Do you Feint?

By Ashley Brown

“Young, cute, not Abercrombie.” That’s how Alex, the bartender at the Duplex Diner, describes Feint. “It’s a different kind of conformity.” Sobered by that thought, and gritting our teeth to suppress our inner Kylie, we ventured to Staccato, the event’s monthly home.

Feint, so named because it is a “diversionary night,” is the four-month old brainchild of Matt Kane, 23, a DC-based photographer and artist and Michael Eichler, 29, an imminent grad student. After launching qualm, an online community for queer boys and girls that rejects the idea that everything worth doing happens on 17th from P to T, Eichler and Kane set out to create an indie/alt/whatever queer lounge night showcasing the music qualmers love. After all, whatever affection
some may hold for JR’s or Cobalt, you are never going to hear Promise Ring (think emo for sensitive people) at either venue. One Sunday a month, Feint satisfies a yearning for the likes of The Magnetic Fields, Pete Yorn, Elliot Smith, and Morcheeba.

Staccato, the small piano bar that Feint calls home, is the perfect venue. It’s a cozy, intimate space with a comfortable downstairs. A roomy upstairs, complete with Scrabble, Battleship, and Connect 4, encourage you to settle in and relax.

While Feint gets crowded, it never feels suffocating, and the friendly bartenders, cheap drinks ($3 rail and drafts), and comfy couches encourage you to settle in. Two bars ensure there's never a line for a drink, which further fosters a genial, social atmosphere.

As great a space as Staccato is, it is the people that make Feint. According to Kane, “qualm is tapping into a well-established alternative scene that is already there.” It’s a crowd that gets truly excited about indie music. There isn’t an Abercrombie-clad lad in sight (Urban Outfitters, however, is well represented). Right after you notice the deliciously attractive crowd, you realize that gay men don’t all look alike. Feint will remind those who bemoan the homogeneity of queer DC -- you know, the same pop/dance hits played in clubs of varying quality -- that it is possible to enjoy good libations, good conversation, and superb music without having to sacrifice the queer quotient.

Feint is, in some ways, a small reminder of the spunk and verve the gay community seems to have lost — namely the desire, and appreciation, of individuality. Most people who go are rebelling against the conformity of the DC scene. Feint is thus a bit different: “It’s one variation on a theme,” says Kane, “and I like that variation.” So be forewarned, if you come to Feint, bring your brain. These folks can converse about an array of intelligent topics, from St. Etienne (the group, not the city in France) to human rights in China.

For those in search of some beauty with those brains (and who isn’t?), you’re in luck. The boys are thoroughly adorkable, and you’ll spend so much time craning your neck, you may get whiplash if you stay too long. And while Feint is overwhelmingly queer and male, both lesbians and straight friends abound. Kane and Eichler are making a concerted attempt to draw more women and straight hipsters, picking music that appeals to a broad range
of eclectic tastes. Disaffection within the gay community is not limited to gay men, as the sizeable number of lesbians at Feint can attest. DC has a very distinct lesbian alternative scene that is very structured -- Ladyfest is a good example -- and Feint incorporates a significant amount of dyke rock. As Kane aptly puts it: “from its inception, it’s a night we never intended to cater to one gender or another. I never saw Feint as a space only for this crowd.”

As for the future, Eichler and Kane are considering both live performances and exhibits by local artists. Even though most local parties and events are transient, Kane says Feint has an unbounded future -- for now. As for the crowd, Kane isn’t worried: “If only my friends showed up, I’d be happy.” That’s fine, as long as I get to be one of them.

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