Bay Area Reporter

Returning for its sixth year from August 21-23 at the Roxie Theater, The SF Queer Film Fest presents 13 different programs throughout the three days with six features and 49 shorts, including animation, web series, music videos, and documentaries.

The release of Scotsmen Robbie Milner, baritone and pianist Ben Eames’ album of modern art songs “All the Way Through Evening” celebrates and eulogizes composers profoundly affected by the AIDS crisis. Their creative expression was a means of doing something about it. The recital from Navona Records is just a small part of that generation of artists’ outpouring of grief, rage, love, and hope.

A diverse group of performers will return to the stage at The Stud to compete in “The Talent* Show All Stars,” a queer take on “America’s Got Talent.” The show plays August 20, September 17, and October 15, followed by a finale on November 13, all at The Stud bar. According to producer Whit Latimer, aka drag artist Florida Man, the competition will present acts that resist easy categorization.

An educator and activist, in addition to being a writer, poet Ed Madden has numerous full-length collections to his name, as well as multiple chapbooks, most recently two published as part of Squares & Rebels’ Chaps Poetry Series: “Arkansas Luggage” (2025) and “I Asked Him What He Needed” (2026). Gregg Shapiro: Ed, from 2015-2022, you were the inaugural poet laureate for the City of Columbia, South Carolina. Please say a few words about your experience in that role.

Marsha G. Slough, a lesbian who had long served on California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal until her retirement a few years ago, died August 8 following an illness, the California Courts Newsroom announced. She was 68. Ms. Slough retired in 2023, after serving since 2016 on the appellate court. She had served as a judge for two decades. She was appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Two, in Riverside County, by former governor Jerry Brown in 2015.

The final Castro area-bar currently using Patronscan is pausing using the technology to take pictures of patrons entering during peak hours, but will retain the ID scan function. That function verifies whether a government-issued identification is valid. Nick Kealy, a gay man who is manager of The Mix at 4086 18th Street, is frustrated at the blowback the bar has received for using Patronscan to take pictures to verify IDs as part of the entry process.

The suspense is over for authors of various LGBTQ bills who were waiting to see if they’d survive the California Legislature’s fiscal review process. They are now to be taken up for floor votes in the two chambers, with legislators racing to meet their August 31 deadline to send legislation to Governor Gavin Newsom to sign into law.

Some diverse and unusual musical treats are out on vinyl with special extras, including trip-hop innovator Tricky, harpist Mikaela Davis, Buena Vista Social Club and ‘The Book of Mormon’ Original Broadway Cast Recording. Brace yourself. It’s been 31 years since the release of “Maxinquaye,” the acclaimed and groundbreaking debut album by trip-hop innovator Tricky. It’s also been six years between Tricky’s prior studio album and his new one, “Different When It’s Silent” (False Idols).

The four candidates for San Francisco District 8 supervisor discussed their thoughts on increasing surveillance in the city during a forum Wednesday. But notably, the issue of facial recognition use in some Castro bars was not brought up. In recent years, the San Francisco Police Department has installed hundreds of automated cameras from Flock Safety to track license plates, in an attempt to target mass retail theft and other crimes.

Those attending Wednesday’s Golden State Valkyries game could see a trans flag, with its pink, blue, and white stripes, flying above the crowded ticketing lines. It was held by Calder Storm, a gay transman and member of Rainbow Families Action, the group holding a pro-trans rally in the heart of Thrive City just outside of San Francisco’s Chase Center.