Category Archives: Music
International Gay Pop Star Ivri Lider in Chicago June 12th
LGBT Change, a co-sponsor of the
“Ivri Lider Electronic Trio”,
is proud to announce a live concert featuring one of the world’s only platinum album gay artists performing during pride month on June 12, 2011 at the House of Blues.
“LGBT Change is excited to be working with a diverse group of friends to bring to Chicago a truly unique artist that captures the spirit of international equality,” said LGBT Change Co-Executive Director Matthew Zaradich. “For years his music has been inspiring the young generation and helping to build momentum in the connection between the entertainment industry and the civil rights movement”.
For nearly 15 years, countless people around the world have discovered this passionate artist who bares his soul on every record. With Lider’s keen sense of songwriting, myriad genre-hopping and gorgeous vocal melodies, his latest album highlights why he’s considered by many to be in a class of his own.
For Lider, who has already gained success throughout Europe, the decision to answer calls of outspoken fans to develop his presence in the U.S. was an obvious progression. “It’s gotten to the point where if Perez Hilton is blogging about my record, I’m probably doing something right,” says Lider candidly.
In January 2002 Lider spoke openly about his sexual orientation in a cover-story interview to the daily newspaper Ma’ariv, which attracted a lot of attention. He later said, “On a personal level, I felt complete and happy with my life and who I am, and I didn’t see any reason to not talk about it. It seemed strange to have an interview and not to talk about it, about my boyfriend, about my life. On a less personal level, I felt it’s kind of my obligation. When you’re an artist and you’re doing well and you’re successful, you get a lot of love and appreciation and energy and good things from people, and I think you need to give it back. Maybe I can influence people and help younger people that struggle — help them to be able to change their views, and stuff like that.”
Join us as we welcome Ivri to the House of Blues on June 12!
Pre-concert VIP Reception at a local lounge to be announced.
For more information visit LGBT Change.
Ivri Lider online
Wanda Sykes and Linda Eder Together in Chicago May 14th
has been called “one of the funniest stand up comics” by her peers and ranks among Entertainment Weekly’s 25 Funniest People in America. Her smart-witted stand up has sent her career in many different areas.
Showcasing one of the greatest contemporary voices of our time, Linda Eder’s diverse repertoire spans Broadway, standards, pop, country and jazz. Most recently, Linda crowns her two-decade recording career on a new album, Now, which reunites Eder with Broadway and pop composer Frank Wildhorn. The new release marks the musical return of this legendary team after six years. Eder’s transcendent voice is the perfect complement to Wildhorn’s lush, imaginative music. Now introduces 12 dynamic tracks that elevate the spirit while capturing many moods.
See both ladies together,
one night only!
Saturday, May 14th
HUMAN FIRST 2011 GALA
at the Harris Theatre! Over 1200 tickets sold already!
GET TICKETS ONLINE
BestGayChicago.com
Latin Star Elvis Crespo in Chicago April 6th-7th
International Merengue star
Elvis Crespo proudly joins
the LGBT Community in their fight against discrimination and in support of equal rights, with the “Indestructible” promotional tour.
The singer will perform songs from his latest release “Indestructible” as well as his classic hits. The tour will include shows at Gay clubs as well as the biggest LGBT Pride celebrations in the US.
“All Humans are created equal and should be entitled to the same inalienable rights, and among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, as stated in the Declaration of Independence of the United States,” said Grammy Winner Elvis.
The tour, presented by Granda Entertainment and Club Papi, will also include a Meet & Greet for his fans where they will be able to take pictures and get signed autographs.
Tour Dates:
Wed, April 6th – Chicago – Press and Media interviews throughout Chicago
Thursday, April 7th – Club Papi @ Circuit Nightclub, Chicago, IL
Then to Texas, Miami, Hollywood and more. GET TICKETS ONLINE.
Best Gay Chicago.com
Chicago’s Disco Diva Loleatta Holloway Dies
Disco Diva Loleatta Holloway died this week on March 21, 2011 from heart failure. The same day as Liz Taylor’s death. But there was so much buzz around Liz, most people didn’t even hear about Loleatta’s passing.
She was 64 years old. She is survived by her four children.
She was very well known for her disco songs such as “Hit and Run” and “Love Sensation“, both of which have been sampled extensively.
She had a rough time in the 80’s and 90’s.
In the late 1980s, her vocals from “Love Sensation” were used in the hit “Ride on Time” by Black Box. Holloway, however, was uncredited for her vocals, and both Holloway and her attorneys successfully sued the group, which lead to an undisclosed court settlement in Holloway’s favor. (You may remeber Martha Wash also had sue Black Box.)
Holloway’s fortunes dramatically improved, however, when she had her first US #1 hit when Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch featured her vocals in the chart-topping “Good Vibrations” (1991). Holloway also performed with Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch to promote the single, and she received full vocal credit and a share of the royalties.
