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COMMENTARY

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The Standard Magazine

400 N Sunrise Way #263 Palm Springs CA 92262 760.831.4869

NINO EILETS Publisher

LUCIANO McNULTY Editor

MAYA KALABIC Art Director

PHOTOGRAPHER

David A. Lee

CONTRIBUTORS

Mona Elyafi, Ron Blake, Jamie Booth, Joshua Allende, Martha Tang, Ryan Turrin, Matt Blanco, Jacquelyn James, Trevor Garrison, Stacy Holmes, Greg Stillwell, Dann Foley, Jill Langham & Terri Schlichenmeyer www.thestandardps.com

EDITORIAL CREDITS : BrandPoint, Huffington Post, LGBTQ Nation, Project Publicity, MSN, Reuters, NBC News, Artsy, Forbes, Time.com, xtramagazine, ITV, & Psychology Today

The Standard Magazine is published monthly. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of the Standard or its staff, advertisers or readers with exception of editorials. Publication of the name or photograph of any person, business or organization in articles or advertising in the Standard is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person, business or organization. The Standard disclaims any responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Advertising rates are subject to change without notice. The Standard reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject any advertisement for any reason including, but not limited to poor taste. It is the policy of The Standard that we only publish letters to the editor that are signed by the author and verifiable by phone number. We can reserve the right of anonymity upon request. The letters need to be original, in good taste and free of libel as well as edited for clarity and grammar. Letters are subject to editing by The Standard that also reserves the right to decline print. Please forward your letters to: info@thestandardps.com The views expressed is not necessarily those of The Standard. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. No portion of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the expressed consent of the publisher.

COVER

THE STORY OF DAVID

DAVID HERNANDEZ GETS REAL IN THE REMAKE OF HIS FIRST-EVER SINGLE, “I AM”

BY JAMIE BOOTH

“So much of what I sang about in my first album still rings true today,” David Hernandez reflects from his home in Los Angeles. It’s been fifteen years since the singer-songwriter first emerged on the world’s stage in the seventh season of TV’s American Idol and was then scandalized for his work as a male stripper. “I’ve worked so hard to overcome the traumas of my childhood, and by the grace of God, I have managed to heal so much, but I would be lying if I said that some days weren’t still a struggle. I think I will always be discovering who I am until my dying day. There’s a beauty in that.”

This month, David Hernandez is out with a re-imagined version of the title track from his first EP. The single has been shortened to “I AM” and revamped for the modern era. It still tells the story of David’s turbulent past but also serves as a nod to all that he has been through since hitting the big time.

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Can you still relate with that young man who competed on American Idol?

David Hernandez: Oh yes. I’m still that same person in a lot of ways, but I was a baby then! I was naïve and had no idea what I was getting into and, rightfully so. I had never been on that major of a platform before. I mean, I had never been on any platform at that point.

You had to be all nerves competing on such a big show.

I remember driving to San Diego for the audition. I had just parted ways with my very first record label and I had also dropped out of college one year prior to graduating. On top of that, I felt the weight of taking care of my family. I should have been all nerves, but truthfully, I don’t recall feeling nervous or excited.

Has fame made life more or less complicated for you?

At first, it made life way more complicated. I remember TMZ following me around after the scandal of my being a stripper first came out. It was a crash course in how ruthless the media can be. I can’t really complain though because this is the career I chose. The alternative would be getting a regular job and never interested me. The real complicated part about fame is that people think that just because you’re famous, you’re rich. That isn’t the case for me.

Why did you decide to re-release a reimagined version of your first solo single?

I AM is really special to me, and I think its message is relatable to everyone. Trying to remain true to yourself through all the traumas that life throws your way can be really challenging. I originally rerecorded it just for fun. I didn’t plan on releasing it or shooting a music video for it. But after hearing the final version, I knew I had to.

Would you say the new version reflects who you are now?

Yes, it pulls away the veil on how it felt to always put up this public persona that everything was OK when in reality, throughout my years in Hollywood, there have been times where I’ve struggled with who I am and where I belong. I’ve made some mistakes and ran in the wrong crowd at times, which made me even more lost in a city full of fake people. But the road always leads back to that little boy with big hopes and dreams who believed in himself when no one else did.

It also reflects on your relationship with your mother. Absolutely. My mom was 17 when she gave birth to me. She was a baby raising a baby. Over the years I’ve come to understand the choices she made with the tools that she had. She went through a lot.

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I remember during a visitation weekend with my dad, when my mom was to drop me off, my stepmom confronted her with friends in the neighborhood and physically assaulted her in front of my sister and me. Seeing that as a child was really damaging.

That’s horrible!

It is. It was. I AM takes me back to my roots. It’s special. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without everything that I went through. The song is the story of me always trying to do the best that I can.

What did you learn about yourself in your thirties?

The end of a relationship isn’t the end of the world. Aging is hard enough for a gay man... is it even harder being a public person?

Everyone has something to say about the way you look. Is it hard?

Sure. But another thing I learned in my thirties is that people’s opinions don’t matter. The only opinion that matters is how you feel about yourself.

What is something you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love waking up on a Saturday and Sunday morning with iced coffee.

Is there anything you wish you could say to the David from fifteen years ago?

It’s ok to carry tenacity, audacity, discipline and drive, but don’t feel the need to white knuckle things. Don’t feel pressed for time. What the universe has for you, won’t miss you. Work hard to enjoy the short journey called life.

David Hernandez’s “I AM” is available on Apple Music, Spotify and all major streamers. Visit www.OfficialDavidHernandez. com. Follow David Hernandez on Instagram, Facebook and X @ DHernandezMusic

COVER LGBTQ+ ARTISTS WHO HAVE INFLUENCED MUSIC HISTORY

BY JOSHUA ALLENDE

The music industry has long been a platform for self-expression, creativity, and cultural movements. Within this diverse landscape, LGBTQ+ artists have played a significant role, using their artistry to challenge societal norms, break down barriers, and pave the way for greater acceptance and understanding.

When you look at musical trends, there usually is a queer artist at the forefront, even if many of them had to hide vital aspects of their sexual and/or gender identities. Throughout history, LGBTQ+ artists have faced numerous struggles, both personally and professionally. In eras where homosexuality was stigmatized and even criminalized, many artists were forced to hide their true identities for fear of rejection, discrimination, or even persecution. This secrecy often led to a sense of isolation and a constant battle between self-expression and societal expectations.

We currently live in a time in which queerness is far more present in the cultural consciousness (with still quite a long way to go), the queerness of numerous artists throughout history has often been harder to substantiate definitively.

However, despite these challenges, LGBTQ+ artists have persevered and triumphed, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry. Their courage to embrace their true selves and share their unique stories has not only empowered others within the LGBTQ+ community but has also served as a catalyst for change and progress.

Here is just a sampling of these musical innovators and our hats off to the so many not mentioned in this abbreviated piece.

PIOTYR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)

Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, The 1812 Overture (that one with the cannons)—these are widely known about Tchaikovsky, one of the foremost composers of the Romantic Period. What is lesser known, in part due to efforts to downplay or censor this aspect of his life, is that Tchaikovsky was gay—something historians and biographers have traced in the Russian composer’s own diaries and letters.

MA RAINEY

(1886–1939)

Widely referred to as the “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey was a radical and dynamic voice at the forefront of blues music as it moved through vaudeville and Southern traditions and went on to influence musicians from Louis Armstrong to Janis Joplin, among countless others. With a bold voice came a bold lifestyle that found Rainey unafraid to sing about her same-sex attraction, as she did in the song “Prove It on Me Blues,” which contains lyrics such as, “Went out last night with a crowd of my friends. They must’ve been women, ‘cause I don’t like no men.”

GARY BURTON (1943–PRESENT)

Beyond being a jazz innovator for over seven decades, Gary Burton ‘62 is one of the most accomplished vibraphonists in the history of his instrument. A leading pioneer of fusion jazz, he also developed what is now called the Burton grip—a method for vibraphone that uses four mallets instead of the standard two. Burton came out publicly in a 1994 Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross, nearly three decades into a career in a genre historically dominated by straight men. A beloved educator, Burton attended Berklee as a student in the early ‘60s, and returned as a faculty member in 1974, teaching for over 30 years.

PAULINE OLIVEROS (1932–2016)

As one of the few women—let alone queer people—to gain notoriety in the post-WWII experimental composition world (think Phillip Glass, Terry Riley, and John Cage), Pauline Oliveros defied categories to make music that encouraged meditative awareness, or what she called “deep listening.” Blending minimalism, improvisation, and electronics, her music created a space where meditation, physical movement, and social activism could intersect. As an example, “Grains,” from her 1988 album Roots of the Moment, uses accordion and subtle electronic elements to create a spontaneous composition that emerges from, and hopefully encourages in her audience, that state of deep listening.

