V-Rag

We've Moved!

2010-07-03T01:15:00.000-07:00

As of today, we’re no longer at v-rag.blogspot.com. With the launch of the brand new V-Rag website comes a brand new blog as well, http://blog.v-rag.com! All the same awesome content will be there, like V-WEB and the V-Rag Classic Track, as well as brand new daily blogs from Steve Adams and Josh Rimer, weekly contests and more! Stay tuned for the next generation of V-Rag Magazine Online! Head to www.v-rag.com and blog.v-rag.com now!

A Raye of Sunshine

2010-07-01T01:45:00.000-07:00

With June almost over, the new issue special Anniversary edition of V-Rag is almost here! Which means this is your last chance to see our most popular photo shoot to date with Empress XXXIX Raye Sunshine. Photographer Kate McLaren created a magical candy-land with Sunshine as the sweet Candy Queen. Check out the photos here and be sure to check out more at next month's Pride in Art show at Five Sixty!

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (June 29/10)

2010-06-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

THE ZOLAS
by Matt Roy

First there was Rufus. Then there was Feist. And now... there are The Zolas. While America churns out one mediocre pop idol after another, Canada is kindling a flourishing group of indie pop marvels. The Zolas are the most recent inductees to a short but impressive list of Canadian artists that are making mindful but fetching music you won’t be ashamed to say you love.

An early press release suggested The Zolas sound like “Justin Timberlake meets The Beatles”, or “Coldplay meets The Clash”. Zach laughs about this: “We don’t really sound like them; we wish we sounded like them.” It may not be sound-alike so much as sheer musical inventiveness that is drawing such eclectic parallels.

Both born and raised in Vancouver, Zach and Tom like to credit the rainy city for some of their success. Vancouver has the sordid reputation for being no fun and a difficult place for artists to make it, but as Zach points out, “There’s the old saying that rain is great for art. That’s why the West Coast is good.”

Needless to say, The Zolas have all the gusto it takes to make a great group. As they culminate their tour at the Biltmore on June 30th, they intend to get right down to business and begin their next album. In a word: Whoop!

Win tickets to The Zolas at the Biltmore on June 30th! Simply email us at fans@v-rag.com to be entered into a draw for two tickets to the Vancouver show! And read the full interview with The Zolas in the upcoming July issue of V-Rag!

Thunderheist Jerks It Tonight

2010-06-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

One of the best Canadian duos to dazzle us with their electro sounds is having their final show in Vancouver tonight. Thunderheist will be calling it quits after their Venue performance tonight at 9:00pm. With only one studio album, members Isis and Grahm Zilla made a huge impact on the Canadian dance scene with international hits like "Jerk It", "Bubblegum", "Horny" and "Nothing 2 Step 2".

We got to catch up with them to chat about the break-up and their future plans. Isis explains "Thunderheist became this animal beast that took on its own life, and I think we both just wanted to take this time to reconnect with ourselves." Of tonight's show, she has big expectations for all of us. "We'll possibly get people drunk and we'll possibly get people pregnant..." Can't wait!

To read the full interview with Thunderheist in this month's issue of V-Rag, click here

June 2010 Issue Out Now!

2010-06-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

Read the June Issue Online!

The season is changing, and that means big changes for V-Rag as well. We're finally on the web! By July, the brand-new fully interactive V-Rag website makes its official launch. And as a special treat to all of our loyal readers, you can get the July issue before it hits the stands! Just e-mail us at fans@v-rag.com to have our very special double-sized Pride Edition sent straight to your PC. While you're at it, get entered into a draw for a $200 Little Sisters gift card! All for being our friend. July will also mark our One Year Anniversary. 12 issues later and we're stronger than ever before, next month's edition will be one to keep. As a thank-you to everyone who's supported us over this last year, I'd like to personally invite you out to Century House on Saturday July 3rd at 7pm for complimentary tapas, prizes and great music, followed by the official after party at Five Sixty starting at 11pm till late into the night. Performances, swag bags and special surprises are in store throughout the evening!

Getting down to business, we're pretty excited and more than a little star-struck to feature the supermodel of the world herself, RuPaul this month! We got to catch up with the busy drag diva to talk about her new book, her new look, and the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race! Thanks Ru! We also had the pleasure of chatting with Montreal duo Thunderheist about their upcoming show in Vancouver, which also happens to be their last ever together! British punk legends the Buzzcocks just flew through our fair city and frontman Pete Shelley gives some words of wisdom. And you have got to check out the amazing photo shoot of our Empress, Raye Sunshine, in this month's Candy Queen as shot by Kate McLaren! It's tasty tasty...

Read the June Issue Online!

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-06-01T00:13:00.000-07:00

From dirty punk rock to glittery handbag house, V-Rag has very broad taste. After a fantastic night with the pioneering band The Buzzcocks, we're is feeling a little... homo... So what better track to put us in the mood than Livin' Joy's 1994 classic "Dreamer"? Sassy soulful vocals, a driving disco beat and a hook that screams 90's dance, everyone should remember this club anthem. And it's the perfect way to come down from a screeching rock show. Sweet dreams!

Never Mind The Buzzcocks!

2010-05-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

All you punk rock fans, tomorrow night is your night! The legends of the scene and pioneers of the genre The Buzzcocks are playing at Venue Nightclub May 31st. These guys are gods, and if you're not convinced, check out the classic videos "Ever Fallen In Love" and frontman Pete Shelley's sexual anthem "Homosapien". Groundbreaking, genre-defining and 100% punk rock. Bow your heads in shame, Offspring. Full feature in the upcoming June issue of V-Rag.

Ever Fallen In Love - The Buzzcocks

Homosapien - Pete Shelley

Wiggle 2010 in Photos

2010-05-28T23:09:00.001-07:00

Photos by Kate McLaren

Wiggle Sweet Sixteen

2010-05-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

Wiggle started many moons ago in Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan and moved to Vancouver in 1995 along with multimedia artist collective The House of Venus. The annual showcase offers creative people of all types an escape from reality, to let go and live the fantasy. Wiggle attracts a diverse crowd that wants to see a great show including rock stars like Michael Stipe of R.E.M. and Blondie’s very own Deborah Harry. Wiggle has also boasted some of the world’s leading stars of drag royalty including The Lady Bunny of Wigstock fame, Candis Cayne (of ABC’s Dirty Sexy Money), Miss Guy of The Toilet Boys and Perfidia of Patricia Fields fame and Stranger with Candy's wigmaker. Come down to Five Sixty tonight at 9pm for Wiggle's Sweet Sixteen and be part of the legend!

Kylie Aphrodite

2010-05-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

Oh my... For every gay, there is team Kylie and team Madonna. And while Madonna is a legend and a trendsetter, Kylie is the ultimate pop goddess. Which is the theme of her forthcoming studio album, Aphrodite. She's getting back to her dancefloor roots with production courtesy of heavyweights Stuart Price, the Scissor Sisters, Kish Mauve and Calvin Harris. We're very excited for July 5th to come, especially after hearing this teaser for the new single "All The Lovers". Oh my...

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-05-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

Finally the clouds are lifting and the sun is shining! Summer is almost here!! So for this week's V-Rag Classic Track I thought we'd revive something that screams summer. Summer of '95 in fact. Jamiroquai has never been a favourite of mine, but this David Morales club mix of their first huge single "Space Cowboy" is a true classic. So slather on the sunscreen and enjoy!

OPULENCE: The Wait Is Almost Over!

2010-05-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

The time's almost here, boys and girls! Tomorrow night at 9pm is the Opulence Ball at Lotus Lounge. The fiercest voguers will be joined by the wildest costumes, the hottest queens and the glitteriest girls! Come down and walk in your favourite category, or just watch the festivities and win tons of great prizes! Conni Smudge hosts with guests Joan-E, Symone, Jenny Magenta and Carlotta Gurl. Remember the first 100 people at the door get a swag bag courtesy of Little Sisters and V-Rag Magazine. These aren't lame bags either, they're packed with great stuff like club passes, underwear, lube and gift cards! There's also a huge grand raffle prize you need to see to believe. Don't miss this party, come down tomorrow to show your O.P.U.L.E.N.C.E.!

Tickets are still available at Little Sisters, Priape and Pulp Fiction Books or at the door.

Sherry Vine Exclusive

2010-05-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

Sherry Vine has recently gained immense attention from her parody videos on YouTube, most notably her Lady Gaga spoofs, which have millions and millions of hits. Sherry came out of the New York City club scene in the early nineties, an original that continues to bring her bombshell charm while performing live. Recently, she has added television guest appearances to her list of credits. Sherry now lives in Berlin, honing her craft and gaining even more cabaret credibility.

SHERRY VINE: THE FAME QUEEN
Interview by Michael Venus

You have been getting so much attention for your fabulous video spoofs, especially The Lady Gaga "Bad Romance" one. How did you start making them, what is the process and have you met Gaga yet?

I've been doing video spoofs for a few years just for fun and to generate some publicity on YouTube. But I never expected the success that came with the "Bad Romance" parody [Sherry's Version is titled "Shit My Pants"]. Who knew poo was so popular? The process is a dollar and a prayer. Haha! I'm blessed to be surrounded by so many talented people who are into helping out. I met Gaga once right before she exploded into superstardom. She was SOOOOOOO nice!

What are some of your career highlights?

I have so many highlights! I've been so lucky to have been making a living doing what I love so I give thanks every day.

Who are you current inspirations?

I am inspired certainly by Lady GaGa - I think she's the hottest thing since adult diapers. And anytime I need inspiration I look at videos or pictures of Debbie Harry!

What are you fave things about Vancouver?

My fave thing in Vancouver is Cotton of course! I was only there for a short time but I remember a lovely day strolling along the water.

Upcoming projects?

Right now I'm focused on the tour with Joey. I have a new video parody of "Telephone" coming out this week. And then I will be performing the Gay Pride circuit in Europe all summer.

Any words of wisdom?

Get The Money First!

Joey Arias Exclusive

2010-05-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

Joey Arias is a New York-based drag icon who came out of the pivotal eighties performance art scene. Gender bending and hanging out with Andy Warhol while performing alongside Klaus Nomi and David Bowie, he later re-invented himself into a Fantastical Fetish Diva who shocked audiences with his ability to “channel” Billie Holiday. Joey has dazzled the globe ever since and continues to perform and inspire. He is an accomplished and infamous living legend.

JOEY ARIAS: DRAG QUEEN SINGS THE BLUES
Interview by Michael Venus

Tell us about working with Klaus Nomi and David Bowie.

Klaus was my best friend and we did everything together. When Bowie invited Klaus to work with him, Bowie asked if I could join them. That was a dream come true. I've always loved David. He was the funniest person I ever met. Just vibrating with excitement!

Highlights while working on Zumanity?

Working with Cirque du Soliel was just an amazing experience, especially with Manfred Thierry Mugler as Artistic Director of the personas to be presented. There are so many stories that I could write a book. For instance in the orgy scene, a 90-year-old woman took her tits out and started sucking them and wanted to suck cock on stage... She was a horny fuck, thank god. Sex is Beautiful.

What are some of your career highlights?

I think a NYC highlight was to perform at Carnegie Hall channeling Billie Holiday. That blew me away.

Who are you current inspirations?

My inspirations are anyone who has an open mind and wants to create... Like Basil Twist. He's a child and lover of dreams and magic. Working with Sherry Vine and her aspirations of searching for the ultimate show. And the of course Mr. Thierry Mugler who directs me and watches that I don't do anything stupid. And my future husband.

What are you fave things about Vancouver?

I love Vancouver and it’s really been so good to me... I've met so many wonderful people... Love the landscape from the bedroom window. Vancouver is so open-mined from the times I've been there, and the boys were lined up around the toilet waiting for a good conversation... And I saw some big conversations there.

Upcoming projects?

Upcoming, I'm working with Miss Vine in our new show... The film Arias With A Twist, the docu-fantasy that's opening many film festivals... and my new solo show presented by Earl Dax and directed by Manfred Thierry Mugler. It’s gonna be something very musical.

Any words of wisdom?

Words of wisdom... Let inspiration guide you and don’t be afraid of the dark... The only monster is you. Chase your nightmare because it will pay off!

May: The Winning Issue

2010-05-02T19:28:00.000-07:00

This issue was a doozey to try and put together. I don't think we've had an edition quite as jam-packed full of stuff as this one! Definitely a full month's worth of reading here, kids. First off, we'd just like to give a warm congratulations to Fraser, the winner of Gay Top Model. He's the perfect choice to represent Vancouver as we go into a new decade, and a pleasure to work with. Photographer Ian Sheh shot his winning cover for V-Rag as well as a fashion spread featured on inside.

Lots of great talent in this issue including two New York legends, Sherry Vine and Joey Arias. The pair have been performing together for decades and Vancouver is lucky enough to host them both this month! Also, we managed to catch up with the one and only Andy Butler of Hercules & Love Affair. He gives all of you lucky readers a sneak peak at the brand new album and the inspiration behind it.

May is a very busy month for events in Vancouver, and V-Rag is the place to get the scoop on all of them. The 2010 Vancouver International Burlesque Festival hits the Rickshaw Theatre May 6-9 and we've included a guide to all the goings-on. On the drag side of things, the annual Wiggle party turns Sweet Sixteen and the New York-inspired ball Opulence returns to Vancouver on May 5 at the Lotus. Oh wait, this is Cotton's job to tell you all this stuff! She rounds up our host of regular features (which seems to be growing by the month), and joins Joan-E's Rag, Terry Costa's Live On Stage, and Rob Easton's Wasted Thoughts. Yet another addition this month is Food:Notes, courtesy of PINQ.CA's Ryan Bazeley, where we review the best new restaurants in our fair city. Now dig in!

Tonight Sherry Vine & Joey Arias

2010-05-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

What a night for Vancouver nightlife tonight! Two NYC drag legends, Sherry Vine and Joey Arias will be performing tonight at superclub Five Sixty. The duo have been on the scene for years, and tonight you can see why they're considered royalty. Arias now performs with Cirque du Soleil in Zumanity and Vine is an internet sensation with her Lady Gaga parodies. Here's a couple of examples of what all you lucky people are in for tonight...

www.sherryvine.com
www.joeyarias.com

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-05-01T21:17:00.001-07:00

Since we're all about the vogue battles this month, I thought it would be fitting to have the definition of vogue as this week's V-Rag Classic Track. Malcom McLaren's seminal track "Deep In Vogue" beat Madonna to the punch by a long shot. He even used vogue legend Willi Ninja in the video! This is gay New York summed up in one song. "In my black tights just throwing shade, doing this dance that some queen made".

