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The business of performing at Pride

Show me the money: Crowds expect big names but most events are non-profits

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Icona Pop, gay news, Washington Blade
Icona Pop, gay news, Washington Blade

Icona Pop perform at the 2013 Capital Pride Festival. (Washington Blade file photo by Tyler Grigsby)

When asked why she made Pittsburgh the site of her first Pride appearance in 2012 as opposed to a trendier city, out rocker Melissa Etheridge was matter of fact: ā€œPittsburgh showed me the money,ā€ she told the crowd to a huge round of applause.

In retrospect, though, it wasnā€™t the stretch it might have seemed at first glance. Despite her industry cred as a Grammy-winning soul rocker with enough pop sensibility to have secured an impressive run of radio hits in the ā€˜90s, Etheridge has always projected a rootsy, blue-collar vibe much the same way Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp have straddled the heartland/A-lister fence for decades on end. And yet, for Pittsburgh Pride, it was a huge moment.

ā€œShe really was up there just preaching and having fun,ā€ says Gary Van Horn, president of the board of the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh, the agency that produces Pittsburgh Pride. ā€œShe used the pulpit and she was speaking to her people.ā€

Van Horn says Etheridge was contracted to do a 75-minute set but ended up playing for about two-and-a-half hours. And although details of her contract are protected, as is the industry norm, by a confidentiality clause, Van Horn says he didnā€™t find her fee outrageous considering she travels with 11 people counting band members and manager, whose travel and hotel expenses have to be paid. After deciding in 2006 to move Pittsburgh Pride downtown and have a big-name headliner give a full concert-length set for which patrons would have to purchase tickets, Van Horn says he and his team couldnā€™t have been more pleased with Etheridgeā€™s set.

ā€œAt the end of the day, I would be very, very shocked if she cleared more than thousands of dollars just knowing she had to pay everybody,ā€ he says. ā€œThere is a thought process out there that they should be doing this for free since itā€™s a non-profit Pride event, but this is their job. This is how they pay their bills, they go and perform. Obviously itā€™s important to do charity work sometimes, but there are over 120 Pride events in the U.S. that I know of and weā€™re only talking about a handful of artists that are even remotely available to that group and the same handful of folks at every Pride organization wants them, so to just expect them to do it for free is just not feasible. We showed her the money because she needed to have that.ā€

The behind-the-scenes business of bringing celebrity entertainers in to perform at Pride events ā€” historically seen as a stage for either up-and-comers or past-their-prime acts that havenā€™t had hits in years but to whom gay men have been traditionally loyal ā€” is a dicey discussion. Obviously everybody wants to dream big and hope for a legend, but there are many factors involved: tour schedules, riders, appearance fees, whether the show is free or requires a ticket and more. Because the Capital Pride Festival is a free event, few would expect somebody of Beyonceā€™s caliber would be willing to give a free two-hour show. That hasnā€™t, however, stopped organizers ā€” many of whom, like Van Horn, are volunteers ā€” from exploring how many branches up the higher-hanging fruit sits.

ā€œOf course I would always aim high and then get shot back down,ā€ says Steve Henderson, a Capital Pride volunteer who worked for 17 years (his last year was 2013) on the entertainment planning committee. ā€œUnless they were going for a pro bono show, we would never be able to get a Gaga, Britney or Madonna-like act. Not while itā€™s a free festival. Gaga is a minimum $1 million plus more riders than Pride could ever handle. She also required a 10-truck load in and performance rehearsals weeks in advance, which we cannot do since the stage is installed the evening of the festival. That has been the problem with the ā€˜A gradeā€™ headliners.ā€

Henderson says he worked for years on a shoestring budget of about $15,000-20,000 at most for the day, a figure that had to include traveling expenses, lodging and everything. As you might imagine, most of the entertainers who play throughout the day on the Capital Pride main stage ā€” the Gay Menā€™s Chorus, the drag cast at Ziegfeldā€™s, emcees such as Destiny Childs, etc. ā€” donate their time. Corporate sponsorships and partnerships have given current organizers bigger budgets, he says. Ryan Bos, Capital Pride executive director, says heā€™s not allowed to disclose the budget for headliners.

Despite the challenges, Henderson, who now lives in Chicago, has many good memories and says heā€™s proud of the many acts they brought in over the years ā€” RuPaul in 2009, Chely Wright in 2010, Deborah Cox in 2012 and Cher Lloyd, Emeli Sande and Icona Pop in 2013 and more.

