Spring Pops and the Sound of Summer!
Spring isn’t traditionally known as a big time for new music releases, but this season’s offerings are bigger and better than ever. A batch of major A-listers are delivering highly anticipated albums: from the Queen Bee’s Cowboy Carter and Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department to new music from Dua Lipa, Normani, Billie Eilish, and, of course, Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine
It can be tough for an indie musician to get their tunes heard in such a crowded field, but these are the gay artists and their new tracks that are breaking through the noise. And no, we’re not only talking dance floor music! These performers are serving hits in pop, jazz, and even country music, ya’ll.
Wils
“Dancing Lights”
The latest - and last! - release from the Singapore pop singing sensation is an uplifting dance track that tackles issues of self-esteem and insecurity and promotes a message of selfempowerment and embracing inner beauty. It presents a moodier and more subdued hue than “Open Up Babe”
and past songs from the artist, but Wils’ use of vocal effects and vintage synths really drive the song’s powerful message home. “Dancing Lights” is extremely raw, and depicts Wils as a vulnerable, relatable individual who is finally emerging from a dark hole of depression. Along with the single, the accompanying visual captures the essence of grief and its final stage of acceptance. Wils became famous ten years ago for being the world’s first openly gay Chinese pop singer. “Dancing Lights” is a stunning finale from an artist who has announced this will be his final music release.
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Johnny Bloom
“Roarin’ 20s”
So Fierce Music/The Orchard/Sony Music
Young Johnny Bloom is ushering in a new age of jazz with this unconventional diddy inspired by music from the early and mid-twentieth century. Think Ella Fitzgerald and Marvin Gaye meets Miley Cyrus, and Adam Lambert. “Roarin’ 20s” harkens back to a post-war era when young people were dancing to the Charleston and the Shimmy. Bloom gives his track a modern twist. The song is fun and flirty, with an attention-grabbing swing that mixes elements of blues, ragtime, marching music and African folk rhythm. An impressive debut.
Jace M and Toy Armada (featuring Joey Diamond)
“Waiting for Tonight”
Queen House Music
Dance music producers Jace M and Toy Armada are putting their own spin on Jennifer Lopez’s club-ready 1999 track, with the help of out artist Joey Diamond. Few are aware that Lopez’s version was also a cover. The song was originally released by girl group 3rd Party. JLo upped the tempo to 125 BPM; Jace M and Toy Armada crank up the energy even higher by combining Diamond’s exuberant vocals with lots of heavy drums and full synths. This celebratory staple is the perfect happy antidote for all of the anxiety many of us are feeling over the pending national elections. It is destined to be a song of the summer.
Tom Goss
“Not My Problem”
The pop/rock banger tells the true-life story of Tom’s five-year relationship with
a con man who is now serving time in prison. It is a bit angstier than “Nerdy Bear” and Tom’s other popular tracks. “Not My Problem” acknowledges the heartache and pain Goss experienced after learning the truth about his ex; but, in true Tom Goss style, the singer manages to find a bright spot in the experience and the song is lively and yes, playful. Even more fun is its accompanying music video that stars drag queen Meatball as an overly amorous prison guard. Another home run for Tom Goss.
Brian Falduto
“Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That?”
Brian Falduto’s remake of Dolly Parton’s “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That” is the adorable out singer at his sassiest and most irresistible. The song is fast-paced, and raucous, just
like Dolly’s. Her version objectified cowboys in ways they weren’t used to at the time, and Falduto’s remake does too, but in a more modern way that is sure to keep the strappin’ fellers on their toes. Accompanying the song is a music video that features Dan Amboyer from Younger and Uncoupled as a rugged Marlboro man. He plays the scoundrel that has the audacity to come into the honky tonk lookin’ like that and let’s just say that Brian Falduto won’t be the only one hankering to saddle up on him.
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10 Questions
Community
By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Photo: Russ Bowen-Youngblood
Russell Bowen-Youngblood
Introducing our new article series shining a spotlight on the unsung heroes of the Atlanta LGBTQ+ community. In this series, we will celebrate the individuals whose impactful work plays a crucial role in shaping and strengthening our community. From activists to dedicated volunteers and professionals, these unsung heroes embody the spirit of resilience, compassion, and advocacy that defines Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ landscape.
Join us as we delve into their stories, learn about their passions, and uncover the profound impact they have on the lives of those around them. We start with photographer Russell Bowen-Youngblood who has been documenting Atlanta’s nightlife for decades.
Tell us how you got involved in the LGBTQ+ scene? I moved to Atlanta in 1999. On one of my first days here, I went to the local photo lab on the corner of Tenth and Piedmont to get some photos printed. I had shot a Britney Spears and *NSYNC concert in St. Louis and wanted prints to send back to some friends in St. Louis. When he printed the pictures, the owner asked who I worked for, and I told him I just moved here. He shared that David Magazine needed a photographer, so he called the owner and had him come down to the lab and meet me. I thought this would be an excellent way for the new kid in town to meet people, photographing the nightlife, so I started about a week after moving here. The role expanded into advertising sales, and so my Atlanta media career began – and 25 years later, I am still at it. I started my own company, Alphabet Soup Marketing, in 2021 to work with all the gay media companies in town. After so long in the business, I have worked with about everyone at one point or another. It’s a small world in midtown.