OPULENCE: The Countdown Continues!

2010-04-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

Only 2 weeks to go until Opulence returns to the Lotus Sound Lounge on May 5th. And the incentive to be the fiercest on the floor is heating up! Not only will the winners become Legendary Children, but they'll receive trophies, gift cards from Little Sisters, mix CD's and goodie bags full of cool stuff. So it's definitely time to choose your categories and perfect your walks! This is a war on the floor...

Tickets are now available at Little Sisters, Priape and Pulp Fiction Books.

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-04-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

With just over two weeks left till the next Opulence Ball, I thought it would be appropriate for this week's classic track to be a vogue and ballroom legend. Ellis D (a.k.a. Junior Vasquez) samples "Love Break" by the Salsoul Orchestra to create one of the most recognizable voguing classics, "Dub Break". Work on your fierceness by whacking, death dropping and voguing to this jam!

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (April 15/10)

2010-04-15T21:38:00.000-07:00

You may not know this, but V-Rag is made up of a whole bunch of movie geeks. Which makes this week's obsession a full-on infatuation. One of the campiest, wildest and most tripped-out films ever is making its Vancouver (and North American) debut this week. 1977's Hausu is like a cross between The Ring, Beetlejuice and a Michel Gondry music video. It's almost impossible to describe, so I'll let its distributor, Janus Films, give it a try.

“How to describe Nobuhiko Obayashi’s 1977 movie House? As a psychedelic ghost tale? A stream-of-consciousness bedtime story? An episode of Scooby-Doo as directed by Dario Argento? Any of the above will do for this hallucinatory head trip about a schoolgirl who travels with six classmates to her ailing aunt’s creaky country home, only to come face to face with evil spirits, bloodthirsty pianos, and a demonic housecat. Too absurd to be genuinely terrifying, yet too nightmarish to be merely comic, House seems like it was beamed to Earth from another planet. Or perhaps the mind of a child: the director fashioned the script after the eccentric musings of his eleven-year-old daughter, then employed all the tricks in his analog arsenal (mattes, animation, and collage) to make them a visually astonishing, raucous reality. Never before released in North America, and a bona fide cult classic in the making, House is one of the most exciting genre discoveries in years” (Janus Films).

Hausu will be screened at 7:00pm and 8:45pm April 15 – 19 at the Pacific Cinematheque, 1131 Howe Street (off Davie)

OPULENCE: The Countdown Is On!

2010-04-14T13:47:00.001-07:00

Well, Children... The wait is almost over. O.P.U.L.E.N.C.E. You own everything. Everything is yours. In 3 weeks time, the Opulence Ball will return to the Lotus Sound Lounge at 455 Abbott Street, Vancouver. Fierce voguers will take to the stage with Vancouver's best performers such as Joan-E, Symone, Jenny Magenta and Carlotta Gurl. All hosted by the Mother of the House of Opulence, Conni Smudge and presented by V-Rag! If you're new to the ball and Opulence scene, watch Paris Is Burning and come down to compete in a category, or just watch Vancouver's best vogue battles! Listen to classic house and disco from back in the day, win a trophy, dance your ass off and work the runway! Keep up to date on Opulence news at www.houseofopulence.blogspot.com, or join the Facebook group! It's time to prepare for the War on the Floor. May 5, 2010

Categories Include:

Butch Queen
Femme Realness
Schoolboy/Schoolgirl
Vogue
Luscious Body
Banjee
High Fashion Parisian
Vegas Showgirl

Willi Ninja and Voguing from Paris Is Burning

Working the runway from Paris Is Burning

The Opulence Ball, April 2009

The Opulence Ball, April 2009

Burn The Floor with V-Rag!

2010-04-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

Remember, we've got two free tickets to give away for BURN THE FLOOR on Tuesday April 13th at the Vogue Theatre! All you gotta do is get your friends to join our Facebook group and post one word to describe V-Rag. Contestants will be entered into a draw, and the lucky winner gets two tickets to the groundbreaking ballroom sensation! Time's running out, and the odds are in your favour!

V-WEB: Vancouver's Next Gay Top Model Wrap-Up

2010-04-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

And the winner is...

Fraser! Fraser took home the top prize last Thursday at the finale of Vancouver's Next Gay Top Model, at Celebrities Nightclub. This 19-year-old cutie came out on top of the competition thanks to his fine photos and gorgeous body. Included in his bevy of wonderful prizes is the opportunity to be the coverboy for the May edition of V-Rag!

And in a twist fitting to the Top Model name, instead of one runner-up being announced, three models were awarded second place: Toban, Riley and Rob.

Toban wowed the audience with his stunning model features, and showed us that bitch knows how to work a camera as if his life depended on it. Out of all the on location photos, shot by the marvelous and talented Shane Oosterhoff, Toban's scored the highest.

Riley was another fan favourite in the competition, and the manly-man model left a trail of drool in his wake each time he stepped out on to the runway.

Rob had the most support from the live audience, and thanks to his confidence and devastatingly handsome features, he won the City TV challenge and presented the weather on a live episode of Breakfast Television. He was adorable! You can check out that interview here.

That's it for this year's installment of Gay Top Model, which will surely come back for a fourth season/cycle/whatever Tyra Banks is calling it these days. VNGTM Organizer/Producer Terry Costa outdid himself this time, and V-Rag was proud to have been a part of this year's event. Check out the video and shots, courtesy of Shane Oosterhoff, below to relive the magic. See you next year!

THE FUTURISTS photographer Sydney Gregoire works for the camera.

"And the winner is..."

Fraser!!!

Fraser with VNGTM Cycle 2 winner Calan.

April: The Multimedia Issue

2010-04-02T02:39:00.000-07:00

It's not like we had a cold, dark winter here in Vancouver this year, but am I ever glad it's Spring! Changes are happening all over the city, and V-Rag is no different. We have two brand new monthly regulars, Live On Stage by Vancouver promoter Terry Costa (Gay Top Model, Hot Gay DJ), and Wayoutwest by internet sensation Rob Farrow. The latter is an exciting new multimedia venture that's definitely a first in Vancouver. With the help of MobileTag, a free barcode reader application for your iPhone or Blackberry, V-Rag is now expanding past the pages of the magazine and into video territory. Simply take a picture of the barcodes with MobileTag, and instantly view tons of gay related videos, short films, trailers and music videos! It's pretty damn cool.

Our cover story this month is an exclusive interview with Canadian electro sensation Junior Boys, who we recently featured on the blog. We also got to chat with actor/TV host/singer/model/writer/awesome guy Charlie David about his whirlwind career. And just in time for Season 2 of RuPaul's Drag Race on OutTV, we'll introduce you to the 12 fierce and fabulous contestants. Keeping with the television theme this month, how about an alternative to the Oscars? We're gaying up the awards season with our picks for the most homo-tastic moments in film and television.

Also this month, our full roster of regulars from Joan-E's Rag to Miss Cotton Around Town, with Rob Easton's Wasted Thoughts, Justin Meisner's The Third Kind, plus music reviews, TV previews, comics, nightlife and events, and an all-girl photo shoot (because we love the ladies too)!

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-03-29T17:50:00.001-07:00

Take the human touch, combine it with a digital computer and you've got Giorgio Moroder. Found this little promo video gem on the internet while searching for his epic 16 minute version of "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer, and although it's not technically a "track", it'll work for this week. The announcer sounds like Troy McClure but the album E=MC2 is an electronic masterpiece. And Moroder rocked that moustache way before the Village People. Viva Italia Electronica!

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (March 25/10)

2010-03-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you mix the style of Leigh Bowery, the voice of Sylvester, the body of Divine and the electro-synths of Giorgio Moroder? Why, it's Italy's own Disco Queen Hard Ton of course! The latest addition to Gigolo Records, the label which discovered Tiga, Vitalic, Miss Kittin and Fischerspooner, is set to be the wildest Italian export since the Versace family. Check out their videos for the full Hard Ton experience, prepare to be dazzled!

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-03-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

Last night was the biggest, glitziest drag night of the year in Vancouver, where every queen from the city, the country and even the continent gathered. It was Coronation 39: A Night in Athens, and there was more glitter and rhinestones than a Cher tour bus! We'll be uploading all the photos from the event in the next day or two, but until then, let's keep on going with the RuPaul vibe. This week's V-Rag Classic Track is my favourite tranny house track, "House of Love" produced by Eric Kupper in 1994. It wasn't the huge hit "Supermodel" was, but superior follow-up singles sometimes miss the pop radar. Hope it brings back some memories, Come On In!

"House of Love (T-Empo's Kitsch Bitch Mix)" - RuPaul

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (March 11/10)

2010-03-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

Yup. We're addicted all over again. Last year, our television world was changed by RuPaul's Drag Race, the over-saturated airbrushed spectacular that introduced us to Nina Flowers. Oh yeah, and that other queen that won. Season 2 is now in full swing after its debut in February on LogoTV. And since Glee is on hiatus, we're in desperate need of some prime-time gay TV! Although it's not on MuchMore here in Canada yet (WHEN?!), you can watch full episodes online or on Logo. So far, guests have included Tanya Tucker, Kathy Griffin, Dita Von Teese, Alec Mapa, Phoebe Price and Mike Ruiz. Face it Tyra. Every week, drag status is going up and yours is going down. Deal with it.

Check out the official RuPaul's Drag Race site on LogoTV.

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (March 4/10)

2010-03-04T23:14:00.000-08:00

The Junior Boys are nothing new to anyone who enjoys indie Canadiana. But holy hell, is their new video HOT! The Hamilton, Ontario natives have served up a glitchy beepy electro masterpiece dripping with soul from their album Begone Dull Care. And the video for "Bits & Pieces" is a gay love letter from the boys. House of Monroe, the Toronto-based vogue troupe show us who the legendary children really are with glow-in-the-dark neo drag courtesy of Mary Messhausen! What do we really wanna see now? A vogue battle between House of Monroe and House of Dangerkat! WORK!

"Bits and Pieces" - Junior Boys

Joan-E's Rag: Olympics on Davie?

2010-03-04T22:47:00.000-08:00

Did anyone notice that Davie Street was rather lame over the Olympics?

Now that the Olympics have wound down, I thought it might be interesting to broach a rather tender topic in Vancouver's GLBT community. That topic being Vancouver's rather (ahem) intimate party scene. Every month it seems we have less and less places that cater to us! Even the few clubs and pubs that we do have are often half full and forced to throw straight-centric evenings to pay the bills! Furthermore, many a party promoter has lost his or her shirt in this lazy crazy beach town and many a queen has had to pack in her gowns and grow a beard!!

We have one of the most highly dense GLBT populations in the world and yet we have three cabarets, half a dozen pubs (almost all sports themed) and a few restaurants. There is no tranny bar, no full time leather bar, barely a Lesbian scene and with the closing of the Dufferin, no FABULOUS place to find strippers and hustlers and freaks (OH MY!)

I decided to make a list of what HAS worked long-term in this city.

1. Drag shows: Myria Le Noir's historic "The Bitch is Back" show at Celebrities, Willie Taylor's "Almost Live" show and her Lyps Inc show with Carlotta (which Carlotta continues) at the Odyssey, Symone's dinner show at Doll & Pennies, and Miss Adrian's Thursdays. All of these promotions have lasted at least half a decade.

2. Circuit style parties: From "Out on the Slopes" to "Big Roger" to Tommy D, there has always been fun and games for the boys with the massive pecs, a hatred of wearing shirts and a love of water bottles. These have worked best when the promoters provided a "Name", a "Show" a kick-ass DJ and made their crowd more diverse.

3. Karaoke: Numbers has reinvented itself as the comfy lounge where everyone is welcome and all are encouraged to belt out their best Celine, Britney or Gaga. The Dufferin also had HUGE success for over a decade with their Karaoke nights.

4. Special event fundraising nights: The Christmas show at the Fountainhead, WIGGLE, Diorama, Coronation, Miss Wesa, Fit for a Queen, and Gambado to name a few. When our Community needs it, Vancouver will come out in droves.

5. Club nights: Electro Lush Lounge at the Denman Station, Shower Power at the Odyssey, Release at Celebs, Amateur Strip at Numbers, and Dreaddy's Thursdays at 1181 are just a few examples of what happens when clubs get it right!

The one thing that all these success stories have in common is that they were Events!! No one just opened the door and said "Come on in for a regular old night"! That does not work in Vancouver!!! YOU MUST BUILD IT OR THEY WONT COME!

I guess what I'm trying to say is: In this City, you need to throw SOMETHING. We had the world on our doorstep last month and, with some notable exceptions, I think we dropped the ball. We just assumed that people would come in droves to the Village and it didn't happen. I looked in the stores, the pubs and even the clubs and saw disappointment in the eyes of management, staff and customers alike.

In the future, I suggest the businesses of Davie Street work TOGETHER to create excitement for the Village! City Hall has loosened up a bit! During the Olympics, we should have had a fabulous Davie Street block party put on by the Merchants of Davie street in co-operation with Qmunity, our charities and the Davie Street Business Association! It could have been magical! Instead, it was just a'ight.

My hats off to all of the promoters, artists and visionaries in Vancouver who attempt to create a great party. You are my heroes!

For more of Joan-E's Rag and Essential Gay Intelligence, check out PINQ.CA!

March: 9 1/2 Months

2010-03-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

Nine months ago, the first issue of V-Rag hit the stands in Vancouver. In that time, I could have had a baby (maybe not physically), and that's how this publication has felt. Month after month, we got better and more mature, and although we're still a very young magazine, I'm proud of the little arts & culture rag that could. Continuing the trend of high profile features, we're excited to have an exclusive interview with British electro-pop sensation Little Boots! Not only did she release my favourite pop album of 2009, Hands, but she's extending her North American tour to include Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and L.A. this month. Lucky us!