Pride, gay news, Washington Blade

Cher Lloyd performs at the 2013 Capital Pride Festival. (Washington Blade file photo by Tyler Grigsby)

He says only two acts ever cancelled ā€” Mya gave about three weeksā€™ notice citing a skiing accident in 2010. Chely Wright had just come out and was happy to fill in. The biggest nail biter, Henderson says, was Kelly Rowlandā€™s 2011 cancellation about a week before the event. His years of working as a DJ with various record labels was always a help, but especially then, he says. Broadway belter Jennifer Holliday, whoā€™d just sung with the Gay Menā€™s Chorus of Washington the week before, saved the day.

ā€œI didnā€™t really have time to freak out, I just had to figure out who we were gonna get,ā€ Henderson says. ā€œThankfully I knew Jennifer from past work and I literally called her within a minute of it happening. She was somebody we had discussed about being a headliner or a co-headliner but we didnā€™t have the budget to do both. We had landed Kelly, which was pretty huge since her song was so big at the time, we really felt we had a winner.ā€

Henderson says her camp gave no reason for the abrupt cancellation.

ā€œIt was just a real quick e-mail. ā€˜Sorry, not-gonna-be-able-to-make-itā€™-type thing. No reason.ā€

Bos says three years ago the team that now plans main stage entertainment opted for a different approach and now bring in three co-headliners who each perform 25-35-minute sets to give the event more of a festival concert-type feel.

ā€œWe did it to diversify, to set ourselves apart a little and to not throw all the eggs in one basket,ā€ he says.

This yearā€™s concert, co-presented with radio station Hot 99.5, will feature En Vogue, Wilson Phillips, Amber and Carly Rae Jepsen. He says ā€˜90s acts like the former two were purposefully chosen to dovetail with this yearā€™s Flashback theme as itā€™s the 40th anniversary of Capital Pride. Last yearā€™s lineup was Karmin, Bonnie McKee, DJ Cassidy and Betty Who.

Pride, gay news, Washington Blade

Betty Who performs at the 2014 Capital Pride Festival. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

And while there will always be a spot for yesterdayā€™s hit makers at various Pride events ā€” one recalls Inaya Day (ā€œNasty Girlā€) who played Capital Pride in 2010 or Taylor Dayne (ā€œTell it to My Heartā€) whoā€™s found new life headlining Prides all over the Eastern Seaboard ā€” Bos says the notion that Pride is a place for washed-up divas of yesteryear is an anachronism.

ā€œI think thatā€™s an old perception,ā€ he says. ā€œFor artists who are trying to launch an album, Pride provides an opportunity to get in front of a huge community. For those who have been around a while, they know the support from the gay community so they see it as a way to give back, but that perception has been shifting for a while now and you see it at other Prides as well.ā€

Michael Musto, gay author and Musto! the Musical! columnist at out.com, agrees.

ā€œIt used to be unfairly thought of as a dubious career move to do Pride-related events, but as LGBT became more accepted, so did Pride,ā€ he told the Blade. ā€œOnce big names started performing at the Pier dance after the parade here in New York City (for big money of course), there was no stigma at all. They can also work the parade itself or do any number of things around the country for Pride and itā€™s considered a good move for all involved.ā€

Van Horn says the caliber of talent at Pittsburgh Pride started an uptick after they brought in Tiffany in 2006 and Kimberley Locke in 2007. In recent years, besides Etheridge, theyā€™ve brought in top acts like Adam Lambert and Patti LaBelle. This yearā€™s headliner is Iggy Azalea.

He says overall the community understands and established acts like Etheridge and LaBelle bring in their own fan bases, people who ordinarily wouldnā€™t attend Pride.

ā€œOf course, yeah, everybody wants Cher or Cyndi Lauper or J. Lo or Beyonce but they have to be realistic,ā€ Van Horn says. ā€œTheyā€™re in high demand and they get paid a lot. We have a list that continually gets updated via committee and we get suggestions from the community and then we start putting feelers out there with agents and management companies.ā€

He also says there are a bounty of expenses involved in bringing in household names that the general public would never think of such as the logistics of building a downtown stage for a one-off, lights, power, security, portable toilets, fencing, clean-up services ā€” all in addition to the event itself. The Delta Foundation has one paid staff member and a host of volunteers.

ā€œYouā€™re a victim of your own success in a way,ā€ he says. ā€œYou continue to attract more and more people and yet itā€™s also up to you to make sure theyā€™re all safe and provided for as well. Our Sunday event attracts about 90,000 people so you have to make sure theyā€™re all safe, have food to eat and drink throughout the day, the tents, tables and chairs ā€” you have to provide all that.ā€

So whatā€™s it like from the other side? Are there any unwritten industry rules for playing Pride events among artists and managers?