HEAR and SEE some of her hits at this Chicago Dj site.
Rest in Peace dear Loleatta. Your voice will be missed.
CHARO in Chicago One Show Only May 14th
aka CHARO!
Will make her only Chicagoland
appearance on MAY 14th!
You DO NOT want to miss this! She was in New York City in February and I had friends see the show and they said the 60 year old entertainer “WORKED IT OUT!”
The Spanish-American actress, comedienne, and flamenco guitarist, is probably best known for her flamboyant stage presence, her provocative outfits, and her trademark phrase (“cuchi-cuchi”).
Only a few people in show business are recognized by just one name. Charo is one of them. She one of the few who’s name brings a smile to everyone’s face.
She’s one of the few who deserve to be called a Master Performer. Since the 70’s, Charo, the musician, singer, comedienne, stage and screen performer, has been an integral proponent of contemporary Latin music.
The spotlight on Charo has been shining brighter than ever since her acceptance of the Female Pop Album of the Year Award. She received this accolade at the Billboard International Latin Music Conference for her flamenco inspired platinum album, Guitar Passion.
CHARO!
Get tickets now .
Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills, IL 60465-0937
Best Gay Chicago.com
Simon Cowell Holds Search for X Factor in Chicago
The X Factor?
It’s Simon Cowell’s new prime-time television show of make it or break it competition and it’s hitting the small screen this fall. And this time, there are no restrictions.
Solo singers, vocal groups and anyone over the age of 12 will have the chance to win a $5 million recording contract with Sony music.
If you think you’ve got what it takes, auditions start on March 27 in Los Angeles and will travel to Miami, Seattle, Chicago, Newark and Dallas. Now is your chance to sign up, who knows, you could be the next big star.
Los Angeles March 26/27
Miami April 6/7
New Jersery April 13/14
Seattle April 19/20
Chicago April 26/27
Dallas May 25/27
Be sure to visit Fox X Factor for a step-by-step guide for your audition – everything you need to know to show up and be prepared.
Isaiah Grass….Model and Singer in Chicago
You know the saying…
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover..
You may look at this young man and would never guess he has a powerful voice, but in fact he does!
Meet ISAIAH GRASS from Chicago.
Isaiah was recognized at a young age where he raised attention to a voice that carries with potential, soul, and purity in its sound. Since middle school he has performed at many different venues such as special events, celebrations,weddings to name a few… When Isaiah writes and composes his music, he is inspired and influenced by an array of genres which carries a deep respect for hip-pop, soul, R&B, rock and others.
Isaiah’s Single “I’M A FREAK” was released in January with an immediate success with more than 100,000 hits in 3 weeks on his website and over 3,000 “likes” in the well-know Facebook website. The song is a mix of pop and dance.
The agents for Isaiah released “Starting Over” in February. This song is totally different from his first single “I’m a Freak”. Think Levi Kreiss / Jay Brannan.
Over the years, Isaiah had explored into what most guys his age only dream of. He has captivated those from many facets of entertainment and revealed incredible potential to make his mark in not only music and modeling, but also as a positive influence and inspiration to those who follow.
While I was trying to figure out the direction to take about my singing career, I was contacted by a modeling agency to attend one of their castings, which after some serious talking with my parents, I went.
Out of over 300 people at this casting I got selected. For the first time, I learned what a contract was but it wasn’t for music instead for modeling. I had mixed feelings because I knew music was my main goal and passion so I juggled the thought in my head of which I really wanted to do…”
So here he is DOING BOTH!
ISAIAH GRASS….One to Watch in 2011!
Deep In A Dream: The Long Night of Chet Baker March 19-20
has played at The Castro Theater in San Francisco, CA and at Chicago’s famed Green Mill in 2009.
New York Times Best Selling Author James Gavin will be joining with some of my favorite artists and the author himself to celebrate in spoken word and music Deep In a Dream, James Gavin’s biography of jazz giant Chet Baker.
James Gavin, a contributing writer to the New York Times since 1992, has been published in Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, TV Guide, JazzTimes, Town & Country, and other periodicals. His second book (DEEP IN A DREAM) went into its second printing in its first five weeks. It has been covered in the London Times, the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, the Wall Street Journal, and numerous other publications.
James Gavin has been interviewed on NPR a dozen times, including by Terry Gross, and will do his fifth interview for the BBC this month. The European printing of “Deep In a Dream” will appear in October. James Gavin has been featured on television from Coast to Coast, as well as over one hundred newspaper reviews in support of Deep In a Dream. He has written liner notes for over 300 albums, including Ella Fitzgerald: The Legendary Decca Recordings, which won Gavin a Grammy nomination in 1996. Gavin recently wrote STORMY WEATHER: The Life and Music of Lena Horne which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 2010.
