Connect with us

Music & Concerts

Still mad about Belinda Carlisle

Iconic singer releases new tracks, slated to perform in D.C.

Published

on

She’s got the beat! Belinda Carlisle performs in D.C. next week.

Belinda Carlisle is the definition of a music legend. From her beginnings as drummer Dottie Danger, an interim member of L.A. punk band the Germs, to co-founding the all-female band the Go-Go’s, where her trademark vocal belt and distinctive dance moves made her all the rage, Carlisle grabbed our attention and never let go. After three albums with the Go-Go’s, Carlisle launched a successful solo career, even earning a Grammy nomination for the song ā€œHeaven Is A Place On Earth.ā€ She regrouped with her former band members for 2001’s ā€œGod Bless the Go-Go’s,ā€ reissued in an expanded edition in 2021, and has toured with the band (who were the subject of an acclaimed 2020 documentary) on and off for years. The host of ā€œMad About Musicā€ on SiriusXM’s 1st Wave channel, Carlisle, the mother of a gay son, is also known for her activism for the LGBTQ community. For her new five-song EP ā€œKismetā€ (BMG), Carlisle has teamed up again with Diane Warren (writer of Carlisle’s hit single ā€œI Get Weakā€) for a delightful set of tunes. Belinda made time for an interview in advance of the EP’s release.

She is performing in D.C. as part of “A Capitol Fourth,” PBS’ annual Independence Day celebration on the U.S. Capitol’s West Lawn.

WASHINGTON BLADE: Your new EP is titled ā€œKismet,ā€ which is defined as destiny or fate. Would it be fair to say that it was kismet that you would work with Diane Warren again?

BELINDA CARLISLE: It was complete kismet [laughs] That’s what it was. I mean I wasn’t planning to really do anything new. My son (James) ran into Diane at a coffee shop in L.A., and she asked, ā€œWhat is your mom doing? Let’s call her.ā€ She called me and said, ā€œCome to the studio. I have some songs for you.ā€ I was like, ā€œOh my God! Do I really want to do this? It’s a big commitment.ā€ But you can’t say no to Diane. I went to the studio, and she played me the most amazing songs. It was almost like the universe saying you’re not meant to slow down right now. So, here I am talking to you.

BLADE: Your history with Diane goes all the way back to your 1988 hit single ā€œI Get Weak.ā€ What makes Diane the kind of songwriter whose compositions are a good fit for you?

CARLISLE: She has a really good sense of what I am, who I am, how my voice sounds, and everything. I have a good sense of that, too, thank God. As with any songwriter, including Diane, I just know it right off melodically. There’s a type of melody that’s a little bit melancholic, but very beautiful in the same way that ā€œBig Big Loveā€ is on ā€œKismet.ā€ She played me songs that I just knew would be good for me, and that she thought would be good for me, too. She was right! We were both in agreement on most everything creatively with this.

BLADE: Last summer, ā€œEntertainment Weeklyā€ included your rendition of ā€œI Get Weakā€ on its list of ā€œThe 20 best Diane Warren songs.ā€ What does it mean to you have made that list?

CARLISLE: It is an amazing song, and to be on that list…I had no idea. She’s written for everybody, so it’s quite a compliment I would say.

BLADE: I really like the song ā€œI Couldn’t Do That To Me,ā€ and I’m glad you included a power ballad on the EP. Can you say something about how you approach ballads, as opposed to more rhythmic or rocking tunes?

CARLISLE: That is really hard to nail, generally, not just vocally, but usually production-wise, too. I’m working with Mati Gavriel, who produced everything. It was like that song had to have a little bit of restraint and then build it, but it was strange because we didn’t know what kind of approach we were going to take with that song. It kind of revealed itself in the studio when I was doing the background vocals on that song. It started reminding me a little bit of ā€œNothing Compares 2 U.ā€ I wanted it to have that element of restraint. I think we achieved that. I think it’s an amazing song and it’s one of my favorites off the EP.

BLADE: ā€œBig Big Loveā€ sounds like it could become a summer tea-dance classic…

CARLISLE: …[laughs] I hope so!

BLADE: Especially in the hands of the right DJ or remixer. What would it mean to you to have the LGBTQ community embrace the song and take it to the top of the Billboard Dance chart?