Howard Bragman, a gay PR veteran of Fifteen Minutes whoā€™s worked with many LGBT acts, says not really. Several acts in his stable will be at various Prides this year including Chaz Bono who will appear at Toronto Pride with Lauper and Pussy Riot, and Ty Herndon whoā€™s slated for Chicago Pride.

ā€œI think it depends on the person and the moment,ā€ Bragman says. ā€œSomebody ends up in the news and comes out and suddenly all the Prides come after you. Itā€™s a great honor. Even when they have to say no, itā€™s a great honor because youā€™re representing a community. ā€¦ Nobody is offended. Itā€™s a totally flattering moment.ā€

He says in New York and Los Angeles, where celebrities often live, itā€™s not uncommon for them to donate their time but if travel is involved, most Pride organizers know theyā€™ll have to pay.

ā€œIt just depends,ā€ he says. ā€œBut inevitably, yeah, itā€™s a family rate, itā€™s not their top-dollar corporate rate and for these people who have speaking engagements, generally itā€™s not just come in and ride in the parade for two hours. You come in the Friday before, thereā€™s a reception, there are many interviews, sometimes on Saturday you cut the ribbon at the festival and then thereā€™s the parade on Sunday. Itā€™s a lot of work, but the best ones are the ones that are well organized and have been doing it a long time. Those are the ones theyā€™re the happiest to do.ā€

Van Horn says itā€™s practically impossible to gauge how close Pride fees jell with rates the same artist would require for a regular appearance. Pride sets are typically much shorter than a normal show.

ā€œThere isnā€™t much data available on how much people pay for an artist because itā€™s all confidential,ā€ he says. ā€œLike at New York City Pride when Cher came out and sang four songs (in 2013), I know what Cher gets paid and I know New York City Pride wasnā€™t paying her typical fee.ā€

Cher, New York City Pride, Dance on the Pier, Manhattan, music, gay news, Washington Blade

Cher performs at New York Pride’s ‘Dance on the Pier’ in 2013. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Out singer-songwriter Eric Himan has played many Pride events since his first in South Florida in 2002. Now based in Tulsa, Okla., happily married and promoting his new album ā€œPlaying Cards,ā€ he says Pride events have changed radically over the last decade or so.

ā€œThe thing about Pride is that Pride means something different to everybody and so every organizer has a different approach,ā€ he says. ā€œFor some, itā€™s a rally. For others, itā€™s a day to get away from politics and just enjoy being out. The trajectory of how much Pride has changed from being something in the park that only gay people go to, to moving downtown and incorporating a lot of businesses and corporate sponsorships so itā€™s not just the gay bars sponsoring it, Iā€™ve definitely noticed that change. So when you go in, you have to find out from the organizer what their idea of Pride is. I always viewed it as an opportunity to go be in my community and voice my ideas and concerns about how gay people fit into the world however you might go and everybody just wants a big dance party so you have to think about how youā€™re going to fit into that as the acoustic, live musician.ā€

He says there have been times the mid-tier musicians get shafted when various Pride committees spend the bulk of their budget to bring in a name act.

ā€œSometimes Iā€™m glad to donate things, like CDs for a raffle or something like that,ā€ he says. ā€œMy only concern is when I find out, ā€˜Oh hey, we just spent 80 grand on yada yada but will you play for free?,ā€™ thatā€™s kind of when Iā€™m like, ā€˜That doesnā€™t seem correct.ā€™ ā€¦ When you go spend all your money on one person you wanted to bring, thatā€™s when I get nervous about being a part of it.ā€

Playing for the exposure is a common bone some organizers toss, he says.

ā€œSometimes thatā€™s OK but exposure is something you canā€™t really promise. What if it gets rained out that day? Well, there goes your exposure. Or what if the main act is at 12 that night, but they stick you on a stage next to it at 11 a.m.? Early on when youā€™re starting out as a musician, you donā€™t play for much money so the exposure works, but Iā€™ve always found the times Iā€™ve really gotten the best exposure have always been at paid gigs. I canā€™t recall one gig where they promised exposure and it was like, ā€˜Oh god, it worked out.ā€™ā€

Pride, gay news, Washington Blade

Eric Himan performs at the Capital Pride Festival in 2013. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Henderson gets that but says over his 17-year tenure at Capital Pride, he guesses 70-80 percent of the acts, especially the community groups, donated their time.

