Peach Magazine V6-i21 | A Dash of Gay!

A Dash o f G ay !

Start of Pride Month Here’s Johnny Talia Keys Wants the World to Know “We’re Here” LOTS of photos from memorial weekend and big peach

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ONLINE PRINT SOCIAL I wanted to write a song that could make you cry and dance at the same time.” peachatl.com At Distribution Points Across FB:facebook.com/peachatlmag MIKA comments, “A song to make the Citythe world, in all its harshness, feel better.

Something that will always be there to comfort you. I wrote this for you, as you The content of Peach ATL Media is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. The opinions expressed by any writer, advertiser, or other person appearing in the Peach ATL Media are not necessarlistenor in room, or appearing in a club: it doesn’t matter just timeliness, about you.”completeness, or suitability of the information ily those of this publication, its management staff. your The information and materials in the magazine are not guaranteed or warrantedit’s as to accuracy, performance,

and materials found or offered for a particular purpose. It shall be your responsibility to ensure that any products, services, or information available through Peach ATL Media meets your specific requirements. Peach ATL Media is not responsible for claims made by advertisers, content of information, changes, events, and schedules. The magazine contains information and material which is owned by or licensed to Peach ATL Media, including but not limited to articles, advertisements, design, layout, graphics, and logos. No part or portion of Peach ATL Media may be reproduced in any way without the prior written consent of the publisher. Unauthorized use of Peach ATL Media may give Nextforup, he and willorco-host the Your world-renowned Song rise to claims damages criminal offenses. use of the informationEurovision or materials in Peach ATL Media isSince strictly athis yourdebut own risk. he has released 4 other full-length albums,

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Talia Keys Wants the World to Know “We’re Here”

Her LGBTQ+ Anthem Encourages Queer People to Keep Fighting and Shake Sh*t Up This Summer

By Tim Larcombe

Talia Keys is celebrating summer with the release of a new music video that calls for today’s queer generation to be loud and proud in who they are.

“We’re Here” is a reggae inspired, feel good anthem, broken into three parts. The first verse is about the internal struggles many LGBTQ+ youth face when their outward appearance doesn’t quite fit the societal mold. The second verse challenges them to smash the patriarchy of society’s expectations around gender binaries; and the outro encourages all to own who they are because by simply existing, they are changing the world into a better place.

“We need to fight the status quo,” Keys insists. “Because like it or not, we’re Queer, we’re here and we aren’t going anywhere.”

Keys says she wrote and recorded the song because growing up in Mormon Utah as a closeted queer Catholic girl put a target on her. She was bullied for being a Tomboy and she became a bully in order to protect her secret. She didn’t come out until her mid-twenties, and when she did, Talia, a successful musician, lost fans and gigs.

She kept her drive, though, and today, she uses her music and performances to preach the good word of love and acceptance. “I see the stage as my platform to spread awareness.”

That message is echoed in the “We’re Here” music video. It was shot in an empty theater because, as Talia explains, “Sometimes it feels empty when you come out and the support you once had is gone. As queer people, though, we learn to be strong willed and to perform with our entire heart, even if it is to an empty room.”

The video features several Queer, trans, enby artists and drag queens including Madazon Can-Can, a gender non-binary drag king, burlesque dancer and clown.

“I first saw Madazon Can-Can perform at our local Pride and was captivated by their ability to entertain,” Talia says.

She also cast local drag artists and assembled an all-Queer crew to shoot the video including the award-winning filmmaker Melahn Atkinson (she/they).

Talia Keys is an activist-musician who has

enjoyed a loyal following in Salt Lake City clubs for over a decade, and has made a name for herself on national tours and jam festivals from coast to coast.

Her trademark fire and brimstone stage presence is an amalgam of her journey, identity, and musical influences. While her physical appearance may scream LESBO, her music does not. It presents a modern twist on the rock n’ roll troubadour singing songs of struggle and ultimately, triumph.

Talia Keys’ “We’re Here” is available now on all digital platforms. Its music video is on YouTube.

Visit Talia’s website and follow her on Instagram @ taliakeys

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Here’s Johnny!

With ‘Queer as Folk’ and ‘Hacks,’ Johnny Sibilly keeps ascending to new career heights

By Chris Azzopardi If you think you’ve heard the name Johnny Sibilly, you have. Or at the very least you’ve seen him, whether on FX’s groundbreaking trans-focused series “Pose,” where the 34-yearold actor had a three-episode stint as Costas Perez, or on HBO’s “Hacks,” appearing alongside Jean Smart in one of last year’s best new shows. That series is currently in its second season (and still just as deliciously queer).

