First Annual Qwe're Music Fest
A Celebration of Trans-Variant Performers

alking in Greenwich Village in NYC, Chloe (best known as the TS lead singer for the rock group Trans-Sister) wondered "what should I do for the summer to celebrate" the new bill passed by the NYC legislature, which makes life for the TG community just a touch easier. "I said to friends - we all know life can be hard, lets just pick a day and have some fun" she told me in a phone interview as to the inspiration behind the concept of the event. Together with her friend, New York City events promoter Joe Birdsong (Mr. Joe as he is referred), they decided to have a music festival. Scheduled to be in Tompkins Square Park the event would be a day of entertainment and celebration. Through a benefit they arranged at Spa Nightclub, "donations were raised from the sale of artwork", Chloe said. At the last minute, with a great lineup of talent there was not enough money to hold the event at Tompkins Square Park, the site of the original Wigstock,18 years earlier. So with a week to go the venue was changed to Fez on the corner of Lafayette and Great Jones Sts.

It was a hazy, sunny and hot day when the event started around 1PM. Fez was a great choice because they were able to use the cabaret, located under Time Café, for the first half of the performances - and then moved upstairs to complete the second half in the Fez lounge in the back of Time Café.

When I arrived the room was packed, and I was lucky to run into Ed Mannix (director of communications at www.outmusic.com) who explained to me who some of the acts, the ones I didn't know, were. The event was billed as a celebration of Trans-Variant talent - and talented they were, featuring some of the areas best known and up & coming performers.

Though it is not said a lot, there is certainly a great deal of division amongst the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities at times. But today, there was nothing except unity. As I stepped back and looked around the room there was a profound togetherness of just - people. It was welcoming and friendly in a Woodstock kind of way. Did I just give my age away? I'm not that old, my mother took me to Woodstock when I was just a baby J

The lineup of talent was arranged in such a way as to keep your interest - 6 hours or so of interest, which is a tremendous feat when you think about it. Flawless Sabrina, the queen mother of drag, presented a story in spoken word rhyme that was so moving you could see the tears forming behind the crowd's eyes as they recognized the struggle of a life upstream. Every CD should read these words and understand the rough road of the warriors that preceded us and paved the way for our Saturday night's romp. Many of us don't really know the meaning of struggle.

Derrick-In-A-Dress (who says "I'm Derrick in A Dress - a black, Irish, Native American, Asian, Hare Krishna, Cross-Dressing Lesbian, Catholic, Jew), performed a moving piece called All Humans Are Human, which closes like this "Beginning to prove that rainbows may be formed after the lightning, thunder and torrential storms. Which force this great young nation to redefine its norms. All humans are human - there is no human more human than another. All humans either breathe, or they smother".

There was plenty of up-tempo entertainment by newcomer Lisa Jackson, who sounded the best I have heard her yet, the amazing presence of Kevin Aviance, and don't forget Yolanda who sings "I, I, I…… 'm an alien love child".

The show had a great mix of humor such as Justin Bond, the beautiful MC Amada LePORE who hammed it up, and the dazzle dancers - who closed their dance by stripping naked. There were some serious moments in the form of public announcements by Councilwoman Melissa Skalarz, Rose Royale - who challenged the gay community to be more inclusive of their tranny sisters, and a moment of silence for those sisters who we lost over the years such as TG activist Sylvia Rivera and the very loved International Chrysis.

All in all the day was a breath of fresh air. Although it did not kick off at Tompkins Square Park, I do predict that the Qwe're Music Fest will enjoy a long successful run in years to come.

Below ia a link to pictures and commentary of the days festivities, and at the bottom links to the Qwe're Music Fest website, which lists all the performers, hope you enjoy.