ā€œI had long-running relationships with a lot of these labels, so I was able to negotiate a lot of pro bono stuff,ā€ he says. ā€œIcona Pop was pro bono. So was Consuelo Costin and obviously all the local people like the Gay Menā€™s Chorus, the D.C. Cowboys and all the local favorites. They all came in to donate their time and production and give up half of their afternoon on a steaming hot Sunday.ā€

He also says the role of the Pride entertainment committee volunteer chair is a thankless job. He got involved as a ā€œway to give backā€ but says it can easily ramp up into a second full-time job in the months leading up to Pride. He also says working by committee has a downside as well.

ā€œWe lost out on some really big ones over the years waiting for the board to make a decision,ā€ Henderson says. ā€œI wasnā€™t the one making the final decision and a couple times they waited too long and we lost out. Foster the People, Imagine Dragons and Diana Ross to name a few.ā€

Van Horn says all the artists heā€™s worked with have been easy and he has ā€œno horror stories.ā€

ā€œThey always have safety and security concerns but thatā€™s understandable,ā€ he says. ā€œThere are crazies in the world. But no, there have never been any requests for M&Ms but take out all the blue ones or anything like that.ā€

Henderson says the hardest part of the job was always keeping things running smoothly backstage where there are only three cooled dressing room/trailers. Making sure theyā€™re clean and free for who needs them at any given time is tough, he says.

ā€œThereā€™s always something going on like (local drag legend) Ella (Fitzgerald) shows up early and thereā€™s no dressing room ready so her whole face melts off in the 100-degree heat,ā€ he says with a laugh. ā€œGetting the headliners from the hotel to the backstage area to making sure they had a dressing room ready and clean especially when you have 40-50 entertainers throughout the day, those logistics were always the hardest part.ā€

But on the occasions where it worked, there were magical moments. Henderson says when Pepper MaShay sang the ā€œDive in the Poolā€ song from ā€œQueer as Folkā€ at the 2012 event with its famous line ā€œLetā€™s get soaking wet,ā€ the fire departmentā€™s decision to spray the crowd was not planned.

ā€œIt was probably 105 degrees that day and they were there to have some water stations so people could cool off because it was just so hot,ā€ he says. ā€œIronically they had put this big main hose on a ladder truck maybe about 10 minutes before Pepper went on so we ran over to the fire chief and said it would be kind of neat if you could spray the crowd when she sang that line. When it happened, everybody thought it was pre-planned but we just decided that minutes before. People were dancing and going crazy. It was fantastic.ā€

Bragman says he always encourages his celebrity clients to do Prides anytime they can and says the payoff isnā€™t always in dollars.

ā€œPride is always a big deal,ā€ he says. ā€œItā€™s really powerful. I always say go with the right attitude, go and have fun and you will be changed. You always go home with so much more than you gave, thatā€™s just the nature of the beast. Itā€™s such an emotional high.ā€

Pride, gay news, Washington Blade

Chely Wright performs at the Capital Pride Festival in 2010. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

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Rehoboth authorā€™s new book tackles love, loss, and the allure of P-town

Will Freshwaterā€™s series concludes with ā€˜The Dark Horseā€™

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Author Will Freshwaterā€™s new book ā€˜The Dark Horseā€™ is out now.

For those of us who have experienced the allure of Provincetown, thereā€™s no mystery about why author Will Freshwater set his series of three books there. 

Itā€™s not just about the scenic, remote location, or the many fine restaurants and spirited bars and nightclubs and theme weekends. Not just the picturesque harbor and its famed magical light. Itā€™s about a shared sense of community unique among LGBTQ destinations.

Freshwater, whose latest book ā€œThe Dark Horseā€ is out now, lives in Rehoboth Beach, Del., with his husband Stephen Cremen. And although Rehoboth became home after Freshwater retired from a career as a corporate attorney at Verizon in 2021, P-town always beckons. He first visited during the height of the AIDS crisis.

ā€œI donā€™t think weā€™ll ever experience anything like that again,ā€ he said. ā€œThe community welcomed anyone who showed up on the ferry looking for love and support; it was a transformative experience.ā€

Freshwaterā€™s parents worried that heā€™d never find a ā€œnormal,ā€ happy life as a gay man, but P-town put those fears to rest.

ā€œI saw people who were plenty happy and living lives that were what they wanted to be,ā€ he recalls. ā€œI had never been able to hold my boyfriendā€™s hand and walk down the street; young people canā€™t conceptualize that. It felt like home for me ā€¦ it felt welcoming, a warm place where I could be myself.ā€ 

So, naturally, the protagonist in his series of books, John Wells, travels to P-town from D.C. to find himself. 