You have been documenting Atlanta’s gay nightlife for decades. What are some of your most significant accomplishments? I think I have been able to record at least part of our community history for the last quarter century. I have been fortunate to have worked with David Magazine, Eclipse Magazine, Southern Voice Newspaper, The GA Voice Newspaper, Q Magazine, the Project Q Website, Goliath Magazine, Peach Magazine, and had my work in the AJC Magazine, Genre Magazine, Out Magazine, and Instinct Magazine. In that time, our community has faced discrimination, hate crimes, and intolerance. For many of those stories, I provided the images. I don’t think I have fought tears more than the day the reporter and I sat with Matthew Shepard’s mother just a couple of years after his death. That was really a tough one for me .
Among my biggest highlights was getting to meet John Lewis and photographing him during a one-on-one interview with a reporter. Going to the Millennium March in Washington DC and being among the thousands and thousands of people and recording that event is another. And when same-sex marriage became legal in Georgia, capturing all the celebrations across midtown and then going down to City Hall to photograph some of the first same-sex marriages performed by the judges.
It’s hard to pick and choose highlights and accomplishments when you think every day you’re out there recording history is a good day. The thousands in our community I have captured out and about has always been something I am proud of doing.
Looking back, how was the Atlanta nightlife scene when you made your beginnings? And changed? You know, it’s hard for me to really say what it was like for me at the beginning because it was
at my beginnings, too. I did not come out until later in life so everything was new and exciting for me. It was a world of new experiences. When you ask how it has changed, I’m not really sure that it has changed all that much. I mean, clubs have come and gone, but when I look at the people I photographed then and now, over the 28 years, everybody’s pretty much looking for the same things. They’re out meeting new friends and then building memories with them, looking for the tribe to which they belong for acceptance, and I don’t think that part has really changed that much. The styles and trends have definitely changed. When I look back at some of my early pictures of big club shots, everybody’s got their shirts on, or most people. It’s definitely not that way anymore, at least on the dance floors. Hey, I am not complaining.
Who are some of your heroes or role models within the LGBTQ community, and why?
I think of two people. The first was another photographer named Tim Wilkerson. I first became aware of his work at a gay pride before I moved to Atlanta and was blown away. He became my point of reference for who I wanted to be. Tim took my first staff photo for David Magazine. When I thought of Atlanta, I always thought of him as the photographer of gay Atlanta. Tim has passed away but left his images. That is the legacy of a photographer.
The other person is Jeff Graham with Georgia Equality. He has been fighting for our community’s rights for decades; it is an endless job. I am fortunate to have a camera between myself and the hate and prejudice when I have found myself at protests. Jeff deals with these issues face-to-face with no barriers and no nets. I am definitely proud to call him one of my heroes.
How do you see the Atlanta LGBTQ community evolving in the future, and what role do you hope to play in that evolution?
I have heard I-285 referred to as the Fruitloop, meaning that all the gays can be found within that perimeter. I don’t believe that’s as true anymore. Our community is expanding past our midtown center. However, with acceptance, the need for a self-contained community starts to diminish. We become assimilated into the “normal populace, “and soon, gay neighborhoods and centralized areas are not as necessary.
As far as my role goes, I hope to continue to record the good times, along with the struggles and victories we have as a community. I also hope that there is a young photographer who sees what I do and is looking to replace me so the next generation will have someone to record their history.
Is there anything else you’d like to share or any message you’d like to convey to our readers about the importance of community involvement?
Be There! You don’t have to march in the Pride Parade on Peachtree Street with a rainbow flag, but I think it’s important to be on the sidewalk, a witness to that parade, to show your support, and to lend your voice. If you can, volunteer at local nonprofits, and if you can’t volunteer, support the mission with a donation. But being present is still my biggest priority. Online does not replace inperson.
