Line Out Music & the City at Night
The Stranger Suggests
Critics' Best Bets
Music Arts & Food
Slog
News & Arts
@SEAshowsTwitter feed of Seattle shows on sale now
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Nightlife Ballard: You've Been Served!
Posted by Adrian Ryan on Sun, May 3, 2009 at 9:11 PM
I am disgusted with myself and I am disgusted with you. How did you let me go on for so long, totally ignoring Ballard? I thought you loved me.
Well. I the fuck LOVE Ballard, do you hear me?! LOVE IT! It’s finally hit me. Sunk in...deep. And how could I not? Its brickish charms! Its bohemian airs! Its way-too-sexy everybodys! Its endless drinky venues! Perfect. In every little way. But one.
It’s not even nearly gay enough. Not even fucking close. I’m sure you quite agree.
But all that’s about to change.
I’ve ignored you long enough, Ballard. I'm coming for you! Do you hear me? And I’m bringing the G-A-Y with me!
Queers of the world TAKE NOTE! We are finally taking over! First stop: Ballard!
3
Why do things need to be gay or straight you fucking bigot. How about we just leave things normal and friendly. I hope you know that regular people (both gay and straight) don't want you "gaying" up Ballard not because you are gay, but because the type of people that think things need to be gay are fucking loud obnoxious assholes with no consideration for their fellow human. Go to hell, even though it doesn't exist.
4
Edit to avoid confusion: "people who think things need to be **gayed up** are loud obnoxious assholes." Nothing wrong with being gay.
5
@YoctoYotta You're being too stereotypical. I am of the belief that most things need to be more gay, but I bet you'd have a hard time picking me out of a lineup at a local hardcore/punk/metal show. I am neither loud nor obnoxious, and have plenty of consideration for my fellow humans.
6
@bunnypuncher
I don't understand what "bring the G-A-Y" is then I suppose. My take from my gay friends and family is generally what you describe yourself as, a person who, while unique in all the ways most people are, are still relatively non-descript members of society that don't have a scarlet letter on their chest and scream their hobbies or preferences to every stranger passing by on the street.
Is the definition of making a place or thing gay to make it less intimidating to gay people? If so, I agree whole heartedly that that is needed and very acceptable, but that's not what I gather the author is saying. I mean, old Ballard is already a hip, trendy metropolitan area that --again, correct me if I'm wrong-- is a pretty darn friendly area for people of all creeds.
Lastly, I'd just like to make the point that my diatribe applies to any outspoken groups. As a boring straight white male, I'd be a terrible person to play down the trials of formerly-ostracized members of society and their personal need to make themselves heard and recognized, but when it comes down to it, no one who isn't a terrible bigoted human being gives a damn what someone else is, as long as they aren't harming anyone in the process. So, "gaying" something up, or "straighting" something up, or protesting against the war, or protesting for the war, or covering a place in American flags and playing country music, or spiking ones purple hair and acting loud and stereotypically punk-like in public, or standing on a soap box and berating passersby for their misunderstanding of whatever is all preposterously annoying for the sake of attention and nothing more in my opinion and as a person who's just trying to go about and do my shit, I'd be really pissed to be affronted by any of those situations. Not because I agree or disagree, just because it's fucking stupid shit fitting for a 14 year old. Cheers!
More...
I don't understand what "bring the G-A-Y" is then I suppose. My take from my gay friends and family is generally what you describe yourself as, a person who, while unique in all the ways most people are, are still relatively non-descript members of society that don't have a scarlet letter on their chest and scream their hobbies or preferences to every stranger passing by on the street.
Is the definition of making a place or thing gay to make it less intimidating to gay people? If so, I agree whole heartedly that that is needed and very acceptable, but that's not what I gather the author is saying. I mean, old Ballard is already a hip, trendy metropolitan area that --again, correct me if I'm wrong-- is a pretty darn friendly area for people of all creeds.
Lastly, I'd just like to make the point that my diatribe applies to any outspoken groups. As a boring straight white male, I'd be a terrible person to play down the trials of formerly-ostracized members of society and their personal need to make themselves heard and recognized, but when it comes down to it, no one who isn't a terrible bigoted human being gives a damn what someone else is, as long as they aren't harming anyone in the process. So, "gaying" something up, or "straighting" something up, or protesting against the war, or protesting for the war, or covering a place in American flags and playing country music, or spiking ones purple hair and acting loud and stereotypically punk-like in public, or standing on a soap box and berating passersby for their misunderstanding of whatever is all preposterously annoying for the sake of attention and nothing more in my opinion and as a person who's just trying to go about and do my shit, I'd be really pissed to be affronted by any of those situations. Not because I agree or disagree, just because it's fucking stupid shit fitting for a 14 year old. Cheers!
