August in Philadelphia — full steam ahead!

This summer in Philly has been a great one for me. Among big-ticket events like Equality Forum, Philly Pride and the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, smaller parties and performances have taken over, making it one of my busiest summers in recent memory — and it ain’t over yet! In fact, the next two weeks will feature some of the most intriguing and highly anticipated events of the entire year. There’s no time to slow down, so nurse that sunburn, let the beach take a backseat for a couple of weeks and get ready.

Tonight or sometime this weekend, I recommend getting to a movie theater near you to see “The Bourne Ultimatum.” It’s the third film in a series that follows a former government spy, played with sincerity and complexity by Matt Damon, as he tries to piece his life back together following a series of betrayals and a wicked case of amnesia. The first two films are outstanding, and the third looks to impress as well. This is what forced the James Bond folks to reconsider the direction of their franchise, and Damon rarely fails to deliver.

If you’re not licking your chops at Mr. Damon this evening, there still might be a chance to catch Smokey Robinson at 8 p.m. at the Mann Center for Performing Arts, 5201 Parkside Ave. This is another marquee event in a long line of outstanding performances at the outdoor music venue in Fairmount Park. Visit www.manncenter.org or call (215) 893-1999.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

Speaking of the Mann Center, I want to give a heads-up for Rufus Wainwright’s concert at 8 p.m. Aug. 17. Wainwright is one of the true musicians writing and performing today — oh yeah, and he’s openly gay! He never apologizes for who he is, which makes him a rarity in show business. The local gays need to get out and support someone who’s going to be breaking down barriers for years to come. Again, tickets are available at www.manncenter.org.

Back to the more immediate future: Comcast-Spectator has two big events coming up soon. On Aug. 10, Beyoncé is taking over the Wachovia Center, 3601 S. Broad St. At press time, tickets were still available at www.comcast-spectacor.com. Your best bet is to check all the online ticketing venues if you’re interested.

Over at the Wachovia Spectrum on Aug. 16 is the opening of Walking with Dinosaurs: The Live Experience. You may have seen the commercials and it looks like a great option for community members with kids. Dinosaurs take the stage, reenacting the time when they roamed the earth. Visit www.comcast-spectacor.com for more information. The show runs Aug. 16-19 and tickets range from $40-$85.

If you’d rather spend some quality time with cocktails than culture, get yourself to Gay Community Night at the Phillies on Aug. 9 at Citizens Bank Park. The baseball game starts at 7:05 p.m. and instructions for securing tickets can be found at www.phillygaydays.com. Or head to the Boys of Summer party Aug. 10 at Pure, 1221 St. James St. Boys of Summer is presented by www.phillygaycalendar.com, and it’s an annual favorite for tons of boys and the girls who love to look at them.

Lastly, don’t forget that the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus is holding auditions in advance of rehearsals for the 2007-08 performance season on Aug. 8. Auditions will take place at the William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., in the evening. So dust off your choir robe and red lipstick and make the band. Visit Bruce@nightlifegay.com for more details.

That’s it for now. ’Til next time, get offline and see what your community has to offer!

If you have comments or information on upcoming events, e-mail Bruce at Bruce@nightlifegay.com, reference Offline.