Celebrate Chet Baker on Saturday, March 19 (6:30pm) at Katerina’s Supper Club
(1920 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL)
Deep In A Dream: The Long Night of Chet Baker A narrated concert featuring the author of Deep In A Dream, James Gavin. Featuring vocals by Spider Saloff with Dennis Luxion, piano, Art Davis, trumpet
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED BY CALLING 773-348-7592
ALSO – On Sunday, March 20th (4pm to 6pm) the Salon Series. Best-selling Author James Gavin. Gavin will discuss and then open up an interactive Q & A as he leads discussion and remembers American icon, Lena Horne and jazz star Chet Baker.
Tickets officially tickets available now online for March 20th featuring James Gavin with special guest Spider Saloff
More details at KMP
Best Gay Chicago.com
‘Piano Men’ performs Billy Joel, Elton John hits February 19
Jim Witter will bring his hit
show “The Piano Men”
a musical journey through the 70s, featuring the hit songs of Billy Joel and Elton John to Moraine Valley Community College on Saturday, February 19, at 7:30 p.m. The show will be in the Dorothy Menker Theater in the Fine and Performing Arts Center, on campus, in Palos Hills. – Just minutes from downtown Chicago! Tickets are $25 for the general public, $20 for seniors and $15 for students.
Recording artist Jim Witter and his band will lead the audience on a tour of an entire decade of classic hits that begins with Elton John’s 1970 ballad “Your Song.” From there, the show will wind through a musical time machine with performances of “My Life,” “Candle in the Wind,” “Rocket Man,” “Just the Way You Are,” and many more. Using rear-screen projection, images of newspaper headlines, automobiles, people, events, toys, and even TV shows that shaped the ’70s will appear on the backdrop.
Witter is a country music and contemporary Christian recording artist in Ontario, Canada, where he lives, and Nashville, Tennessee. He has had 10 top ten radio hits in Canada, seven hit videos on Country Music Television, and chart action in the United States on Billboard and R&R. He has earned multiple awards and nominations from the Canadian Country Music Association, the Juno Awards and the Dove Awards in Nashville.
A few years ago, Witter developed the concept for “The Piano Men” because his mentors were Billy Joel and Elton John. The multi-media rock musical has received rave reviews from music critics across North America, and Witter has plans to take the show to London and Japan.
Tickets for “The Piano Men” and other upcoming performances can be purchased at Maraine Valley , by calling (708) 974-5500, or at the Box Office located on the south end of the Fine and Performing Arts Center. Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills, IL 60465-0937
Best Gay Chicago.com
Cazwell and Amanda Lepore! Saturday Feb. 12th at Hydrate
comes to Chicago!
The queen and king of New Yorks nightlife scene arrive in Chicago, this weekend!
Amanda Lepore has always been the bearer of curiosities, and it’s commonly known that her parties come hand-in-hand with brusque displays of exhibitionism: all skin and sparkle, and anything less would be an insult.
Cazwell. What can we say?
Few new artists embody the spirit of downtown NYC more completely than Cazwell. A leading figure in the renaissance of New York City nightlife that has taken place over the last five years, Cazwell’s music—a ridiculously fun mix of electrified dance music and old school hip hop—is the perfect example of the new spirit of pop music. Says Caz, “When people ask me how to describe my style sometimes I say ‘Just imagine if Biggie Smalls ate Donna Summer for breakfast.’”
Hydrate and Jagermeister is proud to present …..AMANDA LEPORE AND CAZWELL, Saturday, February 12th!!!! Cazwell will be live at 10pm. and he will spin the night away! Amanda performs at Midnight. Cazwell will be spinning all night long for you until 5am!
These 2 always put on an excellent show. And these two have been collaborating for years!
Cazwell is executive producer, brainchild and songwriter behind Amanda Lepore’s upcoming debut album “I…Amanda Lepore” also due this Spring.
The album features such Caz-penned Lepore classics as “Champagne,” “My Hair Looks Fierce,” (which has already been tapped for a television theme song!) and the rambunctious pop punk ode to love “Cotton Candy.” Caz also guest stars in the “Cotton Candy” music video directed by Bec Stupak which will be Amanda’s premiere release for her album!
About being Sonny to a traninternational Cher, Caz says, “I love working on the Amanda record because she’s so interesting and has had such a crazy life. She has a very different point of view. I think that is makeup for an amazing album. I think we definitely achieved that with ‘I…Amanda Lepore’”
DON’T MISS IT!
General Admission tickets are only $15 in advance, $20 at the door. There will also be a VERY LIMITED quantity of VIP meet and greet tickets for only $25!
Hydrate 3458 North Halsted Street
Best Gay Chicago.com
Cirque du Soleil DRALION in Chicago Area January 26-30
About 10 years ago I saw one
of my first Cirque du Soleil shows….
