En Vogue interviews with Seattle Gay News

"Free your mind and the rest will follow. Be color blind, don't be so shallow".

These are the words to "Free Your Mind", one of many fierce hit singles by Grammy-nominated group En Vogue. The trio - Maxine Jones, Cindy Herron-Braggs and Terry Ellis (Dawn Robinson is no longer with the act) - are back in the saddle and headed to Seattle for a four night stay at Dimitriou's Jazz Allley (http://www.jazzalley.com), March 22-25.

Herron-Braggs goes one-on-one with Seattle Gay News in the March 16 issue, telling us some of the songs on next week's set lists and what impact En Vogue's gay fans have had on them all these years.

Grab a copy of Seattle Gay News this weekend and read more about En Vogue.

Seattle Gay News hosts Oscar Party today at Purr

Oscar Sunday has arrived.

Seattle Gay News and Purr have teamed up once again to host an Academy Awards bash, starting today at Purr (1518 11th Avenue) at 4pm.

No cover charge. Free prizes. Multiple flat-screen TVs to watch all the action. Plus, drink specials and good food in a festive, casual environment (no specific dress code).

Everyone is invited, but arrive early for the best seating.

Morgan Page interviews with Seattle Gay News

Grammy-nominated electronic artist and producer Morgan Page, who has mixed records for dozens of artists including Madonna, David Bowie and the B-52's, goes one-on-one with Seattle Gay News in the upcoming February 24 issue.

Headed to the Coachella Festival in April and currently on a headlining tour, Page was reached via email while in Germany and spoke about his forthcoming new album In the Air, the electronic music scene, and what's store for the rest of 2012.

Grab a copy of Seattle Gay News this weekend, or search for it online at www.sgn.org, to read our interview with Morgan Page, who performs February 25 at The Showbox Market.

Madonna adds 2nd Seattle concert at Key Arena

Madonna x 2.

The Material Girl has added a second show at Seattle's Key Arena on October 3. Seattle Gay News is awaiting the official press release for ticket details, but from our research it appears pre-sales begin February 14 and general public ticket sales start February 21. If these dates are inconsistent with the tour promoter's press release, we'll post a correction.

Get ready for Madonna-mania on October 2 and 3!

Madonna heading to Seattle on 2012 tour

Seattle Gay News is rejoicing with many Madonna fans around the world because the recent Super Bowl star (sorry, Eli) is set to perform here on October 2, 2012.

The Material Girl will embark on a lengthy tour from May 2012 to early 2013 with included stops in Israel, United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, and several dates across the United States and Canada. The tour will reportedly wind down in Australia early next year. It appears that tickets for Madonna's scheduled Seattle concert will go on sale February 13, but we're awaiting an official notice of this.

Below is what appears to be Madonna's tour itinerary:

EUROPE

29-May Tel Aviv, Israel Ramat Gam Stadium On Sale Feb. 10
3-Jun Abu Dhabi Yas Arena On Sale Feb. 27
7-Jun Istanbul, Turkey Turk Telecom Arena On sale soon
11-Jun Zagreb, Croatia Maksimir Stadium On Sale Feb. 17
14-Jun Milan, Italy Stadio San Siro On Sale Feb. 13
16-Jun Florence, Italy Stadio Franchi On Sale Feb. 13
20-Jun Barcelona, Spain Palau Sant Jordi On Sale Feb. 16
24-Jun Coimbra, Portugal Estadio Cidade de Coimbra On Sale Feb. 11
28-Jun Berlin, Germany O2 Arena On Sale Feb. 13
2-Jul Copenhagen, Denmark Parken Stadium On Sale Feb. 13
4-Jul Gothenburg, Sweden Ullevi Stadium On Sale Feb. 17
7-Jul Amsterdam,The Netherlands Ziggo Dome On Sale Feb. 11
12-Jul Brussels, Belgium Stade Roi-Baudouin On Sale Feb. 17
14-Jul Paris, France Stade De France On Sale Feb. 14
17-Jul London, UK Hyde Park On Sale Feb. 10
21-Jul Edinburgh, UK Murrayfield Stadium On Sale Feb. 10
24-Jul Dublin, Ireland Aviva Stadium On Sale Feb. 17
29-Jul Vienna, Austria Ernst-Happel-Stadion On Sale Feb. 24
1-Aug Warsaw, Poland National Stadium On Sale Feb. 17
7-Aug Moscow, Russia Olimpiski Arena On sale soon
8-Aug St. Petersburg, Russia SKK Arena On sale soon
12-Aug Helsinki, Finland Olympic Stadium On Sale Feb. 14
15-Aug Oslo, Norway Telenor Arena On Sale Feb. 20
18-Aug Zurich, Switzerland Stadion Letzigrund On Sale Feb. 24
21-Aug Nice, France Stade Charles-Erhmann On Sale Feb. 14

