Southern Queer Music Festival Announcements!

The Idapalooza Fruit Jam - everyone's favorite hippie-queer radical-faerie vegan-extravaganza camping music fest in the backwoods of Tennessee - is back for a 2008 installment, this June 4th - 11th. I'm not even sure how I stumbled upon this information, but the good queer folks down at Ida do have a website, so check 'em out for all the scoop.

Click here for a list of confirmed performers so far, and the schedule of events is here. I've never made it down to Idapalooza, but I've had lots of friends who have, and it always sounds like such a rad time. I'm happy to see them switching things up from their regular September time frame (it was always too soon after my return from MichFest to consider attending); I wonder if June will make it easier for more folks to get there. Guess we'll see!

Also in the heart of the South, Atlanta's Mondo Homo Dirty South is gearing up for their 2008 fest, over Memorial Day weekend. Tickets just went on sale, including limited availability festival passes for only $50! But there's only 100 of them, so get 'em fast before they sell out!

The performance line-up has also been announced, with favorites like Nicky Click, Athens Boys Choir, Jeremy Gloff, The Dead Betties, 8 Inch Betsy, and so many others.

Friend them on MySpace to get all their updates, or visit their website to purchase tickets, buy merchandise, or get involved.

Athen's Boys Choir "Fagette" Video

ABC's Katz is one of the cleverest MCs around, and never ceases to amaze and amuse. This latest video manages to be feel-good, hilarious, political and sing-a-long all at the same time:

News Tidbits

There's a pretty great article on AfterEllen.com by folksinger Jamie Anderson called Women's Music 101 that gives a general overview of the women's music movement from the 1970's to today. If you need a basic introduction or refresher course, she does a pretty good job.

The Gossip recently wrote a blog entry on their MySpace page that announces that Live In Liverpool will soon be available on Kill Rock Stars as an LP/DVD set that comes with a poster. They also inform that they are currently writing new material for their next record, and are starting a club night in Portland called "Situations" that will soon feature guests like The Kills, Jenny Hoyston's Paradise Island, and Wynne Greenwood of Tracy + The Plastics. Makes me wish I lived in Portland, for sure! They were also the MTV Artist of the Week last week, and NewNowNext just posted a video interview with them, too. The Gossip is everywhere!

Stereogum reports that Tegan Quin has a new solo song she wrote especially for the audiobook of author Augusten Burroughs' new memoir A Wolf At The Table, entitled "His Love." You can listen to it and the three other songs written especially for this release - by Patti Smith, Ingrid Michaelson, and Sea Wolf - on Augusten's site.

And I'll leave you with the Vim Crony video for the New Bloods' song "Doubles":

The Gossip On Letterman!

Yes, I know, I've been horribly negligent with this blog, but I've been a little busy, OK? I'll try to be better.

To make up for it, though, here's The Gossip on Letterman the night before last - who needs Tivo when You Tube exists?

As a reminder, if you didn't see my last post about it, The Gossip have a new live CD and DVD out, from a Liverpool set last year. I think I can appreciate the DVD more than the CD; after having seen them play live so many times in my life, and always being blown away by their performance, listening to a live recording just doesn't quite compare. It's hard to capture that energy without actually having been there. But it's fun watching them on the DVD.

Regardless, fans will want both anyways for their collection.

Download it here:

The B-52s Are Back - And Gayer Than Ever!

I'm not sure how I missed this one, but apparently Kate Pierson of The B-52s has come out as a "late in life lesbian." You go girl! Watch the video interview with her and Fred Schneider on LOGOonline.com.

The band has just released their first new album in 15 years, Funplex and are back to being an indie band, releasing on Astralwerks. Here's the wacky video for the title track:



I don't think the band could ever match the magic they had in the 80s when they truly were THE new wave party soundtrack with a sound so utterly distinct and, well, GAY, but I have to give them kudos for coming back after 15 years and even trying. And they do sound great. The album is pretty consistent and has their signature jangly guitars, peppy beats, and quirky vocals, but for me, there's just no hook. Nothing on the album grabs me like their older music once did. Maybe it's just that times have changed; maybe it's that I have changed. They don't really sound like they've changed much at all... and really, would I want them to? No. I think when you are a band with that unique of a sound, you really can't change - the best you can do is to just keep offering up consistent, good music. And they have. Maybe it'll hook you more than it did me.

Visit the band's MySpace page for more info, music clips and their tour schedule, which luckily for me and the rest of Louisville, KY includes a show here during Derby week.

Download Funplex here:

OMG Michelle!

Thanks to LogoOnline's NewNowNext blog and AfterEllen.com for turning me on today to OMG Michelle (pronounced "OhMyGod Michelle"), a fun new Brooklyn-based lesbian hip-hop/pop group that's makin' waves.

These five African American dykes/lesbians/queers - Alisa aka Christmas, Chaydha aka lil' man, Helen, Melanie aka Cocoa Slim, and Tami - plus out-gay white-boy DJ Kingdom create a perfect blend of old school and new school sounds that definitely gets the party started. Their song "You Don't Know Michelle" - which you can hear on their MySpace page - calls to mind everyone from JJ Fad to Lady Sovereign and MIA, with a little dirty south, crunk and reggaeton thrown in. It's pretty friggin infectious, if you ask me, and as a former DJ, I wouldn't hesitate to throw that into the mix just based on first listen. It's that strong.

I look forward to hearing more from the group. Watch the interview, and show your support by downloading their song off of iTunes, via the link below. I just did.

Leslie Hall On NPR Today

Midwestern electro-rapper Leslie Hall of Leslie and the Lys has a new album out titled CeWEBrity, and she was interviewed on NPR's "Day To Day" earlier today. You can listen to the interview as well as hear live versions of "Blame The Booty" and "Can't Stop The Gems" here.

My copy of the CD is in the mail as I type; I wrote Leslie a few days ago after reading a MySpace bulletin that she put out announcing the new album, asking who her publicist was, so I could contact them for a copy. Her response? "I am my PR." She's so hardcore. DIY or die, girl!

Visit her MySpace page to hear more songs, check her tour schedule (she's in Salt Lake City tomorrow), and watch some videos... and you can buy CeWEBrity for $10+$1 shipping from the official Leslie and the Lys store Hefty Hideaway.com.