CARLISLE: That would be it for me! To be able to walk into a gay bar seeing it on the monitor or blasting? That would be amazing. My son, who you probably know is gay, is like, ā€œMom! This could be amazing in the clubs.ā€ I hope so!

BLADE: ā€œSanityā€ is by far the most dramatic track on ā€œKismet.ā€ It’s the kind of number you could imagine a drag queen having a field day with. Have you encountered drag queens doing Belinda Carlisle numbers over the years, and if so, did you have a favorite performer and song?

CARLISLE: I haven’t really seen somebody as me singing, no. But I would love that. ā€œI Couldn’t Do That To Meā€ would be perfect, or ā€œSanityā€ or ā€œHeaven (Is A Place On Earth.ā€ I mean there’s plenty to pick from through the years. That would be epic.

BLADE: Speaking of drag queens, the LGBTQ community, especially the drag and trans communities are under attack from conservatives across the country, and around the world. As the mother of a gay son, as well as a longtime ally, do you have any thoughts about that?

CARLISLE: I don’t understand non-acceptance. It’s hard for me to get my head around. I think it’s very sad. My son came out when he was 14. What kind of world is he going to live in? What kind of world is it going to be for him? Since then, it’s been like 10 steps forward and then five back. We’re in five back period right now. It’s heartbreaking. But I think you just have to keep at it. Hopefully, we’ll get to a place where there’s acceptance of everyone. That’s all I can hope for.

BLADE: Back to ā€œKismet,ā€ for a moment. Is there any possibility that these songs might be incorporated into a full-length album, or that you have a different full-length album in the works?

CARLISLE: I have a completely separate project that we started doing before the pandemic with Gabe Lopez, who is a great songwriter. He works on ā€œRuPaul’s Drag Raceā€ and all sorts of stuff for RuPaul. He’s a great artist, himself. I have a project with him that I have to finish, which I’ll probably finish early next year. I don’t ever plan things. I just kind of wing it as I went along. Working with Diane and Mati was such an amazing experience that I’m totally open to doing something else. I don’t know what that is. I don’t know when, because my life is pretty full, but if something comes along that I love, I’ll make time for it, for sure.

BLADE: Do you have plans to perform live shows in support of ā€œKismetā€?

CARLISLE: I have a string of dates on the East Coast in July, and I have a string of dates on the West Coast in August. I have Australia at the end of the year. People can go to the Facebook page and see what those dates are; they’re up there.

Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

Music & Concerts

New dance single pays tribute to Town Danceboutique

Local musicians pen ā€˜Town’ in honor of shuttered club

Published

on

Bryce Bowyn (Photo by Clarissa Villondo)

The closing of the LGBTQ nightclub Town Danceboutique in the summer of 2017 was heartbreaking to local musician Bryce Bowyn. He and his Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter friend Lexie Martin decided to honor its legacy in their new single, ā€œTown.ā€

For Bowyn, who moved to the District about a decade ago to attend school at American University, the memories he has from Town Danceboutique are endless. And when it closed, it was a massive loss to Bowyn and many others. 

ā€œIt was such a cool space,ā€ Bowyn said. ā€œIt was just disappointing to see a place that brought so many people together become part of the landscape again.ā€ The building Town Danceboutique used to be housed in is now home to upscale apartments and a CVS. 

Town Danceboutique was a formative place for Bowyn and Martin, and it was Bowyn’s first experience in an open and accepting LGBTQ environment. His favorite memories at the club were always on Halloween, he said. Patrons, including Bowyn, would go all out with their costumes to look their very best. 

Bowyn and Martin met while they were both in the musical theater program at American University. Despite their years-long friendship, ā€œTownā€ is the first song they have written together. They sat down over FaceTime and got to work. It was Martin’s idea to pay homage to Town Danceboutique, and the song follows the story of pre-gaming, going out, and hitting the dance floor. 

But the single also serves as a hype song for going out in any city, at any place. 

ā€œIt was important to me for the song to remain relatable and accessible,ā€ Bowyn said. ā€œSo the whole foundation of the chorus, ā€˜Let’s go to town,’ can either mean Town Danceboutique, or painting the town red and having the night of your life.ā€

Bowyn started writing and producing his own music in 2018. He released an EP titled ā€œA Rosy Retrospectā€ in 2022, and most recently released a single ā€œA Bridge Burned Downā€ in June. His music is inspired by late 2000s pop and ā€˜80s synthpop, influenced by stars like Madonna and Charli XCX. Lexie Martin released her self-titled EP in 2019 and most recently came out with her single ā€œSUPERPOWERā€ in 2021. 