NORTH AMERICA

28-Aug Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center On Sale Feb. 13
30-Aug Montreal, QC Bell Centre On Sale Feb. 18
1-Sep Quebec City, QC Plains of Abraham Site On Sale Feb. 17
4-Sep Boston, MA TD Garden On Sale Feb. 13
6-Sep New York, NY Yankee Stadium On Sale Feb. 13
10-Sep Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place On Sale Feb. 13
12-Sep Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre On Sale Feb. 13
15-Sep Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall On Sale Feb. 27
19-Sep Chicago, IL United Center On Sale Feb. 13
23-Sep Washington, D.C. Verizon Center On Sale Feb. 13
29-Sep Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena On Sale Feb. 13
2-Oct Seattle, WA Key Arena On Sale Feb. 13
6-Oct San Jose, CA HP Pavilion On Sale Feb. 13
10-Oct Los Angeles, CA Staples Center On Sale Feb. 13
13-Oct Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand On Sale Feb. 27
16-Oct Phoenix, AZ US Airways Center On Sale Feb. 27
20-Oct Dallas, TX American Airlines Center On Sale Feb. 27
24-Oct Houston, TX Toyota Center On Sale Feb. 27
27-Oct New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena On Sale Mar. 5
30-Oct Kansas City, MO Sprint Center On Sale Mar. 5
1-Nov St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center On Sale Mar. 5
3-Nov St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center On Sale Feb. 27
10-Nov Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena On Sale Mar. 5
15-Nov Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena On Sale Mar. 5
17-Nov Atlanta, GA Philips Arena On Sale Mar. 5
TBC Miami, FL To Be Confirmed On Sale Soon

Switzerland "Gay Ski Week", Seattle Gay News is there

Ahhh....Switzerland. The land of decadent cheese and chocolate, trendy watches, muesli and ski resort disco parties.

Yes, happening now way up in the Swiss mountains - in the resort town of Arosa, to be exact - is "Arosa Gay Ski Week". A week-long, fun-packed event that gathers fabulous skiers throughout Europe, North America and other parts of the world.

Seattle Gay News writer Jerry L. Peerson is in Arosa now, taking in the 'scenery' and experiencing the snowy slopes of this treasured winter, and summer, resort area. He'll summarize "Arosa Gay Ski Week" in the January 20 issue of the SGN, and will share his overall thoughts on traveling to Switzerland, including stops in Zurich and Lucerne, in our Spring Travel issue (late March tentative date).

For more on this event, visit http://www.arosa-gayskiweek.com/en/.

Pictured: Arosa, Switzerland (as captured by SGN writer Jerry L. Peerson)

Seattle Gay News announces "Best of Travel 2011"

Going somewhere? Maybe we can help with a recommendation or two.

Seattle Gay News travel writers made numerous trips last year, from South Asia to the Caribbean to the bayou capital of New Orleans. From the many places we visited, and the hotels, restaurants and bars we experienced along the way, here's our picks for the "Best of Travel 2011". (Pictured: Barcelo Bavaro Hotel Deluxe).