But the show guaranteed to give Sibilly’s profile a generous boost is his role on the reboot of “Queer as Folk,” where he plays Noah, a smoke-and-mirrors lawyer. Groundbreaking when it premiered in the U.K. in 1999 and then in the U.S. in 2000, the show was one of the more authentic representations of LGBTQ+ life when it premiered, spotlighting important political and cultural LGBTQ+ issues alongside frank depictions of queer sex.

Peacock’s new “Queer as Folk” understands what the show was then and what, in 2022, it has to be now. So, naturally, there’s sex. And lots of it. Orgies, toys, full-view anal. Sex that looks real enough for it to appear to be unsimulated.

But this self-proclaimed “reimagining” also knows that being a queer person in our modern day means, in some ways, what it did in 2000: homophobia, fear and acts of antiqueer violence so horrific they hurt your heart.

The trailer doesn’t hide the fact that the first episode is a hard, gutting and emotional watch: reminiscent of the Pulse nightclub tragedy in 2016, there’s a shooting at Babylon, the local gay club.

Here, Sibilly talks about the importance of threading that hard-to-watch narrative into this reboot, the detailed conversations the “Folk” crew had about queer sex onset, and why he’ll continue to play queer characters.

here we are.

It sounds like the producers of “Hacks” just called you. Or Jean Smart personally called you.

[Laughs.] She’s like, “I don’t know who you are, but I think you’d be great.” Yeah, no.

“Hacks” was interesting, because it wasn’t...

I auditioned for it, but it was a Sunday night [when] I got a call asking for my availability, and they asked if I could put something on tape that night to film on Wednesday that week. And then, we got a call on Monday that said I got it. It was pretty quick. “Queer as Folk,” not as much…

What was the process for “Queer as Folk”?

For “Queer as Folk,” for me, the process in my head started when I found out that there was going to be a reboot made. Back in 2018...

I always tell this story, but I put out a tweet when I found out that they were maybe doing a reboot, and I was like, “Who do you guys think they would cast in the reboot?” People said names like Billy Porter and a lot of the actors that are known in the community.

Flash-forward to the actual thing getting launched and the auditions happening, and I messaged my team, as I usually do when I see something that I really like. I was like, “I got to be a part of this somehow.” The audition came through, and it was funny, because I was sick with a cold when it came through. I was like, “Oh my gosh, can we push it a day or two?”

And they were kind enough to do it.

But yeah, it was that same thing, where you audition, and then you get the call back, and then you do the chemistry session. But it’s a month to two months of your time just waiting to know. And for me, as an actor, I’d rather know right away if it’s a yes or a no, so I can, in my head, deal with that rather than waiting and How have you been doing? You’ve been waiting. Because you build up all these things of like, “My life could change,” or, “This would really busy.

Yeah. With the pandemic and everything, and be so exciting.” But it worked this time. being so busy, it’s been truly a blessing. I’m so happy to be working and to be doing this. I’m When I watched “Queer as Folk” as a teenager, the big draw for me then, as a really grateful. closeted gay kid, was watching guys on During the beginning of the pandemic, were screen have sex. And clearly, that’s still a big part of the show. Is gauging sexual chemistry you afraid of work drying up?

It’s funny. At the beginning of the pandemic, it an important part of the audition process? was like, “Ha, now the rest of the world knows The sexual chemistry, not so much. My only what it feels like to be an actor or an artist, chemistry read was with Devin [Way], who where your job isn’t guaranteed.” And then, plays Brodie. And it’s funny, because when I after a while, it was like, “Oh, wait. OK. What’s saw him pop on the screen, I was like, “That’s going on?” But then, I remember I got the call him. That’s the one,” whereas he did a couple of for “Hacks,” the first season, and I was like, chemistry reads with a couple different Noahs.

“Oh, yes. Yes, we’ll do this.” [I filmed] that in But it is interesting, because we were doing it the height of the pandemic, and then “Queer on Zoom, too, so you’re not in the room. You as Folk” when things were tapering down. But don’t feel the vibes of what it would feel like. then, all the variants were another journey, but But I’d seen Devin before somewhere, and I was like, “I know this guy, I just don’t know

where to place it.” And, come to find out, it was years before. He had come up to me on the street and told me that he liked my Instagram videos, because I used to make character Instagram videos. When he told me that finally, I was like, “That’s where I know you from.”

