This is my love letter to all the queer musicians out there, making art and kicking ass. If there's an artist you think I should know about, please let me know, I love new music! (I also reblog/post on general queer and trans stuff, radical news, and instances when the world is fucked, and when it isn't!)
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
So, summer is just around the corner, and if you’re like me, you’re looking for some new chill summer jams. Well, look no further than Khaos da Rapper.
Hailing from Atlanta, Khaos is a performer, producer, and the creator/host of Yo! LGBT Raps, which has been featured here on FY!QM a few times, and is definitely worth a look if you haven’t checked it out before. Her tracks are a mix of 90s hip-hop and R&B sensibilities and modern production, like autotune, and more computerized samples. There is pretty much nothing not to like. Even if you aren’t normally a hip-hop fan, a lot of Khaos’s stuff is remnant of your favorite hits of yesteryear (ie the 90s), because admit it or not, you all jammed out to “Ghetto Superstar.”
Check ‘em out:
Official site
Soundcloud
Bandcamp
Youtube
Kelsey Morris is a Portland, OR artist who plays in The Mucks (who are a rock-y, indie type band, if you’re down with that sort of thing), and records her own solo stuff. And it’s good all around!
Morris’ solo material is a mix of Americana with indie singer songwriter sensibilities (think Jose Gonzales and a bit of Kathleen Edwards last album). Her latest EP, Layperson, errs much more on the side of modern singer songwriter, combining soft electric and acoustic instrumentation, with layered melodies of her voice, creating a dreamy vibe. Her first release, A Taste, seems to take a lot more from the Americana tradition of a new take on old, soulful country (check out “Little Honey Bee” and “Honey Won’t You Please”) and reminded me of. Most of the songs are more energetic than on Layperson, but both EPs are awesome and definitely worth a listen.
Check ‘em out:
Bandcamp
Wheelchair Sports Camp is a funky/jazzy hip-hop trio from Denver. You’ve probably heard of them thanks to a Village Voice article and the fact that they’re fucking good.
WSC was founded by MC Kalyn Heffernan and was joined by a college friend and her brother, Abi and Issac McGaha Miller. WSC feels old school with a lot of live drum work and jazz saxophone. The beats make your head bob, and it’s not overwhelming in a way that a lot of modern hip-hop and rap can be. It’s still fun, and I bet it makes for a killer live show, but it’s also easily digestable. Kalyn has skill has a rapper, and she isn’t trying to blow your mind with speed, she’s just a solid MC with a funny and sharp streak, and she can go from political to self deprecating in a heartbeat. Abi provides the sax and vocals, and she’s equally talented with both. Her voice is incredible, and perfectly suited to singing hooks, while her sax playing elevates many of the tracks to something much more memorable than they would be otherwise.
So if you’re looking for hip-hop that’s a bit more of a throwback, Wheelchair Sports Camp might be right up your alley. They’ve got a lot of live dates coming up in the next month or so, so check them out if they’re in your area.
Check ‘em out:
Bandcamp (I highly recommend the Live in PDX EP)
Facebook
Official site
Y’all like fancy music? Better yet, fancy music with pretty words on top of it? Then do I have the band for you: Prince De Dame!
Based out of San Francisco, this chamber music ensemble (string quartet and voice) crafts haunting love and loss songs, and released their first EP, The Wild Blood, this past year. Prince de Dame is headed by vocalist/composer Karl Cronin, who has written beautiful classical type music that has a solid pop streak. Lyrics and vocals aside, the music is definitely a string quartet, but it feels like more intense Owen Pallett esque indie pop. All the string players are obviously incredibly talented, and Cronin’s voice is emotional and soothing. Definitely give them a listen if you’re looking for something a bit different (and fancier)!
Check ‘em out:
Official site
Facebook
wait jealouzine-ladies, can we go to philly?
June 7-9, 2013 | The Rotunda, Locust Moon and AIRSpace Gallery
All Proceeds Benefit Project SAFE and Women in TransitionWe’re so excited to announce the details of Ladyfest Philadelphia. A full schedule, workshop descriptions and ticketing information will be available very soon. Hope to see you there.
BANDS:
US Girls (Toronto)
Screaming Females (New Brunswick)
Potty Mouth (Western Mass)
Parasol (Boston)
Void Vision
Aye Nako (New York)
In School (New York)
Priests (D.C.)
Peeple Watchin’ (Boston)
Black Wine (New Jersey)
Shady Hawkins (New York)
Whore Paint (Providence)
Attia Taylor (New York)
3Jane (New Brunswick)
+HIRS+
Trophy Wife
Blizzard Babies (Chicago)
Big Mouth (Baltimore)
Batty
Amanda X
Ghost Ship (Rosali Middleman and Mary Lattimore)
Kate Ferencz
Mindtroll (New York)WORKSHOPS:
Amps, Pedals and PAs: Demystifying Electronics with Girls Rock Philly
The Stop Motion Stomp Station
Drumline with Girls Rock Philly
Urban Gardening at Plotland
Feminist Organizing Workshop with For the Birds
Sexual Communication and Consent with Dr. Justine Marie Shuey (Juicy Justine)
Drawing Autobio Comics with Liz Prince and Ramsey Beyer
Abortion, Menstrual Extraction, and the MVA
Self Defense: From Eye Contact to Eye Poking
Readings by Liz Prince, Suzy X, Annie Mok, Kerri Radley, Katie Haegele and Jes Skolnik
Queer and Trans Yoga with shay and Qui
Fix-A-Flat with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
Herbal Infusions and Tinctures
Victim-Blaming in the Media: What It Is & What You Can Do About It with Tara Murtha
Project SAFE: What’s It All About?