WENDY CARLOS (1939–PRESENT)

Serving as a sonic bridge between musical worlds, Wendy Carlos helped popularize the use of synthesizers with the release of Switched-On Bach, an album of Bach compositions played on

a Moog. The album sold millions of copies, earned three Grammys (making her the first transgender person to receive the award), and led to a rich career that included film scores for The Shining and Tron. Italian composer Giorgio Moroder cited Carlos as a major influence—an achievement that can’t be overstated, given that Moroder’s synth work would give birth to disco, which set the groundwork for house music, techno, and EDM.

FREDDIE MERCURY (1946–1991)

Few icons of rock ’n’ roll loom larger than Queen’s front person and vocal powerhouse, Freddie Mercury. Like his four-octave vocal range, his whole persona felt out of this world, and his theatrical clothing style defied and expanded the tropes of the masculine rock star. Rightfully seen as a queer legend in the classic rock genre, Mercury’s life was cut tragically short in 1992 after a battle with HIV/AIDS.

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ROB HALFORD (1951–PRESENT)

What Freddie Mercury did for classic rock, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford did for heavy metal (Halford even cites Mercury as a major influence). With his signature shaved head and biker leather outfits, Halford came to define the visual signifiers of the early metal scene. And while Halford did not come out as gay until 1994, there’s a wonderful irony in how his use of leather—which emerged primarily from gay clubs and the erotic art of Tom of Finland— became synonymous with a hard rock culture largely dominated by straight men performing a kind of self-conscious hypermasculinity.

FRANKIE KNUCKLES (1955–2014)

Despite being regarded as the “Godfather of House Music” by those who came out of the Chicago house music scene that began in gay dance clubs in the 1970s, mainstream awareness of DJ and remix artist Frankie Knuckles is often lacking. After the disco backlash, Knuckles was a key figure in revitalizing dance music for a wider audience for decades to come, with artists such as Whitney Houston, Kylie Minogue, and Lady Gaga making names for themselves within the aesthetic he helped create. The song “Your Love,” for example, could easily be mistaken for a song by Daft Punk, even though it came out over a decade before the French duo’s debut.

MIKEQ (1986–PRESENT)

To properly unpack the music and dance contributions of the ballroom scene, which originated in Black drag queen culture stretching as far back as the 1880s, we’d need a lot more than one playlist. For a quick primer, you needn’t look further than the sonic lineage of the song “Ha Dub Rewerk’d” by DJ MikeQ, founder of the label Qween Beat and fierce proponent of ballroom culture. The song updates “Allure Ha” by Vjuan Allure, which is itself a remix from 1999 of the original song “Ha Dance” by Masters at Work (and to make it more convoluted, “Ha Dance” is built off a sample from the

problematic 1983 comedy Trading Places). The song’s evolution is an apt metaphor for ballroom’s legacy and continued evolution.

ST. VINCENT

(1982–PRESENT)

In the past, Berklee alum Annie Clark ’04 (who performs as St. Vincent) has expressed discomfort with describing herself as “gay,” instead favoring gender and sexual fluidity, and seeing identity as a spectrum to be experimented with. Fluidity and experimentation are apt descriptors for the indie rock guitar virtuoso, who appears equally at home making dense experimental rock and as arenathumping pop—the latter of which you can hear in “Los Ageless.” She’s also collaborated with a range of artists, whether providing harmonies for indie folk artist Sufjan Stevens, cowriting an album with Talking Heads singer David Byrne, or writing for Taylor Swift.

BIG FREEDIA (1978–PRESENT)

Like the story and impact of ballroom culture, bounce music and twerking, one of its signature dance moves, has a long history whose queer and Black roots have often been overlooked in mainstream culture. Bounce originated in New Orleans, combining elements of house music, hip-hop, and the call-and-response of Mardi Gras traditions, with queer and nonbinary artists such as Katey Red and Big Freedia at the genre’s forefront. While the scene had a cult following in the underground for years, its roots are now more widely understood thanks to Big Freedia’s tireless advocacy for the genre’s contextualization, even as artists such as Beyoncé have interpolated elements of bounce into their music.

ICE SPICE (2000–PRESENT)

The youngest artist here, Bronx-based Ice Spice is a bold new voice in the drill style of hip-hop, with Billboard saying that “she falls somewhere between rising rap star and culture-shifting sensation.” In a stark contrast from where we started on this playlist, Ice Spice

LIFE HAPPENS. And not always at the most convenient time. Conditions like these may not warrant a trip to the emergency room, but they do require immediate medical attention. That’s where Eisenhower Urgent Care comes in. With locations in Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and La Quinta, we provide expert care on a walk-in basis. Besides treating a host of ailments and injuries, we also offer school and sports physicals. As hospital-based clinics, we provide on-site laboratory capabilities and radiology services that enable our board certified physicians to diagnose and treat most conditions right away. Not sure whether to visit our Emergency Department or Urgent Care? Download our handy fact sheet at EisenhowerHealth.org/UrgentTips.

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was not only able to come out publicly as queer but has been free to be open about the process of figuring out her identity (in 2021, two years before coming out, she tweeted, “What’s it called when you’re attracted to masculinity in women and femininity in men”).

SYLVESTER (1947-1988)

While the “Queen of Disco” is a title most bestowed upon Donna Summer, it also applies to Sylvester, who was a fixture of the disco scene and an icon of the gay liberation movement that spawned out of San Francisco. After brief stints with the Disquotays and the Cockettes, Sylvester first emerged as a solo artist after Jann Wenner offered the singer to record a demo album in the early1970s. He later found commercial success – both in the States and abroad – with the release of his second solo album, 1978’s Step II, which features the now-iconic dance tracks, “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” – a song that is ubiquitous with pride and any film

about the Seventies – and “Dance (Disco Heat).” The album proved his superior falsetto rivaled many of disco’s black divas and that he could do androgyny better than David Bowie. When his success waned a few years later, his backup singers left him to form the Weather Girls (yes, of “It’s Raining Men”).

CHAVELA VARGAS (1919-2012)

Born Isabel Vargas Lizano, Chavela Vargas left her hometown in Costa Rica at 17 to become a cigar-smoking, gun-toting ranchera singer in 1930s Mexico City. She would remain there for the rest of her 93 years, pushing the bounds of Mexican social mores around music, gender and sexuality. Whereas ranchera music was typically the domain of heterosexual men and their drunken declarations of heartbreak, Vargas notoriously refused to swap pronouns in her songs, aiming her throaty bellows towards women who scorned her all the same. There continues to be speculation that she once had

a dalliance with bisexual Mexican painter Frida Kahlo; an iconic photo, taken in the 1940s, captures the two mid-giggles as they snuggle in the grass.

CLIVE DAVIS (1932-PRESENT)

Clive Davis’ name is a synonym for the ultimate record man. In terms of success, influence, longevity, and the artists and executives he has mentored, he has no peer and probably never will. He played a key role in the careers of Simon & Garfunkel, Sly & The Family Stone, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand and Andy Williams

Under Davis’ leadership at Arista records they launched the careers of Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, Patti Smith, Kenny G, Sarah McLachlan, Monica and Dido. The label also attracted such important artists as Aretha Franklin, The Grateful Dead, The Kinks, Lou Reed, Eurythmics, Dionne Warwick, Daryl Hall & John Oates, and Carly Simon. In addition, he was instrumental in the discovery of a stellar lineup of country western stars led by Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Diamond Rio, Pam Tillis and Brad Paisley.

Davis donning his humanitarian hat, he began his tireless efforts in the battle against AIDS in 1985. One of the foremost leaders in the battle against the disease, Clive Davis has spearheaded the donation of millions of dollars to AIDS charities over the past 15 years. In early 1990, it was Davis who stepped in to save the faltering “Rock In A Hard Place” AIDS benefit show. With the resources of 15 years of star Arista talent, Davis decided to turn the company’s 15th anniversary concert into a benefit. Featuring a stellar lineup of stars from the worlds of music, television and film, “That’s What Friends Are For: Arista’s 15th Anniversary Concert Benefit” took place in March of 1990 at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. The event raised another $2 million to fight AIDS.

Thanks to Berklee.edu for contributing to this article

because where you matterswork

INDESIGN TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE LIVING WITH CURIOSITY AND CREATIVITY

BY DANN FOLEY

Over the years I have enjoyed sharing with you my thoughts and experiences with travel and how it inspires me in my work and in my life. Exploration through travel, be it near or far, both fuels and quenches that feeling of yearning. But, what do we do with those memories, those experiences, those life changing moments?