But anyway, it was just such an easy little flirty scene, that, when you meet a new gay, you’re just like, “Hmm...” We clicked, and I guess that’s the point of a chemistry read, because I’ve done chemistry reads before where I was like, “Oh, this isn’t really clicking.” But it clicked with Devin and I. What has it been like to be a part of “Hacks” knowing that it treats its queer characters so matter-of-factly?

It’s a dream, because the show itself is very much queer-coded, in that there’s a strong female character that is rich. So many things that we grew up loving [about] strong female characters, and then to add in the queer characters, not only the ones that worked with her, but just peppering the universe of “Hacks” with these characters was super exciting and important.

Because maybe years ago, if a show like this was made, that wouldn’t have been the case, but it feels like a very real world.

I feel like Deborah would have queer people around her, and it’s been so exciting not only to play these characters in a way that feels real and authentic, but not just feel also like we’re just thrown in because they needed to fit a quota, or because a lot of things these days get called out for being too woke, or whatnot, which is crazy in and of itself. But I do love that this show feels like a reflection of what the world looks like.

What’s your earliest memory of wanting to be an actor?

I was always a little rascal, I will say. I loved doing impersonations. When I used to watch “Forrest Gump,” I used to go around the house and be like, “My name’s Forrest, Forrest Gump,” and whenever we’d go out, my mom’s like, “Do the Forrest Gump. Do it.”

And she’d always push me to do it.

I remember one year, I was signing up for classes for seventh grade, and she’s like, “Why don’t you do drama?” And I was like, “I want to do French,” because all the cool kids were doing French. And she’s like, “Yeah, but you’re always doing characters and things. You should do drama.” And I’m glad that she said that, because it really took me to a place that I needed to be, especially at that point in my life, when sexuality started playing a role in my confidence.

I was a very vibrant little kid, and then as I started realizing I was queer, I became the shy kid. Acting and drama really allowed me to spread my wings and show myself in a way that didn’t feel like I was attached to my sexuality and hiding that anymore.

Where did you go to drama school?

I did a little bit in college. I grew up mostly in Miami, so all of my drama club and theater stuff I did in middle school and high school. And then, in college, I was like, “I don’t really need to have a degree in order to be on TV,” so I did two years of college in Miami, and then I moved to New York City at the end of 2012 and started just hitting the pavement, doing extra work, all those reenactment shows that you see on Discovery. It was just a steady climb, for sure. It wasn’t an overnight “Here’s the keys to the kingdom” kind of situation.

If you look at your Wiki page, it’s like an episode here, an episode there, an episode here, and then three episodes on “Pose.”

“Pose” was funny, because I had just moved to L.A. and they called me back to film the three episodes of “Pose,” or two episodes of “Pose” in the first season and then one in the second. But that was my first big thing. It’s so nice that my first big series regular role is also another queer show, because a lot of times, as queer actors, people are like, “Oh, I don’t know if I want to pigeonhole myself…” and I’m just like, “Oh, thank god we have more opportunities to play gay characters.”

It seems like you might be happy playing queer roles for the rest of your acting career.

For the rest of my days. Because, if I do get to play queer characters for the rest of my days, that means that there are queer characters being written and created. The whole point of this thing is to continue to move the needle forward, because three, four years ago, we were all fighting for it. It’s nice that they’re opening space for us.

I always think, when I interview a queer actor who plays queer roles, what it must be like to connect with your younger self, thinking, “What would this have meant to 14-year-old Johnny?” Do you ever think that way?

All the time.

And what’s that like for you?

I was watching “Heartstopper,” and I just had a moment where I had to pause it, and I was like, “Wow, if I would’ve had this as a kid...” Because it is also a very child-friendly show about sexuality, whereas there hasn’t really been a lot of that. “Love, Victor” is one of them, but usually, a lot of queer shows are sex-forward, and that’s important, because that’s part of the community as adults. But I do definitely think about that 100%, especially with “Queer as Folk.”

I remember being petrified of this even being on TV in front of me, and now, I am so unafraid, and so unwilling to go back into the closet in order to present art, that I am very excited to even think about where I started versus where I am now in telling these stories.

And I can only hope that, by me being onscreen, Did you find yourself finding a community within whoever is watching can be like, “Oh, yeah. I’m absolutely unafraid to be myself after this.” the acting and drama worlds?