Also featured this month, home-grown stars Team Canada DJ's chat with us about their whirlwind month of being the soundtrack to the 2010 Winter Olympics here in Vancouver and in Whistler. And speaking of Whistler, it's time to get your boots and bindings on and head up for WinterPRIDE 2010! We have the ultimate guide to all the parties and events that you don't want to miss. March also marks our biggest photo shoot ever, with the boys of Gay Top Model and photographer Ian Sheh. Check out their apres-ski apparel, choose who your favourite is, and don't forget to attend the finale on April 1 at Celebrities! It'll be a great show that will benefit the Friends For Life Society. Joan-E will remind you just why that's so important in this month's Joan-E's Rag, along with our other regulars, music and movie reviews, and the debut of The Third Kind by Justin Meisner. Have fun, and play safe in the snow... If you can find any.

Wanna Be On Top?

2010-03-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

We recently held a challenge for the contestants of this year's Gay Top Model competition, along with photographer Ian Sheh. The theme: winter apres-ski, just in time for WinterPRIDE 2010. The boys got to trade in their undies and skinny jeans for board pants and hoodies in an exclusive photo shoot that will appear in the March issue of V-Rag. The winner of Gay Top Model will be announce April 1 at Celebrities and will be featured on our May cover. In the meantime, check out behind the scenes of our March shoot. Who do you think should be on top?

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-02-21T17:00:00.001-08:00

We're feeling a little patriotic today here at V-Rag. It's the day of the big Olympic Men's Hockey game between Canada and the US, and we want to show our support in the gayest way possible! A classic club track from Ontario's house legend, Matteo DiMarr a.k.a. M1, "Electronic Funk". We've always been a fan of homegrown club music, and this shows exactly what Canada can do. Go Team Canada!!

"Electronic Funk (Kaje Mix)" - M1

Chromeo Exclusive

2010-02-20T20:18:00.001-08:00

I don't know if you know this, but Chromeo is a pretty big deal. With only two albums under their belt, this Montreal duo has single-handedly conquered the dance music scene in a manner that can only be described as revolutionary. Their tongue-in-cheek electro boogie sound has devastated not only dancefloors around the world, but the charts as well. Now they're in Vancouver for the Cultural Olympiad and V-Rag got to sit down with the boys Dave One and Pee Thug for an exclusive interview!

IT'S CHROMEO
Interview by Cole Johnston

You're in the studio recording your third album now. How is this one going to be different from the last two?

Dave: It's a little more sophisticated. More arrangements, vocal harmonies, more piano-based tunes. Sort of a night time disco feel on a couple of songs, too. So I guess somewhat of a natural progression from our last record.

When can we expect its release?

Dave: August.

Why release Night By Night for free? Is it a teaser from the new album?

Dave: Yes, it's like a pre-single. We hadn't released a original song in so long...we just wanted to see how it would feel. It'll be on the album. I like the idea of free music in general.

You guys spent quite a while touring Fancy Footwork; what do you enjoy about touring? What could you do without?

Pee: Seeing the fans and spending quality time with them at shows will always be my favorite part of touring. I also enjoy doing road trips "on-a-mission", early in the morning driving to another city and have greasy breakfast on the side of the road. I could really do without the whole flying experience though... You schlep luggage, you sweat, you're always worried there's a problem with your flight, they tell you to take stuff out of your bag because it's too heavy, you end up with an extra jacket and a pair of shoes to carry on, which makes you sweat more. Then you get to security where you have to unpack all your bags. By that time you're only wearing socks, a sweaty t-shirt, holding your pants up and your face is all red from the effort so you look like you're 12 years old while going through the metal detector (for those who have hair, taking off your sweater or hoodie also reinforces the 12 year-old look). After that, you can put your clothes back on and pretend nothing happened. But you're getting hungry and you're about to spend $25 at Nathan's hot dog stand, or the "healthy" alternative, get a dry turkey wrap. I don't think I need to go on... We all know what's next: get in the plane, get a middle seat between to big guys like me, there's a baby crying behind you, your laptop battery is dead, you get to the other side, your luggage doesn't make it, nobody's going to pay for it, blah blah blah...

The Cultural Olympiad is a pretty big deal, how did your upcoming performances come about? Who will you be playing alongside?

Dave: No idea how this came about. We just said yes. I know Team Canada DJs are there...those are longtime pals from Montreal.

Are your Vancouver/Whistler shows a one-off or part of a larger tour?

Pee: This is just a one off show. We're really busy with the new album right now, but we had to do this gig. It's a great opportunity and maybe it will inspire me to get in shape in 2010 and start skiing...

Where do you see the Canadian music scene being at right now? Do you think it's improving since your rise to international fame?

Dave: We don't really know. Arcade Fire came out at the same time as our first album, so Canadian music was already on the forefront then. I mean, we don't really look at it like Canada's got this distinct musical identity. The next biggest rapper in the universe is Canadian though; Drake.

How long have the two of you been making music together?

Pee: We've been making music together since high school. We were about 15-16 years old and we met while forming a band. We were playing live funk, Parliament-style, back then... We became best friends and always stuck together through different bands since that first week we met. I didn't like Dave at first, but my opinion changed in one week. Throughout the years, even when we weren't in bands together, we were always helping each other on different projects. So when decided to get together to form Chromeo it was a great occasion to be back and work on a common project.

You guys come from pretty different musical backgrounds. Who do you both respect and admire musically?

Pee: The obvious, of course Hall & Oates, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Rick James, Phil Collins, and the list goes on with all the older generation of 70s and 80s music that inspires us. But also our peers today, that we're seeing evolve and achieve great things. Phoenix, with their great success in the US with the last album. Vampire Weekend another great success story.

Dave: Daft Punk too, let's not forget them. They laid the blueprint for what we're still doing now on 'Discovery'. I'm really into hip hop as well.

Anyone you're dying to do a collaboration with?

Dave: Not really. Daryl Hall was pretty much it for us. We make our music in a vacuum...so the only challenges we set are for ourselves.

In the past, you've produced beats for hip-hop bands like Shades of Culture and Dubmatique. Any plans to return to hip-hop in the future?

Dave: Haha, thanks for remembering that! That era means a lot to me. Don't know if I'll return to hip hop though. My brother's now has that angle covered. Chromeo's the main objective for us at the moment..

It's every music fan's dream to make a mixtape. How fun was it compiling last year's DJ Kicks CD?

Pee: It was really fun, especially because we were allowed to change up the concept a little bit and have a mix that changes tempos and musical styles. We were able to insert slower songs that we could never put on any other mixtape and represent Quebec and French funk/soul. The cover songs was also a good addition to the mix.

Chromeo plays February 20 at 10:00 pm at CODE Live 1 at Great Northern Way Campus, 577 Great Northern Way, Vancouver.

"Night By Night" - Chromeo

"Nice N Clean" - Chromeo on Yo Gabba Gabba

YACHT Exclusive

2010-02-18T12:36:00.000-08:00

YACHT is a fantastically unique musical/multimedia group, originally established as a solo act by artist Jona Bechtolt in 2003. Two years ago, respected science writer and theorist Claire L. Evans joined “team YACHT” and the rest is history. V-Rag got to speak to the intellectual electro duo, for what just might be our most cerebral interview to date. Check them out this Friday at the Biltmore Cabaret!

GO TEAM YACHT!
Interview by Matt Roy

I'm always curious about where a band's name comes from. I've gone over your mission statement and understand why YACHT is to be capitalized in all instances. But how/why did you choose the name YACHT to begin with?

YACHT is an acronym, which is why we insist on it being capitalized -- it's a question of grammatical integrity. It's named after an after-school program which used to exist in Portland, Oregon, which was called YACHT: Young Americans Challenging High Technology. YACHT taught a kind of double-sided, holistic approach to technology, teaching kids the fundamentals of web design and video editing while advocating an almost Unabomber-esque political agenda.

How has YACHT changed or grown with the addition of Claire L. Evans?

It's true that YACHT was a solo project for many years before it became a duo, so it was difficult at the beginning to understand how to work together. And collaboration is always difficult, as it requires some level of ego sacrifice -- we're no exception. However, we were lucky to have shared many powerful experiences together -- most importantly the "Mystery Lights" for which our album is named -- and we were able to draw on shared motivations for our work. After two years now, our creative process has refined itself into something very crystalline, very collaborative. We each have our strengths, and we divvy up work accordingly. Everything, in the end, has to come together, and when it does, it becomes larger than each of our personal egos or identities. It becomes YACHT. In any case, it's not so much a distinction of pre-Claire and post-Claire. It has much more to do with a fundamental change in the spirit of the band, which was caused by the Marfa Lights experience. When we saw the Lights, YACHT immediately moved from a solo project to a duo. There was no conscious effort to do so, it was simply the result of a profound change within us as people. After all, we'd seen something truly rare, truly magic, truly unexplained, and yet evidently real. Coming face-to-face with something like that changes you. It humbles you. It puts our microscopic human relevance in the grand scheme of this cavernous Universe into perspective. We had to make music together which paid homage to that, and that is how YACHT changed.

What are your musical/artistic influences?

We draw more inspiration from art -- contemporary and otherwise -- than we do from the music world, although both disciplines are somewhat weighed down by the inherent commercialism of their enterprise. There are several contemporary artists in particular that we admire: Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese sculptor and creator of penetratingly insightful immersive installations known as "mirrored rooms," is a longtime favorite of ours. Her sense of total immersion and her rapt devotion to a single, repetitive theme appeals to our ritualistic interests. After all, we see pop music, with its repetitive choruses and ability to be played over and over again, as a kind of mainstream receptacle for mantras or single-serving thematic ideas. Kusama's dot-matrix paintings speak to this. We also love the Scandinavian Olafur Eliasson for his ability to lay bare fundamental secrets of the Universe, its inherent order and beauty, with very simple, often merely optical means. That said, we do consider ourselves to be a sieve through which thousands of ephemeral pieces of cultural detritus pass every day. Our influences range from visual art (Kusama, Eliasson, as well as Ed Ruscha Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, Italian Futurism, David Hockney) to writing, contemporary video and new media art, poetry, esotericism, and the paranormal. We recently designed and produced a giant poster of all our nonmusical influences -- a kind of index -- ranging from religious iconography to films and poetry. Some of the films we decided to include in this index were Pier Paolo Pasolini's Uccellaci E Uccellinni, Donnie Darko, Star Trek, and various documentaries about modern religious movements like Scientology and the Branch Davidian Seventh Day Adventists. It also includes mathematical images, William Blake, magazine covers, photos of Charles Manson, punk bands, maps, and images of UFOs. Our influences are quite diverse: the world is open to us.

Although you work in a variety of media, why is music your main medium for expression, or is it?

We consider ourselves generalists. According to the great architect and thinker Buckminster Fuller, who is a huge influence on us, overspecialization is the greatest limitation there is. The more you focus on one aspect of your work, the more you become a niche intellectual, the less aware you are of the great systems of knowledge and life of which you are a part. Overspecialization is what leads to extinction in the animal kingdom, and it's the same for us. We consider ourselves an evolutionary entity, and as such avoid specializing ourselves. We work in many fields, have many projects, of which music is the most visible. We make books, texts, graphic design, videos, and performance. We see no point in limitation, as we need to stay vital and engaged with the world.

What do you find most appealing about electronic music and technology in general?

In a word, it liberates.

The videos from the newest album (Summer Song, Psychic City, Ring the Bell) have overt visuals regarding capitalism, religion, and sexuality, but at the same time they are quite funny and entertaining. Do you have strong feelings about these motifs, or is it parody for parody's sake?

We've always been fascinated with human belief systems. This is not limited, necessarily, to religion. Anything which causes a human being to have a transcendent experience is inherently spiritual, and as such something worth thinking about, and not worth being afraid of; we see both the pagan and "traditional" Western systems of belief as being only paths which come from the same place, and lead people through the woods to the same place. This doesn't mean we practice any religion ourselves, save perhaps the systems we have developed for ourselves after experiencing what we did in the Texas desert. YACHT videos aren't parody, or satire. They're intended to be allegories, full of symbols which act as shorthand for ideas, just as ancient mythology serves as a method for teaching and remembering spiritual concepts. Each ritual, every detail, in the video is deliberate, and will prove fruitful for anyone with the patience to research it. We have a great love for the arcane beauty of ritual, which is why the Psychic City video includes many of our most beloved ceremonies. Some are quite obvious,such as the Eucharist, and other much more esoteric (although equally as important in human history), such as the ancient Eleusinian Mysteries of Greece and some elements of Druidic paganism. The final messages of the Psychic City video, however, are simple: that light and dark are simply two sides of the same coin. That there is, in fact, no "light" and no "dark." That love, both carnal and spiritual, is the only force which can unite us all.

Very few musical groups have a mission statement. Yours is extensive. Why do you feel a mission statement is integral to you and for the fans/curious minded?

It sets the tone. As an organization we strive to provide an alternative culture with meaning and intent. We want to use the fundamentally synergistic nature of a band and its fans (who, when brought together, create something larger than their component parts), parlaying it into an experience of intellectual and spiritual value. That tendency is already latent within subculture, and we're simply trying to bring it out into the open and create a real singular community. We've found that codifyng out beliefs in the form of a mission statement is helpful to people, and helps draw out possibilities by providing a starting point for conversation and debate.

At the end of your mission statement, you explicitly note that you are not a cult. Is there a story behind that disclaimer?

Not exactly. Rather, we simply hope to pre-empt any accusations. We find that the mainstream culture is quick to use words like "cult" to marginalize offshoot religious groups, or similar words like "punk" to marginalize music subculture (of course, in the case of "punk," the word was reclaimed). There is something richly American and powerfully human about people who strike off to create their own religious or cultural identities -- everywhere from starting hippie communes and having religious visions to taking to the stage with four chords -- and we really respect that tradition. We find it distasteful how the conservative religious mainstream condemns this kind of behavior, as we see it as true spirituality. We always identify with the underdogs because we both grew up in a punk culture in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. I suppose that YACHT is attempting to forge connections between underground musical culture and underground spiritual culture. After all, both are motivated by the desire to create something more real, special, and rare than what is being presented by conventional organizations.

Your site contains a lot of free content, and a donation link. What are your views on "piracy"? Are people generous when given the choice to pay or not to pay for music?

