Performers Proud of Pride 2009

Vancouver’s annual Pride Festival has now wrapped, and once again enjoyed record attendance: over 600,000, according to the event’s website

Along with the parade centrepiece, the festival lit up the West End, East Side, Downtown and even Playland.

For the benefit of readers who missed the event, I asked some performers to pick their favourite photo from the weekend and send it over, along with reflections on this year’s event. Here are their thoughts.
 

Sugarbeach

‘Electroni-lesi-pop’ duo Sugarbeach (Marlee Walchuck and Tully Callender) are particularly proud of this year’s celebration: their song Living Out Proud has become the Pride theme song in 12 major cities around the world (including Vancouver).

 

 

 

Why this photo?

We love this photo as it shows a great cross section of the GLBT community and we love how little we look next to Symone! It was taken just before we [Sugarbeach] performed the opening set for Koodo’s Big Night Out on Davie St.

 

What role does music play in helping form community, particularly the GLBT community?

All of our main events are centred around music. Whether it’s dance or live performance, music is the glue. Many members of the GLBT community have faced significant estrangement from their families and desperately need to connect with others who are like them and facing similar challenges. Without the music it would simply be harder to gather people together.

 
 

Favourite ‘community-building’ song, and why?

Last year we wrote the theme song for Vancouver Pride: Living Out Proud. It was also used by 11 other major cities around the world for their Pride celebrations (This year even Honolulu jumped on board). This song seems to have the power to draw people together in celebration of being authentic and we always feel grateful to be a part of that.[pagebreak]

Jeffery Straker

Check out the music video for Jeffery’s song ‘Hypnotized’ (which recently hit #6 on Much More Music) on his website.

 

Why this photo?

This photo captures the ‘fun’ of gay pride festivities for me. The first thing I think is ‘my god, how long did it take to make that outfit? It’s so so good!!’  But then when you look at it for a while, you get reminded of other things, like how Pride festivals have been able to move beyond having to shout for and demand equal rights. There is a still a long way to go, but it’s great to see the progress. 

 

What role does music play in helping form community, particularly the GLBT community?

I think in the GLBT community, certain songs have become iconic gay anthems or ‘pillars’ to rally around, be it for protest or party purposes.  What gay man keeps his hands by his side when ‘It’s Raining Men’ comes on?!! And then of course there are the musicians/artists who are bold enough to get up on a stage and be openly gay and perform. Having people like Elton John, Melissa Ethridge, and Rufus Wainwright gain huge fan bases around the world definitely helps the acceptance of the GLBT community in general.

 

Favourite ‘community-building’ song, and why?

I have two! ABBA’s Dancing Queen and Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive. Dancing Queen is a tune my parents played it in the house when I was growing up. It likely made me gay. LOL. It’s a great tune. I Will Survive gets any dance-floor jumpin’. This tune is overflowin’ with attitude. It’s all about independence and keeping on keeping on: you can’t not like it.

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Norine Braun

 

Why this photo?

I like this photo because it shows the grandness of the mainstage of our proud event, the coming together of talents (drums, vocal guitar and an interpreter making the music inclusive) and the glorious sunny day.

 

What role does music play in helping form community, particularly the GLBT community?

Music is powerful for lgtbiq2s community and any community really  because it facilitates communication which goes beyond words, invokes shared emotional reactions and supports the development of group identity. Music helps express the diversity of our identities by helping us find common ground.

 

Favourite ‘community-building’ song, and why?

A song I wrote called Evolution of the Blood Star, which celebrates our self development or evolution. The idea is that we can rise above and past the wounds of the world, we can still heal and be free.

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