Pride Music Section

Seattle gay news pride ‘07
June 15, 2007 - Issue 24, Volume 35
Music
Dream Police
Sting of The Police at Key Arena on June 7th
Photo by QH on SGN assignment
Pop’s top cops at the Seattle’s Key Arena
by Maggie Bloodstone
SGN Contributing Writer
There are certain unwritten rules
concerning reunion concerts, which vary
according to the history and reputation of
individual bands, but some are as obvious
as Bono’s political leanings or the bulge
in M. Jagger’s spandex knickers. First
and foremost: Play The Hits! Your fans
don’t want to hear any ‘experiments’, no
filler from your solo album, no covers of
‘Louie Louie’- they want to recapture the
fading youth you were a big part of, so just
assume they already know you’ve “grown
as an artist”, and give the people what they
want- hits!
After about 4 numbers into the Police’s
June 7 set, I was stricken by a revelation: all
their songs were hits! At the very least, hits
in the sense that even a passive listener such
as I was back in the day will immediately
remember exactly where they were the first
time they heard the opening notes of ‘De
Do Do Do, De Da Da Da’. Pretty near every
note the Police produced in their 8-year run
was written, constructed, and played with
care, technical finesse, and a heapin’ helpin’
of lily-white English soul aimed at that part
of the listener’s brain that reacts to intensely
appealing stimuli, i.e.: sex, chocolate, and
truly great Pop music.
With Bob Marley’s recording of ‘Get
Up Stand Up’ for an intro (another good
reunion rule: never forget your roots) the
ultimate power trio kick-started the show
with ‘Message In A Bottle’, which brought
the 30-to-50something crowd to their feet
so fast, you’d have thought they were young
or something. When they followed that
with their rockingest tune,‘Synchronicity
II’, I could have gone home happy then,
but brain chemistry going back 27 years
(along with a couple of Jack & Cokes I
downed prior) kicked in with a vengeance
for a life-affirming rendition of ‘Spirits
In The Material World’, and I heard my
23-year old self yelling: “Why didn’t
we go see these guys in1980?!” Well…
because in 1980, I was still hopelessly
see POLICE page 17
2
Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Music
June 15, 2007
Bette Midler
is coming to
Caesars Palace!
“Get ready Vegas ‘cause here I come!”
greg gorman
Bette Midler heading to Caesars Palace
Thar she blows! Bette Midler officially
announced that she is headed for Las Vegas.
The legendary sensation has signed on with
entertainment promoter AEG Live for a
minimum two-year deal as the new resident
artist at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
starting in February 2008.
When asked about her upcoming run in
Las Vegas – The Divine Miss M. had this
to say.
“Get ready Vegas ‘cause here I come!
Caesars Palace will never be the same and
to all those critics who have accused me of
being ‘tacky,’ ‘too much’ and ‘over the top’
I say, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!”
The show, which is scheduled to premiere
on February 20, 2008, will be the biggest,
most imaginative production Bette Midler
has ever done. With plenty of girls, gags
and guffaws, her incomparable humor, the
best song catalogue in American music
and her fabulous “Kiss My Brass” section,
audiences will be treated to an experience
that can only be referred to as “divine”.
“All of us at AEG Live are ecstatic about
working with Bette and look forward to
the fun and success we are going to have
together on this project,” said John Meglen,
Co-CEO and President of AEG Live/
Concerts West. “The show is going to be
Bette at her absolute best and her fans are
going to be blown away!”
For over 40 years, Caesars Palace has set
the standard in entertainment by offering
its guests world-class performers and
musicians. In keeping with that standard,
June 15, 2007
Caesars Palace President, Gary Selesner
couldn’t be happier that Bette Midler will be
coming aboard and calling The Colosseum
home for the next two years.
“Caesars Palace has set the standard for
entertainment in Las Vegas by continually
booking the biggest and best acts the city
has ever seen including Celine Dion and
Elton John,” said Caesars Palace President
Gary Selesner. “Adding the inimitable
Bette Midler to The Colosseum’s family of
entertainers adds yet another jewel to our
crown.”
Tickets on-sale now
Bette Midler will perform approximately
one hundred shows a year at The Colosseum
at Caesars Palace. The show will be
presented at 7:30 p.m. five nights a week
and will be dark on Monday and Thursday.
Tickets for performances from February 20
through March 9 are on sale now and can
be purchased by calling 1-877-7BETTEM
(723-8836) or on-line at www.ticketmaster.
com, keyword “Caesars Palace”. Tickets
may also be purchased in person at The
Colosseum at Caesars Palace Box Office
open daily from 10a.m. to 10p.m. For
groups of 20 or more, call 702.731.7208.
Ticket prices are $95, $140, $175,
and $250. Visit bette.aeglive.com for
more information on Bette Midler at The
Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
Printed by permission of AEG Live.
PRIDE ‘07 Music
Seattle Gay News
3
Getting sloppy with
an American Idol
courtesy of philadelphia gay news
by Gary M. Kramer
Philadelphia Gay News
Special to the SGN
Jim Verraros may be
best known as the openly
Gay
“American
Idol”
contestant on the show’s
first series. But hopefully
that will soon change.
Since the show, Verraros
has appeared in the film
“Eating Out” and produced
a CD, “Rollercoaster.” Now
Verraros is back as the lead
in “Eating Out 2: Sloppy
Seconds,” the better-thanthe-first sequel to the hit
film now out on DVD.
In “Eating Out 2,” Verraros
plays Kyle, an insecure
Gay guy whose boyfriend
Marc (Brett Chukerman)
dumps him. When Kyle and
his female friends Gwen
(Emily Brooke Hands)
and
Tiffani
(Rebekah
Kochan) meet the hunky
but sexually confused Troy
(Marco Dapper), they try to
determine what team Troy
American Idol Jim Verraros
plays for. The screwball
plot has Kyle pretending to
be Tiffani’s boyfriend so he can get close in real life. There are two types of straight
to Troy in a romantic way, even if it means men. One who is a bit more insecure about
teaching him how to score with women.
his sexuality, who’s homophobic and then
Verraros met with PGN to discuss his you have the straight man who’s like, “Hey,
acting and singing careers, as well as his this is work. It’s a fucking kiss and I’m not
sexy scenes in “Eating Out 2.”
going to make a big deal out of it.” And the
latter is how they were. They made me feel
PGN: Jim, you may be more well-known comfortable.
for singing than for acting — how did you
PGN: Can you discuss the scene where
get involved in performing? Would you you teach Troy about the fine art of
rather be an actor or a singer?
cunnilingus? How were you and Marco
Jim Verraros: After I was eliminated not bursting out in hysterics licking each
[from “American Idol”] back in 2002, I other’s fingers?
wasn’t even thinking about music to be
JV: It looks funny. I was worried how
honest. I had taken such a beating from it would come off. I wanted to ask about
that show that I was just focused on acting. women, if they watch that scene and think
That was my niche. My cast mates would it’s hot/get off on it. And some girls are
say, “Jim, you’re fucking hilarious, be in a like, “I was a little moist.” So we delivered.
sitcom or something.” I got an e-mail from That’s all that matters. I know, I’m so
my producer about [Q.] Allan Brocka, who crude!
was the director of the first [“Eating Out”].
PGN: Most of the cast gets naked. But
I met him, read the script, fell in love with you are wearing two shirts in every scene!
it, auditioned and he cast me. I don’t really
JV: Before we shot, I had worked out
want to choose between either. I want both. for two-and-a-half months so I could feel
PGN: Were you surprised that you were a better about taking my shirt off. It was
supporting character in “Eating Out” but the actually written in the original script that
lead part here? How did that come about?
when Octavio [Adrian Quinonez] takes
JV: People connect with my role. I don’t his shirt off [during his love scene with my
know one Gay man who does not feel they character], he was supposed to unbutton
aren’t “good enough.”
mine. It never happened. Kyle doesn’t need
PGN: Your character, Kyle, is not a to [get naked]. I think his character is a bit
confident guy, which hurts his relationships. more conservative.
How are you when it comes to relationships
PGN: You had three songs of yours on
— shy or in control?
the soundtrack of the first “Eating Out;” did
JV: People think that I would be the shy you try to get a tune in “Eating Out 2”?
one — to be taken control of — but I’m
JV: I submitted some brand-new stuff
kind of the more aggressive one. I don’t to Phillip [the director], and he loved [the
bullshit. I don’t have time to waste.
songs] but there wasn’t a place for a full
PGN: Kyle has to pretend to like women song clip in the film. It just didn’t work. I
to get the hunk of his dreams. Have you was fine with it.
ever dated a woman? How far did you get
PGN: So while you are waiting for your
with her?
next film role, are you working on another
JV: Yeah, I did date [a girl] in high school. album?