Piracy is a difficult subject for us, as we've gotten into some trouble on the subject in the past. However, our views remain the same: that software and music piracy is out of our hands, is a cultural trend that is pushed forward by millions of invisible hands, and that it will never go away, never disappear. It's not in our interest to rebel against culture, to push back against those millions of hands, who don't pirate out of malice or disapproval, but to live outside of their means and experience culture through its media. We see our art in the Walter Benjamin sense -- once we finish producing something, it belongs to the world, through the wonder of both mechanical reproduction (albums, concerts) and the transparent forces of idea-sharing online. Everyone owns a tiny piece of YACHT. We want to encourage that.

You're still touring as of 2010. What do you enjoy about being on the road?

The opportunity to meet the people who make YACHT possible as both a band and community.

Pros and cons of having a show in Vancouver in the height of the Olympic craziness?

To be honest, we have no idea what to expect. We've never been remotely close, geographically, to the aura of the Olympiad, and are excited that our journey to Canada will begin with the frenzy of the 2010 Olympics. Athletes of Olympic caliber refine and purify their bodies to the height of physical capacity, and we find that to be a useful allegory for how we aim to refine our minds. Perhaps it will motivate us all.

What can fans expect from YACHT in the future?

We've taken some baby steps onto a path which will never allow us, at this point, to move backwards. YACHT forges ahead through the darkness, inventing the way as it goes, until the path ends, the top of the mountain is reached, and we can finally look behind us to see which way we journeyed.

YACHT performs at the Biltmore Cabaret on Feb. 19th at 9:30pm.
www.teamyacht.com

"Summer Song" - YACHT

"Psychic City (Voodoo City)" - YACHT

Gonzales Exclusive

2010-02-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't heard of him before, Canada's own Gonzales has been in cahoots with homegrown superstars like electro-rapper Peaches and family-friendlier indie star Feist. But it's his solo work that screams 'mad genius'. Who else could put rhymes like "Gonna rape that face/And erase the bad taste" over a muffled Korg and electro drum machine kit and still make it sound good? Now he's in our fair city playing with Feist for the Cultural Olympiad and V-Rag got to speak to the musical maniac...

SUPERVILLAINY
Interview by Jeff Lawrence

What kind of a kid were you?

I spent most of my free time fantasizing about being a super villain whilst jumping up and down on a trampoline. Then I discovered the piano and that became my outlet for supervillainy.

Where are you living now and why?

I've been living Paris now for some time. French professional culture is a bit indirect for my North American capitalist tastes. I feel more and more Canadian as the years drag on here. Although when I come home to Canada people say I "look European", go figure.

You're a classically trained pianist, but some of your first recordings were of you MCing over minimal electro beats. What drew you away from the piano to that?

I had already been disillusioned with the piano when I left Canada, mostly to do with a lingering distaste for the masturbatory tendencies of young "virtuosos". So it was quite inspiring to discover the electro scene in Berlin in 1998. Not only did it feel more relevant to my philosophy and age (at that time), but it was easy and cheap to make that kind of music. Moving to Paris in 2003 in relative comfort opened me up to re-incorporating the piano into my music.

You have worked with some huge names, including Peaches, Daft Punk and Jamie Lidell. I've read that you're very particular about who you choose to work with; what are some of the criteria you look for in a collaboration?

First of all I have to find something to contribute. Collaboration is also a lot of psychology, so I need to have a decent rapport with them. Sometimes friendship and mutual respect are the best basis for work. But I also generally prefer playing my own shows, and producing is very time-consuming and takes place in dark rooms with no windows. So in the end I can afford to be choosy because I don't produce full-time.

How did you meet Peaches anyways? And for Teaches of Peaches, were you both predisposed to that same minimal electro sound, or did one of you introduce the other to it?

Well I would like to clarify that I did not produce that album. But we both were attracted to that sound for practical, even economic, reasons. I would say Peaches' sound is extremely minimal, whereas mine still allows for a lot of old-school musical elements. Doing "minimal" music isn't really a big deal, most good music is about a single good idea anyway.

In regards to your world record for longest solo-artist performance, do you think you were successful in proving music requires athleticism, or just that musicians are insane geniuses?

That's for the audience to decide, but I do know that no one complained that I was using the public as a "prop" to get a world record. It was a simultaneously ego-driven and generous act. I am not insane, I just pretend to be onstage.

What's your take on Canada's musical palette? You've previously said you were "disappointed" by your experiences in Canada, do you still see it that way?

For personal reasons I was disappointed. I love Canadian culture. We really do have the best sense of humour along with our former colonial masters. Musically things are a little outside of my wheelhouse, but I have enormous respect for Canadians who manage to make music that sounds Canadian. Working with Feist gives me a window into that community.

Where do you think the trend of Canadians moving to Berlin to pursue their art comes from?

Well it doesn't matter where you go as long as you leave, right? The trend is that exile is inspiring.

Feist and yourself are playing the Cultural Olympiad on February 17th. How did this performance come about?

Who could turn that down? A captive audience in a beautiful theatre is impossible to refuse. Plus I will be in New York City doing shows for the whole month of February, so the travel isn't quite as murderous as it would have been from Paris.

Who would you love to work with that you haven't yet?

Lenny Kravitz or The Clipse.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

I am shooting a feature length movie about Canadian chess champions that I wrote and will star in, together with Canadian underground stars Peaches and Tiga. It's the companion piece to my new electro album "Ivory Tower". The album and movie will drop this September.

Fesit and Gonzales play the Orpheum Theatre tonight (Feb. 17) at 8pm.

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-02-14T16:22:00.000-08:00

Ah, the day we either love to hate or love to love, Valentine's is all about the L-Word. So, if you've got a boy or girl, or something in between, treat them right... And if you're single like the rest of us, get drunk and swear at anyone that looks vaguely happy. This week's classic track should get you inspired, one of my all-time favourites: "Dr. Love" by First Choice. Just one kiss from his lips is like taking Vitamin C, you can't imagine what my doctor does to me...

"Dr. Love" - First Choice

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (Feb. 11/10)

2010-02-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

The boys of OutTV's Don't Quit Your Gay Job have been with us since day one, when we first profiled them. In fact, V-Rag was the first to bring you an exclusive look at the premiere season! From drag queen to dominatrix to city bus driver to stripper, Rob Easton and Sean Horlor gave us a peak at the jobs we either covet or curse. A breakout hit here in Canada, they're back for a second season, set to be bigger and better than the last. In the spirit of the season, OutTV will be airing the first two episodes of the new series on Feb. 15th ("Curling") and Feb. 22nd ("Hockey"). This is a true local original, and be sure to keep your eyes out for a feature on Season 2 in the upcoming March issue of V-Rag. Also read all about Rob's Wasted Thoughts, a V-Rag regular column as well as Sean's Up Your Alley blog on the xtra.ca website. Go Team Rob & Sean!

BASH'd Exclusive

2010-02-10T18:36:00.000-08:00

We've always known that musical theatre is a little bit... well... gay. And we've always been very aware of the homophobic undertones of mainstream rap and hip-hop. So mashing the two genres together is obvious, really. Right? At least that's how Nathan Cuckow and Chris Caddock, the creators and stars of BASH'd!: A Gay Rap Opera, see it. V-Rag got a chance to catch up with Cuckow (T-BAG) and Caddock (Feminem) to find out about the genesis of this one of-a-kind play, a welcome addition to this year's Cultural Olympiad lineup.

BEING BASH'D
Interview by Cole Johnston

How did BASH'd come about (or should I say come out)?

BASH’d! was created after a gay rap performance (featuring Feminem and T BAG) at Edmonton's Loud 'n Queer Cabaret. Chris and I had such a good time creating and performing a track called “Grab That Ass” with our gay rap alter-egos, we immediately knew we wanted to expand on the concept, and use Feminem and T BAG to narrate a full length show. BASH’d! was inspired by the “equal marriage debate” in Canada, and was created shortly after. The Premier of Alberta at the time, Ralph Klein, was threatening to use the not-withstanding clause, which would have effectively denied gay Albertans the right to marry their spouses. Ralph was using a lot of militaristic language, saying stuff like “we’ll use every weapon in our arsenal” to fight this attack on the definition of marriage, whipping his conservative fan base up into a frenzy. There was a rise in hate crimes in the province. We have straight friends who were gay bashed. It didn’t matter if the people being attacked were gay or not, just as long as someone was getting beat up for being queer. We were interested in exploring this political climate, and the effects gay bashings have on the gay community, gay relationships, and gay families.

BASH'd has been doing the theatre circuit for a few years now, is this your first time bringing it to Vancouver?

Yes. We played Victoria last March and we’re very excited to play Vancouver.

You both have an impressive history on Alberta's theatre scene, how did the two of you meet?

Chris and I became friends when I came to Edmonton to perform in a show at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. We have very similar attitudes when it comes to theatre, art, film, books, etc and quickly became friends. We originally collaborated as writer/performers on a play entitled 3…2…1 which we toured to Ottawa’s Magnetic North Theatre Festival and to the Yukon. And we created BASH’d! shortly after.

Gay rappers have been more and more recognized in mainstream music lately, do you guys feel like Canadian pioneers in this movement?

No, BASH’d! is a hip hop musical and Feminem and TBAG are just characters. We tell the story in rhyme with dope beats but we aren’t real rappers. If we in any way can help gain public awareness to gay rappers and the gay rap movement, that is great. But we are hardly pioneers. We recommend people check out the queer documentary Pick Up The Mic.

What are your favourite homo hip-hop tracks?

We’re fans of hip hop and enjoy socially conscious rappers like Sage Francis, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Aesop Rock, Missy Elliot, Public Enemy, The Gift of Gab, Knaan, MF DOOM, The Roots, etc.

It's clear you guys are serious about hip-hop, not just out for laughs. Do you have the street cred to go along with the critical acclaim now?

Hehe. Are you wondering if we’ve ever been shot or done time in the slammer? In both cases, the answer is no. Chris and I are trained actors, and fans of hip hop and we’ve done our best to execute our rhymes and play our characters to the best of our abilities.

This is pretty dark subject matter for a comedy, are there some people who just don't "get it"?

Sure. Not everyone is going to like everything. I will say that BASH’d! isn’t just a comedy. It’s also a drama and part tragedy. I would say it’s mostly a gay love story, and a celebration of love and of the gay community.

What message are you trying to convey with this project?

I want people to have the most engaging experience possible. I believe the key to doing that is first and foremost, by entertaining them. If people are entertained, they open themselves up to the characters journey. I believe that the best experiences in film and in theatre and in art come from emotionally connected storytelling. There are lots of themes that run through BASH’d! but I wouldn’t say the show has a singular “message”. Audiences may watch the show and be connected to the theme of “violence begetting violence”, or they may leave inspired to be more political in the interest of human rights, or maybe they’ll just enjoy the music, the jokes, and Chris’s pink John Deere ball-cap. We wanted to explore the effects gay bashings have on the gay community, gay relationships, and gay families, and what happens when a political climate encourages this discrimination. BASH’d! can be seen as political theatre, a plea for equal rights, or it can just be seen as an entertaining celebration of love with a tragic twist. Our aim is for people to have both experiences. What an audience wishes to take away from our show, is up to them.

Do you think the political atmosphere has changed much since BASH'd debuted?

Yes and no. It seems in the case of all civil rights movements, it’s 3 steps forward 2 steps back. But hopefully in time we’ll see a more substantial change. I have faith in the younger generations who don’t have as much baggage when it comes to sexuality as our repressed religious elders.

BASH'd: A Gay Rap Opera
at the Cultch, 1895 Venables Street

Tuesday, 2/16/2010 at 8:00 pm
Wednesday, 2/17/2010 at 8:00 pm
Thursday, 2/18/2010 at 8:00 pm
Friday, 2/19/2010 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, 2/20/2010 at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm

Caesar Exclusive

2010-02-08T19:41:00.000-08:00

Caesar is one of gay porn's all-time royalty. After a quick rise to fame in the late '90s and throughout the last decade, he retired from the industry to pursue fitness and body building. I'm sure most internet-addicted guys will recognize his... erm... face. We got a chance to talk dirty with the muscular sex symbol. How much do we love this job??

CAESAR: FIRST MAN OF PORN
Interview by Cole Johnston

When did you first become interested in the porn industry as a career?

I guess it was in the back of my mind during my teens. When I got out of the US Marine Corps in 1996, I was approached by Chi Chi LaRue and the rest is history.

Looking back on your career, any highlights or regrets?

Probably lots of regrets but I don't focus on those. I met a lot of cool people, made some life-long friends, had lots of kinky sex and I make a pretty decent living with the name I built up.

You're still one of the most recognizable faces in gay porn. Are you often recognized in public?

Sometimes. If I'm in a gay area I am recognized often. The airport seems to be a common place to be recognized too.

What's the craziest thing a fan's ever done or asked?

I'd have to go with cruising my house when I still lived in West Hollywood and the ones that ask to marry me or be my boyfriend when they've never actually met me in person... that's pretty crazy!

Do you watch your own videos? Or have any favourite adult films?

Not into watching myself in the professional vids but do enjoy making home videos just for personal use... those can be pretty hot.

Favourite porn?

I always enjoyed the Falcon classics...Manhandler being one that sticks out.

You have a history of competitive body building and your website now features workout and training tips. Is fitness your current career direction?

Yes, it's my true passion and I'm working on a total finess-based website now and I do personal training here in Las Vegas.

Winter Olympics are this month here in Vancouver! Any events you'll be watching?

I've never been a real big winter guy. I'm a big baby when it comes to the cold so I never got too involved with the Winter Olympics but I do like the Speed Skating quite a bit.

You're very disciplined as a body builder and trainer. Do you have any vices?

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups are my weakness and I am an avid supporter of legalized Marijuana!

You seem to have dabbled in every career; dance, fitness, and porn. Is there anything you're still passionate to try out?

I think I'm going to concentrate on fitness/bodybuilding for now. I want to increase my education and continue to grow as a trainer. Still doing the adult stuff but not as hardcore these days.

Does that mean you're coming out of porn retirement? What can we expect from you in the future?

Only time can tell... it just has to be the right project. Something new and creative without being silly. Stay tuned!

www.caesarworld.com

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-02-07T15:54:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this little gem of a video when I was looking up this week's V-Rag Classic Track, "I'm Alive" by Stretch 'n' Vern. Remember when pleather and faux fur were what all the club kids were wearing? Admit it, you still have something embarrassing in your closet from the mid '90s when Electric Circus was Queen of MuchMusic and we called the internet the worldwide web. Well, tonight is the night to don those outfits and party like it's 1996 again, with DRAGonFire, a classic House of Venus party at Honey Lounge in Gastown. Hope to see you all there... dancing EXACTLY like this!

