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Reunion of Sappho's patrons to take place this week, organizer Mary Stewart talks to SGN

Reunion of Sappho's patrons to take place this week, organizer Mary Stewart talks to SGN
by Rajkhet Dirzhud-Rashid - SGN A&E Writer There used to be another women's bar in this town. In fact, over the years that I've been here, there've been at least two that, unfortunately no longer exist, but the need for another women's bar, one that serves older Lesbians and their friends does exist. To this end, Mary Stewart from, retired DJ the early days of bars like Tugs, The Boren Street (Seattle's answer to 'Studio 54, according to Stewart, and Sapphos, is helping to organize an event that she hopes will become a permanent part of the nightlife in Seattle. "I've been talking to all of these older Dykes, who keep saying that they'd like a place where they could go and dance, and hear music that doesn't offend them," said Stewart, who has put together a special reunion of those who used to hang out at Sapphos and The Easy, in the mid-nineties. She added that even though many do go to The Wild Rose, they have a hard time with some of the lyrics of the songs that younger women are listening to, and the fact that there is no official dance night or room to dance. Stewart, who is originally from Louisiana, said she moved to Seattle when she was 11 years old, and that she did her first DJ-ing there, when she was still considered underage. "That was back when fake I.D.'s were easy to get. After hanging around at this one place for several months, the owner saw me and asked me if I wanted to DJ, because he knew I knew something about music and he trusted me. That was my first gig, then I moved here and learned more skills from Tom Lathrop and eventually DJ'ed at The Boren, Tugs and Sappho's, as well as The Easy, when it was still going. Tom was great to work with, " said Stewart. She said that as The Boren became more popular, more straight people came in, and the Gay people left, and then The Easy came to be and she was asked to DJ there while it was in business. The reunion Stewart is organizing with Zak from The Crypt, will be held at The Cuff on Saturday, April 15, 4pm "till we're done" and Stewart says she hopes the turnout is good and that this will be the beginning of a revival of a dance music night for older women. She is also hoping that other bars will like the idea enough to sponsor similar nights in the future, and she says she has already had a couple of bars show interest in her idea. "Everything starts at four and ends at 10 p.m., but if people are jazzed enough, maybe The Cuff will let me continue to DJ, instead of putting on their DJ and people can stay longer," said Stewart, saying that she would check with The Cuff on that, and that so far the managers at The Cuff have been nothing but supportive of her idea for a dance night for older women. "I hope to eventually find a place of my own, and build a club that will have a different musical night for everyone, with one night being music from the '80's and then a hip hop night and maybe some R & B. Seattle has never had a high-end dance club and that's what I'm envisioning here, " said Stewart. Advance tickets ($10) are available at The Crypt or $15 at the door. The Cuff is located at 1533 13th Ave.