100%. I never was that kid that played in the street with friends. I was in my room watching Joan Rivers Did you watch the original “Queer as Folk” on the red carpet, and I knew everything there was to growing up? know about celebrity culture, but I wasn’t one of these I watched it in hiding. I wasn’t an avid, weekly kids that played hide-and-seek in the neighborhood. watcher when it was on Showtime, or before, when it Drama really offered me a place and a space to create was on in the U.K. But I did go back and watch a lot of friendships and camaraderie and family with people it after the fact in 2018, when I found out it was getting that were like me. Not only queer people, but artists rebooted. And then after, when we finished wrapping our season that we just shot, I went back and started as well. watching the Showtime episodes again, because I

missed it. I missed telling the queer story, so I was like, “What can I watch that’s going to bring me that same kind of feeling?” And it just happened to be “Queer as Folk.”

What were the conversations you had with the cast and crew about how to honor the show’s legacy while also moving the needle forward?

I can’t really speak for anyone else, but I think it was important for me to acknowledge how important “Queer as Folk,” both of them, were at the time that they came out. I think it’s also important to honor the actors that portrayed these characters at a time when it was not popular, or sometimes even safe, but it was also really important to separate myself from all of that, because even online, when it was announced that we were going to be the cast, you have a lot of pushback from fans of the first two original shows that are like, “Why would you redo this? It’s perfect the way it is.” And a lot of times you read the comments, you’re like, “OK, I don’t know if ‘perfect’ is the word, but I understand your love for this show.”

But I think it was important to put all of that aside, to know the legacy that it has, and to also be willing to create something new that hasn’t been seen before. There’s definitely Easter eggs, and little things here and there, that people will be like, “Oh, he’s like this character, and this character, and this character combined, if they were one character,” which is what I love too, because it is throwing it back to the older versions. But these are queer people that exist in this time, in this space, and I think it’s important that we honor the legacy of other queer people, but also showcase that we still very much exist as a very different kind of people now.

With Noah, who would you say that he would most identify with from the original series?

I’d say Noah has a little bit of Michael from the American version.

He’s got a little bit of Brian in him in certain respects. He does feel a little bit like all of the lead male characters, except for Peter Paige’s character, because he is a little more fun, and Noah’s getting there, but I feel like Noah’s a little more of the daddy of the group.

Even now when I see queer sex on screen, I’m still marveling at the fact that it exists. I definitely watched this and had a lot of appreciation for the fact that they didn’t shy away from the sex.

What was it like knowing that you were signing up for a show that would mean that sex was pivotal?

You see “nudity required” in the breakdown for the audition, and as an actor, I think it’s important for me to push myself and move out of my comfort zone, but I also think it’s important that we tell authentic queer stories, and queer people have sex in those stories, just like if we were to watch “Euphoria” or any other show on TV that has cis, heterosexual people.

It’s very sex-heavy, and we should be able, and have the space, to do the same. And also, doing it in person, and choreographing it, and filming it, it was very important for me, and Stephen Dunn, the creator, and all the directors we’ve worked with, to show queer sex in a way that felt authentic and real, even so much as, lube was a conversation. Would we have enough time for lube in this?

Would we use spit in this? And I am so grateful that we’re having this conversation, because there’s been times where I see queer sex onscreen, and I’m like, “Mm, OK. I don’t know if that’s how we get down, but...” It was really nice to have a collaborative situation when it came to that.

Yeah. I still don’t know how Jack and Ennis were able to do it with just spit in that tent.

[Laughs.] Yeah. I’m sure it was very dry in those mountains.

As you know, the whole show is centered on a Pulse-like shooting at Babylon. And for me, admittedly, it was really hard to watch, though I have a real understanding that it’s dealing with trauma and working through that. What did it feel like when you got to that part in the script?

I remember when I first read the pilot, I was shocked. I was like, “Oh my god, I did not know that this is where we are going.” And then,

the more I thought about it, the more I thought how for this story, and not only in a way that shows the important it was to show something like that. One, tragedy as it is, but also makes it about so much because I think there is a responsibility for us as queer more than the tragedy: makes it how queer people people to acknowledge the things that our community are incredibly resilient and come together in times of has been through, whether it be HIV/AIDS or all of strife, as we always have and always will. the [other] things our community has been victim to.