"I'm Alive" - Stretch 'n' Vern (Electric Circus 1996)

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (Feb. 4/10)

2010-02-04T22:40:00.000-08:00

OK, as if this picture isn't enough to become obsessed over, amazingly the personality behind it is even more astounding! If you don't already know who Little Boots is, where have you been for the last year?? The ex-lead singer of Brit-pop group Dead Disco (a.k.a. Victoria Hesketh) dropped the electro-pop masterpiece Hands in 2009. Since then, she's been called the British Lady GaGa, the next Kate Bush and the biggest artist to watch in 2010. It's easy to see why, with pure pop brilliance like the single "Remedy" mixed with her undeniable talent and beauty. Can you tell we're obsessed yet? Check out the videos and pretend that you're not already on Team Boots. Especially with the way she rocks out on that Tenori-on and Stylophone! She'll be coming our way March 5th at Venue and V-Rag will be there squealing along.

little boots - remedy
Uploaded by project485. - Classic TV and last night's shows, online.

Little Boots: "Meddle" for PlayGround
Uploaded by playgroundmag. - Explore more music videos.

February: The GOLD Edition

2010-02-02T22:24:00.000-08:00

After much anticipation, discussion, controversy and excitement, the Winter Olympics are taking over our fair city this month. And love them or hate them, they are definitely bringing a high calibre of talent to Vancouver! Not only will we see the best athletes in the world, but also the best in art, music and theatre. So, in the spirit of the season, we got to catch up with some of the brightest stars headlining the Cultural Olympiad, as well as other cool events around the city. We're super excited to feature one of my favourite Canadian exports Chromeo and chat with them about their upcoming gigs in Vancouver and Whistler. Fellow Canadian musical genius Gonzales will be playing with Feist during the Cultural Olympiad and takes some time out for V-Rag. Speaking of geniuses, Vancouver art legend Paul Wong explains his Olympic installations, and Calgary-based theatre sensation BASH'd rap about their gay hip-hop musical. Rob Easton sits down with Olympic Gold Medalist Mark Tewksbury this month to discuss the lack of gay athletes in the Games, and porn legend-cum-fitness guru Caesar gets grilled by me. What a job! On a more indie tip, DFA recording artists YACHT and Canadian folk heroes Woodpigeon give us a taste of the huge amount of non-Olympic activities happening this month. All that plus the triumphant return of Joan-E's Rag in this month's issue of V-Rag, available today! Be sure to check back throughout February for exclusive content, extended interviews, music, videos and contests right here on the Official V-Blog.

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-01-31T16:40:00.000-08:00

The sun is poking out from the clouds today, it's a new month coming up, and the excitement in Vancouver is tangible. What better V-Rag Classic Track than "Brighter Days" by Cajmere & Dajae? Incidentally, tonight is the debut of Vancouver's newest weekly classic house night at Honey Lounge, also called Brighter Days! What a coincidence!

"Brighter Days" - Cajmere & Dajae

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (Jan. 28/10)

2010-01-29T02:21:00.000-08:00

We just did a great interview with the masterminds behind BASH'd!: A Gay Rap Opera, Feminem and T-BAG (check them out at the Cultch this month), and we're feeling oh so hip-hoppy. Homo homies are the obsession of the week, and despite what you may think, there are a LOT to choose from. Cazwell, DeadLee, God-Des, QBoy and Johnny Dangerous are among just a few MCs bringing gay rap to the mainstream! February will feature much more on the subject, but in the meantime, check out these staples of the genre...

CAZWELL - "Is It All Over My Face"

CAZWELL f/ JONNY MAKEUP - "I Seen Beyonce"

DEADLEE f/ MICAH BARNES - "Good Soldier II"

CNN Interview with DEADLEE

GOD-DES f/ SHE - "Lick it"

GOD-DES f/ SHE - "Love You Better"

QBOY f/ SHE - "Coming Out 2 Play"

QBOY f/ KATE NASH - "Dickhead"

JOHNNY DANGEROUS - "(Wan Dat) Azz Iz"

JOHNNY DANGEROUS - "Dirty Is The New Black"

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-01-25T17:24:00.001-08:00

This week's V-Rag Classic Track is a little more laid back, one of the all time greatest hip-hop tunes of the '90s. Should definitely make the rainy days pass by a bit more easily. Hey you what's that sound? It's Skee-Lo with "I Wish"!

Back In The Day: V-Rag Classic Track

2010-01-17T15:22:00.000-08:00

Every Sunday we get a little bit nostalgic here at V-Rag, and we want to share that feeling with you guys. Maybe it's the hangover from the night before, maybe it's the laziness of a rainy Sunday... Whatever the reason, every week we'll be featuring Back In The Day: The V-Rag Classic Track, bringing you back to the good old days. This week: "U Sure Do" by 90's Aussie dance legends Strike. Enjoy!

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (Jan. 14/10)

2010-01-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

We've been obsessed with Major Lazer for most of 2009, but Vancouver finally gets a taste of this fantastic dancehall/electro/house act tonight! DJ Switch, one half of the Diplo/Switch duo behind the band is playing at Pop Opera tonight. For those who don't know Major Lazer, WATCH AND LEARN! With featured vocalists like Santogold, VYBZ Cartel, Ricky Blaze, Mr. Lexx and Nina Sky, this is some solid dancefloor action. And Switch will definitely be tearing it up Lazer-styleee!

Major Lazer "Pon De Floor" ft. Vybz Kartel and Afro Jack
Uploaded by DowntownMusic. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Our Favourite Years

2010-01-13T01:53:00.000-08:00

THE FIRST 10 YEARS OF THE 21st CENTURY
By Jeff Lawrence

It's the end of a year and the end of a decade, so here at V-Rag we've decided to cave in to the "reality television" of print media: the lowly top-ten list. But this isn't just any top ten list. From best to worst, here's a tongue-in-cheek look at the top ten years of the decade that was, ranked by the random events that took place in them. Because remember kids, it's never too early to start judging.

#1 - 2004

This year was amazing. the best really, if only for one of the most confounding juxtapositions in the history of the universe: Martha Stewart meets Alderson Federal Prison Camp. After being convicted of insider trading and sentenced to six months in the slammer, Stewart’s things were no longer quite good. But we all loved it, because what’s funnier than Martha Stewart in prison? We bet she had every badass lady criminal in there doing decoupage in less than a week. And it’s because of a similar event which happened to a much different personality that the next best year of the decade was…

#2 - 2007

Why? Because this year, it was Paris Hilton’s turn to work orange-jumpsuit-chic behind bars, albeit because she proved to everyone by drinking and driving that she was every bit the entitled heiress she was made out to be. C’mon, what sort of sick pleasure didn't you get from watching Hilton bawl her eyes out for having to spend less than a month at a facility in which she was sure to receive above-average treatment? Let’s face it, reality television has turned us into gleeful observers of misfortune, and this year was proof. Not hatin’, just sayin’.

#3 - 2002

While this was a year of ups and downs, it definitely kept us entertained. Let’s recap. Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes of super group TLC dies in a car accident. This makes us sad. Marc Hall, a gay Canadian Catholic school student, legally wins the right to take his boyfriend to the prom. This makes us happy. President Bush sets into motion his “War On Terror”, which to this day has tallied over one million violent deaths in Iraq alone. This makes us very sad. The same year, said President, who had practically engineered the biggest war of our generation, chokes on a pretzel and faints. This makes us laugh for days. Looking back, 2002 was decent.

#4 - 2005

Let’s see. Well, 2005 gave us one of our favourite all-time celebrity couple abbreviations, more because of the crazy it represented: TomKat. That’s Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, for those of you who don’t appreciate high-profile meltdowns as much as the other 98% of the human population. We hope in the online history textbooks of the future that under “2005” there is a nice big YouTube link to “Tom Cruise Kills Oprah”, which remains one of the greatest cinematic victories of our time. And just to balance the scales, listening to “When The Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin became a lot darker in 2005 thanks to the tragic flooding of New Orleans, not to mention Katrina and the fucking Waves. Walking On Sunshine? Not anymore.

#5 - 2003

Depending on how you look back on it, this is either a great year or one of the worst, and that's why it's smack dab in the middle of our list. That’s because this was the year Vancouver, B.C., was chosen as host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics. On the one hand, millions of dollars that may have benefited a city embodying Canada’s homeless and drug abuse problems instead went to putting on two weeks of fun games played on ice and snow. On the other hand, as a result of this endowment we soon were introduced to the greatest mascot who ever was: MukMuk the Marmot. Say the name out loud. It’s ridiculous, but you can’t help but smile. Sorry Downtown Eastside. Instead of having help in the form of shelter and social services, we hope you enjoy the additional arrests and the legal ability of police to force you places you don’t necessarily want to be!

#6 - 2009

Our most recent year and final of the 00’s was like the Grim Reaper’s blood-encrusted scythe. But only if you were a celebrity. Yes, many more non-famous people died, but celebrities are like, you or me times one million, right? So when Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Patrick Swayze and most recently Brittany Murphy all go down in a single year, it’s like the bubonic plague happening all over again. In less gruesome news, extensive CNN coverage of said deaths sets off a groundswell of support for the campaign to rename the channel from “Cable News Network” to “Constantly Needing Natter”. Okay, we just made that up, but COME ON guys. This year: a complete wash.

#7 - 2008

This is the year that everyone started saying the economic structure of the world around us was crumbling at a terrifying rate, and we learned from the pre-recorded voice representing our credit card company, almost daily, that this was in fact correct. At least Barack Obama defeated his Republican counterpart John McCain in the 2008 U.S. Election to become the first African-American(ish) President in that nation’s history, because things finally started looking up for everyone. What’s that? You say instead of looking up, the world actually remained in the darkest depression it has recently known? Wow, 2008 sucked.

#8 - 2006

This is the year Canada went Conservative, thanks to Stephen Harper defeating Liberal Paul Martin in the 2006 Federal Election. Harper and his unrelenting horde of soft blue sweaters immediately give off the impression he’s that one dad who would call your parents when he discovers you’ve written on his daughter’s arm with a sharpie in class because he’s “concerned” that you’re “taking her down the wrong path.” And because of that reason alone, aside from “because we can”, we’re ranking this year third from the bottom on our list.

#9 - 2000

For all of the new millennia we’ve been around to celebrate, 12:01 a.m. on January 1st, 2000 was far and away the most disappointing. Some crazy motherfuckers hid under their houses, a bunch of tweens got alcohol poisoning, and oh yeah, we weren’t obliterated by nuclear warhead controlling computers that couldn’t handle four digits changing simultaneously. In some ways this was the biggest disappointment of all, but because nobody exploded we’ll rank 2000 where it belongs – in the second to last spot. Otherwise known as the one nobody remembers.

#10 - 2001

Let's face it. This was the shittiest year of the decade. On September 11, North America collectively freaked when it realized it was no longer invincible, and Sarah Silverman discovered that the soy chai latte was like, 900 calories (because you hear soy and you think “healthy,” right?) But it was also the day America was attacked, setting into motion years of additional consumer spending on “travel-sized” toiletries at airports while heads of the toothpaste, shaving cream and hand lotion industries met in their secret evil lair to congratulate Bin Laden on a job well done. Good job, assholes.

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (Jan. 7/10)

2010-01-07T23:06:00.000-08:00

It's been almost a month since our last V-WEB posting, the holidays certainly got the better of us. In any case, this week we're obsessed with Calgary-based indie-folk-pop geniuses Woodpigeon! Their new album Die Stadt Muzikanten is a blend of old-fashioned song writing, brilliant arrangements and a gay sensibility courtesy of frontman Mark Andrew. Think Hidden Cameras-meets-Sufjan Stevens... In fact, they're signed to the same label as our past cover boys and girls the Hidden Cameras and Tegan & Sara. The album drops on January 12, and they play the Biltmore Cabaret on January 16th! V-Rag will be on site, so expect an exclusive interview in the February issue. In the meantime, check out their amazing cover of ABBA's "Lay All Your Love On Me", you'll be obsessed too!

"A Moment's Peace for Mary Christa O'Keefe" Woodpigeon

"Lay All Your Love On Me (ABBA Cover)" Woodpigeon

January: The ART Issue

2010-01-07T00:53:00.001-08:00

It's officially the beginning of a brand new decade, which means a fresh start for some, and a fresh new look for V-Rag... Just in time for our very special art edition! Our seventh issue and first of the new year is a celebration of all things art in every medium possible. From the legendary paintings of gay icon Attila Richard Lukacs to the far-out installation work of Geoffrey Farmer, the hyper-realistic skater boy drawings of Brian Boulton to the moody fashion photography of Angela Fama. We got to catch up with all of our favourite art stars plus interview some up-and-comers about their styles, what it's like to be an artist in Vancouver and how to make it as an aspiring artist. We are Vancouver's leading gay arts & culture rag after all...

Also in this issue, a look at some of our favourite years of the decade and what made them so memorable, Rob Easton shares some Wasted Thoughts on an upcoming cultural event you can't miss, and we profile local superstar DJ Dickey Doo. In that Venus-vein, our photo spread this month is from our own chameleon Michael Venus/Cotton/Every-Pop-Icon-You-Can-Think-Of. His Icons and Demigods celebrates 10 years of posing for the camera and coming up with some jaw-dropping photos. All that plus our regular music and movie reviews, calendar of events, listing section and Vancouver Map to keep you in the know.

Keep checking back for exclusive content, news, videos and music!

Happy New Year! With Bif!

2010-01-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

What better way to ring in the new year than with a chat with one of our favourite local celebrities, Bif Naked? V-Rag got to catch up with Bif to talk about spirituality, surviving cancer, marital bliss... oh and lots of bananas!

BIF NAKED: CANADA'S TREASURE
Interview by Michael Venus

You recently returned from a big international tour. What do you enjoy most and least about touring?

I'm happy to be home in Vancouver after our tour to support the release of this year's The Promise record. I love performing and it really is all I have ever done. Though I was still recovering from cancer treatments, and I toured against advice of some of my doctors, it was a very successful year. There isn’t anything I do not like about touring, except that I miss my 13 year old Maltese, Nicklas. He is too old to accompany me, and it would be too hard on him (having to poop at truck stops or outside venues late at night).