It clearly didn’t work out, but she’s a great
JV: Yeah, I’m halfway through it. It’s
girl and I learned a lot. I learned that I’m going to be different. It’s going to be rockGay! I’ve had pussy — I’m definitely Gay. ier, but I’m going to throw in some twists
When I went down on Tiffani in the film, just to screw with people. A ballad, and
that was method acting — that was going something that’s a bit more urban. I am
back to the days when I tried to avoid it at edgier and sexier than the boy bands. “Idol”
all costs.
molds you into this cookie-cutter thing and
PGN: In the film, your character kisses when I came out with my album, I think
many men and women. Who gave the best people were excited because it was so
lip lock?
different. It had its pop moments but there
JV: Rebekah is a good kisser; I just had were some sexual moments, where people
to react badly to it. Marco [who plays went, “Holy fuck, did he just say that?” I
Troy], for being a straight guy, is decent. kind of like getting that reaction.
But the men who I had to kiss in the film
— what really impressed me was their
© 2007 Gary M. Kramer
professionalism, knowing that I was Gay
4
Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Music
June 15, 2007
SGN PRESENTS SUMMER MUSIC PREVIEW:
From Indigo Girls to Josh Groban,
Gay concert fans will have lots to enjoy!
by Albert Rodriguez, Lorelei Quenzer, work - more than any other female artist in
Richard Kennedy and
Grammy history. ($39.50-$69.50, www.
Jessica Browning
ticketmaster.com). L. Quenzer
SGN A&E Writers
Kelly Clarkson
@ Key Arena, July 13
The original American Idol is back in
town, and you don’t have to sit through 9
runner-ups to hear her! You might remember
that Clarkson beat out Justin Guarini with
58% of the votes. Don’t hold that against
her - she clearly had the best voice of all
the finalists. Since her appearance on the
2002 Idol season, Clarkson has won two
Grammys - proving she’s the real deal. Her
next album, My December, drops June 23.
($48.50-$68.50, www.ticketmaster.com)
L. Quenzer
Kelly Clarkson
From the dozens of upcoming summer
concerts in and around Seattle, we picked
twelve of them that you might want to join
us at. Some are outdoor, some indoor. And
each promises to be memorable in its own,
special way. Here’s to live summer music
in Seattle!
Indigo Girls
@ Woodland Park Zoo, June 17
Indigo Girls Emily Saliers and Amy Ray
are probably as well known for their sexual
orientation and political activism as they are
for making great music. And that’s kind of
a shame, because these Grammy-winning
Girls really rock. I sure hope you’ve already
got your tickets for this show, because it’s
sold out and has been for a while. Oh, well.
Maybe you could pick up a copy of their
newest album, Despite Our Differences,
burn it to your iPod and listen to it in the
park? (No tickets, concert is sold out)
L. Quenzer
Norah Jones and The Handsome Band
@ McCaw Hall, June 29
The last time Norah Jones played Seattle
she filled Key Arena. This is a great
opportunity to see her in a more intimate
venue. She is likely to include songs from
her newest album, Not Too Late, in her
set list. You will find in concert that she
comes across as humble, charming and
most of all a fantastic singer-songwriter.
($47.50-$58.00, www.ticketmaster.com)
R. Kennedy
Tegan & Sara
Tegan and Sara
@ The Triple Door, July 19
Lesbian duo Tegan and Sara aren’t just
identical twin sisters, they’re equally gifted
musicians. You may recall their cool-asbeans single “Walking With a Ghost”,
which they performed to hordes of people
when they opened for The Killers two years
ago. At The Triple Door, this exciting pair
is not to be missed. They often babble
and squabble on stage, but when they get
to playing, it’s a rockin’ good time. ($20,
www.thetripledoor.net) A. Rodriguez
Lyle Lovett and kd lang
@ Chateau Ste. Michelle, July 20-21
These are truly two incredible live
performers, and you just can’t miss a chance
to see them both in such a beautiful setting
as the Chateau. In spite of being void of
chart-topping hit singles, they both continue
to fill concert halls year after year. You will
know why when you hear kd lang’s vocals
soar, giving you goose bumps on a warm
summer night, followed by Lyle Lovett and
his superb band entertaining while you sip
wine during sunset. ($57.50-$125, www.
ticketmaster.com) R. Kennedy
Rufus Wainwright
@ Moore Theatre, July 29
He wasn’t overly friendly backstage
during his recent two-night stand at The
Triple Door, but we won’t hold that against
him as long as he continues making top
quality music. Rufus Wainwright attracts
Gay fellow hipsters and straight trendytypes to his live shows, and what they
experience is a theatrical pop artist in his
prime. “Going to a Town” from his new
album, Release the Stars, is one of his finest
pieces. ($33.50-$43.50, www.ticketmaster.
com) A. Rodriguez
Erasure
@ Moore Theater, July 24
There’s no denying the sweet spot most
club-goers have for those dependable
popsters of Erasure. The
last time I saw the half-Gay
pair in action, they allowed
the audience to choose
the next tune from a giant
deck of cards. They are
exciting and full of energy
in concert, and still write
fabulous songs as their new
release, The Light At The
End of The World, proves
yet again. ($33.50-$43.50,
www.ticketmaster.com
Daft Punk w/ The Rapture
@ WaMu Theater, July 29
This is sure to be the biggest electro-rock
party to hit Seattle all summer. With Daft
Punk only playing a handful of US cities,
grab your tickets now because this show
will draw people from all over our region.
Sharing the stage will be The Rapture,
who are not to be missed. Don’t forget
to wear your dancing shoes. ($40, www.
ticketmaster.com) J. Browning
Projekt Revolution
Tour w/ Linkin Park,
Taking Back Sunday,
HIM, and more
@ White River
Amphitheatre, July 25
White
River
Amphitheatre in late July is
the place to be for hard rock music fans. The
Projekt Revolution Tour, featuring Linkin
Park, Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical
Romance, HIM, Placebo and a few other
standout acts, will surely give everyone
a good bang for their buck. Non-heteros
should feel welcome at this show, as Taking
Back Sunday interviewed with Seattle Gay
News last year and Linkin Park definitely
know they’ve got strong support from Gay
fans. ($23.50-$69, www.ticketmaster.com)
A. Rodriguez
Josh Groban
Josh Groban
@ Key Arena, August 18
Gay men can’t get enough of Josh Groban,
the platinum-selling cutie pie with a voice
that can melt ice into water in seconds. His
new effort, Awake, has already sold over a
million copies domestically, thanks to the
Grammy-nominated artist’s committed fan
base. At Key Arena, Groban will make
hearts pitter-patter. And with African diva
Angelique Kidjo opening the show, expect
this to be thrilling from start to finish. ($55$95, www.ticketmaster.com) A. Rodriguez
Eartha Kitt
@ Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
June 31-July 5
At the age of 80, Gay icon Eartha Kitt
isn’t done strutting her stuff just yet. TV’s
original Catwoman is a multi-talented
entertainer that shouldn’t be missed in
concert. She sings, she dances, she flirts,
and of course, she purrs. Kitt will treat fans
to a six-night stay at the intimate Jazz Alley,
and for those staying in town during the
holiday weekend, you’d be smart to reserve
a night with this divine legend. ($32.50$35.50, www.jazzalley.com)
A. Rodriguez
Alison Krauss & Union Station
@ Marymoor Park, July 7
You probably remember Alison Krauss
best from her work on the O Brother, Where
Art Thou soundtrack from 2000; Union
Station band member Dan Tyminski even
provided George Clooney’s singing voice
for “Man of Constant Sorrow.” But Krauss
won her first Grammy back in 1990; 17
years later, she has a total of 20 - including
awards for solo, collaborative and producing
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Music
Seattle Gay News
5
Best of 2007½ :
Ten albums and
singles you should
download now
Canadian rockers The
Reason don’t object
to playing at a Gay
wedding and love a little
Nelly Furtado on the side
courtesy of Mischa Richter
Amy Winehouse
Let’s Call It Off by Peter,
Bjorn and John (Single)
Finger snapping never came in handier
than using it for Peter, Bjorn and John’s
jingly-retro pop number that reminisces the
days of Psychedelic Furs.