The first book in the Provincetown series, ā€œFavorite Son,ā€ is a familiar read to any gay man of a certain age who worked on the Hill in the 1990s ā€” the sting of the closet, the need to be the best at work, and the chance meetings of romantic partners while riding the Metro. The story of John Wells, a senior Hill staffer, takes a turn after tragedy sends him reeling to P-town to heal. 

The second book in the series, a prequel titled ā€œThe Light Reflected,ā€ takes readers back in time when the main characters ā€” all gay men ā€” are in their 20s. Freshwater says it wasnā€™t a conscious decision to write a prequel, but that it evolved out of wanting to show younger readers what life was like for gays at that time.

ā€œWe did stupid stuff and made stupid mistakes and ran away,ā€ he said. ā€œAs a reader I often want to know what made a character a certain way. I was aware of my audience and in my generation I had the older mentors that shared our history and they died; I wanted readers to see what itā€™s like for these characters to be in their 20s not just their 30s. I wanted to give that perspective to younger readers because I donā€™t know how theyā€™re going to experience that if not through books.ā€ 

The new book, ā€œThe Dark Horse,ā€ finds the characters Danny and Peter/John in domestic life in Boston where Danny runs the family business. Everyone is feeling restless and a bit miserable. 

ā€œItā€™s about what happens after the fairy tale,ā€ Freshwater said. 

The book also confronts the issue of unresolved feelings for past boyfriends, which takes the characters back to Provincetown. Thereā€™s a shocking plot twist at the end of the second book, an unexpected ending for the romance genre, that is resolved to satisfaction in the final book. 

ā€œYou wonā€™t know until the final four pages of the book how it resolves,ā€ he notes.

This is the shortest book in the series and Freshwater says it took just 11 months to complete, compared to six years for the first book and eight years for the second book.

ā€œThereā€™s a great sense of closure and I can always visit these characters but Iā€™m excited to move on and do new things.ā€ 

Indeed, Freshwater is working on several new projects, including a book set in Rehoboth that heā€™s co-writing with a friend, the gay romance author B.J. Irons. Freshwater is writing one character, a Rehoboth local who manages an inn on Baltimore Avenue and wants to ā€œbreak out of his shell.ā€ Irons is writing the other main character, a developer from Los Angeles who moves to Rehoboth to open a large resort across the street from the inn. The book explores their friendship and business rivalry. 

Rehoboth became home for Freshwater and Cremen thanks largely to the pandemic.

ā€œIā€™d been coming here since age 3 because it was the closest beach to Pittsburgh,ā€ he said. ā€œWhen I was in law school I got introduced to a guy who had a house on the beach between Rehoboth and Dewey so I used to come down a lot in the mid-1990s and became hooked.ā€ 

The couple bought a house in Rehoboth in 2018 and split their time between there and a home in New Jersey. 

ā€œWhen the pandemic started, we went to Rehoboth for two weeks thinking it would all blow over quickly and then never went back.ā€

 The couple began questioning their stressful lifestyle of maintaining two homes and corporate jobs. So they sold the New Jersey house and moved full time to Rehoboth in 2021. 

In addition to the new book, Freshwater is writing a childrenā€™s book using the classic ā€œVelvet Rageā€ as inspiration. It features a puppy with a pink spot on his cheek while all the others in the litter have a black spot. The dog wears a mask to conceal his difference, but when it comes out everyone accepts him.

ā€œIt thematically speaks to not hiding who you are,ā€ he said.

Freshwater offers sound advice to aspiring writers struggling to find their voice and overcome writerā€™s block.

ā€œIt always starts with an idea or character or theme and then you develop a broad outline and then work your butt off,ā€ he said. ā€œDecide when youā€™re going to write and make a commitment that youā€™re going to do it, like an athlete who commits to practice every day from 3:30-5:30. Donā€™t wait for inspiration, just commit to writing every day, and then edit, edit, edit until it feels like whatā€™s inside your head.ā€

 The new book is self published because Freshwater craved creative freedom. 

ā€œIā€™m not sure what traditional publishers have to offer anymore,ā€ he said, ā€œlike YouTube for musicians, if youā€™ve got what you think is a high quality manuscript, put it out there and it will generate a following.ā€ 

Freshwater will read from ā€œThe Dark Horseā€ at an event on Saturday, March 23, 5-7 p.m. at Top of the Pines (56 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach). His books are available at Amazon and anywhere books are sold. 