As a vegan, it must be tough for you as well on the road. What are your trade secrets to eating right while touring?

The choice to be vegan, and more accurately, "raw food vegan" is very personal. I have never toured with another vegan, so it's always up to me to find my own food... especially when the rest of my band mates have always eaten meat; they can eat anywhere. I basically try and hit grocery stores in every town and eat a lot of bananas. Haha!

Where is you fave spot to eat at here in Vancity? Abroad?

My favorite restaurant in Vancouver has always been The Naam. I always order the exact same thing so they don’t even have to ask me what I want (Naam Salad, no dressing) and eating abroad is tricky because I can't often find the time to get to some of the veggie restaurants in any given town due to press or sound check or travel times. Again, I eat a lot of bananas!

For those who those out there who for some reason didn't hear you got hitched, tell the fabulous V-Rag readers about your beautiful wedding and handsome husband.

My wedding was an absolute gong show because they were filming us the entire time. I had a dreamy wedding with a three-piece dress and long hot pink veil with my mother’s Indian jewelry. We got married at a United church because his parents are Ministers and my parents were missionaries...but at least the United Church of Canada has a healthy amount of gay and lesbian ministers. We were honouring our parents, basically. I had an Indian reception by renting out an entire Indian restaurant, and again, out of 150 guests, I was the only vegan. So the menu was a reflection of what my husband eats. Haha! Butter chicken, lamb curries, etc.

What else has been occupying your time? Do you have any hobbies?

I have always been a painter and cartoonist, with my dogs as my main subjects. Basically I’m a hack! Haha! But I love painting and my Biffy-stick-grrl cartoons have always been my theme in my hand-written liner notes in every CD. I am currently embarking on a book project, though it's unfolding as a "memoir" about my touring experiences over the last 20 years. Plus there is the whole titcancer thing. Haha!

You are a strong survivor of cancer, how did your spirituality and positive outlook help you through that time in your life?

My spirituality permeates every cell of my being. Each one of us is a walking, breathing, talking, thinking miracle. I am a science geek and I love biology and the way we are alive with nerves and vessels and cells and cognitive thoughts, etc. And again, with the positvity, it is just part of my nature. I get bummed, from time to time like anyone else... but it is only a few minutes before I talk myself out of it. I have been that way since I was a little kid. I will never change. I will never feel sorry for myself for any reason. Never have, never will. Yay!

What is your best advice for people to have a more positive outlook?

My best advice for anyone is to go be homeless for a week or to go hungry for a week or to go to the Third World and seriously experience what real problems are. It will, hopefully, enlighten their perspectives. I was raised to be grateful for every day and everything I have each day. I can never complain and even during the hardest part of chemo when I was verrrry sick and verrry bald, I felt grateful. I didn’t have an ostomy bag. I didn’t have a baby. I had access to medicine. I have a roof over my head. Know what I mean? So many people have nothing. Life is so hard, how can we be anything less than grateful?

You've certainly kept healthy and fit. How do you maintain such a sexy body?

You are too sweet! I have always been very active and enjoyed a healthy state of fitness. At one point, I became very underweight because my shows are so physical and we were touring so much I was simply wasting away. But now I find a good balance between weight training and yoga and eating more conscientiously. My weight is much healthier now. I have a lot more body fat and I like being more curvy than skinny.

Most recent tattoo?

I am actually in the process of completing a back tattoo, my first since cancer. It is of the Taj Mahal and I am hoping to have it completed by the end of the year. Steve Breadman at Sacred Heart (on 10th) is my guy. He is the greatest!

What are you currently listening to? Who are your inspirations?

I love music so much that it makes me grateful for my hearing everyday! There is not one kind of music I don’t like. Currently I am crazy for the latest Mariah Carey record! Haha!

Who are your favorite Canadian artists out there?

I love everybody! I am pals with Jann Arden and I have deep admiration for her, as a songwriter and as a performer. She is a big mentor. Also, my pal, Gail Greenwood, who was in the US band, Belly (and later, L7) is one of my biggest influences and I wish I could be half as cool as her every day of my life. She is my guru!

What can we expect in the future from Bif Naked?

Well... I can't know for sure as even I am constantly surprised at what opportunities present themselves... but I have been working on a couple side projects and I am hoping to complete them. One is my Joyful Disco project, love recording that one! I’ve never had so much fun in the studio and the lyrics are absolutely filthy!!! I am finally old enough to write dirty lyrics! And of course my forthcoming book.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-22T18:31:00.000-08:00

From all of us at V-Rag, have a great Christmas and we will see you all in the new year! Until then, let Mitch from Numbers and Nelson from Celebrities get you in the holiday mood with a hot cup of cheer!

Photos by Sarah Hamilton
http://lebeastphotos.carbonmade.com

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (Dec.10/09)

2009-12-10T11:32:00.000-08:00

With Lady Gaga in town yesterday, today and tomorrow it's only fitting that she's this week's obsession. More like our obsession of the year. Personally, we like that she says "fuck" a lot and credits a majority of her success to her rabid gay following. Gaga praises the bond between her and audiences, particularly the Marys, in her interviews, so when those two forces collide in her live show we hear the result is nothing short of breath-stopping and frantic.

V-Rag is on the scene for tonight's performance at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. What could be more suitable than that venue, seriously? First of all the actual Queen Elizabeth just met Lady Gaga. Second of all, the Queen E has played host to so many fabulous and spectacular shows Lady Gaga's carnival will feel right at home. We're excited. Here is the first of five clips of a really good interview Gaga did with Noisevox that, if you're at all interested in who she is and what she represents, speaks volumes.

Love Fame: The Lady GaGa After Party

2009-12-07T23:25:00.000-08:00

Enter to win your chance to go to the best Lady GaGa After Party in town, Love Fame at Celebrities Nightclub on December 10, 2009! Just answer the famed question below to be entered into a draw for you and a friend! Keep checking in for new updates, music, videos, news and exclusive content you won't even see in the magazine! GaGa Ooh La La!!

Q: What diva does Lady GaGa team up with for her new track "Video Phone"?

Email your answer to info@v-rag.com. The first 5 correct answers will each receive tickets to the party at Celebrities!

December "Food & Drink" Issue

2009-12-07T22:57:00.000-08:00

December is sort of like gay Christmas... Oh no wait, it is gay Christmas! And gay Chanukah gay Kwanzaa and even gay Muharram! So whatever holiday our readers our celebrating, this is the issue of V-Rag to get it off with a bang. We have a great food and drink spectacular, with profiles on some of our favourite local bars and restaurants. And just as a little early Christmas present, these fine establishments have provided their signature food and drink recipes so you can make your own gourmet holiday meals. Also in this issue, we catch up with local superstar Bif Naked and talk about spirituality, surviving cancer, marrital bliss... oh and lots of bananas! We've added yet another monthly column to our already packed roster with Wasted Thoughts, a regular from Don't Quit Your Gay Job's hottie Rob Easton. And speaking of hot bar boys, that's the theme of our latest photo spread, Hot Cup of Cheer. We've rounded up some of the hottest bartenders from around Vancouver for sexy Santas, reindeers, elves and... Mrs. Claus? Oh dear, where did it all go wrong?

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (Dec.3/09)

2009-12-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

This week the thing we're gagging on is really big. Like, wouldn't even fit down our throats.

That's because it's a party, called SPIT, and it's going down tomorrow night at the Anza Club in East(ish) Vancouver. The organizers are calling it a sex-positive event. In other words, be prepared for lots of making out and, well, other stuff. But there's also going to be sensuous performances from Rasputin R. Gray and Vital Divine.

With all the fun alternative queer events going down at the Anza lately, this should be a good one.

House of Dangerkat Exclusive

2009-11-24T00:57:00.000-08:00

House of Dangerkat is the definition of style. Really, they are. What other group of people can claim to be dominating the dance scene internationally while launching their own fashion house and gaining respect amongst performance artists everywhere? Nope, didn’t think so. Oh, and did I mention they have their roots here in Canada? Kaiti Dangerkat, the founder, choreographer and Mother of the House of Dangerkat is a native of Calgary, Alberta. I got to catch up with this upcoming legend when she was here this month and find out about voguing, waacking, deathdrops, and a day in the life of a Dangerkat!

HOUSE OF DANGERKAT: UPCOMING LEGENDARY CHILDREN
Interview by Cole Johnston

You guys have been keeping very busy this last year. What have been the highlights so far?

Massive highlights have included performing as Barbie and the Rockers for Mattel’s 50th Anniversary Party in Paris during Fashion Week held at Colette with co-exhibitors Karl Lagerfeld and Jeremy Scott; being featured dancers for Diplo, A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs at the Central Park Summerstage in New York City; performing all throughout London Fashion Week in September for designer/stylist Nova Dando; opening up for La Roux and dancing at the Vivienne Westwood party and PPQ fashion show; touring Europe solo to teach workshops, compete and perform for 3 months... I met so many amazing artists that led to collaborations and opportunities to go back for more projects. We also spent time hosting and performing regularly at Mr. Black's nightclub in New York with DJ Kingdom. Also in New York, we created Addicted for one month straight with all my Calgary dancers, co-choreographers and DJ’s, where we premiered it at the Tribeca Grand Hotel. We brought the Addicted show home to Calgary where we took over the Calgary Tower with a massive dance/fashion/film/photography/music exhibit!

What brings you to Vancouver for November?

I’m teaching dance classes throughout the city.

How does it feel coming back to Canada after traveling around the world for the last little while?

It’s really good to come back home after traveling around the world because even though it’s amazing to being abroad, home will always be home! Canada represent!

How is your new work Addicted different from previous works?

I do urban styles, and my co-choreographer, Jenn Doan, does contemporary. We’ve taken two completely different styles and fused them into something that is both visually entertaining and rich with personal meaning.

Can you tell us about the new fashion collection? How did working with designer Hege Edvardsen come about?

The new fashion collection is like an Egytpian sphinx clad in armor, riding in a Back To The Future spaceship haha. I met Hege when I was doing a workshop in Stockholm Sweden, and she was among the spectators who were there. I soon learned that she also shared a passion for dance and wanted me to represent her work. Collaboration felt so right!

House of Dangerkat seems to draw from so many styles and mediums. Do you see dance and fashion as two sides of the same coin?

Definitely. Considering the fact that there is a dance style (voguing) that is derived from the fashion world, it’s easy to see that connection. I believe fashion is just a continuation of the expression. If we as dancers are using our bodies to communicate, why wouldn’t we complete the picture with the clothing we wear? When I create, the costumes affect the choreography, and visa versa. They are always holding hands, and are best friends in my world.

How has the NYC vogue and Ball scene affected your work and style?

It has affected my work immensely as I have great respect for the home of voguing and the masters that created it there. You can see NY in my style in so much as I had to learn and research the New York scene because that’s where this all began! However as an artist its my job to not repeat what has been done before but to expand upon it.

The music you choose seems to fit so perfectly with your style. How do you pick the tracks for your performances?

I don’t, the tracks pick me!

Your 100% of Dissin' You video employed photography and stop-motion animation. Are you interested in getting into different kinds of media like that in the future?

Yes I'm very interested in to further use multimedia to spread our art and that could be through experimental film, animation, photography, graphic design, fashion design and music.

What can Canada and the world expect from the House of Dangerkat?

The House of Dangerkat is completely committed to putting on amazing shows that are multi-sensory and multimedia across the board. We want to suspend reality and create an experience unlike our audience has seen every place we visit.

For more information on the House of Dangerkat, check out www.dangerkat.com. Also, be sure to watch their awe-inspiring videos on YouTube!

100% of Dissin' You - House of Dangerkat

Opulence - House of Dangerkat

Pansy Division Exclusive

2009-11-24T00:19:00.000-08:00

In the early 1990s Pansy Division emerged out of the post-punk grunge era and became the poster band for the queercore music scene. The band gained international success and were out loud and proud, representing us gays in a straight-dominated male arena. They inspired many gay rockers around the world and will remain immortal as a part of queer history. V-Rag chatted with Pansy Division frontman Jon Ginoli on Davie Street.

PANSY DIVISION: QUEERCORE LEGENDS
Interview by Michael Venus

You’re here, and you’ve got some really exciting things going on. I mean, you’ve been part of Pansy Division. You’re one of the founding members of the legendary all-gay band who were the poster people for queercore. And now you’ve got three kind of multimedia you’re promoting. Tell us about those.

First, I wrote a book called Deflowered: My Life in Pansy Division. And that’s a memoir I’ve been working on for a while. I started telling a lot of stories to people about things that had happened over the years, and they said “you should write a book”. So I wrote a book. It has some tour diary stuff in there, a lot of Canadian stuff in it. Um, and yeah. Canadian content.

Manada.

It talks about why we formed, the need for having a gay band and what it meant to have one, and what it meant to be really out and try to push the envelope in a milieu which, you know, alternative, punk, rock and roll... is pretty overwhelmingly heterosexual. So to be doing that, from our standpoint, where we’re really in your face, there’s a lot of good stories.

So you’ve been taking stories along the way, and then thought now is the time to put it together?

Yeah, I’d been writing it for a long time... I thought ‘well, I’ll finish it someday’. It didn’t really have an end-date on it. But at a certain point, I thought, it’s time to get it finished. But in the meantime, we got the album done that we had been working on for a while called That’s So Gay. Also during this period, starting a couple years ago, there was a documentary film done on the band called Pansy Division: Life in a Gay Rock Band. And that played festivals all over the place last year, but it did not play Vancouver’s festival, which was disappointing.

That’s wrong, damn it!

It was wrong! I know. But one of the things I’m trying to do on the book tour that I’m doing now is arrange screenings in cities where it hasn’t been shown, and try and get some folks out to see it.

You guys kind of came out of a time when there were no out gay rock-and-rollers at all, and you did the whole rounds of it. What does it feel like to have so many younger people be out and be able to do what they’re doing and look at you guys as icons and legends?

It’s great. I’ve heard other gay musicians say "well, I don’t mind being out, but I don’t want to be a role model". And I’m like, why not? I want to be a role model. Not that I want everybody to act like me, or that I’m perfect or anything, but I did something. And the reason I did it was because it hadn’t been done before. It was something I wanted to see. It was something I wanted to hear. So, if that inspires people, you know, great.