I think it’s important to present that as truth, and I Chris Azzopardi is the Editorial Director of Pride also think it’s super important that we show stuff like Source Media Group and Q Syndicate, the national that now because we are still undergoing a lot of fire LGBTQ+ wire service. He has interviewed a multitude from not only legislation, but bars getting broken into of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah and potentially burned down. We are under attack, Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in and I think it’s important that, while we celebrate a The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. lot of queer representation, we also take a moment to Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.Here’s understand where we still are in this time.

Johnny!

I really am grateful to the creators for creating space With ‘Queer as Folk’ and ‘Hacks,’ Johnny Sibilly keeps ascending to new career heights

By Chris Azzopardi working and to be doing this. I’m really grateful.

If you think you’ve heard the name Johnny Sibilly, you have. Or at the very least you’ve seen him, whether During the beginning of the pandemic, were you on FX’s groundbreaking trans-focused series “Pose,” afraid of work drying up? where the 34-year-old actor had a three-episode stint It’s funny. At the beginning of the pandemic, it was as Costas Perez, or on HBO’s “Hacks,” appearing like, “Ha, now the rest of the world knows what it feels alongside Jean Smart in one of last year’s best new like to be an actor or an artist, where your job isn’t shows. That series is currently in its second season guaranteed.” And then, after a while, it was like, “Oh, (and still just as deliciously queer). wait. OK. What’s going on?” But then, I remember I But the show guaranteed to give Sibilly’s profile a got the call for “Hacks,” the first season, and I was generous boost is his role on the reboot of “Queer as like, “Oh, yes. Yes, we’ll do this.” [I filmed] that in Folk,” where he plays Noah, a smoke-and-mirrors the height of the pandemic, and then “Queer as Folk” lawyer. Groundbreaking when it premiered in the U.K. when things were tapering down. But then, all the in 1999 and then in the U.S. in 2000, the show was one variants were another journey, but here we are. of the more authentic representations of LGBTQ+ life when it premiered, spotlighting important political and It sounds like the producers of “Hacks” just called cultural LGBTQ+ issues alongside frank depictions of you. Or Jean Smart personally called you. queer sex.

[Laughs.] She’s like, “I don’t know who you are, Peacock’s new “Queer as Folk” understands what the but I think you’d be great.” Yeah, no. “Hacks” was show was then and what, in 2022, it has to be now. So, interesting, because it wasn’t... I auditioned for it, but naturally, there’s sex. And lots of it. Orgies, toys, full- it was a Sunday night [when] I got a call asking for my view anal. Sex that looks real enough for it to appear availability, and they asked if I could put something on to be unsimulated. tape that night to film on Wednesday that week. And But this self-proclaimed “reimagining” also knows then, we got a call on Monday that said I got it. It was that being a queer person in our modern day means, pretty quick. “Queer as Folk,” not as much… in some ways, what it did in 2000: homophobia, fear and acts of anti-queer violence so horrific they hurt What was the process for “Queer as Folk”? your heart. The trailer doesn’t hide the fact that the For “Queer as Folk,” for me, the process in my head first episode is a hard, gutting and emotional watch: started when I found out that there was going to be a reminiscent of the Pulse nightclub tragedy in 2016, reboot made. Back in 2018... I always tell this story, there’s a shooting at Babylon, the local gay club. but I put out a tweet when I found out that they were Here, Sibilly talks about the importance of threading maybe doing a reboot, and I was like, “Who do you that hard-to-watch narrative into this reboot, the guys think they would cast in the reboot?” People said detailed conversations the “Folk” crew had about names like Billy Porter and a lot of the actors that are queer sex onset, and why he’ll continue to play queer known in the community. characters.

Flash-forward to the actual thing getting launched and the auditions happening, and I messaged my team, as How have you been doing? You’ve been really busy. I usually do when I see something that I really like.

Yeah. With the pandemic and everything, and being I was so busy, it’s been truly a blessing. I’m so happy to be

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I wanted to write a song that could make you cry and dance at the same time.”

MIKA comments, “A song to make the world, in all its harshness, feel better.

Something that will always be there to comfort you. I wrote this for you, as you listen in your room, or in a club: it doesn’t matter it’s just about you.”

Next up, he will co-host the world-renowned Eurovision Song Contest. During the Eurovision Finale on May 14, he’ll deliver what promises to be an unforgettable performance of his hits and his first performance of the new single “YO YO.” to an international audience expected to exceed 180 million people. Be sure to tune in!

MIKA recently concluded a sold out North American Tour, which culminated on two seismic turns at Coachella.

