Blake Cross is a multidisciplinary performance artist, burlesque performer, and nightlife veteran based in Portland whose work explores themes of desire, performance, and spectacle. With over 15 years performing in venues from dive bars to high-end clubs, Blake brings deep experiential knowledge to venue reviews.

Having performed at or reviewed over 120 venues worldwide, Blake understands both sides of the stage—what it takes to entertain and what it takes to create spaces where genuine connection can happen. Their reviews focus on atmosphere, aesthetics, crowd energy, and whether venues successfully balance spectacle with substance.

Blake's performances have been featured at festivals internationally and their writing on nightlife culture has appeared in The Stranger and other alt-weeklies. They believe the best venues understand themselves as curated experiences—intentional, thoughtful, and designed for specific kinds of transformation and connection.