Dralion.
Fusing the 3000 year-old tradition of Chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of Cirque du Soleil, Dralion draws its inspiration from Eastern philosophy and its never-ending quest for harmony between humans and nature. The show’s name is derived from its two emblematic creatures: the dragon, symbolizing the East, and the lion, symbolizing the West.
In Dralion, the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form. Thus embodied, each element is represented by its own evocative colour: air is blue; water is green; fire is red; earth is ochre. In the world of Dralion, cultures blend, Man and Nature are one, and balance is achieved.
I own it on DVD and watched it the other night – I forgot just how fabulous it was!
Pas de deux is a languorous aerial dance. A couple, intertwined, flies over the stage in a long band of blue cloth. Within the cloth, they perform various acrobatic figures that demand great feats of strength and flexibility. The man is beautiful and so muscular and a feast for the eyes.
And there is an AMAZING male juggler.
With stylized choreography that makes the most of his incredible flexibility, the artist incorporates a fast-paced performance with hints of modern dance.
His incredible precision and mastery of his art are evident as he juggles up to seven balls simultaneously.
The blend of juggling mixed with balance against his body is truly wonderful to watch.
And then the music! The voices of Cirque du Soleil – Dralion sing an invented language to which only Cirque du Soleil holds the key. Their mysterious accents echo down through time: L’Âme-Force symbolises ultimate harmony between the four elements.
If you’ve seen any of the now-numerous Cirque du Soleil shows, you’re well aware that these modern-day circuses offer an engaging display of color, lights, acrobatics and in no small part, music. It’s the haunting music, in fact, that has always served to set the mood and theme of each Cirque show.
Violaine Corradi is largely responsible for the music. She says, ““At Cirque du Soleil, music offers a window to the spectator that opens on the multiple dimensions of the narrative framework of the show. The emotional fabric that the music conveys makes the audience feel the range of the acrobatic movement more intensively.”
DRALION will be back in the Chicago area, January 26-30th!
at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates
Get tickets now online !
Chet Haze – Chicago Northwestern Hottie and Rapper
So I am walking down the street the other, down near Michigan Avenue. And there are always hotties everywhere! And we are always on the lookout for potential new male models .
I run into this young guy with a great face! I stop him and I give him a card, and said he should call us for a “test shoot” sometime. He blushed, and explained he had never done any modeling, but had done a bit of acting and right now is in school and trying to become known as white rapper. He said his name was Chet Haze and we should friend each other on Facebook.
So I ran home and did!
Chet has had roles in the Bratz movie and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls, AND he is the son of TOM HANKS!
TOM HANKS is not someone
I would necessarily call a HOTTIE! But Chet….could stop traffic.
Some people find him sexy, I guess. And you may know Colin Hanks? He’s Tom’s other son, and you’ve probably seen him in Orange County, King Kong, or Mad Men. He’s very cute and charming, just like his old man.
CHET HAZE, the OTHER son, has the internet is going mildly berserk over the fact his song ‘White and Purple (Northwestern Remix )’ is inspired by the prestigious college he attends. – Yes, he goes to Northwestern in Chicago!
I am not a fan of rap…but he is such a hottie, you just have to check it out.
Come on….You know you want to follow him on Facebook and Twitter !
Best Gay Chicago.com
Queen of Cuchi Cuchi…CHARO Comes to Chicago!
Charo is coming to Chicago!
Charo is a household name. Instantly recognizable for her witty humor, loveable accent and her mastery of the flamenco guitar, it is Charo’s trademark expression, “Cuchi-Cuchi ,” which has endeared her to the world and made the name Charo synonymous with fun and excitement.
Only a few people in show business are recognized by just one name. Charo is one of them. She one of the few who’s name brings a smile to everyone’s face. She’s one of the few who deserve to be called a Master Performer.
Since the 70’s, Charo, the musician, singer, comedienne, stage and screen performer, has been an integral proponent of contemporary Latin music. The spotlight on Charo has been shining brighter than ever since her acceptance of the Female Pop Album of the Year Award. She received this accolade at the Billboard International Latin Music Conference for her flamenco inspired platinum album, Guitar Passion .
Across the world, Charo is back on the Billboard charts with her latest single dance club hit – España Cañí , the traditional bullfighting song.
Charo teamed up with top-name DJs (including Julian Marsh and Twisted Dee), and producers from around the world, who added their own dance mixes to her virtuoso guitar performance and ended up with what’s become a huge hit at dance clubs around the world and earned Charo a 2009 World Dance Music Award Nomination.
She has been playing all over Las Vegas to sold out audiences and nightly standing ovations! She is currently on tour and making a stop in Chicago May 14th, at Moraine Valley Community College! (Just minutes from downtown in Palos Hills).
Tickets ARE SELLING FAST! This show WILL sell out! Don’t miss your only chance to see Charo in the Chicago area.
