GrooveOut

Endlessly Queer Summer
From the gay Lollapalooza to the gospel according to drag queens
by Chris Sill

If you thought Gay Pride ended in June, think again. While we as a community are often reminded of the importance of showing our pride on a daily basis, sometimes it takes an event, hopefully a positive one, to allow a large showing of pride to unite us and show our strength. Such an event is coming to Houston next month. To quote the fabulous Karen from Will and Grace, "Honey, what, what’s, what’s going on here?"

Honey, Wotapalava is what’s going on!

What is Wotapalava? Take two Pet Shop Boys, one Soft Cell, add Rufus Wainwright and the Magnetic Fields, and you’ve got the basic recipe for a queer music festival called Wotapalava. The 17-city North American tour begins July in Miami and ends August 11 in Houston. Wotapalava (pronounced "wat-a-pa-la-va"), an English slang phrase generally meaning what a fuss about nothing, is the brainchild of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of the Pet Shop Boys. The duo decided it was time to put together a tour of musicians with nothing else in common except that they were all out. Says Tennant, "Wotapalava is a celebration of the freedom to be what you want to be and about having the power to live as you want without fear or discrimination."

Some confusion over the artist roster aroused earlier this summer when recently proclaimed lesbian Sinead O’Connor withdrew her name. The controversial singer cited family commitments as the reason. Unfortunately, this leaves the main lineup without a real woman, but concert promoters say plenty of surprise guests will make appearances throughout the tour. Supporting the main stage area is a separate dance stage featuring national and local DJs from each city (including yours truly). Another area will house booths from local and national vendors giving the event a festival-like atmosphere.

Summer is certainly shaping up to be one of the queerest, so if you’re looking for new music from gay and lesbian artists, there’s plenty to be found. Besides planning Wotapalava and opening their first musical Closer to Heaven in London’s West End, the Pet Shop Boys have re-released their first five studio albums, each with a bonus disc with never-before-released tracks and remixes from each album. This seems to be a trend lately as Madonna has recently done the same with her first three albums.

Rufus Wainwright’s latest release Poses (DreamWorks) hit stores last month. If you are unfamiliar with his work, now would be a smart time to investigate the gay man Rolling Stone magazine named Best New Artist in 1998. The new album finds Wainwright’s impeccable crafting of melodies unchanged and his unmistakable voice softer on the ear. Wainwright also shows up on the Moulin Rouge and Shrek soundtracks.

After last year’s much-publicized split, Melissa Etheridge returns with one of the summer’s most anticipated albums. Skin (Island Music) debuts on July 10, re-opening the wounds of her personal life for public consumption. It’s a deeply personal album that moves from pain to hope with unending emotion. Anyone who has weathered a relationship breakup will hold Skin close to her or his heart.

Avalon (Pleiades Records) marks the eighth album for lesbian singer/songwriter Margie Adam. Known as the founder of the women’s music movement, Adam brings her graceful voice and elegant arrangements to this collection of vocal and instrumental pieces. Dusty Springfield’s 1974 cover of Adam’s song "Beautiful Soul" appears on a new collection of long-lost Springfield songs that were never released. Dusty Springfield: Beautiful Soul — The ABC/Dunhill Sessions (Hip-O/UME) is out now.

And speaking of divas, Dancing Queens (Medalist Entertainment) is a must for all drag queens in training. The double disc plays like the gospel according to drag, with classic camp from Shirley Bassey and Aretha Franklin to Ce Ce Penniston and RuPaul. The CD set is only available online at www.dancingqueenscd.com.

For tickets and the latest information on Wotapalava, visit www.wotapalava.com or call Ticketmaster at 713/629-3700.