I Just Read About That…

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 16, 2023] Pansy Division / The Ritchie White Orchestra / UgLi

I heard about The Last Dinner Party a few weeks ago.  Right around when I found out they were doing a very short US Tour and Philly was one of the places.

When Pansy Division first appeared in the late 1990s, I was hugely supportive.  I loved that they were out and proud.  They introduced me to a whole subculture that I wasn’t aware of and which I am still really supportive of.  It almost seemed like it wasn’t much of a subculture anymore until Florida got their hands on it. But whatever.  Evidently the world still needs Pansy Division.

There have been gay musicians hidden throughout rock music history, but when Pansy Division began in 1991 in San Francisco, they were the first to be so boldly open about it.  Founded by guitarist/singer Jon Ginoli and soon joined by bassist/singer Chris Freeman, with the intent of forming a gay rock band, Pansy Division blew the closet doors open. Raised on a diet of 60s pop and 70s punk, their sound was suitably crunchy and catchy as hell. They wrote in-your-face lyrics, but did it with a sense of humor. Not only did their music and stance defy stereotypic norms of rock musicians being openly gay, they also broke gay cultural stereotypes that rock wouldn’t interest gay people.

I imagine that this show is going to be very very fun.

I don’t know the other two bands for the night.  But I love the blurb of The Ritchie White Orchestra

The Ritchie White Orchestra is a hard rocking poppy psychedelic trip to Detention Hall. Music for bad boys and girls and those in between.

They are a pretty raw band, though.

UgLi are from Philadelphia, PA.  They play cool indie grungy rock with lots of fuzz. They are probably my favorite of the three bands playing.  (Pansy Division’s music is a little too simple compared to UgLi).