June 6, 2023
LEO Weekly for the week of 6-7-23, the Pride Issue.
Cover Story
Rites of Passage: Our Cover Artists Tell Their Coming Out Stories
Each coming out story is unique. There are no rules for how and when someone needs or has to come out about their sexuality. It is truly the business of the individual. However, there are times when being shut in the closet is harder than letting the world know exactly who you are. Our cover…
Tuesday Tracklist: Doja Cat, The Ego Trippers, Jack Harlow, Ateez and More (6/20)
In this weekly feature, a different LEO staff member will share 7-10 of the songs repeating in their playlists right now. (Songs by Louisville artists are marked with an (*) asterisk.) Got a track that you think we’d like? Let us know at leo@leoweekly.com or click the author’s name for email. No themes this week.…
GonzoFest Louisville Announces Schedule For Final Festival
A decade ago, Kentucky poet Ron Whitehead and his friends pulled together an arts festival celebrating the eccentric Louisville-born journalist Hunter S. Thompson. They named it GonzoFest after the vibrant and immersive style of new journalism Thompson created in the 1970s. It has taken different forms at different venues over the years, but it’s always…
Trump And The Troglodytes Who Defend Him Are A Threat To Democracy
Trump is the worst president in American history. If they can prove half of what he is charged with, he is the biggest criminal in the history of American government. Imagine for a moment that your son or daughter is serving in the military and mission operations were part of the files Trump carted off…
Louisville City FC To Host First International Friendly Wednesday
Louisville City FC is hosting its first international friendly on Wednesday, June 21, when Germany’s FC Kaiserslautern visits Lynn Family Stadium. FC Kaiserslautern, a storied and decorated club from Rhineland-Palatinate, has established a United States following over the years due to the team’s proximity to the United States Ramstein Air Base. “This will certainly be…
10 Things Under $10 To Do In And Around Louisville This Week (6/19-6/23)
Monday, June 19 Booze Your Own Adventure with Sid the Story Master Mag Bar $10 | 8 p.m. This week, Sid the Story Master and the audience are navigating “Trapped in the 80’s” by Connor Hoover, a choose-your-own-adventure book. Sid reads and you decide where the story goes. Donation Based Guitar Lessons BoomBozz Pizza &…
3 Concerts To Catch In Louisville This Weekend (6/16)
Saturday, June 17 Kentuckiana Pride Festival Stonewall Stage Big Four Lawn $10 | 1-10 p.m. VINCINT, Slayyyter, Brooke Eden, The Daddy Sisters and more artists are performing at the 2023 Kentuckiana Pride Festival. LEO created a playlist featuring artists from the lineup here. We also have a guide to the festival here. Sunday, June 18…
Your Guide To Kentuckiana Pride 2023
The Kentuckiana Pride Festival and Parade is back on Saturday, June 17. The parade starts at noon in NuLu and ends at the site of the Pride Festival, which is located at the Big Four Lawn at Waterfront Park. The festival, which runs from noon to 10 p.m., will feature music, drag performances, vendors, food,…
Juneteenth At Kentucky Center For African American Heritage Includes Jazz And A Play About Fannie Lou Hamer
This weekend, the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage is celebrating Juneteenth with two days of events. Juneteenth is the celebration of the emancipation of enslaved people after the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Proclamation was issued on Jan. 1, 1863, but it was not followed in Texas until Union Major General Gordon Granger…
5 Things To Do In Louisville This Weekend (6/16)
Friday, June 16 PopCon Louisville (Through Sunday) Kentucky Expo Center Times vary A giant convention that covers all things pop culture, including movies, games, anime, comics, podcasts and more. Saturday, June 17 Paristown Flea 721 Brent Street No cover | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The pop-up market will feature more than 100 vendors selling…