We travel to learn and the byproduct of that experience is understanding, an understanding of the world around us and ourselves.

One cannot help but be permanently altered, when putting oneself in a position to experience life in a different way from the norm.

Let’s bring that idea home. Let’s make it more personal. I have shared my thoughts and ideas for using those mementos of your travel in your home. I have offered many tips and tricks for displaying and sharing the things and places that have enriched your life by voyaging out. What does it really mean to live a life well-traveled? For starters,

it does not have to mean a great deal of money. As I mentioned earlier, it is not about how far you can physically travel but, how far you can allow yourself and your curious, creative mind can wander.

We all have access to travel channels, blogs, books, videos. For me, the first step in decided on my next adventure is research. Working with clients to help them discover themselves through their choices and how they live, is the same approach I take with myself. There has never been an easier time to explore and understand different ideas, styles and cultures, than right now.

Though it can often times be daunting and even a little bit scary to realize just how different each corner of the world can be, it should also ignite your curiosity to find the similarities in our communal experience and understand what unites us. It is through the cross sections and intersections that we find the commonalities in humanity. This is that moment when I, as a creative person, find my bliss and help others to find theirs.

The focus for me is not about constantly looking for the diametric opposite of who and what I am but, those places when I may find a totally new style in the mix. Traveling through other countries where the old, if not ancient worlds are blended with the modern brings me both a sense of loss and beauty. The cultures and languages may vary but, the sense of creativity, attraction and charm are undeniable.

My own experience with the allure of travel started very early in my life. I like to joke that I come from a family of nomads. Both my parents and grandparents were great travelers and explorers. I learned from a young age how travel can enhance my life. I watched as their own experiences changed their perspectives and our homes. I saw how the smallest of details can tell a story and how the bigger

picture shaped both my wonder and my own desire to travel. It is in those details, the bits and pieces, that inspires personalized and meaningful design.

At the end of the day, it is the story you tell of who you are, that matters. Getting caught up in the latest trend is a losing game. Your home should not be about playing catchup with what the retail world tells you, you should have to be fashionable. Decorating themes are for parties, not your home. Be original, be bold, dare to tell people who you are.

For me, the very best design is timeless. That does not mean being stuck in the past, it means to be confident enough to make decisions that make only you happy. Those are the lasting choices. Times and trends come and go but, you are an original, remember that. I ask you to believe me when I say, you do not need the approval of others to judge whether or not you are stylish. What matters is how you feel about your spaces and your home. It is not always easy to let go of what other people might think. The reward is in the knowing and contentment you achieve from living a life that is truly authentic and personal. Others will be drawn to you for your ability to express yourself in your own unique way. Their admiration will be derived from your honesty and openness and it will be inspirational to all.

As always, I wish you heath, happiness and comfort in your homes.

Live Well!

Designer Dann www.foleystinnette.com designerdann: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest & Houzz

FEATURE GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING ARTIST

ESTELLE RELEASES NEW “AMERICAN BOY (NASHUP REMIX)”

BY MARTHA TANG

Estelle, the international Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and host of her eponymous show on Apple Music, unveiled the “American Boy (Nashup Remix),” now available on all music streaming platforms. Distributed by Round Hill Records, the NASHUP Remix commemorates 16 years of the original song’s charttopping success.

Written by Estelle, Caleb Speir, Ethan Hendrickson, John Legend, Josh Lopez, Kanye West, Keith Harris and will.i.am, and produced by the latter, “American Boy,” now certified 5x Platinum, was the lead single from Estelle’s second studio album Shine (2008). The accompanying visual, directed by Syndrome, features guest appearances by John Legend, Kardinal Offishall, Taz Arnold of SaRa, Danger Mouse, Hi-Tek, Ryan Leslie, and Terrence J and more. Distributed by Atlantic Records on March 31,2008, the song peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and secured Estelle two GRAMMY nominations and a GRAMMY win at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

For the first time since 2008, Round Hill Records proudly presents a vinyl release of Estelle’s classic sophomore album Shine in a gatefold package. This edition will be the first to feature the new NASHUP Remix. Shine will be available on orange and black

color-in-color vinyl at Amazon and indie retailers, with an exclusive opaque red version offered at Urban Outfitters. To pre-order, please visit HERE.

Over the years, “American Boy” has continued to thrive, with various covers dedicated to Fortnite and Leeds United Football Club associating the song with their star American player. The track has also inspired social media challenges and television syncs, cementing its place as a cultural staple.

Estelle’s climactic rise from local West London MC to GRAMMY Award-winning international artist is a story of legend. As a recording artist Estelle has released 5 solo albums and countless features and collaborations that have crossed multiple genres and generations of artists. On the heels of her acclaimed 2004 debut The 18th Day, Estelle soared to international prominence on 2008’s Shine. The lead single, “American Boy” featuring Kanye West, won a 2009 GRAMMY® in the category of “Best Rap Sung Collaboration”.

Estelle has reunited with Keith Harris for her sixth studio album, which is anticipated to be released later this year.

https://youtu.be/t2qzErxVNss?feature=shared

KATE HUDSON RELEASES GLORIOUS

Having spent the last glorious year preparing, Kate Hudson could only call her dozen song debut one thing: Glorious. From the commitment to writing songs to the exploration of what could be in the studio to the final mixes, what now seems an inevitable reality arrives today.

“I’d say it doesn’t seem real,” says the Academy Award nominated Hudson. “But the truth is: this is realer to me than anything I’ve done in my entire life. It was always this, I just needed to get to a place where I was ready... and the songs got to the core of who I am.”

With the swirling track “Talk About Love,” and its recent Party Pupils remix, and the acoustic “Live Forever” teasing Glorious, BBC Radio 2 premiered the guitars-forward “Gonna Find Out” The slinky track about seeking erotic connection is available on all platforms immediately while Glorious is available now.

Beyond the insider’s music trade, look for major profiles on CBS’ Sunday Morning, NBC’s The Tonight Show and NBC’s Today. As she says, “When it comes to talking about where this album comes from, the years I’ve spent quietly making music and living inside the songs, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop talking about it. I’m just thrilled so many smart people want to talk to me about Glorious – and the process of making my first record.”

Independently recorded and realized, Hudson worked with Fujikawa, Carlsson and Perry to create a sound that manages to be both fresh and somehow familiar. Her deep love of music has been a driver in her life since childhood, which meant setting a very high bar for both execution and creating a project that reflects the woman she’s become.

“I wanted something that was sexy and delicious, vulnerable and strong, willing and fearless – and especially gloriously in love with the way life takes you on this journey if you’ll just show up and be open. I wanted songs that could reach across all that, and that is a lot to cover.”

Distributed by groundbreaking Virgin Music, over the year home to iconoclasts and shape shifters including Lenny Kravitz, , Florence + the Machine, Iggy Pop, Janet Jackson and the Rolling Stones, Glorious will be celebrated with a ticketed show at Los Angeles’ Bellwether, the 1500 capacity independent tastemaker room. Ticket information. For Kate Hudson – songwriter, singer, doyenne, diva –this is a moment that’s a lifetime in the making. But it’s also her raison d’etre, long before anyone knew that she wrote, sang or delivered live with a band. A woman who understands the drama and nuance of eroticism, the quest for love and the need for human bonding, Glorious opens a dimension into how we face life and creates the kinds of songs that you can sing, dance or listen to after a long day when you just want someone to understand.

FEATURE SHYGIRL RETURNS TO ANNOUNCE A NEW EP CLUB SHY RMX

Following the announcement of her support slot on the SWEAT arena world tour with Troye Sivan and Charli XCX set for this fall, Shygirl returns to announce a new EP Club Shy RMX, which features remixes of her acclaimed 2024 EP Club Shy, due June 7th via Because Music. Alongside the announcement, she shares the first taste of the project with a brand-new track “encore” feat. Danny L Harle. The EP is set to include remixes from prolific DJs such as VTSS, Logic1000, X-Coast, and Fedde Le Grand, among others.

Shygirl is also heading out on her Club Shy tour through New York, Chicago and San Francisco before performing at a string of European festivals over the summer. Starting September 14th, Shygirl will be joining Charli XCX and Troye Sivan on their North American SWEAT Arena tour where fans will see them play Madison Square Garden in

New York, United Center in Chicago, the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, the Kia Forum in Los Angeles and more. You can find more info HERE and full tour routing below. In November & December Shygirl will also rejoin Charli for her Brat 2024 UK arena tour.