What’s the main difference between coming out now and being a musician to, say in 1991, when you guys first worked together?

Yeah, it’s a lot different, in part because of Pansy Division and other bands who came out from that time who um knocked down some walls, broke some barriers. But also, you know, we really sang about being gay. And that wasn’t something that all gay musicians do. A lot of them didn’t. I don’t think it’s a litmus test; I don’t think people have to, but I think it’s one of the things that makes us interesting. And as time has gone on, we’ve had more songs that I guess would have more universal appeal or at least are less directly about gay stuff. So it became more of a mix. We didn’t want it to all be gay gay gay all the time. Although at first, it was like, okay this? This is something new. Now that we’ve done it a while, we don’t really want to repeat ourselves. The album took a year and a half to put together, because we all live in different places now – two on the east coast, two on the west coast, no one in the same city. And the fact that it... it all seemed to be coming together about the same time, so we thought let’s just take all this stuff, and put it out at the same time to try and get the maximum exposure, because it’s hard to get people’s attention these days. So instead of spreading it out, we tried to condense it, so all three coming out in the same month!

To find out more about Pansy Division's brand new projects, check out www.pansydivision.com

Manada - Pansy Division

Homo Christmas - Pansy Division

V-WEB: Our Weekly Obsession (Nov.19/09)

2009-11-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

We just heard this off of Hed Kandi's 2 disc Nu Disco compilation, and we're salivating over it so much we had to share it with you.

In fact, from now on we'll be sharing lots more songs, videos and other time wasters with you through the V-Rag Blog. For OCD issues involving organizing which you can only begin to fathom, we'll tag these internet-only super extra special posts V-WEB. And consider Thursday Our Weekly Obsession day, where we'll post whatever song/video/picture/meaningless internet meme we've been obsessing over for the week prior.

Like this one. Munk first caught our ears years ago with the wickedly fun song "Kick Out The Chairs" (Motherfuckers!) alongside LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy.

Now, they're back making a strong appeal to our love for sensual disco with the Shazam-remixed version of Down In LA with a synth line that has been soaked in catchiness and baked at the exact temperature of hot, passionate sex. It takes everything in our power to not listen to this song at least five times a day. Dance away, faithful readers, dance!

Down In LA (Shazam Remix) - Munk

Barbara Tucker Exclusive

2009-11-15T19:50:00.000-08:00

Barbara Tucker is one of the leading voices in house music today—and a legendary diva—who continues to put out succulent sounds with her God-sent gift of a voice. She is at the forefront of dance music and provides her soulful vocals for some of the biggest dance tracks. Vancouver is blessed to have this amazing talent sing live for the very first time, thanks to the genius promoters that are LuVToucH. Barbara answers some of my questions, gives me insight about the current state of dance music, and tells me what she is up to.

BARBARA TUCKER: HOUSE DIVA
Interview by Michael Venus

What are you current projects?

Currently, I have my own record company, and I am in the process of releasing my new tune, “Feeling Like a Superstar”. I am also planning my annual party at the Winter Music Conference called “And Let the Singer Be Heard”, a platform that focuses on the artist.

You are adored by the gay community. Why do you think that is?

I really don’t know what attracts the gay community to various artists. I know that I am free, I love design and style, and I can be crazy on stage. I don’t look for a group; I just do what I do.

You are a superstar in Italy. Do Italians really do it better?

I don’t know what they do, but I know they love soulful sounds!

Europe has always embraced dance music. Why do you think North America doesn’t quite catch on?

North America follows the dollar. If you can sell them something—not necessarily great, but everyone is doing it—the masses follow the illusion. Money is behind the marketing of acts, but it’s not to say the lesser known are not hot. We just don’t have that kind of money, so we go where we are celebrated, and not just tolerated.

What is the “Underground Network”, and how did it come to be? Is there much going on with it today?

The “Underground Network” is a company that I started with partner, Don Welch, in 1992. We supported the dance scene and had over three hundred artists performing, supported by record labels and promoters. We were the avenue for soulful house music; everyone wanted to perform. Many celebrities passed through, from Janet Jackson to Queen Latifah, and so on. It was also a dancers’ hang out; real fierce dancers. For the holidays, we cooked for everyone; we were as family. My partner still does the “Underground Network”, but it’s more of an R&B scene now. When you don’t own a building, it can be pulled from you, and changes happen. But we do specialty parties every now and then.

What is the current climate for house music in New York City?

I think it’s always going to be there, but superstar DJs come to our town, change the sound, and the new generation follows that. But you can still find more than four house parties. In New York, there’s a party for every consciousness.

Who are your inspirations, and what are you currently listening to?

I love Ledisi; I love neo-soul, and gospel. I listen to music of inspiration, because that’s the most important thing to me. I will always love my Chaka Khan, and Jill Scott.

You are such a talented dancer as well. What is your background in dance? How was it dancing with Lady Kier and Deee-Lite?

When I was with Deee-Lite, I was not just a dancer, but a singer/dancer. Working with Bootsy Collins and the rest of the band was simply a fun experience. One of my favourite partners was Zhana Saunders, AKA Da Matrix. I did a lot of various dance classes, and was in a dance company called “Internal Combustions”, under the direction of the late Calvin Matthis.

What can we expect in the future?

You can expect other artists to come under my umbrella, more music, more conferences, and more inspiration. I’m also working on an online TV show, “Barbara Tucker: The Evolution of House”, on Axiom, so look out!

What is your favourite song to perform from your fabulous catalog?

My favourite song to perform would be “One”, and “Beautiful People”. “One” is a song I did with Peter Luts, and “Beautiful People” has so much meaning for the world. Ninety-nine percent of the songs that I write and sing have come from the heart, and they have an impact on my life based on what I see in the world, and what I want to give back: words of empowerment, lifting.

Any words of wisdom?

All our gifts and talents are given to us from on high. We are given these blessing to bless other, to lift them, inspire them, and bring them joy. When you give back in that way, you will always be blessed, so don't be selfish with your talent; share it, and make a difference in the world! Thank you for the love, and I anticipate coming to your town with a heart full of love!

Barbara will be performing live at LuVToucH (Ginger 62). Thursday, November 19.

November "Style Issue"

2009-11-12T21:41:00.000-08:00

Since we’ve already churned out a Music Issue and a Film Issue in our short time as Vancouver’s gay arts & culture rag, why not a Style Issue too? We’re very pleased to make November Fashion Month at V-Rag! And it’s another doozy of an issue. We got to speak to Kaiti Dangerkat, the Mother of the House of Dangerkat. This voguing/fashion/performance art group is by far one of our favourite things ever, and guess what? They’ve got their roots her in Canada! On the cover is, of course, two of the most stylish people we know, Tegan & Sara, talking about their brand new album Sainthood. More on the music side of things, we have two Q&A’s this month, both legendary! The queen of soulful house, Barbara Tucker shows us why she’s a diva, and we get down and dirty with homo-punk-grunge pioneers Pansy Division. Nicki Nice of local rockers Pretty Vanilla discusses the emerging glam trend in fashion, while I geek out on Kylie Minogue’s first ever North American tour. Another first, V-Rag introduces Fashion Files, a monthly column focusing on local designers, stylists and merchants. It joins our host of regulars, Joan-E’s Rag, Cotton Around Town, Music:Notes, Film:Notes, Event Listings, V-Map and of course our Calendar of Events. We also have another great photoshoot courtesy of Brandon Gaukel and Valley of the Dolls. Phew! Didn’t think it was possible to top the last issue, but we’re even more full of content this month! Also, check back on the blog this week for exclusive content and a secret contest!

Amanda Lepore at Celebrities Contest!

2009-10-09T00:23:00.000-07:00

Enter to win your chance to see Amanda Lepore live at Celebrities Nightclub on October 22, 2009! Just answer the fierce question below to be entered into a draw for you and a friend! Keep checking in for new updates, music, videos, news and exclusive content you won't even see in the magazine! At V-Rag, we don't know much about clothes...

Q: Who was the guest rapper in Amanda's hit "My Hair Looks Fierce"?

Email your answer to info@v-rag.com. The first 5 correct answers will each receive tickets to see her live at Celebrities!

October "The Film Issue"

2009-10-08T19:53:00.000-07:00

Oh my! It's October, which obviously means Halloween. And horror movies... And of course... GAY! In this month's edition of V-Rag, we got to speak to legendary cult filmmakers Bruce LaBruce (Otto) and David DeCoteau (Puppet Master: Axis of Evil), as well as local icon Gwen Haworth (She's A Boy I Knew) and international star Jonathan Caouette (Tarnation). Also included in this spooky issue is a retrospective of the work of Kenneth Anger, a preview of this year's Vancouver International Film Festival and a fantastic photo spread of West End celebrities recreating classic horror films with a Davie twist... A Nightmare on Davie Street. Add to that our regulars Joan-E's Rag, Cotton Around Town, Music:Notes, Film:Notes, V-Map and our Calendar of Events, and you have the biggest V-Rag yet! Just in time for our favourite holiday. Just cuz we get to dress up...

Matt Alber Interview

2009-09-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

You can read all about the next big thing Matt Alber in our September issue of V-Rag, but there's so much to talk about we couldn't fit it all in! Here's a V-Rag Blog exclusive, the full interview with this dashing Southern talent.

MATT ALBER
Story by John Britton
Photo by Paul Noblin

V-Rag has a serious man-crush on Matt Alber. We were first seduced a few months ago by the goose bump-inducing video to what has now become his signature song – the luscious, melancholic and achingly beautiful "End of the World" – which features Alber being romanced in a barber-shop and ends with a dreamy kiss to melt the most cynical gay heart. The seduction continued with the exploration of his beautiful debut album, Hide Nothing – an arresting collection of deeply personal songs that speak to the collective heart. And now we’ve actually had a long chat with the man (conducted by phone, from his car, by the side of the road, no less) and found him to be sweet, humble and disarmingly funny, we’re ready to take him home to meet Mom.

Alber’s debut is the culmination of a journey that has seen two brushes with reality TV fame for the Wichita-born singer (a brief appearance on Star Search and a never-made-it-past-concept show called American Pride, upon which Alber was slated to be a major contestant) and a far more rewarding five-year stint as a soprano with renowned male chorale group Chanticleer; the latter including two Grammy awards. “That was trippy!” laughs Alber. “I had visions of us collecting the award on stage next to Mariah, but the classical awards are given out during a commercial break. We all got certificates. I still have mine in a drawer somewhere…”

After American Pride failed to launch, Alber turned inwards and began to write songs with his musical partner, Jeff Crerie. The results can be heard on Hide Nothing. Comparisons with another openly-gay artist, Rufus Wainwright, are obvious and immediate – especially on tracks like "End of the World". “It’s quite a compliment, and I’m a huge fan of his” says Alber. “To be compared to a visionary like that, to think that people are likening me to him… that’s incredible”. But Hide Nothing is more direct than Wainwright’s often oblique approach. The album offers up hope alongside its despair, joy with its sadness – it’s a true celebration of the cruel beauty of love. It’s lovely to hear such deep, emotive tunes sung with free use of masculine pronouns, although Alber maintains that this is an album about life and love in all its forms. “Being gay is only one part of who I am; of course my experiences have shaped the music on this album but ultimately this is a record about the shared experience of love.”

One thing that becomes more and more apparent during our chat is Alber’s commitment to community – particularly youth. Just last year he found himself teaching an after-school music program to 6th graders at an LA public school. “We had to put on a show”, recalls Alber, “and the kids wanted to do Dreamgirls, and I was like, ‘OK, that’s fine if you want to perform other people’s songs… but what about writing your own show?’. They looked at me like I was nuts. So I told them how easy it was, just write about your day. Blank stares. I asked them what they had for lunch, and they told me they didn’t eat lunch because the food in the cafeteria was gross, the chicken was cold and greasy, that kind of stuff. So I pulled out my Mac book and started this basic R&B beat and just started making up rhymes about cold funky chicken legs. It sounded like Destiny's Child. They looked at me with stars in their eyes and they were hooked!” The result was an original show called Junior High School Musical, and it’s clear from Alber’s tone and the way he reminisces that this is something dear to his heart. “It’s so vital for kids to be able to find their own voice”, says Alber. “It’s important for me to be able to encourage that. Plus, I got to crack the whip a little, like Debbie Allen in Fame…”

This connection to youth has also seen Alber get deeply involved with not-for-profit organization LA Youth Network (LAYN), which takes in homeless youth. Christmas 2008 saw the iTunes release of a cover of The Roches’s "Star of Wonder", with all proceeds going to the charity. "Many of these kids are gay, lesbian or transgender who flee from abusive homes and schools”, says Alber. “They arrive by bus, they hitch-hike, they do whatever they can to get away and land here with nothing. There are an estimated 10,000 kids on the streets of this city, and only 2000 shelter beds. LAYN is more than a band-aid or a hand-out; they provide real homes, one-on-one social workers and even send these kids to college. Most of us have always had a roof over our heads. These kids just want a safe place to start their lives." We talk about this further, and Alber’s belief in education to end discrimination stands out strong. “It’s great that all this money is being raised to overturn Prop 8, and I fully support that, but what I’d really like to see is some of that cash go towards educating high school kids. What’s more effective, trying to change the mind of a middle-aged right-winger with years of prejudice behind them, or educating the open mind of an 11 year old? Gay shouldn’t be a bad word, not today. All the kids in my class knew I was gay, but it wasn’t my defining characteristic and we worked together and respected each other as people.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Alber is deeply committed to his work with GLBT seniors singing group, Forever Young Chorale. We urge you to check out the videos of Matt and the group on Youtube, as they really are a pleasure. “Closing the age gap in the gay community is our key mission” says Alber. “Gay seniors don’t have the same experience as straight seniors, families and grandchildren. One day, hopefully anyway, I’ll be 80 and gay and it’s so cool hanging out with friends who are 40 years older than me and sharing their experience of the world”. V-Rag is curious to know what vocal numbers a thirty-something guy and a group of over 60s perform. “Tracy Chapman’s "Give Me One Reason", some Earth, Wind and Fire, Franz Ferdinand, LCD Soundsystem’s "Daft Punk is Playing at My House". You know, the usual…”

Alber is particularly excited about his next venture - a collaboration with electronica DJ and producer Morgan Page, who has remixed "End of the World" into a dreamy, ambient piece that beautifully showcases Alber’s vocals. V-Rag heard an exclusive cut of the track, and it’s just lovely. Alber is equally happy with the results; “It really takes the song in a completely different direction”. This could be the track that pushes his unique talent into the mainstream, and we certainly hope that happens.