Electric Ladyland To Celebrate 45th Birthday With Event At CAMP Social Club
Electric Ladyland, the “eccentric smoke shop, record and metaphysical supply store” that’s an iconic fixture on Bardstown Road, plans to celebrate its 45th anniversary of being open in style. The Electric Ladyland Birthday Bash — celebrating “45 years of weird” — will take place on Saturday, June 24 at CAMP Social Club (1031 S. 6th…
Oldham County Hardcore Band Knocked Loose Releases Two New ‘Intense’ Singles, Video
Knocked Loose, a hardcore band from Oldham County, is a force in the heavy music scene, combining deep and thoughtful subject material with visceral, primal and captivating vocals and musicianship. On the front end of an extensive international tour — that features a stop at Bonnaroo on Friday — Knocked Loose has released some brand-new…
Louisville’s “Letitia Quesenberry: this is a test” Opens Friday At The Darby Forever Gallery At Surface Noise
Artist Letitia Quesenberry will have a new show, “Letitia Quesenberry: this is a test,” opening Friday, June 16 at the Darby Forever Gallery inside Surface Noise (600 Baxter Ave.). There will be an opening reception from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. on Friday and the show will run through July 30 with a closing reception…
UofL Quarterback To Host 2nd Annual CARDS Youth Football Camp On Saturday, June 17
Got a young football fan? On Saturday, June 17, Cardinal football quarterback Brock Domann and 25 of his teammates will host the 2nd annual CARDS Youth Football Camp. Kids will get to hang out with the talented players of the University while learning some football fundamentals through drills and other skill-building activities. The camp is…
Oracle of Ybor: When Money Impacts Relationships
LEO is dedicated to bringing you engaging, fun, and unique content that crosses many spectrums. From our sister paper in Tampa, Creative Loafing, we’re happy to share the Oracle of Ybor, written by Caroline DeBruhl. Here you may submit your questions about life, and the tarot will help to guide your answers. Got a question…
The SUPERLIST Of Louisville Comedy For June 14
UPCOMING SHOWS AND OPEN MICS Wednesday, June 14 7:30 p.m. — Laughs In The Lounge Comedy Open Mic with host Creig Ewing and special guest Tyson Cox, The Caravan Louisville. Tickets To sign up to perform, email CaravanOpenMic@gmail.com 7:30 p.m. — Comedy Open Mic, Louisville Comedy Club. Online sign ups at openmicer.com. Free admission 9:30…
GRLwood’s Rej Forester Talks New Material, New Albums(S), And Life On The Road
Have you ever met someone who makes you feel like you’ve known them forever, even if you’ve never spoken with them before? Rej Forester has a way of doing that. The singer/guitarist/songwriter, along with drummer Mia Morris, make up the two-piece self-described “Queerdo Scream-Pop” band GRLwood. LEO caught up with Forester prior to the release…
7 Pride Events In and Around Louisville This Month
Friday, June 16 Pride Comedy Showcase Monnik Beer Company, 1036 E Burnett Ave. $15 | 7:30-9 p.m. Louisville Laughs is hosting a pride comedy show on Friday, June 16. Hosted by Lena Beamish, the show will feature comics like Jon Pruett, Reed Sedgwick and more. Saturday, June 17 6th Annual Pride Crawl Multiple locations Starting…
Restaurant Fame May Falter, But We’ll Always Have Our Go-Tos
Things are changing, and this makes us nervous. We’ve already mourned the loss of Harvest, Decca and Rye during the pandemic, and their replacement in place — if not in spirit — by a branch of Cafe Lou Lou and a squadron of Latin-accented Olé Group eateries. And now James Beard House reveals its annual…
![[Vlog] The Metal Grind With Athena Prychodko (6/14)](https://i0.wp.com/www.leoweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image-72.webp?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)
[Vlog] The Metal Grind With Athena Prychodko (6/14)
Athena Prychodko does a great many things. Read her bio. She works in film as a producer, makeup artist, actress, etc. and she’s hip to all things metal both locally and beyond. Here, Athena will bring you the latest in metal news: where to find it, where to see it and definitely what she thinks…