Released this past February, her Club Shy EP is an expansion of the artist’s signature club atmosphere. The project includes “tell me,” “thicc,” and “f@k€” as well as focus single “mr. useless (ft. SG Lewis),” a mesmerizing dance track that highlights Shygirl’s clear vocals. Produced alongside Kingdom, Boys Noize, Karma Kid, Sega Bodega, and the aforementioned SG Lewis, Club Shy sees a new side to Shygirl as she leans into her deep-rooted affinity for club and electronic music while keeping true to her sultry persona.

MULTI-HYPHENATE ARTIST OUR LADY J’s NEW CLASSICAL MUSIC SINGLE “FUTURE OF US”

BY RYAN TURRIN

Writer, producer, composer and performer Our Lady J releases “Future Of Us,” the artist’s first major music release in a decade, when she put her musical career on hold to focus on television and filmmaking. Featuring sweeping, classical orchestrations and supporting vocals by members of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, the composition is a meditation on the aftermath of societal chaos, and the responsibility artists have to steer us back towards creation. Our Lady J says, “The song paints a portrait of a world worn from mounting anxieties, building towards a revelation that calls for a return to LOVE.”

The recording of the song, written and performed by Our Lady J, was inspired by the artist’s personal journey of healing from the isolation of the pandemic, after which, she attended dozens of symphonic concerts to find community with other creatives and likeminded artists. In this period of inspiration, Lady J notes that “concertgoing reconnected me with my roots as a collaborative musician and chamber pianist. I resumed my formal studies in classical piano at the Colburn School in downtown Los Angeles, and I fell back in love with the healing power of classical music.”

“Future Of Us” marks Our Lady J’s official return to music after the release of her 2013 debut album Picture of a Man, praised by Out Magazine for its “deeply felt vocals and highly trained expertise.” The singer took a temporary break from the medium to embark on a successful career in television where her credits include being a writer and producer on FX’s Pose and Amazon Studios’ Transparent.

While “Future Of Us” is a classically inspired piece, Our Lady J is also releasing more music this summer that is more traditional singer-songwriter material. Her upcoming single “Little Queen,” out this June in time for Pride month celebrations, is dedicated to all her trans and queer siblings in the LGBTQ+ community.

Our Lady J is an Emmy-nominated writer and producer, bestknown for her writing on Pose, Transparent and American Horror Story. Before Lady J’s career in television, she toured the world performing as a singer/songwriter, as well as a collaborative pianist and musical director for pop, theater, and classical music. She has received two Peabody Awards, three American Film Institute awards, three Writers Guild Award nominations and two NAACP Image Award nominations. As a producer, her shows have garnered a combined total of 48 Emmy nominations, 13 Golden Globe nominations, 20 Critics’ Choice nominations, among others. She is currently writing and co-executive producing on the upcoming Netflix series, The Boroughs, executive produced by the Duffer Brothers.

Follow Our Lady J:

BOOK REVIEW

ALWAYS OVERBOOKED

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

This and that.

It’s how a pleasant conversation is fed, with give and take, back and forth, wandering casually and naturally, a bit of one subject easing into the next with no preamble. It’s communication you can enjoy, like what you’ll find inside “Mean Boys” by Geoffrey Mak.

Sometimes, a conversation ends up exactly where it started. Take, for instance, Shakespeare’s King Lear, which leads Mak to think about his life and his inability to “cull the appropriate narratives out of nonsense...” Part of that problem, he says, was that his living arrangements weren’t consistent. He sometimes “never really knew where I was living,” whether it was Berlin or California, in a studio or high-end accommodations. The parties, the jokes, the internet consumption were as varied as the homes and sometimes, “it didn’t really matter.” Sometimes, you must accept things and just “move on.”

When he was twelve years old, Mak’s father left his corporate job, saying that he was “called by God” to become a minister. It created a lot of resentment for Mak, for the lack of respect his father got, and because his parents were “passionately anti-gay…” He moved as far away from home as he could, and he blocked all communication with his parents for years, until he realized that “By hating my father, I ended up hating myself, too...”

And then there was club life which, in Mak’s descriptions, doesn’t sound much different in Berghain (Germany) as it is in New York. He says he “threw myself into night life,” in New York Houses, in places that gave “a skinny Chinese kid from the suburbs... rules I still live by,” on random dance floors, and in Pornceptual. Eventually this, drugs, work, politics, pandemic, basically everything and life in general led to a mental crisis, and Mak sought help.

“I don’t know why I’m telling you all this,” Mak says at one point. “Sometimes life was bad, and sometimes it wasn’t, and sometimes it just was.”

Though there are times when this book feels like having a heartto-heart with an interesting new acquaintance, “Mean Boys” can make you squirm. For sure, it’s not a beachy-read or something you’ll breeze through in a weekend.

No, author Geoffrey Mak jumps from one random topic to another with enough frequency to make you pay super-close to attention to his words, lest you miss something. That won’t leave you whiplashed; instead, you’re pulled into the often-dissipated melee

just enough to feel almost involved with it – but with a distinct sense that you’re being held at arms’ length, too. That some stories have no definitive timeline or geographical stamp – making it hard to find solid ground – also adds to the slight loss of equilibrium here, like walking on slippery river rock.

Surprisingly, that’s not entirely unpleasant but readers will want to know that the ending in “Mean Boys” could leave their heads swirling with a dozen thoughts on life, belonging, and death. If you like depth in your memoirs, you’ll like that... and this.

“Mean Boys: A Personal History” by Geoffrey Mak c.2024, Bloomsbury $28.99 267 pages

FEATURE NEURONITE, A MINI MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR THE NEURODIVERGENT AND DISABLED COMMUNITY

BY MONA ELYAFI

Alexander Millar (artist name Vattica) is producing Los Angeles’ first ever mini festival designed around the needs of the Neurodivergent and D/disabled communities, called Neuronite, in partnership with CA Creative Corps on Friday July 26th, 2024, at the cutting-edge Media Pollution warehouse space in Los Angeles, CA.

As a queer nonbinary neurodivergent person with lifelong OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) that experienced a near-disabling resurgence in their symptoms once the pandemic began, Alex believes that their intersecting identities help them to be uniquely positioned to serve the neurodivergent, queer, and nonbinary communities.

“I was inspired to assemble Neuronite because every single show or concert I’ve ever played or attended solely catered to the needs of neurotypical folks” says Alex.

“This event seeks to provide a place where neurodivergent folx are prioritized and celebrated, both on and off stage. Neuronite is specifically designed to serve two functions; the showcasing of new

artistic works by Humxns who share the often intersectional identities of neurodivergent, queer, nonbinary, and/or D/disabled that are so often underrepresented and unheard from in mainstream events due to a lack of access, means and opportunity, and the creation of a live show environment that is built around and prioritizes the comfort and needs of the neurodivergent community, rather than making us all an afterthought at best, or an inconvenience at worst.”

Neuronite also offers neurodivergent folx everywhere the opportunity to process, heal and express themselves creatively while fostering community engagement, support, and mental health awareness via a livestream of the entire event for those who are unable to attend in person and/or located elsewhere in the world.

The one-of-a-kind event will feature headlining performances by Vattica, Élishia Sharie and Frankie Simone, and includes merchants and food vendors, in a space designed by the Neuronite team prioritizing COVID safety, overstimulation, and community care.

Neuronite is a non-traditional festival that is defying conventional concert conventions with a strong message of inclusion, celebration and radical reimagining. By assembling a neuro-inclusive music festival, Mx. Millar and the Neuronite team are rallying music fans, influencers, tastemakers and industry executives around the neurodivergent and D/disabled communities; partnering the CA Creative Corps, generously supported by the California Arts Council and administered by Community Partners.

Free Tickets Link: https://vattica.bcns.ai/neuronitetickets https://www.neuronite.org/

MORE ABOUT THE HEADLINERS

Vattica: An award-winning independent queerternative rock project from Los Angeles with over 13M streams/views/likes fronted by singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Alexander

Millar (they/them), a queer nonbinary neurodivergent artist-agitator. https://vattica.bio

Élishia Sharie: The Neo Alternative Rock artist hailing from Los Angeles, CA, is a magnetic and electric force in the music scene. Her music embarks on a mesmerizing voyage across the dimensions of time and emotion, gracefully fusing the elements of classic 80’s rock, the edgy spirit of 90’s alternative, and the unfiltered vigor of punk rock, creating a harmonious blend of sounds that defy generational boundaries. Contrasting this sonic energy is her unapologetically soulful vocal, channeling the spirits of legends like Tina Turner and Betty Davis, making her artistry distinct and unforgettable. https://elishiasharie.com/

Frankie Simone: A queer trans afro indigenous polyamorous neurospicy artist, musician, and content creator. https://www.frankiesimonemusic.com/

NYE HIGHLIGHTS DAP HEALTH

A PROUD HISTORY HIDES IN THE INITIALS LGBTQ+

BY DANIEL VAILLANCOURT

As most of the nation gathers to celebrate Pride this June, we must remember that an acronym is often more than the sum of its letters.