The Reason
Children Running Through by
Patty Griffin (Album)
Veteran folk artist Patty Griffin did the
impossible, one-upping herself again. Her
latest recording, featuring the stunning
“Heavenly Day”, is undoubtedly her finest
work to date.
Fort Nightly by White Rabbits
(Album)
If you want to be different, be different.
Just sound amazing. And that’s exactly
what Brooklyn-based White Rabbits do on
their rather eclectic debut. Take a listen to
“While We Go Dancing” and start swinging
those hips.
Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne
(Single)
Arcade Fire
Neon Bible by Arcade Fire
(Album)
Religious fanaticism gets a deserving,
brilliant, sarcastic bitch-slap from highly
acclaimed ensemble Arcade Fire. With
memorable tracks, like “Keep the Car
Running” and “Antichrist Television
Blues”, this is a sure contender for Album
of the Year.
VolunTeers
needed!
Sign Up Now!
The Pride March and Queerfest: 2007 Pride Festival
on Capitol Hill in Volunteer Park, Saturday June 23
Organized by the Seattle LGBT Community Center
Help with outreach, set-up, tear-down, march logistics and security.
A great way to support our Community Center and celebrate Pride 2007!
[email protected]
6
Seattle Gay News
purchased for your MP3 player?
Bordignon: Aretha Live at Fillmore
West
Widerman: Comeback Kid, on iTunes.
Rodriguez: What US city do you most
want to play in?
Widerman: California, because of all the
hype. Whether it’s good or bad.
Bordignon: LA or New York.
Rodriguez: What’s your favorite guilty
Icky Thump by The White
Stripes (Single)
Jack White is a rock genius, and this
kick ass title cut from the multi Grammywinning duo’s new offering is proof. A
wild, inventive piece of music.
courtesy of Kevin Westenberg
Back to Black by Amy
Winehouse (Album)
Beehive hairdos, trash talking and
partying the night away are all on Amy
Winehouse’s resume. So is this year’s
excellent, Motown-throwback debut.
by Albert Rodriguez
SGN A&E writer
A month ago at the Virgin Festival in
Vancouver BC, Canadian rock band The
Reason invited me backstage to hang out.
I sat with guitarist Jeremy Widerman and
drummer Cam Bordignon inside a tent,
with a stash of chips in front of us and a
tub of iced beer behind us. Sneaking a tape
courtesy of Kevin Westenberg
Not since Tony Basil’s “Mickey” have
gay boys had such a grand opportunity to
reach for the pompoms. All grown up and
2007 is halfway through and here’s a such a tease, Avril Lavigne is smoking hot.
sampling of the year’s best albums and
singles. Expect these recordings to wind Going to a Town by Rufus
up somewhere on our year-end best-of lists, Wainwright (Single)
and be sure to download them to your MP3 Rufus Wainwright is no stranger to
player for summer listening or buy a CD writing bold, gorgeous ballads with
dramatic arrangements. And this powerful,
copy for at-home play.
emotional track from Release the Stars is
perhaps his most captivating.
Ankle Injuries by Fujiya &
Miyagi (Single)
Proving that dance music doesn’t have to Hissing Fauna, Are You
be loud and obnoxious, Fujiya and Miyagi the Destroyer?
are the proud owners of this year’s niftiest by Of Montreal (Album)
club hit.
“Suffer for Fashion” was either made
for a summer pool party or a convention
of 80s nerds. Either or, Of Montreal has
created one of 2007’s quirkiest and most
entertaining albums.
by Albert Rodriguez
SGN A&E Writer
recorder through Canadian customs and
festival security was too risky, so I grabbed
a notepad and pen, asked Widerman and
Bordignon to give me one-sentence replies,
and this is the product of that conversation.
The Reason is currently shopping for a US
recording contract, so it could be months
before they appear on American radio
stations or concert stages. In the meantime,
listen to “All I Ever Wanted” and “This is
Just the Beginning” at www.myspace.com/
thereasonrock.
At the Virgin Festival, this is what
Jeremy Widerman and Cam Bordignon of
Hamilton, Ontario-based group The Reason
goofed off about in “The Music Lounge”.
Albert Rodriguez: Now that Gay
marriage is legal in Canada, how much
would you guys charge to play at a same
sex wedding?
Jeremy Widerman: If they’re friends of
ours, I’d do it for free. I’m just glad we
live in a country that deals with it (Gay
marriage).
Rodriguez: Does Hamilton have a Gay
Pride parade?
Widerman: No, but Toronto does. A real
big one.
Rodriguez: Which band member do you
think gets hit on most by guys?
Widerman: I’ve been hit on by guys a
few times, even without knowing it. But I
would have to say Adam (White) because
lead singers get the most ass.
Cam Bordignon: It doesn’t matter to me
– being hit on by men or women. But the
lead singer gets all the attention, and the
drummer.
Rodriguez: How often do you guys do
laundry when you’re on the road?
Bordignon: Whenever I’m home. I
seriously wear the same jeans for a week.
Rodriguez: What comes to mind when
you hear Seattle?
Widerman: Grunge, of course.
Bordignon: Nirvana. They were huge
for me.
Rodriguez: What’s the last item you
PRIDE ‘07 Music
pleasure song?
Widerman: “Maneater” by Nelly
Furtado. She’s a fellow Canadian who is
rather successful.
Rodriguez: Do you have an opinion
about American chicks?
Bordignon: They seem a little more
forward.
Widerman: I like them. I love their little
accents.
Rodriguez: What piece of clothing or
accessory do you often leave behind on
tour?
Widerman: Sunglasses.
Bordignon: Show shorts. (Bordignon is
a longboarder, and usually wears shorts on
stage)
Rodriguez: Does The Reason have any
music videos out?
Widerman: Yeah, on Much Music
(Canada’s equivalent to MTV). We just
shot a new video in Toronto with Sean
Michael Turell, who directed a video for
Michael Buble.
Rodriguez: What’s the most luxurious
item on your concert rider (tour contract)?
Widerman: V-8.
Bordignon: Jack Daniels, fruit, veggies,
pita bread and hummus.
Rodriguez: One of my favorite Canadian
acts, who has interviewed with Seattle Gay
News twice, is Tegan and Sara.
Widerman: Sara sang on our album, on
the song “We’re So Behind This”. Adam
(White) was friends with Tegan and Sara
since they were a folk two-piece.
Rodriguez: What are you guys going
to do with all the money you made at the
Virgin Festival?
Widerman: It’ll pay for the new van (he
points to a shiny white van parked close to
the tent). Our old one kept breaking down.
But if we ever make a lot of money, I’ll buy
a guitar.
Bordignon: Yeah, maybe some new
drums.
June 15, 2007
by Larry Nichols
Philadelphia Gay News
Special to the SGN
“I can’t say things like that because it
makes me sound horrifically un-humble,”
Betty vocalist Amy Ziff said, trying to back
away from a very bold statement she made
not even five seconds earlier.
She was talking about a new song the
band has introduced into its live set that she
has high hopes for. And since we here at
PGN love to grind humility under our heels
like a spent cigarette, we weren’t about to
let her off the hook in describing it.
“My favorite new song that we’re doing
live that I hope Philly really loves is called
‘My Name is Linda Blair.’ My wish is that
it turns into the biggest fag anthem of all
time,” she laughed.
We’re down with that, but who’s to know
if it’s the earth-shaking Gay anthem she
claims it is?
“I’ve been practicing,” she said. “So I’m
hoping that I can get my head to turn all the
way around during the performance of it.”
That will get our devil horns in the air.
Stealing the show is nothing new for New
York-based alternative rock group Betty,
featuring Ziff on vocals with her sister
Elizabeth on vocals and guitar and Alyson
Palmer on vocals and bass. The group is
primed to rock out at Philly Pride this year,
which is a tour stop they are always more
than happy to make.
“It’s right up there in the top 10,” Ziff
said, comparing Philly’s Pride Festival to
the numerous other pride festivals at which
Betty is a seasoned performance vet.
“Maybe in the top five. It’s an amazing
good time and it’s always blazing hot for
some reason.”
Ziff said that along with the new anthemin-waiting, audiences should be delighted
with Betty’s other new songs, which,
outside of the band’s live shows, should
see the light of day on its new CD later this
year.
