Join an incredible lineup of local LGBTQI+ musicians as they play tribute to our favourite queer artists, performing covers and reinventions of the songs that helped shape our identities and define our communities at The Factory Theatre, Marrickville on Wednesday 24 October 2018.
Hosted by the irrepressible Maeve Marsden and backed by the Lady Sings It Better band, the line-up includes Brendan Maclean, Jordan Raskopoulos, Marcus Whale, Benhur Helwend and Sports Bra. Homage celebrates the role LGBTQI+ music and culture plays in shaping the identities of queer folk as they come out and find their place in the world.
From songs of protest to thumping dancefloor beats, speakers mounted precariously on parade floats or another lesbian singer-songwriter with a guitar, the LGBTQI+ community has in many ways been defined by its music…
From George Michael to Janelle Monae, Anohni to Ani DiFranco, Electric Fields to Elton John, Courtney Barnett to Frank Ocean, any genre is up for grabs. The only rule? The songs performed must have been made famous by another LGBTQI+ artist.
“As a queer woman raised by lesbian mothers, I have spent a lifetime in this community and I have absorbed and loved its creative output,” said Maeve Marsden. “The beauty of Homage is that it celebrates not only contemporary LGBTQI+ artists but also our community history as well. As a cabaret performer, I also love the art of the cover song – taking someone else’s music and lyrics and making them your own,” she added.
The inaugural Homage is a spin-off from Marsden’s wildly popular Queerstories storytelling night and podcast. Her contribution to the queer arts scene in Australia has been exponentially impactful with Queerstories touring to Melbourne, Brisbane Canberra, Lismore and Albury Wodonga – and a collection of the stories published by Hachette Australia in September.
Earlier this year, Marsden was invited to edit the ABC’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 40th Anniversary Magazine, and narrate the ABC radio documentary The Making of Mardi Gras. In 2019, Marsden will curate Queer Thinking for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival.
Homage – A Queer Musical Tribute
The Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Road, Marrickville
Performance: Wednesday 24 October 2018 – 7.30pm
Information and Bookings: www.factorytheatre.com.au
Image: Homage – A Queer Musical Tribute (supplied)