Take the well-known LGBT, and longer variants such as LGBTQQIAAP. Those latter letters represent our entire community: lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people, and those identifying as queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, allies, and pansexual. But did you notice the letter with which both abbreviations start? That L represents as much history as controversy in the gay rights movement.

About 70 years ago, people sexually and emotionally attracted to the same gender were called homosexuals. That word didn’t age well. In the 1950s and 1960s, people began referring to homosexuals as homophiles. That was less than ideal as well.

In the 1970s, the word gay became embraced by the men formerly known as homosexuals. As the gay rights movement grew, lesbians wanted to create their own identity. Unfortunately, during this turbulent time, animosity began to grow between the queer sexes, which were simply in different camps. The women felt gay

men were sexist and behaved the way all men did at the time, which was to marginalize them. There was even a subgroup of lesbians who wanted to separate and have nothing to do with gay men, aligning themselves more with straight women around feminist issues.

As the gay rights movement expanded during the late 1970s, the acronym gays and lesbians began to use was GLBT. It started with a G, which only underscored how some lesbians felt some men felt about their place within the larger, diverse community. Many women active in gay rights knew it was time to address the issue, and people started to become more aware of the role lesbians played in the movement. LGBT was born.

Moving an L in front of a G may seem trivial to many, but the significance of the change was seismic, meant to honor the women who also were an important part of our battle.

Then, in the 1980s, the AIDS crisis came along and changed everything again. As the Reagan Revolution swept across the nation, and the Material Girl told us she felt like a virgin before assuring

us she’d keep her baby, thousands of gay men contracted HIV and died of AIDS. It was an exploding, unstoppable epidemic whose barbarity is hard to forget more than 40 years later.

As we learned that girls just wanna have fun while video killed the radio star, MTV landed on the moon and shaped a generation. Steven Spielberg introduced us to E.T., ALF hid out in the San Fernando Valley, Betamax lost to VHS, and the United States boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics. Four years later, the Soviet Union followed suit, Pac-Man took the country by storm, and everyone tried to solve a tiny cube’s tough puzzle. Freddie Mercury stole the show at Wembley Stadium in 1985 during Live Aid. Two years later, he tested positive for AIDS, succumbing four years after that.

That was the 1980s, and it felt like no one in America cared about those whose lives were profoundly impacted by HIV/AIDS. Many of the sick didn’t have children or were estranged from their families of origin. So many were dying alone. That’s when lesbians

stepped up and became primary caregivers. “That was a huge shift in terms of the community coming together and healing around the riffs between the men and the women,” says DAP Health Clinical Supervisor of the Behavioral Health Internship Program Dr. Jill Gover.

Because of the compassion and humanity lesbians showed gay men, much of the separatism of the 1970s had vanished by the late 1980s, and the queer community began to forge its future as one rainbow seriously proud of its multitude of colors.

That rainbow is large and complex, with many groups, subcultures, organizations, and histories contained within it. Today, people use myriad acronyms to identify it. But it should be noted that each one starts with an L. The placement of that letter is far from frivolous. It’s a profound recognition that lesbians are not second-class members of our community. It’s an acknowledgment that, in many ways, they kept all of us sane, safe, and together during our darkest days.

As seen at daphealth.org

MUST SEE GRINDR TO A HALT

BY MATT BLANCO

Hilarious new series explores trying to find Mr. Right, Danny Will Die Alone dives deep into the hellscape of being a single gay man in his forties trying to find love via the hookup apps. Loosely based on Jack Tracy’s own dating life in New York City and his “Dying Alone Together” podcast, the series depicts Tracy as Danny: a man on a mission. Recently single after a devastating breakup and freshly entering a mid-life crisis, Danny finds the dating scene markedly different from the last time he was on the market. Emotional unavailability, fear of commitment and hypersexuality abound and Danny is forced to navigate his way through unhinged flakes, fakes, and bots, all while remaining blissfully unaware of his own multitude of flaws.

In addition to its jaw-droppingly vulgar humor, the series presents a critical look at modern dating and its shifting relationship styles. It explores how gay men use the apps, treat one another, and the differences in their behavior when interacting virtually and in-person. “On the apps, you’re never quite sure if the man you are speaking with is looking for something real or if he simply enjoys the chase,” Tracy explains.

“It’s as if long term relationships and traditional dating structures have been abandoned by men in their 20s and 30s,” he continues. “Once you get into the 40s, it’s a whole other macrocosm of messiness;

JACK TRACY PHOTO BY SEEHEE KIM

mostly married couples who have opened their relationships and are looking for a temporary third to complete their throuple.”

Jack Tracy explains more from his NYC home.

Is Danny will Die Alone the gay man’s Sex and the City?

Jack Tracy: Not quite. There’s certainly a fair amount of sex but Danny’s dating life is wildly depressing. I’m not sure any of the SATC girls were as unhinged as Danny is.

Isn’t it ironic that the apps that were supposed to make it easier for gay men to connect with each other have actually driven us further apart? What went wrong?

JT: I think it depends how you use them. If you get off the app and meet in person fast, it can work well. But in person chemistry is critical and you’re a step removed from that on the apps, so you’re going to get a lot more misses. Plus, the apps open up the dating world to more people with casual interest who would never approach in person so you’ll get more time wasters. I can’t stand the “still figuring it out” ones. Girl, go figure it out and come back when you have.

What inspired you to create a series about being single in NYC?

JT: My dating life is so wildly unsatisfying that I was determined to make something good from it. If I have to be constantly disappointed, I’m going to make the most of it.

Have you really dated guys like the men Danny meets in the series?

JT: Every single episode is based off a real-life date, most not veering too far from what happened. I think the wildest one was the guy who told me I had Trump Derangement Syndrome and he needed to find a new church because his fellow parishioners were losers. I walked out of that one.

Do you think Danny realizes that he may carry some of the blame for being alone?

JT: Not at all. But the audience sure does. This will be explored a lot more in season 2.

I’m ducking as I ask this next question… but do you think, perhaps, that you may be part of the reason that you are not married? Maybe you work too hard?

JT: Well, I don’t think the answer is ever diminishing oneself to find someone. I am certainly part of the problem in that I know what I want, how I deserve to be treated, and will not settle as I’m perfectly happy alone and am already a complete person. So yes, my pool will be smaller as a result. I had a much better time dating in the past when my self-esteem came from the validation of a boyfriend, which is no longer the case. And my person likes an ambitious hard worker. If he doesn’t, he’s not for me. He can go be happy with some vacant f-boy whose entire personality is brunch and travel. Mazel.

Maybe if you moved out of NYC? Have you considered it? Where else might you want to live?

JT: I consider it all the time. Since I work from home, I think next year I will do some nomading around the country to see if I fall in love with a new place. I certainly always have better dates when I’m visiting somewhere else.

Well, you’re not going to be alone for long because you’re about to have a boatload of new fans after they watch this hilarious series.

JT: Oh yes, I’m sure the boys will just be lining up for the risk they may be the subject of a future episode.

Danny Will Die Alone is streaming now on Dekkoo.

MUST SEE PARAMOUNT+ ANNOUNCES NEW DOCUMENTARY LET THE CANARY SING

Paramount+ releases Let The Canary Sing, the feature- length documentary exploring the remarkable life and career of Cyndi Lauper, will premiere exclusively on the service in the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday, June 4 and on Wednesday, June 5 in the UK, Australia, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Directed by Emmy® Award-winning documentarian Alison Ellwood, the film made its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival.

Produced by Fine Point Films and Sony Music Entertainment in association with Concord Originals, Let The Canary Sing chronicles Lauper’s meteoric ascent to stardom and her profound impact on generations through her music, ever-evolving punk style, unwavering feminism and tireless advocacy. The documentary takes the audience on an engaging exploration of a renowned and pioneering artist who has left a remarkable legacy with her art.

Said Lauper: “Over the years I’ve been asked to do a documentary about my life and work, but it never felt like the right time. Until now. When I first met Alison Ellwood, I knew right away I could trust her to tell my story honestly, which was incredibly important to me, and she

succeeded in that. I’d like to thank Alison, the producers, and all of the amazing documentary participants who agreed to be interviewed!”