“I think when we started, we were
doing electronica stuff before we had live
instrumentation backing us up and now we
have a great combination of everything,” she
said, speaking of the additions of guitarist
Tony Salvatore and drummer Mino Gori to
the group. “We tried out some of the new
songs in Paris and the French audiences
love it. So if it’s good enough for Paris, it’s
good enough for Philly.”
Betty has a long history of pride
performances and Ziff points out that
appearing at a pride festival wasn’t always
as in-vogue as is it now.
“We played, I think, one of the very first
Gay prides in Washington, D.C., where
we formed,” she recalled. “I remember
some agencies and management companies
saying that it was a bad move in our career.
It was super-political in the beginning.
Our friends were dying of AIDS. We were
coming out. There wasn’t a question. It
wasn’t something you thought about. You
just did it because you wanted to be part of
the whole celebration and making a stand.
“Now it’s a little bit different. It’s less
political and it’s more of a party, but I think
when you step up and you realize what’s
happening and you see some of these great
communities all over the country and the
world, it’s awe-inspiring. I think that, more
than sharing the stage with different acts or
playing with different people, it’s the most
significant thing as performers to see where
we’ve come, where we have to go still and
how we’re all dancing as we’re part of the
revolution.”
Ziff went on to further extol the virtues of
June 15, 2007
courtesy of www.hellobetty.com
Hello Betty: An
interview with Betty
vocalist Amy Ziff
performing at pride festivals.
“Economically and politically, people
realize we’re the best audiences in the
world,” she said. “Even if you’re not part
of this community, if you support this
community and you put on a show, it’s great.
We’ll always be part of this community
forever and ever and ever.”
For more information on Betty, see www.
hellobetty.com or www.myspace.com/
bettymusic.
© 2007 Philadelphia Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Music
(L-R) Elizabeth Ziff, Alyson Palmer & Amy Ziff of Betty
Seattle Gay News
7
Out Israeli idol
The Raveonettes bask
in The Triple Door’s
intimate ambience
by Jessica Browning
SGN A&E Writer
The Raveonettes
w/ Midnight Movies
June 5 @ The Triple Door
Ivri Lider may not be a household name
in the United States, but if he has his way,
that will soon change. For now, he’ll just
have to be satisfied with being a hugely
popular and out pop star in his native Israel
with a number of gold and platinum albums
to his credit.
It’s not that Lider hasn’t started to make
a ripple in the U.S. music scene yet. Lider
is the only international artist featured
on the recently released emerging queer
artist compilation “Music with a Twist:
Revolutions.” Lider also completed a
quick U.S. tour last year of intimate venues
in cities like New York, Chicago, San
Francisco and Los Angeles.
“Israeli audiences know me and know
impossibly beautiful Foo and her partner
in crime, Rose, wanted to strike out on
their own, unencumbered except for the
essentials. Mind you, this wasn’t to mean
acoustic. In fact, nearly the entire set was
still pleasantly noise-laden, yet somehow, a
little more intimate.
In a flash, the duo officially took the stage,
glasses of red wine in hand. Foo, dressed in
black with her trademark platinum hair, and
Rose in his favored black and white stripes
looked a little awkward at first, no doubt
getting used to playing in a lavish dinner
theater where everyone was seated in
booths. A brilliant cover of Buddy Holly’s
“Everyday” kicked things off, and it wasn’t
long until both audience and performers
warmed up nicely.
Foo played simplified percussion on
just a snare and floor tom. Sandra Vu of
Midnight Movies took over drumming for
a fair amount of the set, taking cues from
“The sexuality issue in Israel, it’s really
open,” he said. “Not like in Lebanon or
Egypt and especially not Iran or Iraq.
The whole situation in the Middle East,
of course, is making life a little bit more
difficult for Israelis.”
Despite those difficulties, Lider said the
constant influx of so many different cultures
in Israel has its benefits, especially when it
comes to acquiring his musical influences.
“I feel like Israel is very diverse,” he
said. “We’re influenced a lot by the U.S.
and also a lot by Europe. So it’s a mixture
of American music and European music.
We’re kind of in the middle and we get
all the Middle Eastern music, so it’s a big
melting pot of influences and styles. I love
a lot of stuff. I play a lot of jazz, classical
music and modern music like Brian Eno,
Lou Reed, Bob Dylan. I love Bjork. I love a
lot of bands from London and the U.S. like
PHOTO by EMI
Any excuse to head downtown and
soak up some five-star musical talent
and atmosphere at The Triple Door is
worthwhile. The beautiful booths and
outstanding food from the kitchen of the
Wild Ginger is reason enough to hit the
so-called “West Edge” any night of the
week. When the Danish noise-pop duo The
Raveonettes announced a stripped-down set
there (promoting nothing in particular, I was
told) I decided to make a night of it. Billed
as a “Special Electric Duo” performance, I
was excited to see what the band could do
- without the band.
by Larry Nichols
Philadelphia Gay News
Special to the SGN
PHOTO by soren solkaer
The Raveonettes
Openers Midnight Movies took to the
stage, after most patrons had wined and
dined for an hour or so. Hailing from Los
Angeles, the two girls clad in sparkly shirts
and two non-descript boys crafted a wall
of Sky Cries Mary-esque sound. It took
me a song or two to warm up to them, but
eventually I found myself swept up in their
psychedelics and dreamy vocals.
The sound at the Triple Door is so perfect,
I couldn’t help but think that the reason I
was enjoying them so much was because
you could actually hear every instrument
and vocal, every whack of the tambourine.
The Triple Door’s excellent acoustics
served them well. Not to mention, when
drummer Sandra Vu came out from behind
her drums and grabbed a flute to play the
familiar intro to “Knights In White Satin”,
I was impressed. What young, LA hipsters
cover The Moody Blues? Midnight Movies,
that’s who.
After a brief intermission and another
round of drinks, I noticed Sharin Foo
and Sune Rose Wagner in the shadows
of the darkened stage, tuning their own
instruments and sound checking, thus
proving it really was just the two of them as
advertised. Foo and Rose are the heart and
soul of The Raveonettes, but have enlisted
an assortment of backing musicians for
previous tours. This time the ultra-slinky,
8
Seattle Gay News
Rose since obviously, they were winging
it. It worked. The result was a fresh look at
the music of The Raveonettes, highlighting
how the dynamic of these two sparks their
entire appeal. “Attack of The Ghost Riders”
and “Love Can Destroy Everything” were
favorites from past releases. I can hardly
wait for brand new songs such as “Lust”
and “Black Satin” to see the light of day on
a new release, whenever that may be.
Giving a nod to their influences, covers of
The Gun Club (“Sex Beat”) and even Sonic
Youth (“100%”) respectfully delivered.
The Raveonettes admit to being a degree
repetitive, but in doing so strive to always
keep it interesting. The past is referenced
only as a means to conjure up tried and true
songwriting. Heartbreaking beats, stories
of love and teenage rebellion, harmonies
to die for - these things they have lovingly
mastered.
Now living in New York and sometimes
Los Angeles, Foo and Rose have been
socializing with the likes of The Dandy
Warhols, William Reid (of the recently
reunited Jesus & Mary Chain), and LA
locals such as Midnight Movies. Here’s
hoping the freedom to hit the road whenever
they feel like it and rub noses with their
influences only inspires The Raveonettes
further in what they do best.
Ivri Lider
the songs, so it makes it a bit easier, but I
get the feeling that the American audiences
are very open to listen to some new music,”
Lider said of his toehold in American pop.
“I felt like it was an open audience. They
want to have fun and hear what you have to
say. It was good.”
The fact that Israel shares borders with
many socially conservative countries
means that Lider has to travel far outside
of his country’s borders to perform for an
international audience.
“I’m sorry to say, but Israel doesn’t have
a good relationship with its neighbors,” he
said. “Culturally, we’re closer to the U.S.,
the U.K. or Berlin than our neighbors. I
don’t get to play, I’m sorry to say, in places
like Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. So it’s
much easier for us to come and play in
the U.S. than to go and have a concert in
Egypt.”
Lider went on to explain that the political
issues between those countries — along
with his openness about his sexuality — are
the reasons he’s limited in his opportunities
to tour in that region of the world.
PRIDE ‘07 Music
Bright Eyes.”
While most of Lider’s releases are sung
in Hebrew, he says that singing and writing
songs in English definitely has an appeal
for him.