(Amazon screenshot)
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ā€˜Tigerā€™ burning bright: an interview with Mary Timony

Todayā€™s female-driven music scene wouldnā€™t be the same without her

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Mary Timony is back with a new album. (Photo by Chris Grady)

Itā€™s hard to imagine what the current female-driven music scene would be like without Mary Timony. From Sleater-Kinney to Haim, from Angel Olsen to Mitski, the influence of Mary Timony is in every note being played, every word being sung. On her new solo album, ā€œUntame The Tigerā€ (Merge), with its sly nod to Joni Mitchell, Timony has brought her many years of musical experience to the fore, resulting in what is easily her most accessible release. Beginning with the incredible six-plus minute opener ā€œNo Thirdsā€ and continuing through the first single, ā€œDominoes,ā€ and gorgeous numbers including ā€œThe Guest,ā€ ā€œThe Dream,ā€ and ā€œNot The Only One,ā€ Timony is assured to keep listeners purring along. Timony made time for an interview shortly before the album was released.

BLADE: Mary, Iā€™d like to begin by talking to you about your musical lives in D.C. and Boston. I went to college in Boston in the early 1980s and was constantly amazed by the bands of the era such as Mission of Burma, Human Sexual Response, and ā€˜Til Tuesday. I moved to D.C. in the mid-1980s to go to grad school, and at the time, the music scene there was dominated by go-go music, and a smaller indie music featuring BETTY and the late Tommy Keene, among others. What do you remember about the music in D.C. as someone who grew up there?

MARY TIMONY: Thatā€™s interesting. We kind of did a switcheroo. Iā€™m from D.C. and I moved to Boston. (In D.C.) I learned, as a teenager, about rock shows and rock music from being involved in the punk scene, the post-hardcore scene of kids here. Those are the shows I went to in high school. Basically, the Dischord (Records) bands and stuff. I saw every single Fugazi show from when they started in ā€™87. Before that, whatever was happening in 1985, hardcore shows by Swiz and Soulside and Kingface and I loved Ignition. Other than that, I would go see bluegrass out in Virginia and I loved go-go. I would go to see (go-go bands) Rare Essence and Trouble Funk. I was very into that stuff; that was really exciting. I think I liked go-go the most out of all of it, actually [laughs]. I would go to DC Space and 9:30 (Club), mostly for local (acts). I don’t think I ever saw BETTY, but I was a teenager then.

BLADE: Was the active music scene in Boston in the early 1990s part of the appeal for you when it came to relocating to Boston to attend Boston University?

TIMONY: The reason why I went there was because I wanted to go to a music program that was in a big university, in case I didn’t wanna study music the whole time, which is exactly what happened. I studied classical guitar for a year and then I didn’t really like the program much, so I transferred to study English. I found out about the (Boston) music scene from friends. We went to The Middle East (nightclub) and TTā€™s (T.T. The Bearā€™s nightclub). Then after college, I ended up living right down the street from The Middle East and I was there constantly.

BLADE: Good old Central Square! As a performer playing in bands including Autoclave, Helium, and Ex Hex, and as a solo artist with her own band, itā€™s not unreasonable to say that Mary, you are someone who plays well with others. 

TIMONY: [Big laugh.]

BLADE: What makes you such a good team player?

TIMONY: I didn’t know I was [laughs]. I’ve gone back and forth between doing solo stuff and being in bands. Mostly, I’ve done projects where I’ve written a bunch of songs and I’m trying toā€¦I haven’t done a ton of collaborative stuff really. Ex Hex was fun because it was more collaborative. Wild Flag, the same thing, totally 100% collaborative in every way. But Helium was really my thing, but I got some great people that totally influenced it. I’ve always been doing my own thing but tried to find really good people. Music really is about connection. Itā€™s never as good if it’s only one person’s vision. Usually, if it’s good it’s good because of the connection between the musicians. Music is a social art form, I think.

BLADE: ā€œUntame The Tigerā€ is the title of your new album. In 1999, Joni Mitchell titled her album ā€œTaming The Tiger.ā€ Are you, in any way, making a nod to Joni?

TIMONY: A little bit because I am a huge fan. I have been since I was 18. But, it sort of came to me because I have a song called that on the record and I’m sure that probably came from ripping off Joni Mitchell. Then I just thought thatā€™s a cool name for a record. Then I thought, ā€œOh, shit!ā€ [Laughs] Itā€™s already been taken! Then I thought about it and then I forgot about it. Then I thought about it again and finally, I was like, ā€œItā€™s OK. It’s a little bit different.ā€ And I love her!

BLADE: Iā€™m currently reading Ann Powersā€™ book ā€œTraveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell,ā€ which comes out in June.

TIMONY: Oh, I’m definitely going to have to read.

BLADE: Yes, please add that to your reading list. ā€œUntame The Tigerā€ is your first new solo studio album in 15 years. Are there things you write and sing about on your solo records that might be out of place on an album you would record with another one of your musical outfits?