Jake and Elwood’s Announces Permanent Closure
Jake and Elwood’s, the Chicago-themed pizza restaurant that opened in early 2020, announced on social media that it has permanently closed. The restaurant featured deep-dish Chicago-style pizza, as well as Chicago-style sausages, Italian beef sandwiches and more. Owner John Thurlow posted a succinct message this morning on Facebook announcing the closure. “To all of our…
Tuesday Tracklist: Songs From Wednesday, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Jordan Jetson, Kara Jackson, Jason Isbell And More (6/13)
In this weekly feature, a different LEO staff member will share 7-10 of the songs repeating in their playlists right now. (Songs by Louisville artists are marked with an (*) asterisk.) Got a track that you think we’d like? Let us know at leo@leoweekly.com or click the author’s name for email. I’ve been writing about…
Louisville BTS Army Fans Aiming For In-Store Release Party Of BTS 10-Year Anniversary Book
BTS Army listen up. To plan a celebration for the 10th anniversary of your favorite boys and the release of their new book, “Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS,” written by BTS and Myeongseok Kang, the BTS Louisville Army group is trying to meet a sales goal that will allow an in-store release party…
‘The Flash’ Works Hard To Make Us Forget Ezra Miller’s Bad Behavior
This review was originally published by LEO Weekly’s sister publication, Cleveland Scene. Here’s a fun little exercise the next time you’re at a public place: Mention The Flash and witness people immediately get into a discussion/debate about just how batshit-insane Ezra Miller is. That’s what happened when I brought up the movie at a neighborhood bar.…
LGBTQIA+ Activists From Around The World To Visit Louisville For Panel
The World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana is hosting a Global Exchange Forum featuring LGBTQIA+ activists and leaders from Hungary, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Montenegro, Pakistan, China, Uganda and Uzbekistan at Noble Funk Brewing on Thursday, June 15. The panel will discuss ideas to drive social and political change for transgender people and the…
‘She Changed The World.’ Kentucky Honors The Late Virginia Moore
This is a Kentucky Latern story republished under Creative Commons. See more from Kentucky Lantern here. LOUISVILLE – There’s a version of the late Virginia Moore that the general public mourns: the woman who stood next to Gov. Andy Beshear day after day, interpreting in sign language how many Kentuckians COVID-19 had killed that day.…
10 Things Under $10 To Do In And Around Louisville This Week (6/12-6/16)
Monday, June 12 Monday Night Chess Tournament Chess Education Foundation $10 | 6:15 p.m. Chess has exploded in popularity over the last few years. If you want to branch out from just playing strangers online, stop by this weekly chess tournament, which is three rounds at G/25 with a five-second delay. Tuesday, June 13 Movie…
Pop-Art Market Mini Marché Is Officially Open At Hotel Genevieve
Mini Marché, the pop-art-inspired mini market, officially opened on Friday, June 9. The market is located within Hotel Genevieve in NuLu, which opened in May. The market offers coffee, snacks and on-the-go options for breakfast and lunch. The store also offers selections from renowned Appalachian chef Asheligh Shanti alongside desserts and other items from culinary…
Animal Protection Association To Host Itty Bitty Kitty Shower In June
The Animal Protection Association will host the Itty Bitty Kitty Shower on Saturday, June 24 at the APA Shelter in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Last year, the no-kill, all-volunteer shelter rescued and adopted out over 200 cats and kittens. APA is hosting the shower to raise funds, gather needed supplies and search for fosters to care for…
Rufus Wainwright To Kick Off Louisville Orchestra’s Pops Season This Fall