“Hebrew is my first language and I feel
very comfortable in it,” he said. “But more
and more, I’m writing in English. I love
writing songs in English because it’s a
different experience for me. I find myself
able to say all kinds of things in English that
I can really say the same in Hebrew. Also
the way the language is communicating
with the music is kind of different because
the sound of the language is different.
English is the language of music, so it’s a
really good experience for me to write and
sing in English.”
Lider is currently working on an Englishlanguage album that he hopes will be
available in the States next year.
For more information, see www.ivrilider.
com.
© 2007 Philadelphia Gay News
June 15, 2007
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1115 E. Pike St. Seattle, WA 98122 U 206.323.LGBT U www.seattlelgbt.org
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Music
POSTER DESIGN BY SEATTLE
GAY
NEWS
STAFF
Seattle
Gay
News
9
10 Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Music
June 15, 2007
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Music
Seattle Gay News 11
12 Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Music
June 15, 2007
Seattle Symphony
Orchestra: The great
Glagolitic Mass of
Janacek falls short
no longer has that power. His upper voice
appeared delicate, and he treated it very
carefully, so that he was often inaudible.
Mezzo Sarah Heltzel had so little to do that
it was not possible to assess her work.
Organist Joseph Adam (strangely uncredited in the printed program!) had a
major solo (not shortened as in many
performances) and made as much of it as
the Watjen Organ would allow. (I prefer
the more gnarly sound a big baroque organ
might produce.)
courtesy of Steiner Shots
Activism on the Personal Level
by Rod Parke
SGN A&E Writer
June 15, 2007
Reviewer Rod Parke can be reached at
[email protected].
2007 Seattle Dyke March
Christina Goerke
An evening of Gyongyosi, Husa, and
Janacek doesn’t sell very well in Seattle.
Even though Benaroya Hall was only about
2/3 full, the audience was very responsive
to an excellent first half, even though hardly
anyone had ever heard this music before.
Levente Gyongyosi, born 1975, was
present to receive the enthusiastic applause
following a committed and rewarding
reading of his 2001 composition, The
Annunciation. Each of the five, very short
movements held our interest with its skilled
orchestration and varying textures. Clearly,
conductor Schwarz and the SSO players
had the many complexities well in hand, so
that the audience could revel in new sounds
and ideas. An expanded percussion section
delivered its major contributions with
aplomb.
Karel Husa, born 1921, wrote his Music
for Prague in 1968 in the 12-tone mode that
was so popular among composers at that
time. But, unlike so many of those overly
academic works in serialism, this one
transcended the dry intellectuality of its peers
and managed to be consistently compelling
of our interest. The kaleidoscopic variance
of orchestral colors alone was enough to
reward the listener.
While both works before the intermission
were well prepared and played, the glorious
Glagolitic Mass of Leos Janacek appeared
in parts to be the casualty of insufficient
rehearsal. Balances were sometimes sloppy.
The opening fanfare was a perfect example
of how Maestro Schwarz can too often
drain all the energy out of a great piece. It
totally lacked the intense energy he gave it
several seasons ago, with the all-important
brass playing limply in the background.
The lack of preparation in the orchestra was
all the more evident standing in contrast to
the excellence of everything that came from
George Fiore’s Seattle Symphony Chorale.
Their sound was a model of how to balance
beauty with intensity. Every word of the
Old Church Slavonic was clear, passionate,
The Glagolitic Mass of Leos Janacek is,
to these ears, one of the giant masterpieces
of the 20th century. It deserves the kind of
treatment it got from the Seattle Symphony
a few seasons ago, which was a performance
I don’t expect to be surpassed. That this
week’s attempt fell quite a bit short of
that level is regrettable. But the work is so
intensely magnificent that any chance to
hear it is to be prized. The sooner it returns
to Seattle, the better!
and beautiful. And what gorgeous choral
writing we got from Janacek! Hearing those
sounds from the Symphony Chorale was
worth the price of admission alone.
Also excellent were the contributions of
soprano Christine Goerke (Seattle Opera’s
most recent Norma) and bass-baritone
Patrick Carfizzi. Janacek requires very
powerful voices to ride atop his complex
writing, and these two were more than equal
to the task. Gary Lakes’ tenor, however,
email: [email protected]
website: www.home.earthlink.net/~dykecommunityactivists/id12.html
PRIDE ‘07 Music
Seattle Gay News 13
Interview with Band of
Horses coming June 29
sub pop records
Band of Horses
Seattle Gay News is your source for the
coolest interviews with the hottest music
artists.
Thus far in 2007, Chris Cornell, Silversun
Pickups, Joshua Radin, The Bravery,
Angelique Kidjo, Albert Hammond Jr.,
Patty Griffin and The Reason have all
interviewed with us. We’re honored to now
add Sub Pop recording artist Band of Horses
to the list, with a one-on-one interview in
our upcoming June 29 issue.
Formerly of Seattle, Band of Horses
was among the prestigious choices for
2006’s New Pantheon Award, the year’s
best albums chosen by a select panel of
musicians. Speaking of year-end mentions,
the trio’s widely acclaimed Everything All
the Time also made the SGN’s Top Ten
Albums/CDs of 2006 list.
Pick up a copy of our newspaper on June
29 and get familiar with Band of Horses,
who will perform live at their sold-out
performance at The Showbox on July 2.
New CDs from
tried and true artists
by Larry Nichols
Philadelphia Gay News
Special to the SGN
Bjork
Volta
Atlantic Records
We here at PGN are convinced that Bjork
is not of this world. Yes, we know the former
Sugarcubes lead singer is from Iceland, but
it’s obvious that she just has her mail sent
there and uses the far-off island country as a
jumping-off point to teleport to whatever alien
planet or mythical realm she lives in where
candy rains from the sky and small fuzzy
animals have butterfly wings and discuss
philosophy with you over tea and biscuits.
Anyone familiar with Bjork’s music knows
that her perfectly angelic voice can make you
like anything. She could sing the ingredients
to a bottle of shampoo and make it work.
This is probably why she has been able to
consistently emerge from Iceland every three
or four years with a new collection of pop
strangeness that is sure to have most of us
mesmerized and dumbfounded by its sheer
brilliance.
Bjork’s latest release, “Volta,” is no
exception. On this latest sonic trip, Bjork fuses
orchestral arrangements, off-kilter tribal and
techno beats and sparse electronica to dizzying
effect. “Earth Intruders” is a galloping romp
that sounds like Bjork leading a Martians
marching band in a Mardi Gras parade.
“Wanderlust” is curiously schizophrenic pop
pulsing with techno fury and an undercurrent
of majestic horns. “The Dull Flame of
Desire,” a duet with Anthony Hegarty, is a
heartfelt ballad that teases the listener with a
percussive tension that threatens to explode,
but never actually materializes.
And the brilliance keeps flowing from
there, especially when Bjork goes Devomeets-Rage-Against-the-Machine crazy on
the fist-pumping “Declare Independence.”
“Volta” is collection of songs as
14 Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Music
adventurous and satisfying as anything Bjork
has ever done. Fans of her music that might
have found albums like 2004’s “Medulla” a
little challenging will delight in this album’s
playful and lush sounds punctuated with
powerful electronic rhythms.
Erasure
Light at the End of the World
Mute Records
When artists have been in the business
as long as synth-pop duo Erasure (over 20
years and counting), they tend to get more
reflective and introspective with each new
release and focus on serious themes of growth
and maturing. Many times, this growth and
quest for maturity bore the crap out of us,
the longtime fans. We’d like to point fingers
at Madonna, Prince and Depeche Mode at
this point, but all of their last studio albums
backed them away from the cliff, leaving
George Michael and Janet Jackson there to
ponder Wham! and Jackson family reunions,
respectively.
Thankfully, this is not the case with Erasure
or their new album, “Light at the End of the
World,” which finds the British duo (Andy
Bell and Vince Clarke) returning to form after
their 2006 foray into acoustic music with
“Union Street” and continuing to do what
they do best.
“Light at the End of the World” is filled
with the exuberant synthesizer pop early
Erasure fans will find familiar, but not tired
or dated, especially on songs like “Fly Away”
and “Sunday Girl.” Erasure knows the reason
we like them and the reason we will always
have a soft spot for them is they know how
to make soulful and infectious songs that
make you want to shake it on the dance floor,
whether it’s an upbeat number like “Sucker
For Love” or more subdued affairs like
“Storm in a Teacup” and “Glass Angel.”
