Join us as we celebrate and remember Queer Night, a favorite night, and welcome back two longtime Portland friends and favorite DJs, Harry Who and DJ Dazy. Meet us as we gather in The Den’s Living Room (coincidentally the name of the bar upstairs at La Luna). Presented by The Den, Rose City Underground and Brad Vachal.
$10 cover suggested, but sliding scale admission. No pre-sale tickets. 21+
Queer Night
Queer Night was a beloved Monday night weekly at La Luna. La Luna was a rock club that served as the de facto venue for many of Monqui Productions shows. Queer Night served up an alternative to the Stark St clubs. A generally mixed crowd with more underground music. Starting in Portland’s “golden era of rave,” it was an important early weekly spot focused on house music sounds.
The night was the creation of D-J Haanraadts, an eccentric Dutch man, who established what the night was, a mix of culture and music with a tone of politics in the mix. When D-J would travel, he had a couple people that would helm the ship, most notably, and Queer Night’s second dad was Howie Baggadonutz.
Early days, when the DJ pool was smaller, it featured a tighter rotation of DJ’s, with one person playing all night. This early crew included Dazy, Aquaman, Mike Stevens and Brad Vachal. As the talent pool expanded, and the night’s popularity grew, so did the lineup. Openers were added to the mix, amplifying the event's diversity. The format of Queer Night always remained fluid. It could feature DJs following live bands, sometimes there was a different type of performance, or even film screenings, but often it was records all night.
Anniversary dates saw extraordinary performances like Deee-Lite and the Dandy Warhols, with out of town DJ’s like Doc Martin and Markie Mark. Many other Portland DJ’s included Barry Weaver, Adam, Ben & Ravi, DJ Gravy, Greg Beddor, Oyan, Mestizo, DJ Alex, Dig Dug, George Holland, DJ Drue and many more. Queer Night continued to be a cherished fixture at La Luna until the club’s closure in 1998, leaving behind a legacy of vibrant nights and unforgettable experiences.
DJ Dazy
Dazy embarked on her DJing journey in 1992 in Salt Lake City, Utah, immersing herself in the rave scene that was just beginning to take shape. Her talent shone through, earning her a respected place within the community. However, in 1994, a strong desire for change beckoned, and with her records, turntables, clothes, and trusty feline companion, she made the leap to Portland, Oregon.
Portland became the catalyst for Dazy's DJ career to flourish. By the time she headed to San Jose in 1997, she had become a resident DJ at two clubs in the city, while gracing the decks of numerous others. In 1998, her journey led her to Los Angeles, where she embarked on an exciting chapter of her musical odyssey, traveling extensively for gigs from 1998 to 2003. Dazy was a true pioneer as a female DJ, navigating a landscape that was predominantly a boys' club at the time.
In those earlier years, the lack of gender diversity behind the decks was striking. Yet, amidst this disparity, Dazy fearlessly blazed a trail, breaking barriers and opening doors for other talented women to follow. She even founded SisterDJs, a respected mailing list dedicated to fostering a supportive network for female DJs. While we have made significant progress towards achieving equity behind the decks, we must acknowledge Dazy's extraordinary contribution during a time when the DJing landscape was far from balanced.
As life took a beautiful turn with the arrival of her daughter, Dazy adjusted her schedule and reevaluated her priorities. Now, as her daughter grows older, she finds herself once again drawn to the decks, fueled by the resurgence of vinyl and a renewed passion for sharing her music with the world.
Harry Who
Harry Who is a true veteran of West Coast house music. Born in Indonesia and raised in the vibrant streets of London, Harry's passion for music led him to the decks once he arrived in San Jose. It all began during the pre-rave era, where he joined forces with the esteemed DJ Spun, becoming a prominent figure in the local club scene. His influence quickly expanded as he ventured into San Francisco, becoming a cornerstone of Preston Lytton's unforgettable Boogie Buffet, Groove Kitchen parties, and later Stompy Stomp.
As Preston and Kenny embarked on their journey to spread the electrifying SF party style to the Pacific Northwest, Harry often accompanied them. The SF/PDX magic synergy first materialized during the Oregon Country Fair weekend, where they joined forces for the legendary Melting Pot in a Springfield roller rink. This was followed by another unforgettable soirée in Portland later that summer, marking the start of annual events for the next couple years. The people of Portland swiftly fell in love with Harry, embracing both his incredible tunes and magnetic personality. This was the golden era of house and techno, and it was during this time that Harry established his highly regarded Solid Grooves record store in San Jose. The store soon gave birth to the eponymous label, featuring a lineup of respected artists, most notably known for launching the talented E.B.E., also known as Lucas Rodenbush.
Even today, Harry continues to deliver exceptional music, often sharing the stage with his dear friends and fellow legends of San Jose's house music scene, Julius Papp and Rick Preston. However, to be honest, catching Harry behind a camera, capturing moments through his SLR lens, is just as likely as finding him behind a set of decks and mixer. Harry's passion for both music and photography knows no bounds.
Brad Vachal
Long time Portland record slinger back to the days of Turntable Mary’s and then an era long stretch at Platinum Records. Nearly twenty years now at the venerable Soul Stew at The Goodfoot. Part of the One Love and Nostalgia parties. Queer Night OG DJ. Infrequent writer of words and music.
Eric “DJ Aquaman” Hedford
Founder of Soul Stew, Portland’s mighty dance night, spanning over two decades at The Goodfoot. Founding member of The Dandy Warhols. Pioneering rave as DJ Aquaman, part of the One Love crew. One of the very first Queer Night DJs. In addition to DJ’ing, Eric teaches drum and writes & records music.
Adam Whalen
Adam grew up and cut his musical teeth in southern Oregon. DJ’ing in clubs there, before moving to Portland in 1991, just as the rave scene was dawning. From the earliest days, he promoted parties and pushed early rave apparel. DJ’ing too, as opportunity presented itself. As well as some early Queer Night slots. His most recent endeavor was hosting the Golden party at The Den.