MIKA, known for his vibrant and multi-octave melodies and classically trained voice, uses music to unite a community, especially to connect with those who feel like they are outsiders. His body of work is inspired by personal experiences as coming of age and as a child, when music was his only source of hope. Last year, MIKA’s viral Grace Kellychallenge, which has nearly 40 million views on TikTok, perfectly reflects his magical ability to create space for people to share their truth, using the power of music to evoke empathy. MIKA brings himself to everything he does.

Born Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr. in 1983 as the third of five children, MIKA started vocal lessons at seven years old.

Learning to play piano and write songs while showing otherworldly vocal range, MIKA quickly became a young virtuoso. MIKA’s musical success began with the release of his hit single, “Grace Kelly.” The single was featured on his debut album, Life In Cartoon Motion, which went straight to #1 in the UK and 11 other countries, going on to sell over 8.3 million copies worldwide and racking up an impressive 2.8 billion streams.

Since his debut he has released 4 other full-length albums, selling millions of copies: The Boy Who Knew Too Much, The Origin of Love, No Place In Heaven. and My Name Is Michael Holbrook. In addition, MIKA has not only won a Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act, but he has also been nominated for Grammys, MTV Europe Music Awards, Capital Radio Awards and World Music Awards. Additionally, his RAI 2 primetime variety show “Stasera Casa Mika” won the prestigious Rose D’or Award for Best Entertainment Series in 2017.

Furthermore, he has been a coach on France’s The Voice and a judge on XFactor Italia for six years and has hosted his own BBC2 Radio show “The Art of Song.”

Following the devastating explosion in Beirut, Lebanon in 2020, MIKA decided to honour his Lebanese heritage by organizing an online charity concert in support of the victims of the blast. ‘I Love Beirut’ featured guest performances from around the world including Kylie Minogue, Rufus Wainwright, Salma Hayek, Mashrou Leila, Laura Pausini and Dana Paola.

The result was a truly breathtaking film with fans tuning in from a record-breaking 106 countries around the globe and raising a staggering total of over €1m for charity.

MIKA has also worked with world renowned composer and conductor Simon Leclerc to perform orchestral versions of his many hits in Montreal, Como and most recently 2 sold out shows in October 2021 at the Philharmonie de Paris in France.

After the strangest 18+ months in living memory, MIKA looks forward to being back on the stage in 2022. Through the attitude, energy and movement of MIKA’s studied pop performance he provokes this sense of magic. “It’s the sort of dangerous energy where anything is possible,” he says.

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227 10th St NE 893 Peachtree St NE 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

9 10 & Piedmont 991 Piedmont Ave NE 10 Campagnolo 980 Piedmont Ave NE 16 G’s Midtown 219 10th St NE 17 Henry’s 132 10th St NE 19 La Hacienda 900 Monroe Dr NE 20 Guac y Margys 502 Amsterdam Ave NE

6 My Sister’s Room66 12th St NE 7 X Midtown 990 Piedmont Ave NE

fitness

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1 FUTURE ATLANTA 50 Lower Alabama St. SW Suite 180

14 Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE 15 Flex Spa

76 4th St. NW

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26 Barking Leather 27 Southern Nights

1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd

28 Heretic 29 Tokyo Valentino

2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1739 Cheshire Bridge Rd

30 Gravitee Fitness

2201 Faulkner Rd NE

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1931 Piedmont Cir NE

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Midtown Moon 1492 Piedmont Ave NE Felix's 1510 Piedmont Ave NE The Hideaway 1544 Piedmont Ave NE Mixx 1492 Piedmont Ave NE Oscar's 1510 Piedmont Ave NE Mary's 1287 Glenwood Ave SE Sister Louisa’s Church 466 Edgewood Ave SE Lips Atlanta 3011 Buford Hwy NE 465 Boulevard SE The T Woof's 494 Plasters Ave NE

Retail

39 Boy Next Door 40 Barking Leather

Fitness

1447 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

41 Equilibrium Fitness 1529 Piedmont Ave, Suite L

Peach Scene @

Photos by Russ Bowen-Youngblood

MIDTOWN MOON BIG PEACH SOFTBALL WEEKEND

CARSON COWAN REALTOR® c. 404.998.9944 / o. 404.874.0300 / carson@carsoncowan.com / CarsonCowanRealEstate

Atlanta Fine Homes, LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated.

mikey

Peach 2pm-8 Scene @

nick 8pm-close

celebrating the service industry all day all night drink specials free pool

1544 PIEDMONT AVE, NE, ATLANTA, GA 30324 ANSLEY MALL BEHIND PUBLIX

ARIES: You are going to do the best that LIBRA: You are about to burnout from you can to bring to life the dreams that working too hard. You need to breathe you have been chasing your whole life, and allow yourself for some time off. If this week. You are finally going to take you dont then you are not going to want that step that you have been waiting all to come back to work tomorrow, let this time to get to. THRIVE QUEEN! alone the next day.