Bowyn has been a lifelong pop music enthusiast. He distinctly remembers watching Britney Spears perform ā€œOops!…I Did It Againā€ at the MTV Video Music Awards when he was a kid and thinking ā€œThat was what I wanted and what I was set to do in life.ā€

ā€œMy heart was always with pop music,ā€ Bowyn said. 

ā€œTownā€ is available now for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud.

Continue Reading

Music & Concerts

From MonƔe to Madonna, fall will rock in D.C.

Local venues hosting array of queer artists in coming months

Published

on

Madonna’s delayed tour is slated to hit D.C. Dec. 18 and 19. (Screen capture via YouTube)

The D.C. area has many LGBTQ musical acts to look forward to this fall. Starting with pansexual and nonbinary actor and R&B singer Janelle MonƔe, performing at the Anthem on Sept. 24-25 with ticket prices ranging from $135 to $301 on StubHub.

Janelle MonƔe comes to the Anthem later this month. (Screen capture via YouTube)

Singer Hozier’s ā€œUnreal Unearth Tourā€ is coming to the Anthem on Sept. 26-27. Tickets are available on StubHub starting at $324.

On Sept. 28 the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore will see lesbian pop artist SZA’s ā€œSOS Tourā€ with tickets starting at $165 on Ticketmaster. 

Queer indie pop singer Ashnikko is coming to the Anthem on Sept. 29 to perform their ā€œWeedkiller Tour.ā€ Tickets available on StubHub range from $49 to $279.

Coming to Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md., is the All Things Go Festival. Performing are lesbian singers Tegan and Sara, alt-pop singer Lana Del Rey, pop singer Carly Rae Jepson, and more. The festival will take place Sept. 30-Oct. 1 with two day passes starting at $397 on SeatGeek.  

Rock band Queen will perform ā€œThe Rhapsody Tourā€ at the CFG Bank Arena along with Adam Lambert on Oct. 4-5. Tickets are starting at $181 on Ticketmaster. 

Pop star and trans woman Kim Petras’ ā€œFeed the Beast World Tourā€ will reach the Anthem on Oct 12. Tickets range from $72 to $817 on StubHub.Ā 

Kim Petras brings the ā€˜Feed the Beast World Tour’ to the Anthem in October. (Photo by Thom Kerr)

Queer pop singer Kesha is coming to the Anthem on Oct. 29 to support her new album, ā€œGag Order.ā€ Tickets go from $86 to $261 on Event Ticket Center. 

Queer pop rapper Shygirl is co-headlining with bisexual singer Tinashe for the ā€œNymphā€ tour at the Anthem on Nov. 5. Tickets range from $45 to $145 on Ticketmaster.

Indie band Men I Trust is performing at Echostage on Nov. 15. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster for $30. 

Nonbinary rapper Lil Uzi Vert’s ā€œPINK TAPE TOURā€ will be at the Anthem on Nov. 21. Tickets start at $90 on StubHub. 

Doja Cat’s ā€œThe Scarlett Tourā€ will reach Capital One Arena on Nov. 27. Tickets start at $100 on Ticketmaster. 

Madonna will bring her highly anticipated and delayed ā€œThe Celebration Tourā€ to the Capital One Arena Dec. 18 and 19. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster starting at $110.

Continue Reading

Music & Concerts

Tom Goss to perform at Rehoboth Beach Bear Weekend

Out singer entertains at the Sands Hotel

Published

on

Tom Goss (Photo by Dusti Cunningham)

Out singer Tom Goss will perform at the Rehoboth Beach Bear Weekend on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 7 and 9 p.m. at the Sands Hotel. 

He will sing his memorable songs like ā€œSon of a Preacher Man” and ā€œBears,ā€ as well as tracks from his new album, ā€œRemember What It Feels Like,ā€ where he sings about being a 42-year-old gay man still reeling from his husband’s infidelity who was recently conned by a lover with a secret life now serving time in prison. 

Tickets to Rehoboth Beach Bear Weekend start at $20 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā 

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Sign Up for Weekly E-Blast

Follow Us @washblade

Advertisement

Popular