Get tickets now .
Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills, IL 60465-0937
Best Gay Chicago.com
Singer Jay Brannan in Chicago Friday December 10th
is an openly gay musician, singer, songwriter with a voice and has a musical ability that matches his exceptional good looks and natural ability. You may have seen him in Short Bus or Holding Trevor.
While he is gay, he does not like being labeled as such, “I hate having my sexual orientation used as a title or a genre. It pisses me off. I just want to be a regular musician like anyone else.
When Lisa Loeb sings, she’s singing about her life, her relationships, her experiences. No one ever says she’s singing “straight songs” or that she’s singing about “straight issues”. No one ever says that Whitney Houston’s or Seal’s songs are about “what it’s like being a black person”. At the end of the day, we’re all the same and we all go through the same shit. The rest is just details.”
“I disagree that any of my songs “describe gay relationships”. I don’t think that the singer’s gender and the gender of the other character(s) in the song really affect what the song is about, and I hope we are closing in on the day that people can see that.”
His first full length album was Goddamned in 2008, followed by In Living Cover in 2009. Jay says he is influenced by Lisa Loeb, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Bjork, Sinead O’connor, Joni Mitchell and Jack Daniels! “In terms of my music, I feel like it’s pretty representative of me. It’s pretty cynical, it’s pretty dark, it’s pretty honest. That’s who I am. But for some reason, people can accept it in music. ”Oh, I relate to it so much. Thanks for saying all the things I’ve been thinking. I thought I was the only one.” Etcetera. And then they turn right back around and they’re like, ”Why are you so sad all the time? Can’t you smile more?” I want to be like, ”You can have one or the other.” If I was that person everyone seems to want me to be, the music would be very different. And probably no one would care.”
“Pretty much everything I write comes from my own reality. Anger and pain and frustration are my main motivating factors for writing, and I try to be as honest and accurate in my lyrics as I can. That’s not to say every song is a complete literal account of a real life event, though some are. Sometimes I combine a couple different relationships or experiences into one song, but make it all one story for the sake of the song. Or sometimes you take an emotion or sentiment and magnify it a little to make it more interesting. You only have three or four minutes, so sometimes you make adjustments so that each song is coherent in such a small amount of words, but it definitely is a patchwork of reality. That’s my goal, anyway.”
Everything about Jay Brannan’s young career is improbable. Defying legions of critics both personal and professional, he has managed to build a shockingly dedicated following in a very non-traditional way.
Though kicked out of acting school for alleged lack of ability, he entered the film arena with a standout performance in 2005’s Shortbus , and achieved rising cult star status upon the film’s worldwide release. Urged to “play it straight” during his Southern upbringing, he has become a lightning rod for castaways by simply being himself: a neurotic and inspiring mess. In 2007, Logo aired his first video .
A self-described loner and a passionate insomniac, Jay found himself spending countless hours on the Internet cultivating his online networks and answering emails from around the globe. His burgeoning online following tipped when he posted a 3:00 a.m. laptop performance of “Soda Shop” on YouTube, which found itself featured on the website’s homepage and has since been viewed 1.5 million times. “I was a random guy at home fucking around with his computer, thinking no one would ever watch the video if I posted it. I guess I was wrong.”
He has gone on to post every new song as it’s been written. These online videos have accumulated millions of plays and their response has given Brannan the confidence to take his musical ambitions full time.
“I’m just a little bit honored that people relate to my music at all and feel the impulse to even write me to tell me that. The feedback is partly what keeps me doing it. When I write songs and play them, it’s never really for other people, or what other people think. It’s really my way of expressing myself, or giving voice to thoughts that have been racing around in my head for years and years. At the same time, the feedback and some of the validation has kept me pursuing it as a career, because that part is really, really tough.”
JAY BRANNAN IN CHICAGO Friday, December 10th!
@ SUBTERRANEAN 2011 W. NORTH AVE. 773-278-6600
DOORS @ 9:00 PM SHOW @ 9:30 PM | 17 & OVER
TICKETS: $15.00 BUY TICKETS ONLINE! Last years show SOLD OUT!
Jay Brannon.com
Jay on MySpace
Jay on Facebook
Jay Brannan on YouTube
Best Gay Chicago.com
Fusion Radio Anniversary Party at Roscoes
An event
not to be missed!
Celebrating
FUSION RADIO’s
amazing 7 year’s
with a star studded
LIVE SHOW!
Where is it at?
The event will be held at Roscoe’s Tavern located at 3356 N Halsted Street in Chicago, IL.
TONIGHT! Friday, November 12, 2010. Doors open at 9pm.
Totally free. That’s right, it’s our birthday and were giving you the gift.
There is no cover charge for this event, courtesy of Roscoe’s.