BEST HOTELS

1 Andaz San Diego - San Diego, California USA
2 Aria Resort & Casino - Las Vegas, Nevada USA
3 Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe - Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
4 Bourbon Orleans Hotel - New Orleans, Louisiana USA
5 Fairmont Chateau Laurier - Ottawa, ON Canada
6 Hyatt at Olive 8 - Seattle, Washington USA
7 Scarborough Fair B&B - Baltimore, Maryland USA
8 The Kahala Hotel & Resort - Honolulu, Hawaii USA
9 The Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas - Lahaina, Hawaii USA
10 The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa - Scottsdale, Arizona USA

BEST VISITOR ATTRACTIONS/ACTIVITIES

1 Altos de Chavon - La Romana, Dominican Republic
2 American Visionary Art Museum - Baltimore, Maryland USA
3 Ayutthaya Historical Park - Ayutthaya, Thailand
4 Dolphin Quest, at The Kahala Hotel & Resort - Honolulu, Hawaii USA
5 Canadian War Museum - Ottawa, ON Canada
6 Cemetery Voodoo Tour - New Orleans, Louisiana USA
7 Chiang-Dao Elephant Training Center - Chiang Mai, Thailand
8 Granville Island - Vancouver BC, Canada
9 Honolulu Academy of the Arts/The Contemporary Museum - Honolulu, Hawaii USA
10 Living with Hurricanes: Katrina & Beyond exhibit, at the Louisiana State Museum - New Orleans, Louisiana USA
11 Musical Instrument Museum - Phoenix, Arizona USA
12 National Gallery of Canada - Ottawa, ON Canada
13 Old Town Trolley Tours - San Diego, California USA
14 Sunset Horseback Trail Ride, at The Stables (Turtle Bay Resort) - Kahuku, Hawaii USA
15 Taipei 101 Observatory - Taipei, Taiwan
16 USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum - San Diego, California USA
17 The Original Haunted Walk of Ottawa - Ottawa, ON Canada
18 Vancouver Sea Plane Tour - Vancouver, BC Canada
19 Viva Elvis, at Aria Resort & Spa - Las Vegas, Nevada USA
20 Wailele Polynesian Luau, at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa - Lahaina, Hawaii USA

BEST RESTAURANTS

1 808 Grinds (food cart) - Portland, Oregon USA
2 AK's Cafe - Wailuku, Hawaii USA
3 Antoines Restaurant - New Orleans, Louisiana USA
4 Celestial Natural Foods - Haleiwa, Hawaii USA
5 The Court of Two Sisters - New Orleans, Louisiana USA
6 Courtyard Restaurant - Ottawa, ON Canada
7 Din Tai Fung (Zhongxiao Branch) - Taipei, Taiwan
8 Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, Oregon USA
9 Hofbrauhaus - Las Vegas, Nevada USA
10 Judas Goat Taberna - Vancouver BC, Canada
11 Julian Serrano, at Aria Resort & Casino - Las Vegas, Nevada USA
12 Moxie's Classic Grill (on Davie) - Vancouver, BC Canada
13 The Original, A Dinerant - Portland, Oregon USA
14 Quarter Kitchen, at Andaz San Diego - San Diego, California USA
15 Ruem Mai Horm - Chiang Mai, Thailand
16 St. Francis - Phoenix, Arizona USA
17 SWB - Scottsdale, Arizona USA
18 Thompson Bar and Restaurant (at Jim Thompson House) - Bangkok, Thailand
19 The Whole Earth Restaurant - Chiang Mai, Thailand
20 ZenKitchen - Ottawa, ON Canada

BEST BARS/LOUNGES

1 Celebrities Nightclub - Vancouver, BC Canada
2 City Cafe - Baltimore, Maryland USA
3 Delta Sky Club (at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport) - SeaTac, Washington USA
4 The Driftwood Room - Portland, Oregon USA
5 Ivy Wine Bar, at Andaz San Diego - San Diego, California USA
6 Mr. Rain's Fun House - Baltimore, Maryland USA
7 Oasis Ultra Lounge - Vancouver, BC Canada
8 Paniolo Lounge (at Travaasa Hana) - Hana, Hawaii USA
9 Paymon's Hookah Lounge - Las Vegas, Nevada USA
10 Piranha Nightclub / 8 1/2 Ultra Lounge - Las Vegas, Nevada USA
11 Silverado - Portland, Oregon USA
12 Telephone Pub, Restaurant & Karaoke - Bangkok, Thailand
13 Urbane - Seattle, Washington USA
14 The Veranda (at The Kahala Hotel & Resort) - Honolulu, Hawaii USA
15 ZuZu Lounge - Scottsdale, Arizona USA