DJ Action Slacks
Upcoming Events & Appearances
Get all the details on all my upcoming Portland "Rhythm & Grooves" dance parties and other events! VINTAGE grooves to make you move!
OFFICIAL DJ ACTION SLACKS EVENT
FLAME presents DISCO Vintage Vinyl Dance Party
April 12th - SATURDAY
World Famous Kenton Club
The next edition of Flame Vintage Vinyl Dance Party is inspired by the ideology of early days of disco. Dance and sing along as DJ Action Slacks & special guest LéMix (of Twirl) spin vintage vinyl disco classics and fun rarities of the 1970s & early 80s!
During the early 1970s, an era of extreme cynicism, people from marginalized communities found themselves drawn to dance clubs (then called discothèques) where they could escape the challenges of life by getting lost in music, oftentimes having what can be described as "spiritual experiences" on the dance floor. For many, discos became a unifying sacred space of diversity, love, affirmation, empowerment, & rejuvenation.
Also, DJ Action Slacks will be inducting Donna Summer & songwriter/producers Niles Rodgers & Bernard Edwards (of Chic) into the Dance Hall of Flame. Help us celebrate their contributions to the evolution of dance music!
Put on your best disco threads and get ready to clear your head as you get lost in the music!
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Like most DJ Action Slacks dance parties, this event is open to all kind-hearted people, but is geared toward the Portland LGBTQmunity & its allies.
Party time: 8 pm to Midnight
21+
Sliding scale at the door $10 - $20
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*Please be considerate to others and test for COVID prior to attending events, particularly because we don't know what the future holds in terms of health care in the coming months/years. THANKS
LIBRARY PRESENTATION
for Women's History Month
HAPPY VALLEY LIBRARY
6 PM
MARCH 20TH, THURSDAY, 6 PM
RSVP with the HVL Here
Respected LadyLand Radio Show host DJ Action Slacks commemorates Women's History Month with a special presentation. With three decades of experience in the music and nightlife industry, she will share reflections on her journey as well as pay tribute to some of her favorite women performers in mid-century dance music. Join us for a celebration of women's contributions to the music and record scene! more details below:
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​In my most recent record/music industry work settings, if a woman stood up for herself, she was often viewed as a problem that needed to be eliminated.
I chose to channel the frustration of experiencing discrimination into creating something positive for women. This resulted in radio specials called Respected LadyLand (which blossomed into its own weekly radio project).
My mission was straightforward: if women hungered for respect, opportunity, appreciation, and recognition they didn't receive in the real world, they would certainly experience it on my radio show.
I chose to focus on women's endeavors in the mid-20 century record business, an era when women had the least amount of power in the industry and received little credit for their contributions. It seemed important to demonstrate that, contrary to popular belief, there were indeed women trying to make their mark in the record industry during that era. They didn't have the advantages and support that men did, but they still took enormous risks to give it a go.
By diving into the Respected LadyLand Project, I've been able to showcase women who have inspired me for years. Beyond that through dedicated research, I've come across many women whose contributions were previously unknown to me. I've learned important life lessons from these pioneers of the record industry that I look forward to sharing with you in this presentation.
Coincidentally, I recently revisited the film "Alice in Wonderland" and noticed some parallels between my imaginary world of "Respected LadyLand" and Alice's daydream of her own ideal world.
“If I had a world of my own," she imagined, "nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrarywise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?”
In Respected LadyLand, nothing would be as it is in the real world in terms of women's basic rights and discriminatory practices.
I hope someday Respected LadyLand will be more than a fantasy, but rather a reality people are willing to fight to bring to fruition. Until then, I invite you to join me in honoring the often-overlooked women musicians who have motivated me to persevere through difficult times.