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright will open the Louisville Orchestra’s 2023-2024 Pops Season with a performance at the Louisville Palace on Saturday, Sept. 30. The concert promises to be a “sonic Shangri-La” featuring 60 classical musicians, drummer Matt Johnson and Wainwright singing selections from his much celebrated Want albums. Want One, released in 2003, and Want…
Positively Paralyzed To Host Adaptive Rowing Event On Saturday
Hanna and Jerod Nieder of Positively Paralyzed will host “Rolling On The River: Benefiting Louisville Adaptive Rowing” on Saturday, June 10th. The event will take place at the Community Boathouse, 1325 River Road, from 2-6 p.m. The event will be free and it will have adaptive rowing activities, a live DJ, family games and free…
5 Things To Do In And Around Louisville This Weekend
FRIDAY, JUNE 9 Mary Mary with School of Rock Louisville, Friday Fest Summer Concert Series Highview Park, 7201 Outer Loop Free | Gates, 6 p.m., music, 6-10 p.m. Brought to you by Louisville Metro Council, this free, family-friendly event features food trucks, kids’ activities and music by local bands. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs…
![[Web Exclusive] Marc Murphy Takes On Pat Robertson](https://i0.wp.com/www.leoweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/marc-murphy.webp?resize=200%2C150&ssl=1)
LEO Weekly Is Hiring A Digital Writer
For writers who love social media, and social media folks who love to write, LEO is looking for a digital word bird to fill the role of Digital Writer. It’s a busy gig but one with a lot of fun, and freedom. Check out the job description below and get in touch! Pay is low/mid-40k.…
3 Concerts To Catch In And Around Louisville This Weekend (6/9-6/11)
FRIDAY, JUNE 9 River Cities Concert Band Sonny Brewster Bandstand in Downtown Warder Park (109 E. Court Ave., Jeffersonville, Indiana) Free | 7 p.m. Enjoy showtunes, marches and standards this evening with the River Cities Concert Band at Jeffersonville Main Street and Jeffersonville Parks Department’s Concerts in Warder Park Series. The mainstage performance includes food…
Get Your Local Goods Along The Waterfront Saturday June 10 At The Buy Local Fair
The Louisville Independent Business Alliance will host the annual Buy Local Fair on Saturday, June 10 at Waterfront Park’s Festival Plaza, 231 E. Witherspoon Ave. The event will take place from 12-6 p.m. The fair features merch from several local businesses. A few of the booths include: Grady Goods, Heine Brothers Coffee, Green District Salads,…
‘Or’ ignites latest conflict over what Kentucky schools may teach about sex, gender
Editor’s note: This story was updated with comments from Gov. Andy Beshear Thursday afternoon. A disagreement over the meaning of “or” in a controversial anti-trans law has ignited the latest conflict between a prominent Republican lawmaker and the Kentucky Department of Education. Sen. Max Wise criticized the new KDE guidance as “a feeble attempt to…
Art Sanctuary Presents Its Annual Va Va Vittles Vaudeville Burlesque Show
Beginning June 16, pageantry, splendor and the concept of food is on the table at Art Sanctuary, 1433 S Shelby Street. The show, “Va Va Vittles: It’s All About the Food!.” will be performed by Louisville burlesque group Va Va Vixens, and begins at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.). “A luscious mix of neo-classic…
Tracy Likes This One: Films from the Future
Some movies are time capsules, snapshots filled with the streets and clothes and attitudes of an earlier era. Not that the filmmaker has necessarily set out to make time stand still. They are just trying to tell a story with the tools they have on hand with little foresight about the exact details that will…
Editor’s Note: Remember to Be Radical
It’s Pride month, and what I didn’t want to do was push trauma into the faces of LEO’s LGBTQ+ readers. There is enough news about how the queer community is being demonized and scapegoated by politicians, and I didn’t want this space to be that. I feel like we all know those stories, and with…
Tuesday Tracklist (Pride Edition) : Otis Junior, Arsini, Fancy Hagood, Perfume Genius, Klaus Nomi, and More.