© 2007 Philadelphia Gay News
June 15, 2007
The Horrors get scary at The Crocodile Café,
Terence Blanchard chills out at Jazz Alley
The Horrors w/ Thee
Emergency, Skullbot
Wednesday, June 20- 9pm
The Crocodile - $10
Nothing very interesting has come out of
the British rock scene of late, unless you
count The Libertines; but that was ages
ago and muddied up by clammy, creepy
Pete Doherty ever since. That is until last
month, when the much-anticipated debut
album from London’s The Horrors was
released in America. Appearing in Seattle
in support of Strange House, this very
polarizing group of fright-rock hopefuls is
astonishingly different and promise to put
on a show like no other.
Perhaps it’s the fashionable disdain of
jaded music critics fueling The Horrors.
Looking a bit like The Cure meets a
zombified Herman’s Hermits, they’re a
scary looking crew in only the way that
the very young (all five members are in
their early 20’s) can pull off because no
one else has the nerve to. They come with
courtesy of JAZZ ALLEY
Terence Blanchard
Friday-Saturday,
June 22-23
7:30pm and 9:30pm;
Sunday, June 24 7:30pm
Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
$23.50
New Orleans native - and
Grammy-winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard is probably
best known for his collaboration
with director Spike Lee.
Blanchard has scored 12 of Lee’s
films, including Inside Man,
25th Hour, Summer of Sam,
Malcolm X and Jungle Fever.
But despite his involvement in
film and television, Blanchard
distinctly regards himself
primarily as a jazz musician.
He successfully juggles touring
with his band while undertaking
outside projects. “Nothing can
beat being a jazz musician,
playing a club, playing a
concert,” Blanchard is quoted
as remarking in his press notes.
“When I stood next
to Sonny Rollins at
Carnegie Hall and
listened to him play,
that was it for me.”
The New Orleans
native first picked up the trumpet
in elementary school, and was also
coached at home by his operasinging father. In high school he
came under the tutelage of Ellis
Marsalis, and after graduating he
attended Rutgers University on
a music scholarship. One of his
professors was so impressed with
Blanchard he helped get him a
touring gig with Lionel Hampton’s
band. Wynton Marsalis later
recommended Blanchard as his
replacement in Art Blakey’s Jazz
Messengers.
Blanchard’s most recent release
on the Blue Note label, Flow, was
produced by the artist and four-
Terence Blanchard
STOCK PHOTOGRAPH
by Lorelei Quenzer and
Jessica Browning
SGN A&E Writers
The Horrors
time Grammy winner Herbie Hancock.
The 2005 album was the first time since
Dexter Gordon’s The Other Side of ‘Round
Midnight (1987) that Hancock produced
a project other than his own; he also
plays piano on two of the album’s tracks
(“Benny’s Tune” and “The Source”).
“We played together a few times and
when it came to produce this record, I
wanted - needed - to have Herbie’s creative
ability and just his approach to work with,”
Blanchard says. “He has played with a
bunch of people and he’s done a lot of
things. I mean, he’s forgotten more music
than I could ever know. It’s been a lifechanging experience.”
“What you hear on this record is the way
we play live,” Blanchard continues. “That’s
the thing about this band. What we’re
talking about is their musicianship. They
find spaces to put things in spots that make
sense.... I’m really having so much fun with
this band.”
Noted for his unique African-fusion style
of playing, Blanchard is currently serving
as Artistic Director at the Thelonious
Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at the
University of Southern California. On tour
with Blanchard are several of the musicians
from Flow: Brice Winston (saxophones),
Aaron Parks (piano), Derrick Hodge
(acoustic and electric bass) and Kendrick
Scott (drums). - L. Quenzer
Artist Essentials: 2005’s Flow, Mo’ Better
Blues original soundtrack.
formidable names as well - Faris Baduwan
(vocals), Tomethy Furse (bass), Joshua Von
Grimm (guitar), Spider Webb (organ) and
Coffin Joe (drums). Don’t dismiss them on
the grounds of image alone. Haven’t the
Cramps and Nick Cave already proved that
frightful can be cool?
Musically, these five Londoners have
substance and even better, fresh ears and
no boundaries. Strange House is noticeably
better than their initial EP, which was
promising but didn’t make much of a mark
stateside. Vocalist Baduwan is the first to
admit his band is just beginning and always
hungry for inspiration. You can tell they’re
the real thing, all fashion and eyeliner aside.
Which if you think about it, is the true spirit
of punk; they’re not pretending to be smug
and neat, just giving all they’ve got and
being who they want to be. New single “She
Is The New Thing” is a ferocious assault,
infused with more energy than anything
I’ve heard in a long time. Impressive. These
guys have monstrous reserves of ambition
and promise to thrill. - J. Browning
Artist essentials: Check out the video for
“She Is The New Thing” on www.myspace.
com - it’s as if Edgar Allen Poe’s feverish
dreams devoured A-ha’s “Take On Me”.
Must be seen to be believed.
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Music
Seattle Gay News 15
Kevin Aviance
keeps
the party going
by Larry Nichols
Philadelphia Gay News
Special to the SGN
[Editor’s Note: He has appeared
in several films, including
Flawless starring Robert De Niro
and the independent film Punks.
Besides his feature-film work
he has made guest appearances
on such shows as the The Tyra
Banks Show, and America’s Next
Top Model, also hosted by Tyra
Banks. His songs “Din Da Da,”,
“Rhythm Is My Bitch”, “Alive”,
“Give It Up” and “Strut”, have all
reached #1 of the Billboard dance
chart.]
Kevin Aviance is living proof
that you cannot keep a good diva down —
evidenced by his newly introduced line of
shoes, a new album in progress, his tour to
promote anti-violence and his overall story
of survival.
It’s been almost a year since the singer
and performance artist was the victim of
a vicious anti-Gay attack by a group of
men as he left a New York City club. What
followed was months of physical recovery
and a trial that ended with his four attackers
pleading guilty and receiving prison
sentences ranging from six to 15 years.
Aviance still feels the effects of that attack
today, but even when the incident was fresh
in his mind and his jaw was broken and
wired shut, he still poured his energies into
performing.
“I was back on some sort of circuit two
weeks afterward,” he said. “I shouldn’t
have been but I was back working because
I couldn’t really sit at home all day. I could
only do a little bit but I haven’t really
stopped that much. I pressed through this
whole thing with the support of doing
shows and the support of other people. If
I had to sit in my house the whole time, I
would be crazy right now.”
Even with the attackers in jail, Aviance
still lives with the fallout from the assault
and doesn’t have any sense of closure.
“It’s not over,” he said. “I still have to deal
with the pain and the mental stuff. Every
day I’m struggling with it. It’s just hard. It’s
hard even to describe it, the repercussions
of everything. I had no idea it was going
to be like this. I had no idea it was going to
be this much of a thing I have to carry on
my shoulders. I had no idea it was going
to weaken me the way it did. Every day
is about me building my self-esteem up,
my gratitude for being alive and having
my friends around. Things are good. It’s a
struggle every day but things are good.”
Aviance now tours with an anti-violence
message and said the tour continues to gain
momentum.
“It’s going really, really well,” he said.
“We only had a couple cities booked at
the time and then all of a sudden, because
of Gay pride celebrations, people are
requesting more from me. It’s great. Some
of the prides are running back to back, so
doing three cities in one weekend is going
to be kind of hard. I’m on that anti-violence
tour for the rest of my life as far as I’m
concerned. I survived this thing and if I can
start spreading any wisdom about the whole
thing, it will help other people that have
been beaten or attacked to have a stronger
voice.”
Aviance is also channeling his creative
efforts into the world of fashion with his
new line of shoes.
16 Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Music
“It’s always been a dream of mine to
have my own shoe store,” he said. “This
is going way back to 10 or 12 years ago. I
was so lucky to get hooked up with Global
Footwear Partners. It’s been magic ever
since. It’s been a dream of mine ever since
I was a little kid. I love shoes. I have a big
fetish for shoes as you know.”
Aviance said he designed his shoes with
the club-goer who wants to turn heads in
mind.
“My shoes are for the party person,” he
said. “It’s for going out at night. You want
to stand in something that will show you off
a little bit. Our heels are a little high and the
platforms are high but they are shoes to be
worn out. I’m definitely trying to market it
for the red carpet. I market it to women of
course. I do have larger sizes because if I
didn’t do it, the queens would let me have
it. I just think it’s great to have these shoes
available for people that can’t afford $800
shoes.”
