Is Mark Burnett being cheap? Do the record companies not want to allie with this show? BTW, I think Dilana needs a public spanking!

Yes, I know that Storm Large sounds like a stage name, but the actual given name of Portland’s entry into the Rock Star:Supernova contest is- as many of you know-Susan Storm Large.

The other day, the thought came to me that many last names that perpetuate to this day were assigned hundreds of years ago as descriptive characteristics. Was your ancestor a baker, a mason, or shepherd? That’s how he- and through the generations the male line in your family- kept that name. Did your ancestor live at the edge of town? Townsend, or Townshend, like Pete.

Was one of your male ancestors well, Large? Height and other physical characteristics can be inherited, of course.

See where I am going with this?

Storm Large is, what, six feet, and is rather full-figured.

Storm Large, were your ancestors, well, Large?