7
I take back the protest thing, the right to protest is a very important part our society and I didn't mean to compare it to acting like an asshole.
8
adrian, you are right on. this must happen, and it must happen soon. if ballard was a little gayer, it would be the unbeatably best neighborhood in the city.
9
So what we need to do is open up a couple of gay bars in Ballard. One needs to be a warehouse dance venue and a handful of other stand and model bars; at least one of these needs to be for the ladies.
That'll make Ballard gay.
That'll make Ballard gay.
10
My friend and I were in Ballard Sat night trying to find a place to drink before a show at the Sunset and somewhere a little gay would have been sweet. But alas, there was nowhere. Cool bars, otherwise. Just need more guys making out.
11
Thanks for the sentiment, and you may be right, but it's has nothing to do with not being gay, but having an mercilessly burly, gnarly, industrial base. Most of "The Deadliest Catch" crew are from Ballard! This nongayness has less to do with not appreciating all that gay folks have to offer as it does the nature of industrial blue collar work. Many of us in Ballard still are "shower after work" or if one works on a boat "shower every few days" folks. You are welcome to come and "gay us up a bit" but be warned, though Ballard is now populated by condo dwellers, we of old ballard are still here, and the warm reception you get will be what it is........
12
My friend and I were in Ballard Sat night trying to find a place to drink before a show at the Sunset and somewhere a little gay would have been sweet. But alas, there was nowhere. Cool bars, otherwise. Just need more guys making out.
13
My friend and I were in Ballard Sat night trying to find a place to drink before a show at the Sunset and somewhere a little gay would have been sweet. But alas, there was nowhere. Cool bars, otherwise. Just need more guys making out.
15
ballard does need to be gayed up. i thought this was happening about a year or two ago because i kept seeing these hot gay couples around ballard, but then they disappeared.
16
Please, no more stranger staff hanging out in Ballard. stick to your white powder tower on your tinny hill and leave the last great part of the city alone.
17
Ballard is for bisexuals. We've already claimed it. Called it. Got dibs. We're just not all loud about it 'n' shit.
19
let's make everything totally faggy where men buttfuck each other's gay anuses of color right out in the middle of the public parks
20
"Just need more guys making out."
Making out in public, no matter what sex you prefer, is tacky and classless.
Making out in public, no matter what sex you prefer, is tacky and classless.
21
It'd be nice to have at least one gay bar in Ballard, but it's not like there aren't gay people here. On my street we have at least three gay-couple households on a block of single family homes. They’re just everyday folks amid the grumpy old Scandie retirees, tech workers, a work-from-home writer, an actual Republican with an NRA sticker on his pickup -- even three or four het families with kids, like us. Gay people are probably more prevalent on the blocks with more townhouses and condos.
My son's school has several openly gay teachers. I've drank at the Viking with gay friends, and the booths there seem positively resplendent on many nights with cute drunken lesbians.
Maybe Ballard is kind of like Columbia City or West Seattle -- communities that are attracting lots of queers as nice places to live. The nightlife isn't there, but it might be someday, and for now it's okay being a community together.
My son's school has several openly gay teachers. I've drank at the Viking with gay friends, and the booths there seem positively resplendent on many nights with cute drunken lesbians.
Maybe Ballard is kind of like Columbia City or West Seattle -- communities that are attracting lots of queers as nice places to live. The nightlife isn't there, but it might be someday, and for now it's okay being a community together.
Most Commented on Line Out
-
Ongoing List of Defunct Seattle Clubs by Grant Brissey
-
What Do You Think Of Tom Cruise's "Rockin' New Look?" by Kelly O
-
UPDATE: Bumbershoot to Skip Flatstock This Year[?] by Grant Brissey
-
What You're Not Wearing: Fuck Yeah, Fashionistas!!! by Timothy Rysdyke
-
Have You Seen This Bass? by Dave Segal
-
Not Stayin' Alive by Goldy
-
chicBuds: EARO OR ZERO? by Dave Segal
-
Bad Brains and Homophobia by Charles Mudede
-
Also Tonight in Music: Avengers at Funhouse by Grant Brissey
-
Today in Funny: Hannibal Buress and Aziz Ansari by Grant Brissey
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (26) RSS