Aviance is confident that his line of shoes
will be a hit, but don’t expect to see them
strutting down any red carpet any time
soon.
“Right now, we’re still pretty young,”
he said. “We’re just trying to get people to
wear the shoes. We’ve had a great response
from the people I’ve sent them to. We’re
starting out and it takes a while to get it
known. Face it — there are a lot of shoe
companies out there and there are a lot of
things people are doing that have been done
already. All I’m doing is bringing my style
and wisdom into how strong these heels
and shoes should be and how comfortable
they should be.”
Amid all this activity, Aviance still finds
time to work on a new record.
“I’m recording my third album and the
new single should be done in a couple
weeks,” he said. “I’m excited about getting
that out there. I’ve always wanted to do a
tribute to the songs that I loved so much in
my life and do my versions of them. That’s
what we’re doing this time around, almost
like a standards album. We’re going back to
the ’80s and ’90s, finding songs I like and
reworking them and bringing them back to
the forefront. There are a lot of great songs
out there.”
Aviance also said that while the events of
the last year may color his new music, it
won’t affect the type of music he makes.
“My writing has gotten a little dark from
what’s happened to me,” he said. “I wanted
to touch on that a little bit but I didn’t want
to bring anybody down. I’m a party girl.”
For more information on Aviance’s tour
and shoe line, see www.kevinavianceworld.
com.
© 2007 Philadelphia Gay News
June 15, 2007
POLICE
continued from cover
Prog-Rock, and my personal gold standard
for rock vocalists was stuck at Joplin, Plant,
and Daltrey. Full-throated belters, not some
weedy little warbler whining: “Raahhxaaanne!” like his ball sack was being pulled
over the back of his head.
While I have come to eat those words
over the last couple decades, the fact
is Sting’s vocals have always been an
acquired taste for many, but few can deny
the effectiveness of that voice combined
with that music, Reggae-flavored rock
more Pub than Punk. A voice determined to
get the attention of jaded post-Sex Pistols
hipsters in London clubs, singing highly
literate, memorable lyrics worthy of the
former English teacher who penned them.
I can finally appreciate that adenoidal wail
for what it was: the plaintive chaunting of a
young man hopelessly obsessed with a lady
of pleasure. And of course, they played that
very song, with that high-pitched cry filled
out to a roar by several thousand strong:
“RAAHHX-AANNE!”
Another unwritten rule for reunions
should be: Don’t Fuck With The Hooks.
Don’t get all cute with phrases and melodies
that are hard-wired into your fans’ collective
consciousness, especially if they haven’t
heard you live in 23 years. The Police
violated this rule but once, with ‘Don’t
Stand So Close To Me’, which features one
of the most irresistibly danceable choruses
in Pop, Rock, or Reggae. Cueing off the
leaden remake from ’86 (remember the
seizure-inducing strobes from the video?),
the song nearly grinds to a dirge, causing
frustration and the temptation to smack the
band upalongside the head one time. But
all is forgiven with a note-perfect ‘Driven
to Tears’, which verifies Andy Summers’
status as a bona fide Guitar Hero, shredding
with controlled abandon, but never too
show-offy (certain death for any band that
doesn’t aspire to make you forget AC/DC).
‘Walking On the Moon’ and ‘Every Little
Thing She Does is Magic’ follow, equally
flawless, with no messing about with the
Hook, doubtless because the boys know
we’ve waited all night to chant back “EeYo-Oh!” til our throats are raw.
But the ultimate peak in a show that was
damn near all peaks is the sultry ’Wrapped
Around Your Finger’, with Sting at the
height of his emotive powers and rhythm
king Stewart Copeland using the full range
of his percussion to paint a picture of
operatic obsession that wraps itself around
your ear like…well, like Scylla reaching for
Charybdis (no, I’m not being intellectually
pretentious-it’s in the lyrics!). ‘De Do Do
Do’ was sheer joy, as was ‘Walking In
Your Footsteps’, ‘Can’t Stand Losing You’,
and ‘Invisible Sun’ (though re. the latter, I
might have known we weren’t going to get
out of there without a Meaningful Messagenamely, a video of images of devastated
Iraq. Really, we haven’t forgotten, Sting).
The official ender was, natch, ‘Roxanne’,
with ‘King Of Pain’ the first encore of
three-count ‘em, three. One of which I
had already resigned myself to, ‘Every
Breath You Take’. Grammy or no fucking
Grammy, I still maintain this song is their
weakest, as if they had foreseen the rise of
Karaoke back in ’83 and decided to write
the ultimate song for that particular milieu.
At this point, Sting seemed understandably
weary, but soldiered on til the final drawnout note. Then, the for-real, no-kidding, gohome-already finale, a song I admit I didn’t
recognize, but from the distinctive punky
energy, I figured it must be off an early
album. (Yes, there were some misguided
souls who once considered The Police
‘Punk’. But from the raw power these three
put out this night, it’s perhaps not such a
stretch after all.)
This was one of those rare concerts that I
will be able to say I saw in years to come,
and expect youngsters who don’t know
who Gordon Sumner is to look at me with
awe and envy. With this show, the band reestablishes themselves without a doubt as
a solid unit, not just ‘Sting & Co.’ Perhaps
it’s just as well they split up at their peak,
June 15, 2007
leaving fans with happy thoughts, rather
than dragging on long after the thrill is
gone. It seems hard to believe they hadn’t
played together for more than 2 decades…
but have you heard some of the bands that
have endured for more than 2 decades
lately? Mention should also be given to the
opening band, Fiction Plane, but I should
also mention the lead singer happens to be
Sting’s eldest, Joseph. But one would figure
that progeny or not, Sting would never
permit any band to share the Police’s stage
unless they were top drawer-which they
indeed are, with strong songs and a drummer
who would compare favorably to Copeland
himself. Yes, Joe Sumner does sound like
Daddy-but cut him some slack, it’s no small
feat for any artist to establish their own style
in the shadow of a megastar parent (just ask
Liza-or the Lennon brothers).
And, of course, everyone has their idea
of a reunion’s ‘perfect’ set list, but anyone
curmudgeonly enough to complain about
the choices of the Seattle show should have
just stayed home and listened to the box set.
Still, I wouldn’t have minded the inclusion
of the following: ‘Murder by Numbers’,
PRIDE ‘07 Music
‘Demolition Man’, ‘Canary In A Coal Mine’,
‘Man In A Suitcase’, and an enjoyably silly
obscurity about an inflatable love doll:
‘Be My Girl-Sally’ (I guess the guy who
couldn’t convince Roxanne not to put on
the red light had to get it somewhere).
Readings make great gifts!
Have a Pride Party!
Seattle Gay News 17
National artists join forces to show True Colors
by Larry Nichols
Philadelphia Gay News
Special to the SGN
tour is going to be new to her.
“I’ve done a couple of shows here and
there with music,” she said. “I did some
shows with The Dresden Dolls in London.
I haven’t done tours with musicians, so it’s
going to be a different experience.”
Ushering so many talented performers on
and off stage most of the night will not be
a chore in Cho’s eyes as she’s a fan of most
of the acts on the tour.
“For me, I would go see all these people
individually on my own,” she said. “The
people that are on the tour I just love. I think
they’re planning on doing it again. It would
be great to see an artist like Marc Almond
or an artist like Morrissey.”
While Cho agrees that the tour will raise
some eyebrows and ire in some circles, it
shouldn’t have an effect on its success.
“I think because we are focusing on a Gay
audience in sort of a mainstream idea, it’s
controversial among Christians,” she said.
“There’s that kind of a backlash. I think
it’s perfect timing for this to happen. Even
now, it’s weird that anybody would have a
problem selling the tour because the tickets
are almost sold out everywhere.
Courtesy of cyndilauper.com
One of the highlights of summer has to
be the non-stop stream of touring musicians
that bombard the amphitheaters and arenas
with the opportunity to see anywhere from
two or three to 20-plus acts in a single day.
Unfortunately, the majority of these summer
outings tend to be short on eclecticism at
best or exercises in extreme crowd control
at worse, with GLBT-friendly events few
and far between.
Not that there haven’t been some good
efforts. The Lilith Fair came damn close,
but we haven’t seen hide nor hair of that
cross-genre all-female summer tour since
1999, which is why the inaugural True
Colors tour is such a welcome and long
overdue event this summer.
