Rainbow Noise artists Cee, Loco Niinja, Jay Squared , Stud Phamous
Gays in hip hop has always been a complicated subject. It’s no longer completely unknown, Cazwell has stormed the scene, Lady Sovereign is big in the UK, Katastrophe and Athens Boys Choir are constantly touring favs, and there’s dozens of smaller queer hip hop acts both local and national.But much of mainstream urban music can still be homophobic and there’s still a hunger for more positive representations of LGBT MCs and DJs. And a big project just emerged from right across the river called Rainbow Noise Entertainment.
RainbowNoise is an entertainment company that specializes in marketing lesbian and gay talent to mainstream audiences without compromising the artists’ individual style or gender presentation…From conscious rap to old school and party hip hop styles, RainbowNoise artists cover it all. The keen focus on production quality and lyrical strength sets them ahead of many independent labels in their class.
This is a worthy project that is interesting enough for it’s goal but there’s even more compelling aspects.
Purple Rhinestone Eagle‘s Bad Dream Tour kickoff with Fucking Lesbian Bitches – “I don’t compromise. I’m metal..” And with hot local ladies making it you don’t have to. Seriously fuzzy riffs and bold but not scratchy vocals combine the best of 70s hard rock with punk and blues undertones. PRE’s new album The Great Returnis out now and they’re ready to take their act on the road. Joined by FLB for their hometown farewell helps prove hardcore punk’s not dead, nor are ironic band titles with the word “lesbian” in them.
Hustle: A trans top surgery benefit dance party – It’s time to dance your boobs off with DJs Kinetic (Blowpony), Trans Fat (Maricon, Blowpony, Cafeteria) and Roy G Biv (Bent, Blowpony). Good cause and there’s bound to be trannies and chasers so take your pick.
I was going to use the still showing James Van Der Dead's head (yeah, from Dawson's creek -- I was always more of a Pacey man myself) as a trophy on the wall, but I thought that sexy Ke$ha canoodling with a unicorn would sell better...
The other day I posted this recent Ke$ha video for “Blow” to my personal Facebook page (a re-post even, how social media web 2.0), and I was rather surprised at the discussion that ensued. It seems Ke$ha, as inconsequential as she may seem to me, affects our queer community in controversial ways.
Big Freedia plays Friday at Buck & Bounce 5 and his DJ and backup dancer join fellow DJ Beyonda at Mrs. Seattle '94 on Saturday
Thursday
DirtBag! – Thursday night fav with a penchant for late night Smiths jams. A promise and a warning. Special guest DJ Freddie Fagulathis week is sure to make it a class act.
Feelin’ Alright pre-tour jam sesh – Miss classic rock and folk but not the douchey-ness that can sometimes go along with it? Instead listen to the greats, including Dylan, Marley, Seger, Janis, Grace, Joni in this all night goodbye fest featuring Kaia Wilson (Team Dresch, The Butchies), Jenny Hoyston (Erase Eratta) and Katy Davidson (Dear Nora).
Bent! – One of my all time favs (really, I named it number #1 of 2010). How could I forget ye?
The Cafeteria with guest DJ Mr Charming – Lunch trays and crunk gays is the perfect neighborhood dance spot for the almost weekend. In case you’ve missed Mr Charming at any of her other super successful parties and appearances lately you get another chance. She and DJ Lunch Lady made it rain downstairs at Blow Pony last weekend and this will be the same, except smaller and more elite.
I’m not sure what getting your money back has to do with monkey suits except that you can showcase hot shirtless dudes eating phallic bananas, but maybe that’s all you need.
Either way in the week since the new video for Get My Money Back was released the uptick in Cazwell page views has been swell. I ain’t above capitalizing on that.
Remind me not to stop drinking, because when I fall off the wagon, I fall hard. It was a tough hump day anyway, beginning with a dentist appointment and a long work day…oh, and the death of Elizabeth Taylor. Luckily, I had two of my favorite bands to save me at the end. Lovers and MEN‘s latest albums are both on repeat on my iPod to get me through.
In the vein of an already marginally successful day at best I neglected to check the battery on my camera (and I also left my credit card at the bar) so was unable to get any pictures. But even if I had a day full of FAIL I was soothed by the sweet crooning of Lovers’ Cubbie Berk and energized by the political dance energy of MEN. As for the pre-funk and in between set turntable stylings of DJ Mr. Charming? Just right.
To see some truly great bands you’ve got to be willing to party mid-week. And for the likes of electro-politico-indie-dance-rockers MEN it’s work any Thursday morning hangover. Headed by frontqueer JD Samson (Le Tigre), the trio are touring with their triumphant freshman album release Talk About Body, bringing it to Rotture (315 SE 3rd) tomorrow night.
As the DJ and the MC spice up the beginning, Lovers will begin the show’s upward surge to climax but eerily tugging on your heartstrings, though you may not even know why. Intertwining in a way that makes you feel both ecstatic and sad, I compared their newest album to doing drugs with your lover when I named it album of the year.
From left: Rebecca Cole, Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony and Janet Weiss from Wild Flag
Lots of excitement has been accompanying new Portland supergroup Wild Flagsince their formation last Summer. The quartet featuring Janet Weiss and Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney, Helium’s Mary Timony and The Minders Rebecca Cole been playing sold out shows locally and outside of the area sporadically in the precious few months of their existence. They are also slated to play at SXSW on March 18th.
Now, they’ve made their first single, “Glass Tambourine” available for online listening. A combination of 70s jam rock and 90s indie pop with a healthy dose of grownup 2011 revamping, “Tambourine” is a full and nuanced aural pleasure which you experience for yourself right here below.