TAURUS: You love doing philanthropy work when you can, but sometimes you begin to get frustrated with the negative mindset that some of the people involved have. This week, try to focus on the good that you are bringing to the table instead of the negative.

GEMINI: You are keeping your eye on the prize this week, but that prize has NOTHING to do with your current trajectory. You are trying to veer off on another path and while that is a great idea, focus on what you need to complete currently first.

CANCER: Do you like traveling? Do you like having good friends? Do you like making memories? Do we have an idea for you! Get some friends together and start planning a friend trip somewhere.

It might be the best or worst idea ever, but right now it sounds fun.

LEO: You need to focus on making REALISTIC goals for yourself this week because last week you got upset that you couldn’t complete what you set yourself out to do. That is no-ones fault but your own and you need to realize that. Own it. Grandiose ideas are great too though!

VIRGO: You are upset this week with people around you who dont seem to be grounded in reality, but you need to realize that some people live in another world and that’s okay. Let them live their fantasy. Reality will hit them soon enough.

SCORPIO: You have some friends who are worried about your path in life and while you dont seem too concerned about it, you do think that their opinion is important so how can you approach the situation and talk to them without getting too flustered?

SAGITTARIUS: Home life can be a bitch.

Relationships can cause so much drama… but then again this week you need to look at your life through a magnifying glass and see what (if anything) you are projecting on your family and significant other. Maybe you’re the reason for the drama.

CAPRICORN: Unclear communication is the WORST thing that can happen in a work setting, relationship, friendship… everything. Why? Because you know that emotions can be high and cause others to be incredibly reactionary to what might have been said. Be clear in your intention this week.

AQUARIUS: You are partnering with someone on a project that they do not feel comfortable with. But because they see how intensely focused you are on the project they are nervous to say anything to you in fear that you will take it personally.

Be open to critiques.

PISCES: You are feeling very impulsive this week but that’s just because you are nervous. You have no idea how to navigate your impulsivity because you feel pressured to make a decision immediately. If you can tell people to chill while you make your choices, then you will regain control and ease some nerves along the way.

A snapshot of Gay Atlanta’s favorite destinations. View their ads in Peach ATL & visit their websites for weekly event listings.

SNAPS 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 fb.com/XMidtownX 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

MIDTOWN MOON 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

10TH & PIEDMONT 10thandpiedmont. com 991 Piedmont Ave NE G’S gsmidtown.com 219 10th St NE HENRY’S henrysatl.com 132 10th St NE LA HACIENDA lahaciendamidtown. com 900 Monroe Dr NE

FITNESS MIDTOWN URBAN BODY FITNESS urbanbodyfitness.com 500 Amsterdam Ave N CHESHIRE GRAVITEE FITNESS graviteeatl.com 2201 Faulkner Rd NE SPAS/BATHS ADULT FLEX SPA flexspas.com 76 4th St NW CHESHIRE

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 1447 Piedmont Ave NE GCB & PLEASURES brushstrokesatlanta. com 1510-D Piedmont Ave. NE

EMAIL JOSH@PEACHATL.COM FREE BUSINESS LISTING, THERE IS ROOM FOR YOU!

BARS & CLUBS

Peach Scene @

Photos by Russ Bowen-Youngblood

FELIX BIG PEACH SOFTBALL WEEKEND

Peach Scene @

June 1st - June 8th

Atlanta Global Running Day + Pride Month Kickoff | JUNE 1, 2022 AT 6:30 PM This year, Global Running Day and International Pride Run align on the same day allowing running celebrations, in the city that hosts world's largest 10k road race. Whether you identify LGBTQ+ or an ally, come join Front Runners Atlanta at Midtown Moon to run along Beltline in solidarity and support of LGBTQ+ community with Atlanta's primary LGBTQ+ running organization.

After run, there will be $10 all you can drink beer on the back patio, with all proceeds going to Atlanta Pride Run. Stick around for Birdcage Bingo at 8pm.

Event co-hosted by #IAMMIDTOWN, Front Runners Atlanta, Atlanta Pride Run.

