40 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 6-12, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com CULTURE Drag shows at Pearl Hour in Monterey are slated for every second Saturday of the month, April 2023 being the exception that confirms the rule—the upcoming edition of The Roulette Hour, a drag, burlesque and variety show, will take place on April 15. It’s called “roulette” for a reason, says Zak Keith, aka The Rouge Roulette, the queen who hosts the event. “You never know what to expect,” Keith says, promising safety, clear house rules, new performers, new acts and never “the same thing twice.” “It started when we had an after-party for Monterey Peninsula Pride last July [2022],” says Pearl Hour owner Katie Blandin. A drag show was part of that evening, and that is when Blandin met Keith. “It’s a great community event and everybody had such a great time,” she explains, of the decision to make a drag show at Pearl Hour a monthly thing. But there’s much more to the story. Before the space became Pearl Hour, it used to be a gay bar called After Dark (1977-1999) run by two men—Kevin Hartley and Weldon Webb (Webb would do drag). The legendary bar survived 25 years and was famous for its drag shows. “After Dark made a big impact in the community,” Blandin says, adding that people still show up at Pearl Hour and talk about how much the place meant to them. “That was part of my inspiration.” Keith and partner Maxwell Sellers (stage name Khloe Quarterpounder) moved from Virginia to Santa Cruz for Keith to pursue a PhD in psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. They live in Santa Cruz, but “Santa Cruz has a beautiful and rich drag scene,” while queer expression is much needed in Monterey. “I’m still pretty new to this,” Keith says, crediting Sellers for introducing them to the performance of drag. “I had all the skills. I did makeup for years.” In addition to that, Keith has become more involved as a queer activist, including volunteering with Monterey Peninsula Pride. “I found a great community here,” Keith says. The April show will be the seventh edition of The Roulette Hour. You can expect everything from burlesque to hip-hop, and each show has a theme; in April, it’s neon night. The Roulette Hour 10pm every second Saturday of the month (with the exception of April, when the show takes place on Saturday, April 15). Pearl Hour, 214 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. $15. 657-9447, pearlhour.com. COURTESY OF THE ROGUE ROULETTE Rollicking Roulette Drag shows have been taking place here since long before it was Pearl Hour. Now, they are a monthly event. By Agata Pop˛eda Zak Keith, aka The Rouge Roulette, is the head queen and host of The Roulette Hour drag shows at Pearl Hour in Monterey, a spot with a long tradition of queer culture. INDOOR AND OUTDOOR DINING AND TAKEOUT Eat + Drink WOOD FIRED PIZZAS, BURGERS, PASTA, SALADS, SANDWICHES AND MORE 11:30AM MON-FRI, 10AM SAT & SUN melvilletav.com 484 Washington St., Downtown Monterey 831.643.9525 HAPPY HOUR FOOD & DRINK SPECIALS Sun-Thurs 4-6pm WEEKEND BRUNCH WITH BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS Fisherman’s Wharf’s Newest Restaurant Serving Fresh Seafood, Pasta, Steaks, Sandwiches Open Daily at 11:30am Great views at the end of the Wharf #1 www.rockfishmonterey.com • 831.324.4375 BEACH HOUSE RESTAURANT + BAR @ LOVERS POINT ★ Indoor dInIng & Take-ouT daIly, 4:30pm 620 Ocean View BlVd. Pacific GrOVe 831-375-2345 • beachhousepg.com lovers poInT Beach cafe Is also offerIng Take-ouT daIly, 9am-4pm Now offeriNg A New Three-Course TAsTiNg MeNu Available sunday-Thursday. $49 per person. Call or go to sardinefactory.com for details, reservations. 701 wave street, Monterey, 831-373-3775 57 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey 831-373-1851 2 HOURS FREE PARKING www.abalonetti.com ’22 OPEN FOR INDOOR DINING AND TAKE-OUT Everyday 11:30am-8:30pm Monterey County’s Best Calamari OPEN EVERYDAY for DINNER at 4:30pm Offering all your favorites plus wine, cocktails, bottle and draft beers. 763 Wave St., Monterey 831.373.3778 thewhalingstation.com ’22 Best Steak and Martini We’re Open! Come In or Carry Out! Open at 4pm Mon-Thurs • Open at 3pm Fri Open at 12pm Sat.& Sun. 725 Lighthouse Ave, Monterey giannispizzamonterey.com 831-649-1500 BEST PIZZA ’08-’22 Indoor Dining & Take Out Nightly from 4:30pm – Featuring Signature Tapas, Paella, Seafood & Specials Easter Sunday Breakfast, 7-10am and Special Brunch, 10am-2pm Reservations recommended. Visit the website for menus. 700 Munras Ave., Monterey | 831-375-0176 | estebanrestaurant.com
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