Nightbeats: Bay Area star Jocquese Whitfield comes to Petaluma’s Phoenix Theater

FARCE AND FABULOUS: Vogue is a culture - not just a magazine or the title to a Madonna song, but a community of people who turn the word into a verb.

As a hybrid form of movement, Voguing is an energetic way of channeling one’s inner diva through fashion, dance and strength.

These days you can spot all five elements of Vogue in popular TV shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” or the latest hip-hop music videos. Fierce movements known as catwalk, duckwalk, and drops - they’re all present in current pop culture.

But, more than just dance, or turning the world into a makeshift catwalk, Voguing is a queer-positive movement. Popularized in New York during the ’60s and ’70s, Vogue became a source of support and community for LGBTQ people of color, in particular at Vogue balls held in underground safe spaces.

Bay Area choreographer and Vogue star Jocquese Whitfield (aka Sir JoQ) is one of the best examples of the memorizing artist radiating from Vogue culture. Not only is he known for performing through the Bay, but he also teaches “Vogue & Tone” dance classes at both Dance Mission Theater and ODC Dance Commons in San Francisco.

Though Vogue events can be found regularly in large cities such as San Francisco and Oakland it’s a rare treat to catch dance performances like these in Sonoma County. Luckily, Whitfield is performing at The Phoenix Theater the day after Thanksgiving with hip-hop artist MicahTron.

Opening for the likes of Lil’ Kim, Mykki Blanco and Cakes da Killa, MicaTron’s dance-driven beats make a perfect pairing for a fun night of music and dance.

Skip Black Friday, put on some dancing shoes and instead spend money on a Benefit for Positive Images, a nonprofit Sonoma County organization that provides support for LGBTQ youth and young adults.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, The Phoenix Theater, 201 Washington St., Petaluma. $15. Thephoenixtheater.com

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DEADHEADS 2.0: Founded by Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, Terrapin Crossroads isn’t just a high-class restaurant or cocktail bar, it’s a place where music thrives and a love for it is present from the moment guests set foot onto the San Rafael hideaway.

With a restaurant, accompanying music hall and a gorgeous backyard stage, Terrapin can hold as much as three musical events in one day. Listen to live music on the patio overlooking the boating doc, check out a band while eating dinner or catch an intimate show at the Grate Room - each spot hosts concerts for different types of music loves.

Oftentimes, Lesh himself performs onsite with The Terrapin Family Band or a revolving cast of well-known musicians under the name Phil Lesh and Friends. The latter are truly unique experiences for not only the devoted group of Grateful Dead fans, dubbed deadheads, but for any music aficionado.

Though tickets for Lesh’s four upcoming November performances are already sold out, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the Terrapin’s calendar because he sometimes plays free shows in the bar.

With a slogan of “Come on down … You never know who might pop by,” Terrapin really is one of the best places for surprise performances. The hub’s website lists Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton, songwriter John Mayer and guitarist Greg Loiacono of The Mother Hips under a catalog of 40 musicians who have popped by the Terrapin bar for spontaneous jam sessions.

The venue doesn’t just book rock n’ roll legends. Plenty of young up-and-coming acts stop by, too. Japanese Breakfast, Mandolin Orange and The Stone Foxes have all played at the Grate Room this year.

Among one of the biggest highlights on this month’s calendar is Nicki Bluhm’s upcoming show with The Coffis Brothers. This show is a must see for those who missed the “To Rise You Gotta Fall” songstress at Gundlach Bundschu Winery in September. As of now, it’s Blum’s only California stop and the last scheduled tour date for the year, according to her website.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, Terrapin Crossroads, 100 Yacht Club Drive, San Rafael. $25. terrapincrossroads.net

Help us keep the beat. Write Estefany at nightbeats@pressdemocrat.com