TIMONY: Yes. That’s why this ended up being a solo record. I guess it was because of the tuning of my guitar. They were more or less finished songs. I wanted the songs to sound kind of acoustic. I also wanted to play with a bunch of musicians who I really love. All those things just made it seem like a solo record. If I’m writing for a band, like Ex Hex, which is basically the other band that I do right now, they’re not finished. I bring them in (to the band members) with that band in mind.

BLADE: I love the lush instrumental section on ā€œThirdsā€ and the psychedelic sounds of ā€œLooking For The Sunā€ and ā€œThe Guest.ā€ Were there things you were listening to while writing the songs for ā€œUntame The Tigerā€ that were inspiring to you?

TIMONY: I was listening to a lot of music, a ton of stuff. I don’t ever try to purposely emulate anything very often, but I can’t help it. I’d rather be influenced by stuff without really thinking about it too consciously. I always have loved listening to The Left Bankeā€™s instrumentation and The Moody Bluesā€™ string parts. Most of the string parts come from trying to emulate The Moody Blues [laughs] or The Left Banke. I’m obsessed with The Left Banke.

BLADE: ā€œWalk Away RenĆ©e,ā€ right?

TIMONY: Yes. This guy, Michael Brown, was such a genius. He wrote so much stuff as a teenager. His dad was a string arranger. Anyway, I love those string parts. I was listening to this prog-rock band The Strawbs and this early (Ronnie) Dio band Elf. (The Flying) Burrito Brothers and The Byrds, too. I love Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span. Richard Thompson and I was really obsessed with Gerry Raffertyā€™s early solo record called ā€œCan I Have My Money Back?ā€ I love that record. I was listening to it a ton when I was arranging the songs.

BLADE: Why was the song ā€œDominoesā€ selected as the first single from ā€œUntame The Tiger?ā€

TIMONY: I don’t know. I let other people tell me [laughs]. I really hate sequencing records and I hate choosing singles. Iā€™m just too close to it. I can’t tell what people are going to like or not. A lot of times, the ones that I like are not the ones that other people like. I asked (the people at) the label and they suggested that. I think it’s more poppy sounding. Dave Fridmann mixed that one and ā€œDonā€™t Disappearā€ and heā€™s a genius mixer. and these mixers are always very pleasing and accessible sounding. I think that has something to do with it, too.

BLADE: Earlier, we talked about your long history of playing music with others, which reminded me of your guest spot singing ā€œAll Dressed Up In Dreams,ā€ written by gay singer/songwriter Stephin Merritt for his band The 6thsā€™ ā€œWaspsā€™ Nestā€ album. 

TIMONY: Heā€™s such a genius!

BLADE: How did that come about?

TIMONY: When I moved to Boston, for a year I lived with Claudia (Gonson of Merrittā€™s band The Magnetic Fields), who is his drummer. I lived in a group house in Cambridge. I was friends with Claudia, and Stephin lived a few blocks away. She told me he was making this record with guest singers they wanted to go over and sing on it. I went over there one day and he taught me the song and I sang on it.  I think he’s one of the best songwriters of the last 50 years or whatever.

BLADE: I completely agree. As someone who has collaborated with Stephin, are you aware of an LGBTQ+ following for your own music?

TIMONY: I don’t know. I think maybe a little bit. Iā€™d love that. I love everybody who can connect with it, because all I’m trying to do is connect with people.

Mary Timony (Photo by Chris Grady)
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Sherry Vine is turning 60 ā€” and sheā€™s not quitting anytime soon

Legendary drag queen coming to D.C. for new show, ā€˜Smoke and Mirrorsā€™

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Sherry Vine performs in D.C. on March 9. (Photo courtesy of Sherry Vine)

There are many things Sherry Vine is proud of. Throughout her 33-year-long career, the drag queen has accomplished so much ā€” sheā€™s released music, launched her own variety show and toured across the United States and Europe. 

But what she loves the most about her career is making people laugh. 

This calling to be a comedy queen started before her formal drag career. In high school, she remembers taking part in the musicals, and Vine would find joy in making people laugh by wittily changing song lyrics. 

ā€œThen it just evolved into doing that as the act,ā€ Vine said in an interview with the Blade. 

From the beginning of her career, sheā€™s made singing live parodies a central part of her performance as a drag queen. And for her 60th birthday, she knew she wanted to put on an extravaganza. 