True Colors brings together an intriguing
mix of artists who are touring this summer
to support the Gay and Lesbian community
as well as human-rights issues. The tour
is headlined by Cyndi Lauper and also
features Erasure, Deborah Harry, The
Dresden Dolls, The Gossip, The Cliks, The
Misshapes and Margaret Cho as host and
comes to Atlantic City June 15. Other artists
will make special appearances on various
stops on the tour like Rufus Wainwright,
Indigo Girls and Rosie O’Donnell.
basic freedoms. If a parent of a Gay kid
— or not Gay for that matter — sees the
coverage of the tour on the local news, it
opens up a discussion. Even if it becomes a
debate or even a negative discussion, they
are being discussed. In that case, I’ve done
my job.
PGN: Have you gotten any criticism
about the tour?
CL: Sure, some of the conservatives
have come at me, but that’s their right. It’s
my right to have a tour in support of Gay
rights to further the cause for equality and
civil liberties. Once again, it’s all about the
debate and discussions.
PGN: Who would you like to see on the
2008 edition of the True Colors tour?
CL: Oh my god! I can’t even think that
far ahead yet. I just want to focus on the
people who are on the tour this year. This
really has been a labor of love and an insane
amount of work, but worth every minute of
it. It’s taken five years to pull this together.
So honey, call me next February or March
and we’ll see.
Cyndi Lauper
Lauper is an artist who needs no
introduction. She has been making her
presence felt in the music industry for the
past 25 years as an outspoken and colorful
personality and a successful Grammywinning recording artist.
Lauper, a longtime supporter of Gay
issues (her sister is a Lesbian), conceived
the True Colors tour, named after her 1986
hit song, to give back to the community that
supported her music throughout her career,
raising money for the Gay-rights advocacy
organization Human Rights Campaign, $1
for every ticket.
Even with Lauper’s success in the music
industry, she says it took a lot of time and
effort to get the True Colors tour off the
ground. But now that the tour is about to
spring to life, Lauper has found herself
busier than ever with rehearsals and
promotional duties. PGN was lucky enough
to get a few minutes of her time to talk
about how she pulled the tour together.
PGN: How did you go about choosing
the artists for the True Colors tour?
Cyndi Lauper: There are many great
artists on the tour. Some are dear friends
like Debbie Harry and Erasure and some
are artists that I was really blown away
by like The Gossip, The Cliks and Rufus
Wainwright.
PGN: Did you initially plan the tour to
run for just 15 dates or did you want it to
run longer?
CL: Actually, we are up to 16 dates. We
really wanted it to run for about a month
[but] trying to coordinate everyone’s
schedules would be insane.
PGN: Do you think the concert industry
sees True Colors as just another package
tour or does it stand out as something more
meaningful?
CL: I think the response from the industry
has been incredible. We’ve had nothing but
love come at us from the industry.
PGN: Is there a chance that the artists
on the tour will join each other on stage to
perform?
CL: Definitely. I’m looking forward to
the spontaneity factor.
PGN: What kind of impact do you expect
the True Colors tour to have?
CL: I’m hoping that beyond it being a
kick-ass party, people get the message that
it’s presenting. The tour isn’t just for GBLT
people, it’s for everyone and it’s about
opening up the discussions for equality and
18 Seattle Gay News
Cyndi Lauper
Margaret Cho
Anyone who’s ever done comedy will tell
you that mixing live comedy with live music
is never the chocolate-hitting-the-peanutbutter experience people think it will be.
But a seasoned comedy vet like Margaret
Cho is more than up for the challenge.
“Who else is going to keep all those
queens in line?” she said, describing her
role on the tour.
“I’m going to be on and off stage all
night,” she said. “I’m going to be emceeing
the whole event. I’ll be there for everybody
for a long time. I’ll be guiding everybody
through it.”
Cho is a force to be reckoned with as she,
armed with her razor-sharp wit, has built
up a considerable amount of success and
acclaim in the worlds of comedy, television,
movies and activism. And even though she
has shared the stage with musicians on a
few occasions before, she says being part
of an event on the scale of the True Colors
predicament pretty easily. The only thing
that we’ve been in danger of being labeled
as is goth, which is completely wrong.
We’re just too hippie and happy to be
considered gothic. So I think we escaped
that one too.”
Try telling that to the legions of loyal goth
fans that show up in force at their energetic
and wildly entertaining shows.
“I think that those kids gravitate towards
us for obvious reasons,” Palmer said.
“There’s definitely a lot of stuff in the music
that is very dark and personal, like the goth
days of yore. But also I can’t discredit my
roots. I grew up loving The Cure, Depeche
Mode, Joy Division and Bauhaus. I feel like
goth, when it was what it was in the ’80s;
it’s certainly very different from what they
call goth nowadays.”
The Dresden Dolls have been known
to throw odd and brilliantly chosen cover
songs in their sets along with their own
magnificent songs.
“I think what’s most important is that we
actually just do what we want and what
we think is going to sound good,” Palmer
said. “It’s fun being irreverent and it is fun
confusing people, but it certainly doesn’t
come before the music and the art. We’ve
covered Britney Spears [‘Baby One More
Time’] and people seem to love it. I think
we don’t even know when we’re doing
something tongue in cheek. That Britney
Spears song is a fantastic pop song and
[Black Sabbath’s] ‘War Pigs’ is a fantastic
metal song. To be completely honest, ‘War
Pigs’ is fucking fun to play, partly because
of the reaction.”
When it comes to the subject of sexuality,
Palmer, who is Bisexual, doesn’t go out of
her way to address the issue.
“I definitely don’t feel the need,” she said.
“I definitely grapple with sexual tension
between myself and with others in my
lyrics. But as far as feeling the need to do
that or feeling like I have to be vocal about
how I orient, it’s not something I’ve ever
been particularly concerned about one way
or another. I’m always just very blunt and
honest when people talk to me about stuff
like that and that’s something in itself.”
Palmer went on to say that just being on
the True Colors tour will speak volumes
on issues of sexuality, acceptance and
tolerance.
“I think all the performers are going to
maintain an awareness throughout the night
that there is this sort of umbrella under which
we’re all gathering,” she said. “I think in
music, as in anything, it’s dangerous to get
too preachy. The very fact that we all will
have gathered is a statement in itself. We’re
looking at this tour as a fantastic way to let
loose and have fun in front of people you
know will appreciate it. In general, when
asked about politics, we make a very bold
statement by doing what we do how we do
it without needing to interrupt ourselves
and get up on a soapbox and say, ‘By the
way, it’s really important to be individuals.’
I think you send a much stronger message
by example than by shouting.”
Hopefully that example will include
some of the artists on the tour joining forces
for a song or two at some point during the
evening, a possibility that Palmer thinks
definitely will happen.
“Everybody is planning different things,”
she said. “We’re all working together. There’s
going to be a lot of cross-collaboration and
I think we’re going to try to do one big
ensemble number. And then individually
we’re going to play around. Margaret [Cho]
and I have performed together before. She’s
a fucking riot. So we’re trying to work up a
number with her. We have very little time.
I think our set is going to be a half an hour,
so we need to try and pack it all in. The fun
about package tours is they tend to evolve.
So we may, as we travel around and make
friends with different performers, we might
start inviting and trying different things out.
Hopefully we won’t be playing the same set
every night.”
The True Colors tour pulls into the
Borgata Hotel Spa and Casino at 7 p.m.
June 15, One Borgata Way, Atlantic City.
For more information and tickets, see
www.truecolorstour.com.
The Dresden Dolls
The Dresden Dolls, with their punkish
and romantic cabaret style, should fit in
nicely among the artists of the True Colors
tour as well as win some new fans. But
this isn’t the type of band that worries too
much about fitting in.
“I think it’s perfect,” singer and pianist
Amanda Palmer said of the tour. “The
one really nice thing about The Dresden
Dolls and the music that I write is that it
defies genres and it fits nicely with a lot of
things, but this tour seems an especially
perfect match just because of the sort of
expressive, eccentric nature of everybody
else on the bill. It’s sort of like a freak’s
club.”
The Dolls’ contribution to the “freak’s
club” is a dramatic and seductive style of
music that, through its mercurial nature,
draws a wide range of listeners.
“Luckily, there’s not much you can label
us with,” Palmer said. “We slip out of that © 2007 Philadelphia Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Music
June 15, 2007
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Music
Seattle Gay News 19
20 Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Music
June 15, 2007