DOLLY Night Heretic Country | June 2, 2022 AT 8 PM

June 2nd will be a special Country Dance Night! It’s Dolly Night, a Celebration of Dolly Parton and everything the Queen of Country is, from her genre-defining songs to her true spirit of kindness and giving back to the community! We’ll feature Dolly’s most iconic songs along with your favorite dance hit songs.

COSTUME CONTEST We'll have a “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That” costume contest! Come dressed in your best Dolly-themed outfit—Dolly song, Dolly movie, or even Dolly herself! Get creative! Best costumes will win fabulous prizes!

FREE DANCE LESSON Don’t know how to dance? No problem! We’ll be giving a free dance lesson at 8pm, and our dancers are always happy to show you the basics to get you out on the floor! It’s going to be a jolly Dolly time!

LGBT+ centered event.

21 and up only.

The Back Room w/ KIA (One Year Anniversary) | June 3, 2022 10 PM - 3 AM

The Back Room turns 1! Come celebrate in your favorite gear.

KIA, led by Brooklyn duo Donofrio and Gag Order blurs the lines of genre-specific sounds to deliver listeners a cauldron of influences with a heavy emphasis on queer and BIPOC artists.

Inspired by everything from the thunderous clamor of ballroom to the tumultuous drums that inhabit the spaces of underrepresented communities, KIA’s aim is to put visibility and representation in motion one function at a time.

Tajonyx In Concert @ Waterloo Sunset Records | JUNE 3, 2022 10 PM Join Tajonyx in his debut concert for a night of music, dance, inspiration, and love.

Pride Car Wash @ Midtown Moon | JUNE 4, 2022 AT 1 PM – 5 PM

Get your car wash and donate to a good cause on June 4 from 1-5pm at Midtown Moon. No donation is too big or small - all funds raised are returned back to the community.

Ho Sho Whored Immunity @ City Winery Atlanta | JUNE 4, 2022 AT 6:30 PM

Ho Sho Atlanta is Atlanta's ONLY live-singing, choreographed drag troupe in the city! Now in their seventh year, these "girls" are back in a new location but with their same old, questionable choices. Join us for this one-night show that is guaranteed to entertain or at least be hard to forget. The ho's have been vaxed, waxed and they're ready for snacks. All tips and a portion of ticket sales are donated directly to local charities — these "ladies" have raised over $30,000 to date! Ho Shos usually sell out, so get your tickets today! Meet the ho's and learn more at: HoShoAtlanta.com The recipient charities for Ho Sho: Whored Immunity will be PALS Atlanta and the Atlanta Bucks!

Doors: 6:30 PM (Come early for dinner) Show: 8:00 PM *** All indoor guests of City Winery will temporarily need to provide proof of vaccine and wear masks indoors when moving throughout public areas.

Gear Night @ The Hideaway | JUNE 8, 2022 AT 7 PM – 9 PM

Calling all Doms, Daddies, Sirs, Subs, Boys and Pups! (And everyone/thing in-between!) Join your fellow Atlanta Kinksters for a casual night of gear and good times at the Hideaway. We’ll be slinging a kinky cocktail special from 7pm to 9pm June 8th!

Hideaway and your hosts, David and Paul, invite you to brush off your best gear (keep it PG-69 y’all) and come out for a gear-themed happy hour! We’ll have a special Pride Month raffle at 8:45pm!

Earn an entry for every cocktail you order while in gear. ### We truly want to make this night something for the community, so if you have ideas on how we can improve or provide for our beloved kink community, please message David and Paul! (We have some great ideas in the works already!)

WANT YOUR EVENT HERE? EMAIL CHRIS@PEACHATL.COM

Dear Peach, There’s been a lot of talk about peoples coming out stories and lately I’ve been thinking a lot about mine. While my coming out story was incredibly easy and my family loves me, I can’t help but feel guilty sometimes that some of my friends and colleagues have not had the same experience. How can I sympathize with their experience while still feeling proud of my own?

There’s no need to feel guilty about having a great coming out story!

You’re one of the very fortunate ones that still has a relationship with their family and friends after they’ve come out of the closet. However, obviously as your friends can tell you not everybody has the same experience.

So when people are talking about their stories all you need to do is listen.

As a good friend you can listen and sympathize and that be more than enough. Often times those who have had terrible experiences with their families might not be on the verge of closure with their trauma. Be a good friend. Listen to their needs. Support them through this month and understand that everyone’s coming out story is completely different and that is OK.