The artists are Erika Jayne (Pretty Mess), Kaci Battaglia (Crazy Possessive), Wynter Gordon (Dirty Talk), Vassy (History) and Sylvia Tosun (Underlying Feeling & Above All). Performances start at 9:30pm.
The event is open to any guests 21 and older. Valid ID is required at the door.
FUSION RADIO CHICAGO continues to grow capturing the eye of the dance music industry. With nearly 1.9 million tune-ins, FUSION ranks the 3rd largest commercial internet dance station and runs a leading dance music website.
Dave Koz Returns to Chicago with His Smooth Jazz Christmas Tour December 4th
COMING OUT,
DOES NOT HURT ONES CAREER,
contrary to popular belief!
When he came out in The Advocate in 2004, Dave Koz instantly expanded his already large fan base and shattered a lot of myths about gay men and music.
In a career that spans twenty years and a dozen albums, saxophonist Dave Koz has established himself as one of the most prominent figures in contemporary music. But for as noteworthy as his body of recorded work and as entertaining his live performances and other past accomplishments might be, Koz finds himself in an era of dramatic and sweeping change where everything once taken for granted is suddenly up for grabs. For Koz – and for all of us in this first decade of the new century – it’s a new day, full of new challenges and opportunities, and new rules that are still being written.
Koz embraces this era of change – and even the uncertainty that comes with it – on Hello Tomorrow, his debut on Concord Records (released on October 12, 2010. “Put The Top Down,” the breezy lead single from the album, rocketed to #1 at Radio after just three weeks!). Produced by Grammy winners John Burk and Marcus Miller (who also appears on most tracks), the album features a diverse army of high-profile guests: Herb Alpert, Jonathan Butler, Brian Culbertson, Sheila E., Boney James, Jeff Lorber, Keb’ Mo’, Ray Parker, Jr., Lee Ritenour, Christian Scott and others. Each of the thirteen tracks – most of them written by Koz and his collaborators, others penned by friends and legends – focuses on being open to new beginnings, and trusting that the future is unfolding in all the right ways for all the right reasons.
Looking back on the Advocate Coming Out interview, he says, “I think everyone makes that leap at the right time in their own lives—there is no absolute rule, and thus I tend to shy away from giving anyone else advice on how to do this. In my own experience however, I never had a master plan to come out…that moment shocked me when it came—I sort of knew it instinctively and I said to myself, “It’s time”. Up until that point it was something I was either too worried, or too freaked out to do. I wasn’t willing to risk it…but then something surprising happened.
I was doing an interview for another gay publication—and the interviewer initially said it was just to speak on the music, no personal questions. His editors had a different agenda and he came back to me saying that in order for the article to run I would have to address my sexuality. Well, I noticed the way this information made me feel…and for the first time ever, it didn’t scare the &*%# out of me! I went to my managers with the idea of coming out—they were super supportive, having helped Melissa Etheridge along her journey. But they said if you’re going to do it, do it with The Advocate. And that’s exactly what happened—a few months later, just about in sync with my turning 40, it was done. This little piece of information that I’d been guarding so preciously all my adult life was finally out there for the world to see. Of course at the time I was freaking out…but I haven’t looked back since. By far, the very best thing I’ve ever done for myself. “
LAST WEEK, Dave added his effort to the Dan Savage It Get’s Better Project. You can watch his video and listen to his growing up gay story . And he reveals how his music got him through the struggles of growing up gay. Music – and more specifically, the saxophone – have been Koz’s primary survival tools since his childhood and adolescence in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley. “The saxophone became my best friend, my most trusted ally, because it enabled me to communicate feelings that I didn’t have the words for. In many ways, it saved my life.”
DAVE KOZ AND FRIENDS… A SMOOTH JAZZ CHRISTMAS
2010 TOUR COMES TO CHICAGO DECEMBER 4th !
This is shows 13th Anniversary! And this year’s run will feature special guests South African singer/guitarist Jonathan Butler, keyboardist Brian Culbertson and Dutch saxophone star Candy Dulfer. It will mark Dulfer’s first tour with Koz while Butler and Culbertson are back by popular demand.
The artists will perform hits from their respective catalogues and join together on a variety of holiday standards for an inspirational, high-energy show that has become a cherished tradition for many fans. The tour will take them from coast to coast and include three Los Angeles area shows (December 17th & 18th at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts and December 19th at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live). The festivities will conclude with a show at Modesto’s Gallo Center for the Arts on December 20th.
“Holiday music is like comfort food – when you hear these songs, they transport you,” says Dave, who has three classic holiday albums to his credit (December Makes Me Feel This Way, A Smooth Jazz Christmas Dave Koz & Friends, Memories of a Winter’s Night). “It’s like when you smell a fresh apple pie, and it conjures up memories of your grandmother’s baking and all the traditions that make this such a special time of year.”
