The Pet Shop Boys and
Creative "Artists Agency
recently announced the
details for the new nation-
wide summer music festi-
val called Wotapalava.

In addition to the Pet
Shop Boys, the mainstage
lineup includes Soft Cell,
The Magnetic Fields and
Rufus Wainwright.
Wotapalava will feature
the diverse and eclectic
talent of artists — gay and
straight — and celebrate
the goal of equality for
everyone, including gay
and lesbian people.

Neil Tennant, Pet Shop
Boy and producer
Wotapalava, has said:
“The idea of the festival
came about a couple of
years ago during a conver-
sation with Elton John.
Wouldn’t it be great to put
together a bill of out gay
performers? Who would
agree to do it? Would the
performers have anything
in common apart from
their sexuality in this sort
of Lollaplooza-with-a-dif-
ference?

The festival evolved
from this idea. It will fea-
ture the diverse talents of
artists, many of them gay,

and celebrate the dream of-

basic fairness and equality
for all people. More
important than the sexual-
ity of the performers is
their individuality, the
way each of them has fol-
lowed their own instincts

to achieve their artistic.

goals. In this respect,
Wotapalava is a celebra-
tion of the freedom to be
what you want to be and
about having the power to

', live as you want without

fear or discrimination. I
think one really important
thing about Wotapalava is
the way the diversity of
the artists contradicts any
stereotyping: we are not
defined solely by our sex-
uality. Being homosexual
is an important part of life
but not the whole point.
We are delighted to

 

for’

  Gay Music Festival
Takes Morin Si-age

have the support of the
Human Rights Campaign.
Last year we played at the
huge anti-hate crime con- ‘
cert in Washington and
were very impressed and
moved by the way the
message of anti-hate and
anti-discrimination was
put across. _Wotapalava
aims» to carry the same

message. And members of '

the Human Rights
Campaign will be on hand
at each venue with infor-
mation about the discrimi-
nation gay Americans
continue to suffer under
the law and in their every- .
day lives. Also a dollar

» from each ticket will ben-

efit the work of the cam-
paign.”

Wotapalava will play 18
North American markets
beginning July 13th in
Miami and wind up in
Houston, TX on August
11th. Presale tickets for
Wotapalava, presented by
leading gay and lesbian
online communities
PlanetOut.com and
Gay.com (www.wotapala-
va.planetout.com and
www.wotaplava.gay.com
went on sale May 22“
for the first six dates of
the tour, with the remain-
ing going on presale June
15 ' ' '

In addition to the main
stage, Wotapalava will
include a stage featuring

continuous dance music‘

from Junior Vasquez,
Danny Tenaglia, Peter
Rauhofer, Tracy Young,
Abel, Tom Stephan, Tasty
Tim, Susan.Morabito, Phil
B, James Anderson, Lydia.
Prim, Manny Lehman,
Mark Anthony, DJ Bone,

Alex Lauterstein, Sylvain .

Girard, Ralphi Rosario,
Kostas, Dawna Montell,
Frank Abraham, ‘Paulo,
Chris Sills and Jimpy, as
well as many Broadway
and cabaret performers.

Tickets are already on
sale. Check out www.wota-
palava.com for more infor-
mation.

$9

july 2001 OlTl‘1 - 21

Poses,
Wainwright’s second
album released by

Dreamworks, begins where
his first album left off.
There was a lot of expecta-
tion for this recording,
especially since his debut
was unanimously
‘acclaimed by critics and
was eventually ‘voted best
new artist by Rolling Stone
magazine. ’

This second album is
more accessible than his
first primarily because his
voice is, well, not so
annoying. It is an acquired

seems that he’s sucked
down too many cigarettes
and has started a wrestling
match with his tongue. _

Unlike his first album,
Poses does not take repeat-
ed listens to appreciate.
His incredible songwriting
abilities are center stage
this time around, barely
distracted by his singing
voice.

It is not until midway
through the 12 track album
that we get the already clas-
sic chill-inducing moment
he has the talent to induce,
as he sings: “All the sights
of Paris/Pale inside your
iris/Tip the _Eiffel Tower.”
This line, from the song,
“The Tower of Learning”,
reveals his impressive
songwriting skills,‘ his

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taste. At times, though, it‘

power of creating unique
musical moments that are
missing from pop music
these days, all at once.
Pierre Marchand, best-
known for his production
work for Sarah McLachlan
and Ashley Maclsaac, pro-
duces much of this work.
Marchand produced the
gorgeous yet flawed “In
Your Arms” from Rufus’s
debut album. Though
Poses uses three different
producers, the cohesive
quality of the album, a
defining trait of major
musicians, is not sacrificied
due to the strength of
Rufus’s compositions
alone.

/THEREBEL PRINCE \

Rufus operatic voice, and » his I Wainwright, son of cult

favorite Loudon
Wainwright III, covers one
of his father’s songs “One
May Guy” in an uncharac-
teristically guitar-led tune.
His father intended the
composition to be a
Whitmanesque celebration
of self. Being one of the
headliners for this sum-
mer’s first all-gay music
festival, Rufus puts an
appropriate twist on the
song. ‘

Rufus Wainwright’s
music requires patience,
but like any good work of
art, it reveals its depths
over time.

F

 

This summer... what are you
planning to do with your one
wild and precious life?

Guy Spirit Camp

4th of July Celebration - June 29 - July 6
Soulfully Gay * John Stasio - July 6-8
Rainbow Sangha - July 8-13
Orgasmic Mindfullness - Joseph Kramer - July 13-15
Awakening Body Wisdom -Kramer/ Miron - July 15-20
A Weekend Vlfith Our Brothers - July 20-22
Nice Jewish Boys ~ Andrew Ramer - July 22-27
Naturist Gathering - July 27 - August 3
Gay Spirit Warrior - John Stowe - August 3-10
Massage & Bodywork Training - John Stasio - August 10-12
Tribal Tantra - Sequoia Thom Lundy - August 12-17
Exploring Chakra Energy - Sunfire - August 17-19
Gay Catholic Clergy & Religious - August 19-24
Coming Out Vocally - Jamie McHugh - August 24-26
Coming Home To Our Body - Jamie McHugh - August 26-31
Labor Day Celebration - August 31 - September 3

www.gayspiritcamp.com
, 1-800-553-8235