Faces @ Friend’s
More (& larger) online at davidatlanta.com
Photos by: Russ Bowen-Youngblood
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DAVID Magazine pg| 20 2 16 14 13 8 9 7 10 15 17 19 1 3 6 4 P ie dmo n t Av e . N E Ju n ip e r St. N E E N . t S e e r t h c a e P PiedmontAve. NE 14th St NE Ponce De Leon Ave . NE Ponce De Leon Ave . NE 4th St NE Monroe Dr. NE Mon r o e D r . N E 10th St. NE E N . t S r e p i n u J E N . l P n o e L e D e c n o P S p r in g S t . N W Amsterdam Ave . E N . r D n e l l A s e l r a h C W N . t S e e r t h c a e P . W 12th St. NE Pie dmont Park M I DT OWN BARS
ARS not
map 2 Blake's 227 10 th S t NE 1 FUTURE ATLANTA 50 Lower Alabama St. SW Suite 180 3 Bulldo g s 893 Peachtree S t NE 4 Fr iend s 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE 6 My Sister’s Room66 12th S t NE 7 X Midtown 990 Piedmont Ave NE fitness 14 Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE spa /bath 15 F lex S p a 76 4th S t N W
g 9 10th& P iedmon t 991 Piedmont Ave NE 10 Camp ag nolo 980 Piedmont Ave NE 16 G’s M id t o w n 219 10 th S t NE 17 Henr y ’s 132 10 th S t NE 19 L a H acienda 900 Monroe Dr NE
B
on
Dinin
DAVID Magazine pg| 21 BARS 20 B J Roo s t er s 20 43 Cheshire Bridge Rd 22 Tr ipp s 1931 Piedmont Cir NE Dining 24 L a s M ar g ar i t a s Closed Temporarily 18 42 Cheshire Bridge Rd Retail 26 B ar k ing L e a t her 1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A 27 S ou t her n Nig h t s 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd clu bs 28 Her e t ic 2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd 29 Tok yo Valen t ino 1739 Cheshire Bridge Rd Fitness 30 Gr avi t ee F i t ne s s 2201 Faulkner Rd NE BARS 32 Atlanta Eagle 1492 Piedmont Ave NE 33 Felix 's 1510 Piedmont Ave NE 34 T he Hidea w ay 15 4 4 Piedmont Ave NE 35 M i x x 1492 Piedmont Ave NE 36 O sc ar 's 1510 Piedmont Ave NE Retail 39 B oy Nex t Door 14 47 Piedmont Ave NE 40 Barking Leather 1510 Piedmont Ave NE Fitness 41 E quilibr ium F i t ne s s 1529 Piedmont Ave, Suite L M ar y 's 1287 Glenwood Ave SE S i s t er L oui s a’s Chur ch 466 Edgewood Ave SE L ip s A t lan t a 3011 Buford Hw y NE The T 465 Boulevard SE 494 Plasters Ave NE Woo f 's NEW ONLINE CALENDAR of EVENTS User submitted . See page for details
BARS & CLUBS MIDTOWN
BLAKE’S ON THE PARK
blakesontheparkatlanta.com
227 10th St NE
BULLDOGS
893 Peachtree St NE
FRIENDS NEIGHBORHOOD BAR
friendsonponce-atl.com
736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
MY SISTER’S ROOM mysistersroom.com
66 12th St NE
X MIDTOWN xmidtown.com
990 Piedmont Ave NE
THE T modeltatlanta.com
465 Boulevard SE
CHESHIRE
HERETIC hereticatlanta.com
2069 Cheshire Bridge Road
BJ ROOSTERS bjroosters.com
2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
WESTSIDE
MARQUETTE
868 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW
840ATL
840 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW
ANSLEY
A
SNAPS
ATLANTA EAGLE
1492 Piedmont Ave NE
FELIX’S 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
THE HIDEAWAY
1544 Piedmont Ave NE
MIXX mixxatlanta.com
1492 Piedmont Ave NE
OSCAR’S oscarsatlanta.com
1510 Piedmont Ave NE
WOOFS
woofsatlanta.com
494 Plasters Ave NE
EAST ATLANTA, GRANT PARK & EDGEWOOD
MARY’S
marysatlanta.com
1287 Glenwood Ave SE
SISTER LOUISA’S CHURCH
sisterlouisaschurch. com
466 Edgewood Ave SE
DINING MIDTOWN
CASA ALMENARA
991 Piedmont Ave NE
casa-almenara.com
HENRY’S henrysatl.com
132 10th St NE
LA HACIENDA lahaciendamidtown. com
900 Monroe Dr NE
TUK TUK THAI FOOD LOFT
TUKTUKATL.COM
1745 Peachtree Rd NW
DEKALB
LIPS ATLANTA atldragshow.com
3011 Buford Hwy NE
RETAIL MIDTOWN
BARKING LEATHER AFTER DARK barkingleather.com
1510 Piedmont Ave NE
CHESHIRE
SOUTHERN NIGHTS VIDEO 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE
ANSLEY
BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR boynextdoormenswear.com
1000 Piedmont Ave NE, Ste A
GCB & PLEASURES brushstrokesatlanta. com
1510-D Piedmont Ave. NE
FITNESS MIDTOWN
URBAN BODY FITNESS urbanbody tness. com
500 Amsterdam Ave N
CHESHIRE
GRAVITEE FITNESS graviteeatl.com
2201 Faulkner Rd NE
SPAS/BATHS ADULT
FLEX SPA exspas.com
76 4th St NW
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If my mouth doesn’t say, my face definitely will.
If I were a crab, I would be flattered by imitation crab!
I’d describe my condition as stable but homosexual.
Is maple the only tree that has delicious blood or are we actually missing out on others?
I have a lot to offer! Most of it is not great, but it is still a lot!!
“Still punk as f*ck” I whisper as I reach for my pill organizer.
“A
I'm gonna treat this summer as if I have to turn myself in in September.
RICHARD THOMAS is ATTICUS FINCH in HARPER LEE’S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD AARON SORKIN BARTLETT SHER
ON SALE NOW MAY 7 - 12, 2024 • FOX THEATRE BroadwayinAtlanta.com
GAME-CHANGING ‘MOCKINGBIRD.’ GENUINELY RADICAL AND PULSING WITH RELEVANCE.” CHRIS JONES
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