Chicago Theatre December 4th Tickets are $48-$88
Disney’s The Lion King and Billy Elliot will join together to present City of Hope: Chicago Cares October 25
For one night only,
the talented cast and crew of Disney’s The Lion King and Billy Elliot will join together to present City of Hope: Chicago Cares-a concert featuring song, dance, and spoken word.
Audience members will enjoy performances by the casts of The Lion King and Billy Elliot featuring classics, pop, R&B, and Broadway. A silent auction will also include theater tickets, restaurant packages, and “one-of-kind props” from The Lion King.
When: Monday, October 25th
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: The Royal George Theatre,
1541 N. Halstead St.
Tickets:
$40 General Admission
$75 VIP (includes post show reception, meet & greet with cast, desserts, and complimentary cocktails by Grey Goose Vodka)
TICKETS ONLINE NOW
All proceeds benefit Chicago House and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA )
Kinetic Playground Owner Threatens Assault in Response to Protest Over “Kill Gays” Performer
UPTOWN –
Protest set for 10:30 PM,
Saturday, Oct. 9
In front of “The Kinetic Playground”
1113 W. Lawrence
(just east of the “Lawrence” Red Line el station)
Last week during a final attempt to persuade Kinetic Playground nightclub to cancel the October 9th engagement of performer Capleton, who calls for killing Lesbians and Gays in the lyrics of his song lyrics, the club’s manager owner Jim Gouskos threatened gay rights protesters with assault.
When GLN organizer Roger Fraser said that Kinetic Playground’s refusal to cancel Capleton would be met with a protest, Gouskos replied, “Don’t threaten me because I can get a bunch of goons outside to throw eggs at you guys.”
While in an earlier conversation Gouskos claimed that he was pro-LGBT and would never have knowingly booked someone with Capleton’s anti-gay M.O., he said that an $11,000 contract forced him to go ahead with the show. GLN’s Fraser replied that many other clubs, such as Chicago’s House of Blues, had managed to cancel contracts with kill-gays performers and that he or his lawyer should call them for advice on how to do this.
Instead Gouskos apparently called openly-gay Ald. Tom Tunney, and reported that Tunney said he’d never heard of Capleton, and used this as an excuse to dismiss GLN’s concerns. Well, just because Alderman Tunney may not be up on the latest Jamaican dance hall music hardly settles the matter of just where Capleton stands on LGBT people.
A simple Google search of Capleton shows 51,000 entries about the “murder music” aspect of him, and the Wikipedia entry says “Capleton has faced criticism for anti-gay lyrics in some of his songs” and his continuing to sing them has “caus[ed] the cancellation of a concert in Switzerland in 2008 and a United States tour in 2010.”
Capleton is actually one of the most obstinate of a small group of kill-the-gays musicians. He signed the Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA), a pledge to no longer perform or profit from music which calls for killing gays or other groups of people, and then lied by claiming he’d never signed it. Worse, he’s incited crowds in Jamaica – already a very dangerous locale for LGBT people – calling from a stage last Christmas to “All who a bun battyman and sodomite, hand up!” (“All who have burned queers and sodomites, put your hands up!”).
As for Kinetic Playground’s and Gouskos’ claims of being friends of the LGBT community, Fraser put it best in his last comment to Gouskos:
“It’s a sad fact that Kinetic Playground, though it claims to be gay-friendly, obviously doesn’t take anti-gay violence seriously. I wonder what they would do about a performer who urged his audience to kill Jews or blacks. Would they still be unwilling to cancel his appearance? Why is the bar so much higher for gays and lesbians?”
*********UPDATE*******
Once Again, Public Pressure Delivers the Goods
Please THANK “The Kinetic Playground” Nightclub for Doing the Right Thing!
Through a series of negotiations this week and last and with the threat of a demonstration, Gay Liberation Network (GLN) and other community activists were successful in persuading management at Kinetic Playground nightclub, 1113 W. Lawrence Avenue, to cancel “Kill Gays” dancehall performer Capleton for a show originally scheduled for late this Saturday night, October 9th.
The cancellation of Capleton is a victory that all human rights supporters should savor. The Gay Liberation Network, which initiated the campaign against Capleton in Chicago, commends Kinetic Playground management for putting human rights principles above dollars by canceling the show.
Please put an exclamation point on this victory by buying a drink or two this Saturday night at Kinetic Playground, 1113 W. Lawrence Avenue, so that the management and staff there know that Chicago is willing to stand behind those who follow their conscience.
CALL THEM, and tell them you appreciate what they did. The Kinetic Playground (773) 769-LIVE
EMAIL THEM with a brief note info @ thekineticplayground.com
Kimberley Locke LIVE @ Roscoe’s in Boystown Friday, October 8
American Idol. Celebrity Fit Club. The View. Even though Kimberley Locke is constantly on television, she loves performing in dance clubs for the energy and morale boost that her enthusiastic dance music fans give. With remixes by Jason Nevins, Almighty, Bronleewe & Bose, and Scotty K, “Change,” the leadoff single to her sophomore album Based On a True Story, will keep dancefloors buzzing for her next performance.