Let The Canary Sing is produced by Fine Point Films (THE GOGO’S, No Stone Unturned, Elián) with Trevor Birney, Eimhear O’Neill, Andrew Tully and Alison Ellwood serving as producers. Lisa Barbaris and Gregory P. Cimino II, Esq. are executive producers. Tom Mackay, Richard Story and Rebecca Teitel serve as executive producers for Sony Music Entertainment. Sophia Dilley and Wesley Adams are executive producers for Concord Originals. Sony Music Vision is the distributor.

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will be releasing a companion product to the documentary of the same name. The Let The Canary Sing companion album is a career-spanning collection that follows Lauper’s career, starting from her days in Blue Angel to her breakout single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” to the iconic pop stardom that followed. With hits “True Colors,” “I Drove All Night” and more, this collection is a staple for any Cyndi Lauper fan. The album will be released on vinyl and as a digital expanded edition and is available for pre-order here.

FOOD SAMARITANS PRESENTS ‘EVENING UNDER THE STARS’ GARDEN PARTY WITH SPECIAL GUEST DEBBY HOLIDAY

AAP - Food Samaritans is delighted to announce that its upcoming Evening Under the Stars Garden Party will be held on Sunday, October 13 in the picturesque setting of Brad Lampley and Rigo Lomeli’s Old Las Palmas estate. This enchanting event promises to be an exquisite evening of philanthropy, entertainment, and community camaraderie. The highlight of the evening will be a special performance by the acclaimed singer-songwriter, Debby Holiday. Known for her soul-stirring music and captivating stage presence, Holiday will serenade guests under the starlit sky, creating an unforgettable atmosphere of joy and inspiration.

AAP – Food Samaritans’ successful ‘re-boot’ of Evening Under the Stars last October was well received. The garden party format event raised funds to help AAP – Food Samaritans support its critically needed programs that provide food for low-income people living with chronic illnesses in Palm Springs and surrounding communities.

C.E.O. Mark Anton said of the event’s format: “Post COVID, the event was reimagined, and in 2023 we brought it back to our roots and had a celebration in one of the most spectacular estates in Palm Springs, featuring abundant food and drink and a $200 ticket price that was more in line with our grass-roots nature. This October, in celebration of our supporters, we are honored to present Community Impact Awards to Bonnie And Alan Cashman, Nino Eilets, and Ruta Lee. We recognize their long-standing partnerships with us and all that they do in the community. We’ll complete the evening with a special performance by the superb Debby Holiday whose talent and generosity align perfectly with our mission to provide nutritional support to individuals facing chronic illnesses in our community. Please join us on Sunday, October 13 for another magical evening. We are currently seeking event sponsorships, which will enable us to keep the ticket price at $200 each.”

The event emcee will be Emmy award winner Brooke Beare, joined by celebrity auctioneer Lenny Broberg. Sponsorship opportunities, more information about the honorees, and tickets for the Evening Under the Stars are available now at www. aapfoodsamaritans.org offering an opportunity for attendees to support a worthy cause while enjoying an enchanting evening of music and celebration.

PSP FOCUS

PALM SPRINGS PRIDE ANNOUNCES BIGGER AND BOLDER BIG GAY BBQ FOR 2024!

Palm Springs Pride, the organizer of the city’s annual Pride celebrations in November, is thrilled to announce the return of the BIG Gay BBQ, a two-day block party with delicious BBQ, friends, fun, and community spirit. Mark your calendars for June 7th and 8th, 2024, as the Arenas District comes alive from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm daily with DJs and live bands.

This year marks the BIG Gay BBQ’s second iteration, and it promises to be bigger, bolder, and more delicious than ever. Located on Arenas Rd between Indian Canyon Dr and Calle Encilia, the event boasts a lineup of six barbecue masters ready to satisfy your taste buds. From classic favorites like smoked pulled pork and baby back ribs to savory brisket, turkey, and chicken, there’s something for every craving.

The culinary adventure includes a selection of sides, including tangy BBQ beans, creamy coleslaw, and decadent baby back mac and cheese. And for those with a sweet tooth, tempting desserts like peach cobbler, banana pudding, and irresistible homemade cookies await.

“This is the 13th year Palm Springs Pride has been creating extraordinary experiences on Arenas Rd,” says Ron deHarte, President and CEO of Palm Springs Pride. “The BIG Gay BBQ is a unique June Pride month celebration for the Palm Springs community. As the sun sets and the desert cools down, the Arenas District will be the place to gather with friends, have fun, and celebrate Pride.”

Admission to the BIG Gay BBQ is entirely FREE, making it the

perfect opportunity to gather in the Arenas District for an evening filled with delicious food and festive vibes. Whether you’re a barbecue enthusiast or simply looking for a fun-filled celebration, everyone is welcome to join the party. Optional VIP tickets include the ultimate Glamping BBQ dinner, four cocktails, and front-of-line access at the event bar. VIP available online at biggaybbq.com. The event is a fundraiser to help keep the Palm Springs November Pride events free and accessible to everyone.

Corday and the Magic 70s band, fronted by award-winning charismatic singer-guitarist Jennifer Corday, will perform live on both nights. Corday is the first-ever three-time winner of Best Live Band, Best Alternative Band, Best Live Female Performer at the Orange County Music Awards, Best Pop Rock Band at the Southern California Music Awards, and Outstanding Orange County Artist at the L.A. Music Awards. DJ Galaxy and DJ Modgirl will spin during the weekend event.

BIG Gay BBQ sponsors include City of Palm Springs, Coachella Valley Firebirds, New Orleans, Silvercrest, Desert Care Network, Gay Desert Guide, KGAY 106.5/92.1 FM, Blackbook Bar & Grill, Chill Bar Palm Springs, Hunters Nightclubs, Streetbar, Dick’s on Arenas, The Kimpton Rowan, Pepsi, The Development Department, The Coachella Valley Independent, The Standard Magazine, and GED Magazine.

Take advantage of the hottest event of the summer! Come hungry, proud, and ready to experience the BIG Gay BBQ! For more information, visit www.BIGgayBBQ.com

DEZART PERFORMS PRESENTS SUMMER EVENT, “CABARET AT THE PEARL,” WITH STRAIGHT TO THE HEART

Known for its outstanding and award-winning production of plays, Dezart Performs is expanding its repertoire with a new intimate summer event, Cabaret At The Pearl, presenting Straight To The Heart, a 90-minute celebration of the lives and careers of songwriting team Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. The event will occur June 21-23 at 7:00 pm at the Pearl McManus Theater at the Palm Springs Woman’s Club, located at 314 S. Cahuilla Road, Palm Springs. A pre-show social hour in the courtyard will begin at 6:00 pm, followed by the performance at 7:00 pm. Post-show happy hour will continue, along with “Meet and Greet,” in the courtyard immediately following.

Straight to the Heart is a high-energy 90-minute tribute to the legacy of Rodgers and Hart. It’s more than just a performance of their songs; it’s a unique blend of traditional cabaret and musical theatre. The show offers fascinating insights into the songs’ origins, the groundbreaking shows they were featured in, and the

memorable characters who sang them.

Audiences will also learn about the two dynamic creators whose conflicting approaches to life and work came together to create unforgettable songs filled with wit, melody, and deep human emotion.

Conceived and hosted by Broadway veterans Dennis Courtney and Wayne Bryan, the multi-talented cast features Broadway veterans Kim Huber, Tim Ewing, alongside local performers Jenne Carey and Patrick Wallace, plus special guest star Barbara Kerr with musical direction by Joel Baker.

Dezart Performs is presenting this brand-new musical event and transforming its regular performance space at the Pearl McManus Theater into an intimate cabaret setting. Tickets for Cabaret At The Pearl - Straight To The Heart are $35, and will be available beginning Thursday, May 23 at 10:00 AM. Online at www.dezartperforms.org and by phone at 760-322-0179, ext. 1.

PERSPECTIVE STEPHEN COLBERT & THIS GUY’S ADVENTURE

BY RON BLAKE

For Pride month I’m bringing you all a riveting, thrilling adventure involving a wayward TV timer, lots of social practice artwork, a band of bad guys, a TEDx talk, moxie, a wildly popular comedian, spontaneity with strangers, and one blue-collar gay guy on a dogged mission to get to 53rd and Broadway.

I’m that gay guy who is sort of like the main character Frodo in The Lord of the Rings movie. I should not have made it this far in my struggle to endure adversity and overcome it. But as the wizard character Gandalf pointed out in this flick, Frodo is tougher than he looks. And it seems that so am I.

Being tougher than you look is knowing when you don’t have all the answers and can’t do it alone. It’s knowing when to lean on friends, their ideas, and utilize their resources.

Thus, here is a call to action for the LGBT community in Palm Springs. To actively get behind my efforts to try to become a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. So that I can finally deliver this massive collective story of hope with me when I reach this goal. I’ve put in 23,000 hours of my life to get on this show for five minutes.