Vine is coming to the Woolly Mammoth on March 9 while on tour for her new show ā€œSmoke and Mirrors,ā€ performed and written by her. Itā€™ll include new parodies, from Bruce Springsteen to ABBA. The D.C.-based drag queen Tara Hoot will be a special guest at the show.Ā 

Thereā€™s a lot that led up to this milestone year for Vine. It all started with developing her character more than 30 years ago. 

Developing Sherry Vine

Vine describes her persona as a down-on-her-luck showgirl from Las Vegas with a heart of gold. 

She was always obsessed with stars like Joey Heatherton and Stella Stevens. Not to suggest those stars are down-on-their-luck showgirls, Vine said, but she wanted to evoke a sex kitten mentality. Her character eventually morphed into what it is today from these inspirations. 

But at first, Vine said she thought she had to look funny to be funny. 

ā€œI didn’t care about the makeup. I didn’t wear big breasts. I just thought I had to look like a clown,ā€ Vine said. 

When she moved to New York City in 1992, she was surrounded by queens who balanced being funny and gorgeous simultaneously. That was eye-opening for her, she said. 

Now, she relishes surprising people, she said. Sheā€™s been told she looks ā€œtoo prettyā€ to be taken for a comedy queen, but thatā€™s OK with her. 

ā€œI want to walk out on stage, and anyone who’s never seen me, maybe they’re like, ā€˜Oh, she looks good,ā€™ā€ Vine said. ā€œAnd then I started singing about poop and penis and they’re like, ā€˜Oh my gosh, she’s so stupid.ā€™ā€

When she was starting out as a drag queen, Vine reflected that she didnā€™t envision doing drag as a career. She remembers not wanting to commit to it. She wanted to be a movie star, she said. 

ā€œI kind of fought it. I loved it,ā€ Vine said. ā€œBut I was like, I’m not doing this as a career.ā€™ā€

But once she let go of fighting it, her career exploded. She got connected with RuPaul and was on two television specials in the 1990s. That support was crucial, Vine said, and helped her believe in herself more. 

ā€œI was like, ā€˜Oh, OK. If this person thinks that I have something, then maybe I do,ā€™ā€ Vine said. 

Drag has changed ā€” a lot 

(Photo courtesy of Sherry Vine)

The drag scene has changed drastically. Vine credits a lot of this transformation to ā€œRuPaulā€™s Drag Race.ā€ 

ā€œWhen we started doing drag 30 years ago, no one in their right mind would have been like, ā€˜I’m going to do drag so I can make a lot of money and be famous,ā€™ā€ Vine said. 

Before RuPaulā€™s iconic single “Supermodel (You Better Work),ā€ one of the only examples of drag the average consumer saw was ā€œMrs. Doubtfire,ā€ Vine said.  

ā€œYou had to have a passion for it,ā€ Vine said. ā€œYou had to have a calling.ā€

When Vine started, drag was a fringe art form that had an audience of mostly gay men. 

Nowadays, itā€™s mainstream. Drag is enjoyed by a much wider audience, and is more of a way to become famous. When Vine was coming up in the industry, there were few ways to get on TV and in films as a drag queen, short of playing a character that was murdered on ā€œLaw & Order,ā€ she said. 

But even though drag has evolved and grown in popularity, Vineā€™s advice to drag queens has stayed the same over the years. 

ā€œDon’t try to do something because you think someone else is doing it successfully,ā€ Vine said. ā€œFind what you do, and then exploit and explore that.ā€

Looking back, looking ahead 

Out of her multi-decade run as a drag queen, Vine said sheā€™s most proud of the longevity of her career. There are a few people who have been in it as long as she has ā€” Lady Bunny and Miss Coco Peru, for example. Few others have made it as long as Vine, she said.  

She stresses that she canā€™t take credit for creating things, but she takes pride in being one of the first drag queens to go viral on YouTube in the 2000s. Her ā€œBad Romanceā€ parody, released in 2009, racked up more than 6 million views over the years. 

In the next few years, sheā€™s looking into doing more television and film projects. Her latest show, ā€œThe Sherry Vine Variety Show,ā€ just wrapped filming its third season. Creating this show is fulfilling a childhood dream of hers, she said. Itā€™s an homage to ā€œThe Carol Burnett Show,ā€ which Vine grew up watching. 

Whether itā€™s performing on camera or onstage, Vine doesnā€™t see herself quitting anytime soon. 

ā€œI love performing and drag as much now as I did 33 years ago,ā€ Vine said. ā€œSo I don’t see ever stopping.ā€

To get details on how to buy tickets to ā€œSmoke and Mirrors,ā€ visit woollymammoth.net/productions/sherry-vine.

(Image courtesy of Sherry Vine)
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