Brunch Slut: Delectable Dishes Meet Dancefloor Desires

Apr 19

Submitted by Nickolas H.

What is a Brunch Slut?

In our home city of Portland - a place where brunch entertainment culture is clearly having its moment - there exists a burgeoning fusion of daytime indulgence and nighttime revelry known as Brunch Slut. Started as a celebration of all things brunch and bold, this pop-up event series has evolved into a local staple of sensory indulgence and unique entertainment experiences. In an exclusive interview with the creators behind Brunch Slut, we delve into the history, vision, and values that shape this one-of-a-kind culinary crossover.

Brunch Slut was born out of a simple yet bold idea - to elevate the experience of brunch with the freedom of self-expression and movement that comes with dance music culture. Arise Rawk, the visionary behind the concept, recalls how it all began as a single party that quickly gained traction among like-minded enthusiasts. What started as private invite-only gatherings soon expanded into ticketed events, drawing crowds eager to partake in the unconventional fusion of food, music, and uninhibited fun.

Brandon Boucher, the mastermind behind Brunch Slut's culinary offerings, joined forces with Arise to elevate the experience from potluck-style brunches to curated culinary creations. Brandon's innovative dishes became an integral part of the event, bringing that forward-thinking culinary edge PDX is so well known for. With each themed gathering, from sexy animal parties to sweet vs. spicy showdowns, Brunch Slut pushes the boundaries of traditional brunch culture, inviting guests to embrace their inner provocateur while savoring delectable delights.

What Should I Expect at a Brunch Slut Event:

Imagine a weekend day-party where the clock strikes noon, and the festivities unfold until 5 PM. Guests arrive at ever-changing venues, greeted by themed cocktails and a tantalizing breakfast bar curated by Brandon himself. As the music pulses with bass-forward beats spanning genres like DnB, Dancehall, and Hip Hop, the dance floor becomes a stage for self-expression. Here, everyone is part of the performance, blurring the lines between audience and artist in a celebration of sensuality and camaraderie.

At the heart of Brunch Slut lies a commitment to inclusivity and community empowerment. Recognizing Portland's vibrant dance music scene, the organizers strive to create a safe and welcoming space for all. From comfortable lounges to proactive safety measures, every detail is thoughtfully curated to ensure guests feel secure and respected. Collaborations with the folks at "Nook Safe Space” and other community support organizations reinforce the values of consent and mutual respect, fostering an environment where everyone can embrace their unique identities without judgment.

Three years into captivating audiences with their bold creativity, Brunch Slut’s future looks to be one of expanded venues, visual spectacles, live performance art, and even taking this unique experience on tour to other cities. With each event promising new themes and experiences, the journey of Brunch Slut appears to be just beginning. In a city known for its eclectic spirit and boundless creativity, the Brunch Slut crew is carving out their niche in Portland’s latest wave of innovation and inclusivity through their fusion of Burning Man and bougie brunches, inviting you and your besties to satiate your senses while unleashing your inner unicorn.

Brunchslut Group Page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1247578005854298

Next event - https://www.facebook.com/events/282890964841651

Interview

Tell me about your history, your vision & values

It all started with our love for “brunch and being slutty”. It started as one party thrown by “Arise Rawk” that was a huge success, so that expanded to a series of private invite-only parties. The popularity of those grew to a point which it could go public, so we started doing ticketed events at changing venues and the food aspect was just potluck style. From there, Brandon came in as a chef and resident DJ, transition the food aspect towards catering style with unique food and cocktail compositions themed to match each event. Once they were public and ticketed, laws and regulations pushed them towards formalizing the food and event format and now every event includes Brandon’s unique concoctions included with the your entry fee. Brandon utilizes Brunch and Sluts as outlet to be creative with food and music, from which he draws inspiration for his other projects like “Fine and Dine PDX”.

Tell me about what I should expect if I were heading to a Brunch Slut show.

The parties are weekend day-parties, so they start at noon and run until 5PM on either Saturday or Sunday…the traditional brunch days of the week. The location changes, though it’s often taken place in the past at The Den, and The Keepspace; two event venues in inner SE Portland. You’ll arrive to special themed brunch cocktails in addition to a full bar, full breakfast bar with unique themed food items, and a dancefloor full of people dressing up sexy and having a great time. Think like a “drag brunch” but where everyone is part of the performance as well as the crowd.

Tell me about the music format and bit about your booking and promoting practices…

The music is “Sexy” Bass-forward genres of dance music. That includes things like DnB, Downtempo, Dancehall, Future, Hip Hop, and other similar flavors of vibes. As far as the environment that we cater, we strive to ensure a safe “sexy” space. Sometimes that means comfy spaces or silly props like with stripper poles for people to play on. That said, safety and security of our patrons is foremost. For our booking practices, we shoot for a diversity of talent, billing at least half of our lineups with inclusive representation. A $20 - $35 entry fee includes food, which is about how much you’d spend on brunch anyways for one person these days. Themes change every event! Next one is “life after death”, a green goth party. In the past, themes have included sexy animal parties, slutty fantasy characters, Sweet vs. Spicy, and other things along those lines. More to come.

What is the relationship to the Portland community that you feel you hold? What do you do to be inclusive? …and how do you keep everyone safe and comfortable in a partially sexualized environment?

Portland is a brunch city, and we lean into that fact because we share that love. The music aspect comes from our longstanding we love and mutual contributions to Portland’s dance music community in a number of formats over the years, so we decided to run with the opportunity to develop these shows around a combination of elements that didn’t really exist here together in that way prior, especially during the daytime. Weekend day parties with food tend to also be less drug-filled affairs which is more inviting to us “old” folks in our 30’s who have grown out of that scene. Our events are about having fun, feeling sexy, and the positive energy that comes with the ownership of those feeling. That said, they aren’t about actually having sex or being sexualized, so we take a proactive approach to ensure that by hiring curators and resource providers that can offer support and respond to any situation that could arise, even if unlikely. So far nothing of the sort has occurred, but we are vigilant no less. We bring in organizations like “nook” safe space (another local dance-music community organization) and other similar offerings to establish an environment of mutual respect, consent, and safety. We feel that quality and skill become quickly underrepresented in underground music scenes that become more mainstream, and our intention is to hold fast to valuing true artistry over hype or trend.

What’s next for the brunch slut crew? Upcoming shows? Anything else?

Moving forward, we are looking to move the event into larger venues with more visual aspects and live performance elements. Possibly trying to go on tour to take the format to other cities. The next event is April 20th in Portland at The Keepspace.