I gave a TEDx talk explaining the significance of this show.

This is my ongoing nine-year cross-country adventure of overcoming anti-LGBT bias and a brutal rape and beating I experienced at the hands of three men who entered my downtown Phoenix loft one night while I was sick and asleep. I was significantly injured.

This adventure all began when a malfunctioning TV timer led to an unexpected moment of laughter from that late-night comedy show that stopped me from dying by suicide at 10:44pm on November 2, 2015. I struggled badly with PTSD. That spark of hope sent me heading out on a Hero’s Journey.

This type of journey is from a literary theme that’s been used in many classic movies such as Star Wars, The Color Purple, The Lion King, and yes…The Lord of the Rings. The protagonist has a disruption in his or her life. Answers that call to action. Heads out on an adventure. Overcomes challenges and faces down fears along the way. Then returns home transformed and triumphant.

That’s just what occurred with that laughter on the fateful night. I answered that call to action. Leaving home to re-engage with society

after isolating because of the PTSD. Learning to process this trauma by interacting with strangers on my travels to reach the goal. Finding acceptance and love. This has also given me a purpose in life.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama famously said, “When they go low, we go high.” I still believe in her words. It’s not easy to take the high road though. Who could blame me?

I might not get justice. The guys hurt me a lot. I had surgery recently to reattach my left hip after complications. I’m in the 13th year of physical therapy because of the injuries I sustained that night. The perpetrators and their friends have hunted me down. Threatening me to stay silent. There have been two deadly attempts on my life. Bodyguards have been assigned to protect me.

But this is not a story of anger, revenge, hatred, or sadness. This is an opportunity to bring forth the excitement and show you all the good stuff I’ve been seeing across the United States and Mexico on my extensive travels. Some of it was captured in an Emmy-nominated documentary produced by three students who followed me on this quest for several months.

I‘ve engaged 33,110 complete strangers one by one on this 78,000-mile odyssey. Those individuals I’ve met from 128 countries have shared stories of support for all my efforts to heal and become a guest on The Late Show. Their incredible contributions are written in 94 languages with 32 Sharpie marker colors on 506 giant foam boards.

At over 4,200 square feet in size, it’s a massive collective story of support, love, acceptance, diversity, discovery, spontaneity, surprise, moxie, hope, unity, and creativity. It’s kind of like a modernday AIDS Quilt. Advocating for equity, justice, mental health care, safety, and happiness for LGBT people.

Financially, this recovery journey to try and get to The Late Show should not be possible. I lost my business, all my savings, and my home because of the trauma. I even lost my black pug Buddy as a result. They took everything from me. Except for my story and my dogged determination.

And that has made all the difference. You truly must believe in yourself. But I have 506 giant foam boards that are sitting under blankets in a U-Haul storage unit in downtown Phoenix. This vibrant artwork with those warm stories isn’t helping to positively impact lives while sitting in that dark, cold space.

So, I’m putting out this call to action for Palm Springs to actively get behind my efforts. To get the word out. Someone knows that friend of a friend or a high-profile influencer who can widely share my story on social media or TikTok. The Me-Too Movement began in earnest in 2017 after a celebrity put out a tweet. It went viral and around the world in just days.

Fingers crossed. When I get invited to be a guest on The Late Show, I will take with me this massive collective story of hope. To inform, entertain, and inspire millions of viewers in the LGBT community and beyond to see that no one walks the path alone in trauma. Encouraging them to head out on their very own Hero’s Journey. So they too can return home transformed and triumphant.

Never underestimate the strength of one person or one moment. This entire nearly decade-long adventure was ignited with that one simple joke on a desolate, inky black night in my 4th Avenue studio apartment. The amazing and healing power of laughter is all around us. Even when all seems lost. It is not. There is hope.

Happy Pride Month!

KIESZA RELEASE OF HER ALBUM DANCING AND CRYING, VOL. 1

BY RYAN TURRIN

In her own words, Kiesza explains, “This new volume, or current of music, comes out of a personal chapter of letting go and embracing the way things are, as they unfold. There is time in this music, 4am sleepless nights of poetry, belly laughs with close friends, deep existential discussions about the nature of reality, adventures in the badlands, storytelling, Nordic blizzards, midnight dance parties, love, loss, pain and most of all true friendship.

The nucleus of this sound storm is held together by a community that has been dancing, crying, and growing together through the entire journey. Dancing and Crying is my most deeply personal and meaningful project to date and Volume One is written and produced together with Sugar Jesus and K. Sotomayor, who I now call some of my closest friends. What sets this project aside is the foundation of trust at its core. It began unexpectedly and has carried us all through the unexpected since the day it came to life. I’m truly grateful for all the magic this music brought into my life. And the best part is that it’s still only just beginning!” - Kiesza

From her iconic billion-streaming single ‘Hideaway’ and its unforgettable one-shot video to world-beating collaborations with Diplo, Skrillex, deadmau5, and Duran Duran, the four-time Junowinning Kiesza has proven herself to be one of the most unique and zeitgeist-defining artists on the scene.

Kiesza’s latest music effortlessly navigates the crossroads of dance, house, and electro-pop with the folk influences that have long

shaped her songwriting. This fusion of genres reflects her artistic evolution since her award-winning debut single, “Hideaway,” and its memorable one-shot video launched her career.

With its release in 2014, “Hideaway” highlighted Kiesza’s abilities as a songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and accomplished dancer. The track originated from her hometown of Calgary, AB. It received extensive radio and video play and Top 20 chart placements across North America and Europe, three JUNO Awards, Gold, Platinum, and Double Platinum status in the US, UK, and Canada, respectively, and launched her debut album Sound of a Woman.

Following the success of her debut album, Kiesza faced her life’s “hardest work” – recovering from a traumatic brain injury sustained during a car accident in 2017. During her recovery, which remains ongoing, Kiesza could only hope her journey led her to the future she’d been striving for. That experience influenced her forthcoming work and her sophomore album, Crave (2020), which drew critical acclaim, followed by a collaboration with deadmau5 that surpassed over 12 million streams.

Kiesza embraces the extremes of her experiences and musical journey in her new music, bringing her exceptional talents to the forefront. As 2024 unfolds, it marks the next chapter in Kiesza’s journey, with fresh music, performances, and other creative endeavors on the horizon.

Visit www.kiesza.com for more information.

Q&A JOEY ARRIGO IS RAISING TEMPS THIS SUMMER

BY LARRY OLSEN

Joey Arrigo discovered his love of dance at four-years-old when his sister was enrolled in ballet. “I stood at the door of the class with fire in my eyes, desperate to be in it myself,” he recalls. At five-years-old, he discovered a VHS recording of Cirque du Soleil’s 1989 show Nouvelle Experience and was so captivated by it, he taught himself the contortionist act – or rather, a simulation of it –that he reenacted for his family in his living room.

Twenty years later he would find himself in the real Cirque du Soleil, featured in their Kooza show and playing the principal character in Volta. He has since appeared in Disney’s Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure and Canada’s So You Think You Can Dance.

This summer, Joey Arrigo is combining his love of dance with a newfound passion in music. He’s out with “Get Down”, a track inspired by his love of 80s synth pop and early 2000s pop, about learning to succumb to movement and pleasure.

We love your new look, Joey!

Joey Arrigo: It is a very honest look at who and where I am in my life at 32 years old. I wanted to take this opportunity to show myself and everyone around me that bald is sexy. Sure, I don’t have the full hair I once had, but I’ve learned that I have a great shaped skull, this pretty face, brows shaped to the gods, a full beard and a body that continues to serve me in so many ways.

It’s a delicious mix of masculine and feminine.

Joey Arrigo: That I get to define! If I can feel good about the way I look and connect to my appearance, it only makes sense that this is who I am supposed to be in the moment.

You are best known for your work in Cirque du Soleil.

Joey Arrigo: Being a part of two Cirque du Soleil shows, traveling on tour with the company for six years, was a huge achievement for me as a dancer because it was something I had wanted since I could remember. It was the driving force behind my motivation as a young artist and it felt like reward to be able to perform on those stages.

Did you make any mistakes in the beginning of your choreography career?

Joey Arrigo: My brain always resorts to doing more to try and please audiences. It took me a good while in my artistic existence to honor stillness, breath, and simplicity. I was able to bring this learned aspect of dance into my choreography. Most audiences won’t understand the complexities and high-level skills it takes to perform advanced technical skills. They will be impressed by it, for sure. But choreography that is jam packed with stuff, inevitably, falls flat.

Q&A

What inspired you to step up to the mic and sing?