Kimberly is excited to a show for gay fans at ROSCOES!
“I do a lot of Gay Pride events during the summer, from like June to August. Hands down, I know those events are going to be my best events because the energy in the gay clubs or at the gay events is just out of control. They love me and they let it be known and it feels really good. Anytime I’m stuck in a rut, I’m like I need to do a gay club so I can get my morale boosted. When I walk off the stage from doing a show at a gay event, I just feel like I’ve conquered the world. It’s always a party and it’s always about the music, and I really do enjoy that. It’s not to say that my other audiences aren’t great but it’s hit and miss, when you go and just do a concert or something like that you never know what you’re going to get.”
Roscoe’s and Fusion Radio are Proud to Present American Idol Diva and Billboard #1 Hit Artist – Kimberley Locke!!!
Performing Her Billboard #1 Hits: Change, Band of Gold, 8th World Wonder
Time Friday, October 8 at 10:00pm – October 9 at 2:00am
Location Roscoe’s Tavern – 3356 N. Halsted St.
$10 Cover at 10pm
DID YOU KNOW…..
ROSCOES is nominated as one the
BEST GAY BARS in the world!
VOTE FOR THEM at TripOut Gay Travel .
B-52s at House of Blues October 7th – Two-for-one sale!
THE B – 52s are coming to HOUSE of BLUES Chicago, October 7th. And check this out! House of Blues would like to invite the friends and supporters of BEST GAY CHICAGO.com to see the B-52’s at the House of Blues, with a special “two for one” discount. Go to LIVE NATION and enter the password “loveshack” to take advantage of this special discount.
Can you believe the B-52s have been around since the late 70s?! It has been said that the B-52s are as quintessentially American as the Beach Boys. And twenty-five years and over twenty million albums into their career, the B-52s remain the among the most beloved rock stars ever.
Any mystery concerning the longevity and ongoing appeal of the B-52s is immediately solved when exposed to the B-52s unique concert experience. From the timeless gems of “Rock Lobster,” “Planet Claire” and “Private Idaho” to the more recent classics of “Channel Z,” “Love Shack” and “Roam”, the B-52s unforgettable dance-rock tunes start a party every time the music begins.
At the time of their greatest achievements, however, they suffered their greatest tragedy — the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson from AIDS. “He really had a vision…,” said sister Cindy Wilson. “He was one of the strongest elements of the B-52s from the beginning.” Ricky Wilson’s passing in 1985 came just after the sessions for Bouncing Off The Satellites (1986). The album, dedicated to Wilson, had taken nearly three years to complete but was worth the wait, serving up the fan favorites “Summer of Love” and “Wig.”
In 2008 the B-52s released their first new album in 16 years, the aptly titled Funplex. With its primal guitar hooks, driving drums and the B-52s’ unmistakable vocal style, Funplex is instantly recognizable as quintessential and contemporary B-52s. Newsweek Magazine declared, “Like a sonic shot of vitamin B12, the dance floor beats, fuzzy guitar riffs and happy, shiny lyrics keep the energy going.”
As the B-52s continue to take their party-music revolution into the 21st century they show no signs of slowing down, serving up their own unique blend of music and showmanship to millions of fans around the world. They have remained busy all these years! The B-52s, led by out gay frontman Fred Schneider perform upwards of fifty shows a year with old bandmates Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson and Keith Strickland.
You would think, with all that success comes tons of money. Not so. “I’m not wealthy,” Fred told Howard Stern. “We only started making money after ‘Cosmic Thing'” – the band’s fifth album, released in 1989 that featured singles ‘Love Shack,’ ‘Roam,’ and ‘(Shake That) Cosmic Thing.’
Which maybe explains the existence of his new spunky musical venture, The Superions. According to their MySpace profile, The Superions are the “most exciting group to hit the music scene since Elvis or Lady Gaga.” While that’s a little farfetched, they are exciting, or at least off-the-wall, much like their famous New Wave forebearers.
Leave it to The Superions to save the holidays from the usual stale chestnuts and dull oldie retreads. Following on the heels of their multi-plat… er, real popular hit song “Who Threw That Ham At Me,” the 11 future holiday standards on Destination… Christmas! perfectly capture the many moods of the season: despair, avalanches, deranged abominable snowmen, leaden fruitcakes, and of course, laughter. High-energy dance songs mixed with numbers to chill to, The Superions do it all on Destination… Christmas!
Destination… Christmas! will be released on Fanatic Records on October 25, 2010 and is destined to be a perennial Christmas favorite!