Youth, Activism and the Arts
Radical Printmaking: Pulling the Personal and the Political with Leah Girardodangg. i’m trying to demystify some electronics…
is anyone in columbus interested in going to this??
YES YES YES PLEASE
Jealous of everyone that can go to this.
Hey look! Bad pictures from this past Saturday’s RVIVR shows. Sadly, I’m not a great photographer, and i didn’t manage to get pictures of Dogjaw, who played both shows and was absolutely incredible. Seriously, check them out if you haven’t yet, because they were so good, passionate and yell-y (one of the vocalists sounded like Kathy from Circle Takes The Square, one of the highest compliments I can think of) and punk rock all the way. I also didn’t get any pictures of the night show’s opener, Extra Feeler, a Brooklyn three piece that played some fun punk rock. The legendary Shellshag also played the evening show, a duo that’s been around for close to twenty years. They opened with a music video and a home made commercial for their new action figures (!), and it was hilarious and adorable.
Both shows were so fucking good, y’all. I haven’t been to a show as good as either in a very long time, and I am beyond grateful I got the chance to see RVIVR twice, especially when I don’t know when the next time I’ll get to see them is. They’ve become one of my favorite bands recently and these shows just cemented it. Even after a month long tour in Europe, they were all smiles and unbridled joy throughout their sets, and seemed in awe of the crowds’ response, singing along to every word and being just as happy to be there as they were. Between the two shows they played almost every song off their two full lengths, including the recently released The Beauty Between. A few got played twice, including my favorite song off the new album “Wrong Way/One Way,” intro-ed as a song about being gender queer and being as queer as you want or need to be, and that’s cool.
I hate going to punk shows now. I hate the violence and machismo, and especially stage divers and crowd surfers, in particular those who get up by just jumping up on people until someone boosts them up. But these shows were the first I’ve been to in a long time where I didn’t hate everyone around me. Yeah, there was pushing and people hitting up against each other, but there was no malice, or trying to prove anything to anyone. I had a bit of space just to dance, which I much prefer to hitting and shoving people. I know there are scenes out there that are all about this sort of stuff, but it’s definitely hard to find in straight edge hardcore Syracuse, so I was overjoyed to be in the somewhat safer spaces of these shows.
On top of all the great music, I got to meet some awesome tumblr folks, including Mike, the drummer of The Homewreckers, who opened the afternoon show (and had my favorite lyrics of the day “And even when capitalism falls, I’ll still meet you at the shopping mall”), and Shady Hawkins, who y’all seem to really like. And that was super cool.
Yeah, I would consider the day sufficiently rad.
So. You like RVIVR? Earlier Lemuria? Pop punk? Sunshine? Happiness? Well, if we’re being real here, you probably already love Aye Nako, but if you haven’t gotten your ears around to listening to them already, quit wasting time and get on it!
Ayke Nako is a Brooklyn quartet that makes the hip poppy punk that’s a hit with all the kids these days. It’s tinged with a little college rock/90’s indie nostalgia with chord progressions that make you smile and roll around on the floor with joy. Or maybe that’s just me. They recorded a new album recently, and are doing a short east coast this summer to mark its release, and it’s going to be the best. So everyone go and listen to these guys and it’ll make the world a better place. Guaranteed.
Check ‘em out:
Official site
Facebook
Tumblr
Our queer music panel is NEXT WEEK! Spread the word! Invite your friends!
https://www.facebook.com/events/584479504898513/?fref=ts
Want to be on an upcoming panel? http://homoground.com/musicpanel
Next Wednesday at Bluestockings in NYC! Go to it and stuff cause it’s cool!
RVIVR in Brooklyn this Saturday!
Y’all, I am so beyond stoked for this weekend! RVIVR is playing twice this Saturday in Brooklyn, and if I am being completely honest, I will likely be at both shows because I may or may not have a RVIVR problem. So, if any of my NYC followers are gonna be around (or were planning on going anyway), try and find me! I’d love to talk to cool music loving folks such as yourselves. I will be the short white dude in black glasses, most likely rocking a blue hoodie with cartoon dinosaurs.
laserbov is Swedish electronic music to soothe your ears. Alternatively, you could call it “chill as fuck.”
laserbov released their Cutters EP at the tail end of last year, and at a mere 6 songs (half of which are remixes of the other half), it is a painful tease. The tracks are dreamy escapism, completely programmed, and while some bits have harsh edges and the vocals are crazy warped and distored, they serve to keep the songs from becoming a snoozefest. Not to say you couldn’t fall asleep to this EP, it’s just that you wouldn’t pass out due to sheer boredom.
They are also a member of lo-fi pop-rock band Jackie, which is also a bit on the dreamy side, but firmly rooted in live instrumentation. If you’re all up on the good stuff the indie scene puts out, you’ll probably dig the hell out of Jackie.
Check them out:
Bandcamp
Official site
Jackie Bandcamp