Joey Arrigo: I joined the cast of Rock of Ages in Toronto and sang with artists from the music industry. Through discussions on techniques and skills, I began to embrace my identity as a singer.

How did you choose the sound for your own music?

Joey Arrigo: My latest track, “Get Down,” was produced by Velvet Code with So Fierce Music Productions. The sound came from the energy we wanted the song to exude. We wanted this electric pop, rock sound that brought sexual energy that made people want to dance.

It’s a very catchy song!

Joey Arrigo: I wanted to create something that people would hear just once and instantly feel connected to. Anytime I play the first few beats of the song for anyone, I watch as they find fire in their eyes as that dark sexy energy takes over them. It is exactly what we wanted!

The remixes are fire too.

Joey Arrigo: I wanted “Get Down” to exist and thrive on all types of dance floors. We collaborated with some of the most amazing DJs working today including DJ Dan Slater, Ray Rhodes, Shimmy G and Virasco, Erick Ibiza and GSP.

What is it about high energy dance music that makes people forget their problems?

Joey Arrigo: We feel good when we have a rush of energy through our body. Escaping to the dancefloor gives our bodies that treat of pleasure to rebalance ourselves and embrace energy that allows us to live lighter and happier.

If you could change one thing about yourself, Joey, what would it be?

Joey Arrigo: Nothing! Me is pretty fucking awesome.

On what occasion do you lie?

Joey Arrigo: I’ll lie to save someone from getting hurt.

If you could live anywhere on the planet, where would you live?

Joey Arrigo: I always have the fantasy of learning Japanese and moving to Japan.

Can you tell us a little about your work with CANFAR and why it’s so important to you?

Joey Arrigo: I recently become a national ambassador for The Canadian Foundation for Aids Research, and I am planning to use my platform to share how art played a huge part in helping me process my diagnoses. I had a safe space to talk through my journey

and to use my skills and passions to help me learn about what my mind, body and spirit are going through, while at the same time, I get to share with others and relate to their experiences as well.

What is your message to someone who has been newly diagnosed?

Joey Arrigo: HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence; it is a chronic condition. You get to keep being your sexy, charming self while spreading love, acceptance and awareness of HIV for everyone in your community. Everybody has moments that make them reevaluate their life. Most people don’t think about those things until later. It is a blessing to gain a beautiful perspective on the world around you. Life is full of opportunity that can all be yours.

What’s next for you?

Joey Arrigo: I want “Get Down” to be spinning at every club all summer and for the next twenty years. I want to create more music with 10x the budget and I don’t want to have to pay for it myself! Where are the rich sugar daddies who like art and sexy gay boys?

Are you looking for someone to “Get Down” with this summer?

Joey Arrigo: I recently separated from my partner. It was difficult because I love him more than anything or anyone in the world, but we are at different stages in life and want different things. While I welcome as much romance, love, passion and connection into my life as I can, the only person I’m going to get down with this summer… is Joey.

Joey Arrigo’s “Get Down” and its remixes are available on Spotify, Apple Music and streaming platforms via So Fierce Music/ The Orchard/Sony Music Entertainment.

Visit GetDownwithJoey.com.

Follow Joey Arrigo on Instagram @ getdownwithjoey

QUEER WOMEN COLOR FILM FESTIVAL OF FESTIVAL FOCUS JOYFUL REUNION

the3D’S DINE | DRINK | DANCE

RESTAURANTS

GRAND CENTRAL

160 La Plaza

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.699.7185

www.grandcentralpalmsprings.com

KOFFI NORTH (3 Additional Locations)

515 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.416.2244

www.kofficoffee.com

BOOZEHOUNDS PALM SPRINGS

2080 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.656.0067

www.boozehoundsps.com

1501 UPTOWN

1501 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.320.1501 www.1501uptown.com

TAC/QUILA

415 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.417.4471

www.tacquila.com

PS AIR BAR

611 S.Palm Canyon Dr. #22 Palm Springs CA 92262

760.327.7701 www.psairbar.com

TOWNIE BAGELS

650 E Sunny Dunes Rd #5 Palm Springs, CA 92264

760.459.4555

www.towniebagels.com

ON THE MARK

111 N Palm Canyon Dr. #155

Palm Springs CA 92262

760.832.8892

www.onthemarkpalmsprings.com

SHERMAN’S DELI & BAKERY

401 E Tahquitz Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.325.1199

www.shermansdeli.com

849

849 N Palm Canyon

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.325.8490

www.eight4nine.com

THAI SMILE PALM SPRINGS

100 South Indian Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.320.5503

www.thaismilepalmsprings.com

TRIO RESTAURANT

707 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.864.8746

www.triopalmsprings.com

THE TROPICALE

330 E Amado Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.866.1952

www.thetropicale.com

ZIN AMERICAN BISTRO

198 S Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA

760.322.6300

www.pszin.com

LULU CALIFORNIA BISTRO

200 S Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.327.5858

www.lulupalmsprings.com

EL MIRASOL

140 E Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.323.0721

www.elmirasolrestaurants.com

RICK’S RESTAURANT

1973 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.416.0090

www.ricksrestaurant.biz

PINOCCHIO IN THE DESERT

134 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.322.3776

www.pinocchiops.com

BLACKBOOK BAR

315 E Arenas Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.832.8497

www.blackbookbar.com

BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUB

302 East Arenas Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.323.0700

www.huntersnightclubs.com

TOUCAN’S TIKI LOUNGE

2100 North Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.416.7584

www.toucanstikilounge.com

CHILL BAR

217 E. Arenas Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.327.1079

www.chillbarpalmsprings.com

STREETBAR

224 E. Arenas Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.320.1266

www.psstreetbar.com

THE TOOL SHED

600 E. Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.320.3299

www.toolshed-ps.com

QUADZ

200 S Indian Canyon

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.778.4326

AMP SPORTS LOUNGE

68-718 E. Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234

760.699.7090

www.ampcatcity.com

ROOST BAR LOUNGE

68718 E Palm Canyon Dr #203 Cathedral City CA 92234

760.507.8495

www.theroostcc.com

ONE ELEVEN BAR

67555 E Palm Canyon Dr A103 Cathedral City, CA 92234

760.537.3111

www.oneelevenbar.com

BARRACKS BAR

67625 E Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234

760.464.0957

www.barracksps.com

RUNWAY

68300 Gay Resort Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234

760.537.7800

www.runwayccbc.com

REFORMA

333 S. Palm Canyon #2 Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.902.6630

www.reformaps.com

DICK’S

301 E Arenas Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.327.0753

www.dicksps.com

contact Nino@thestandardps.com

If you are an artist and would like to be considered for our ART VIEW - Artist Profile, please email us at info@thestandardps.com.

PHOTO REWIND

THE CENTER SOCIAL AT IMPALA

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A LEE

PHOTO REWIND

THE CENTER SOCIAL AT IMPALA

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A LEE

LGBTQ people are among the many subgroups of Americans known to experience high rates of food insecurity.*

The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert provides food for 30,000+ people annually.

*The Williams Institute

PHOTO REWIND

DEZART PERFORMS SEASON CLOSING PARTY

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A LEE

2024 EVENTS

DATE EVENT

May 31 - Jun 9

June 1

Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week

REAF House Party PS: Flashback to the 70s

June 1 Tribute to Taylor Swift at the McCallum

June 1

June 1-2

June 2

June 4

June 5-6

Joshua Tree - Beneath the Desert Sky

WeHo Pride 2024 / Outloud

Love is in the Air / (PSGMC) Fundraiser

Janet Jackson / Acrisure

Wanda Sykes at the McCallum

June 7 Q+ Art: San Cha

June 7-8 Big Gay BBQ

June 7-9

Leather Order of the Desert Present "Desert Smoke"

June 8 The SHE is Women's Conference - Mizell Center

June 18-24 Palm Springs International ShortFest 2024

June 29 Equality Wine & Food Fest

June 29-30 San Francisco Pride

June 30

July 6

July 7

July 17-21

Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus and Modern Men Combined Concert

New Kids On The Block with Paula Abdul & DJ Jazzy Jeff

OnePS Celeb LIp Sync Battle

Gay Wine Weekend 2024

July 19 Jennifer Lopez / Acrisure

July 28-Aug 1

2024 NGLCC Business & Leadership Conf. / Palm Springs

Sept 25-29 The Dinah Weekend 2024

Oct 5 Pride Under the Pines 2024

Oct 12

Oct 19

Oct 24-27

Oct 24 -27

Oct 27

Nov. 1-3

Casual Concours 2024

Center Stage Gala 2024

Leather Pride 2024: Deeper Than Ever

Modernism Weekend

Halloween on Arenas

Palm Springs Pride 2024