In this weekly feature, a different LEO staff member will share 7-10 of the songs repeating in their playlists right now. (Songs by Louisville artists are marked with an (*) asterisk.) Got a track that you think we’d like? Let us know at leo@leoweekly.com or click the author’s name for email. We got busy getting…
Pride Playlist: 7 Songs From Musicians Performing At Kentuckiana Pride Festival
The Kentuckiana Pride Festival returns on Saturday, June 17, bringing a loaded day of music and entertainment to the Big Four Lawn at Waterfront Park. The Equality Stage will feature multiple local drag performers and will also showcase the Kentuckiana Pride Festival’s court, while the Stonewall Main Stage will host bands and artists from various…
SoulFeast Week Returns In Lexington With The Best In Kentucky Black Cuisine
Coming up June 16 – 25 in Lexington, KY, is SoulFeast Week. We are already hongry (yes, hongry) reading about this ten-day celebration of Black culinary culture that zooms in on Black restaurants, farmers, and chefs in the Central Kentucky region. In addition to the amazing food choices, there will be educational exhibits, curated experiences,…
Arts Writing Is Dead: Rebirth And Renewal
Hi there! Welcome to the very first Arts Writing is Dead column. I’m Allie Fireel, a bipolar, queer, nonbinary theater-maker based here in good ol’ “Glitter Ball” city. This biweekly column covers the performing arts (and whatever else I have feelings about) but I’ll mostly eschew the standard preview/review format. Look here for big ideas,…
‘Round The Fire: One
Sexuality is confusing. The journey is lifelong and sometimes perilous. Sexual desire is a primal instinct, and the ability to bloom into who you are sexually is an integral part of good mental health. In that transformation, there is confusion and sometimes heartbreak. It’s important that we acknowledge this yet continue to grow into who…
The SUPERLIST of Louisville comedy for June 7
A list of the upcoming comedy shows and open mics in the Louisville area. If we missed your event, let us know. (Information on how to sign up for open mics at bottom). UPCOMING SHOWS AND OPEN MICS Wednesday, June 7 7:30 p.m. — Laughs In The Lounge Comedy Open Mic with guest host Misty Stine…
Thorns and Roses
Rose We’re glad that Churchill Downs responded to the calls to cease racing at their track in response to the spate of horse deaths. In the past six weeks, 12 horses have died at the racetrack. Absurd The response from Churchill Downs to move racing to another track that they also own continues to put…
![[Vlog] The Metal Grind With Athena Prychodko (6/7)](https://i0.wp.com/www.leoweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/athena-bio-photo-copy-4.webp?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)
[Vlog] The Metal Grind With Athena Prychodko (6/7)
Athena Prychodko does a great many things. Read her bio. She works in film as a producer, makeup artist, actress, etc. and she’s hip to all things metal both locally and beyond. Here, Athena will bring you the latest in metal news: where to find it, where to see it and definitely what she thinks…
Soapbox: Where We Know What You’re Thinking
We like it when you talk to us, even if you’re upset. This space is for you. Sometimes, we talk back. Kissinger At 100 Neither of my parents were particularly religious but I do remember with perfectly clarity the last time I ever went to church. Father Thomas was the Episcopalian preacher who came into…
Lakisha Patterson Talks TRIB With LEO
All talk of corporations, Target, and “rainbow capitalism” aside, my basic problem with big corporations flooding the market with Pride merchandise is more immediate: To make their rainbows, they have to steal someone else’s shine. And they sometimes take it from small queer-owned businesses and clothing lines like the one created by designer and entrepreneur…
Modica: Mocktails and cocktails made with Pride
The two guys work together like the practiced team that they are. Their elevator speech is sharp. Then they segue smoothly into a clear presentation. They look at each other. They smile. They laugh. They finish each other’s sentences. Meet J.D. Mitchell and Eric Wentworth, co-creators and corporate co-owners of Modica, billed as “the world’s…
Churchill Downs Receives PETA President Ingrid Newkirk’s Broken Leg In Her Newly Revamped Will
Yes, you read it correctly. This might sound like “News of the Weird” material. It most definitely is. It’s also pretty macabre and grotesque. PETA (People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals) President Ingrid Newkirk has updated her last will and testament. In that will she left some very “special” gifts to people like Elon…
21C Hosts Rooftop Wellness Event Friday
What could be more fun than a morning wellness session on the rooftop of 21C Museum Hotel Louisville, overlooking the city and working out among the hotel’s infamous red penguins? On Friday, June 16, attendees can enjoy a 45-minute mindful movement session that blends full-body stretching and strengthening, with R&B flowing in the background. The…
Flying High
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson and Kemp Powers. Written by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Dave Callaham. Opens June 2. “Anyone can wear the mask.” Such was the rallying cry of 2018’s spectacular Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which alighted in an increasingly drab and soulless subgenre like a…
Former Decca Team Members To Open Neighborhood Restaurant Decade In Butchertown Today
Decade, a new Louisville dining concept inside a historic bi-level 1870s building (formerly Butchertown Grocery), will open its doors today. The restaurant is located at 1076 East Washington Street. The menu, centered around seasonal New American cuisine with Italian and French influences, is led by veterans of the former restaurant, Decca (which closed in 2022).…