That said, it seems that Matt Alber is exactly where he wants to be in his career. “I’m kind of glad the Star Search thing didn’t take off”, he says of his brief flirtation with reality TV, and the journey that could have sent him on. “My music has taken a completely different direction since then – one I want it to go in”.

So, no regrets about not being the new David Cook? “Not at all”, laughs Alber. “Besides, my challenger on the show was this fabulous African American woman with a crazy orange afro belting out ‘Lady Marmalade’. There’s just no competing with that!”

September "The Music" Issue

2009-09-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

Three issues in and we're already putting out a Special Edition of V-Rag! Check out the September rag for our special Music Issue, featuring Canadian indie darlings The Hidden Cameras on the cover. Exclusive features and interviews also include up-and-coming superstar Matt Alber, the gorgeous Sarah Wheeler, local glam group Pretty Vanilla, and NYC punk legend Miss Guy. Plus a wild Fashion Rules and regulars Joan-E's Rag, Cotton Around Town, Music:Notes and Film:Notes! Special indeed, but then again isn't every issue special? :)

August V-Rag

2009-08-09T16:29:00.001-07:00

The August issue of V-Rag is on the streets, after having a great presence at this year's Pride! A list of all the businesses you can pick this deee-lovely edition is soon to come, until then keep your eyes peeled all over Vancouver for us. In this issue, we cover Pride 2009, give you a sneak peak at this year's Queer Film Festival, meet up with Lady Miss Kier of Deee-Lite fame, as well as OutTV's Rob & Sean (Don't Quit Your Gay Job), plus music and film reviews, Joan-E's Rag, Cotton Around Town and some great photos from last month's biggest parties. Enjoy!

Wiggle & Pole Pride

2009-08-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

Two fabulous events brought to you by the House of Venus and V-Rag! Miss Cotton was in fine form on July 15th for the 15th Annual Wiggle Art Show, and on August 2nd for Pride's newest alternative event, Pole Pride. Photos by Brandon Gaukel, go to www.gaukel.ca for more!

Bunny approaching!

2009-07-21T17:39:00.001-07:00

July is coming to a close, which means Lady Bunny is fast approaching! Check her out on July 29 at Celebrities, but before you do, here's our exclusive interview from this month's issue of V-Rag.

THE LADY BUNNY
Interview by Michael Venus
Photo by Sergio Kardenas

If you’re talking about quintessential Drag Queens, this “Lady” is at the top of the list when it comes to movers and shakers and leaving a LEGENDARY lasting impression. I remember the first time I ever saw Lady Bunny live was at Stone Wall 25 Celebration in Central Park in New York City many moons ago. I was fascinated by her high-pitched southern belle voice and her sick, sick sixties style and sensibility, with numbers that always seemed to shock and offend. The “Lady” always manages to keep her manners in the gutter with her nutty humor, crass-trash talk and campy performances that celebrate pop culture with her twisted parodies. Bunny continues to appear on stages all over the globe, sharing her sassy sentiment and has been at the forefront of the Drag Movement that started out of New York in the late eighties and early nineties. This coincided with her outdoor drag festival Wigstock, an event that continues to this day (although currently on hiatus). I met The Lady Bunny ten years ago in NYC and later that year performed at Wigstock, which was surreal and fabulous. Over the years, Bunny has visited and performed in Vancouver for us, hosting Wiggle, Pride events and appearing on The House of Venus Show. She remains a hilariously quick-witted Queen who has become a cultural icon, and who isn’t afraid to be herself and speak her mind when it comes to social and political issues.

When I caught up with Lady Bunny, asking simply how she was, her reply was as colourful as her skirt; “The recession has really hurt my hooking business – or could that be my advanced age? So I’m touring more. But that’s not a real complaint in a recession. I just hate that nervous feeling when the wolf’s at my door. I want that wolf to come inside and fuck me...again. But I would never dream of having sex with an animal that was underage. Unless they were already dead. I do maintain certain standards”.

Right there she set the tone for the interview – classy and great wholesome family fun. The Lady Bunster has a duet with Drag Sister RuPaul that they co-wrote called “Throw Ya Hands Up”, which appears on Ru’s new album. “We were reminded of what drew us together as roommates in Atlanta in 1982 – our sick sense of humor. She is a nut! Since [the collaboration] we’ve been in contact more than we have in 15 years! Mainly throwing things at each other,” recalls The Lady Bunny. The pair have known each other for twenty-five years and re-bonded while filming Another Gay Sequel where she says, “It was super-fun with a wonderful cast. But it’s tough learning those lines – and I didn’t even have that many! It’s one thing to go over them with the script in front of you, but recalling them while the wind on the beach is whipping your false eyelashes so fiercely that you feel like you’re about to take flight à la Sally Field as The Flying Nun. But that TV show’s so old that I’m dating myself. Too bad no one else wants to date me! That’s why I bring date-rape drugs to all of my shows and dose myself in front of the audience while reminding them that I’m about to receive a huge cash payment.” Now that’s hard to follow! So what’s next?

Currently, Bun-Bun has a cameo on Tori Spelling’s new show on the Oxygen Channel, travels, performs and DJ’s all over the planet as well as her two weekly club residencies – Splash on Sundays and the all new Rockit! in NYC where she spins her delicious disco treats. Bunny says she loves Manhatten in the summer. “A lot of people think it’s gross because of the humidity and the dirty streets so they escape to Fire Island or the Hamptons, but the kind of guys I like can’t always afford to take vacations! There’s nothing quite like the ripe perfume of an unwashed homeless man’s hemorrhoids. But I don’t have to tell you that.” Class all the way, Bunny.

V-Rag Is Here!

2009-07-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

The July issue of V-Rag hits the streets today, and it's packed with great stuff! Features include Wiggle 15, Nina Flowers, Lady Bunny, Circlesquare, July Pride Preview, as well as great regulars like Joan-E's Rag, Cotton Around Town, Fashion Rules, H.I.M. Speak, and our Music and Film Reviews! Come down to Pulse tonight for the Official Launch Party to pick up your own copy. Until then, check out these exclusive interviews to the V-Rag Blog...

Nina Flowers Exclusive

2009-07-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

We're starting this issue off with a bang! If a feature on the incomparable Nina Flowers wasn't enough, here's the full interview with V-Rag. This is just the first of many exclusives you'll be able to read (and watch) on the V-Rag Blog.

NINA FLOWERS
Interview by John Britton
Photo by Norman Dillon

It’s only been three months since you rocked ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ with
your unique persona and performance, and already you’ve travelled
extensively with your act. What has life been like for Nina since the
show wrapped?

Wow, very busy. I’ve been traveling every other week while still
fulfilling my performance and DJ gigs here locally. I’m also trying
to expand into other forms of entertainment, collaborating with a
couple of DJs (DJ Rhani and DJ William Umana) on coming up with some
new vocal mixes. Also, I’ve been focusing on a new show that I’m
producing, called “DRAMA DRAG” which takes place the last Friday of
every month at the hottest club in Denver, TRACKS - the same club
where I’m also a resident DJ (www.tracksdenver.com).

You are performing at Vancouver PRIDE’s biggest dance party, Rapture
Recovery. Will this be your first visit to Vancouver?

It’s my first visit to Vancouver and I look forward to seeing
your beautiful city and to perform in this great event. I’m very
excited to come to your city after all the great e-mails I’ve been
getting from all the fans I’m getting from that area. Unfortunately,
I won’t be able to stay too long because I’ll have to return to
Denver, but perhaps next time I’ll have an extended stay to see more
of your city.

As with the latest season of ‘American Idol’, it was quite a surprise
that the popular favourite didn’t take the title of ‘America’s Next
Drag Superstar’. However, NOT winning seems to be a better career
move for many reality TV stars. Would you agree that coming in as
first runner-up allows you more creative freedom than coming in first
place?

Yes, I believe there is probably more freedom. I’ve received
great exposure, and I’m working on my own and I don’t have the kind of
contracts that will limit me from expanding to new things.

Your online blog whilst on the show was incredibly frank and honest;
on the week that Jade was sent home, you questioned the ‘nature of the
show’ and ‘are they really looking for the best of the best?’ What
does being the ‘best of the best’ mean to you, both in terms of the
show and as an artist?

They picked a diverse group of girls with many different talents
and backgrounds, and the best of the best was as described by RuPaul
stated was having Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent. There were
girls that may have not brought that on when compared to Jade, so when
they voted her off I was surprised by the decision.

Your latest promo shots are reminiscent of another great performance
artist, Leigh Bowery. Was this your inspiration for the look? And
who would you list as your other key style influences?

Honestly, this is the first time I’ve heard of Leigh Bowery but
the inspiration for the photo shoot was a team work effort between my
fashion designer, Jessica Rowell and I. On my last photo shoot my
inspiration for this came from the movie, Party Monster. As far as
individuals, I get my inspiration from perfomers like Nina Hagen –
while she is not drag, I love her character and her drama when
performing. I also find inspiration from artists like Boy George, the
Annie Lennox, and Pete Burns. They inspired me and where entertainers
that added to my drag persona.

Your success has seen you working alongside some of North America’s
most renowned DJs. What has this experience been like, and who are
your most-admired DJs?

Wow!! I’m still looking to make more connections. It’s been
amazing and there’s are so many I admire... but my favorites are
Ralphi Rosario, and Abel (I love when these two bitches get together
and create Rosabel). I also love Manny Lehman, William Umana, and
some great Brazilian DJs like DJ Ranny, Altar, E-Thunder, Edson Pride,
DJ Lapetina, and many others.

One of the challenges on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ centered on a ‘Paris is
Burning’-inspired ball. You seemed like such a natural in this
challenge. Did the New York ball/vogue scene have any particular
relevance to or influence on your life?

That was during my early days growing up – it was a great
influence. It thought me much about my history and culture. I
started out as a club kid and let that time evolve me to what I am
today. My interpretation of the art of drag comes from that era.

Drag is an integral and universally recognized facet of gay culture,
yet you have been described as more of a ‘performance artist’ than a
‘drag queen’. How do you feel about the terms ‘drag’ and ‘performance
artist’, and do you see yourself as more of one than the other?

Personally, for me I use them interchangeably. It’s through the
art of drag that I perform – I don’t think I’m exclusive or solely
meant to be one or the other. My love is in the art of entertaining
and that’s what I believe the fans want from me.

How is your unique interpretation of drag received within the drag community?

According to my fan mail, I believe it’s been well received. I’m
honored to have inspired others in the art of drag and to think
outside of the box, and explore their own identities as they interpret
the art of drag.

You are a talented DJ, an incredible make-up artist, a performer, a
fashion designer… what is next for Nina Flowers?

Yes, thank you. I know that since the show, the main focus has
been my work as Nina Flowers. Though, there are so many things that I
want to do aside from my drag persona. At the moment, while still
performing as Nina Flowers, I’m dedicating time to music and becoming
a recognized DJ and musical producer. I’m now working with two
incredible DJs individually - DJ Williams Umana, and DJ Ranny. Before
the summer is out I’m hopeful that we’ll have a couple
tribal/progressive house mixes out, so stay tune. For now, there is
a lot of traveling for this year, and hopefully an appearance on the
next season of RuPaul’s Drag Race - We’ll see.

For more info on Nina, check out this month's issue of V-Rag or go to www.ninaflowers.com
Nina will be performing at Rapture Recovery at the Commodore Ballroom on Aug. 2. Visit www.tfdpresents.com for more information.

Circlesquare Exclusive

2009-07-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

The Circlesquare feature in this month's issue of V-Rag is just one of many great interviews that include Lady Bunny, Miss Cotton, and of course Nina Flowers. For those of you curious to know more about Jeremy Shaw, here's the full interview exclusive to the V-Rag Blog.

CIRCLESQUARE
Interview by Jeff Lawrence
Photo by Zoe Bridgeman

Can you talk about the tour you just did - where you went, how long, and where this fits in on your 'biggest tours ever' list?

We just finished a short US trip and then a 2 week tour supporting Junior Boys around Europe and the UK – it went from Turin to Zurich to Basel to Brussels to London to Dublin to Manchester to London again and then to Paris. It actually was probably the longest solid time we’d played on the road as such – 12 shows in 14 days… We left Junior Boys after Paris and went on to do Luxembourg with Telefon Tel Aviv and then Moscow on our own for the final night; which was easily the craziest, and best show we’ve ever played. We just got home last night from playing the Glastonbury festival which was also something else…

On tour, did you receive different reactions from different crowds?

Yes always – each city varies so much! One night people will be losing their shit and the next they’re staring at you like you’ve just insulted their Mom. The European crowds were generally quite patient and polite, whereas the UK ones tend to usually be a little more out-to-party I find – and I wouldn’t necessarily deem us a real party band at this point. That said, our European shows on this tour were generally week nights, and the UK were weekends so… I think there can be a huge difference in what people are wanting out of their Friday night as opposed to their Tuesday evening. But a Saturday night in Moscow is a whole other story…

Talk about what you put into this album in terms of studio hours, energy, etc.

Well there was a lot of everything really. I worked on this record for nearly 3 years technically, but because I often had art commitments and live shows, it was worked on in bursts – sometimes things would get stalled and not returned to for months – I had to keep putting it down and then going back and inevitably reworking things as I’d forgotten what I was doing with them in the first place. There were definitely a lot of studio hours logged and a lot of energy put into it though - probably more so than any of my previous records as I was working between 2 different studios and working close with other people which was a something I hadn’t done in years - and even though it seems like that should expedite things, it rarely seems to.

And how do you take all that work and transfer it to the stage without losing the idiosyncrasies of your music?

I think that my music inevitably loses some of it’s detail when transferred to a live setting- but in knowing that, we’ve worked really hard to create a live sound that is different, but hopefully captures the essence of those missing intricacies. It’s hard to translate finite details of electronic music and production in a live setting in general, so we’ve learned to not be quite as precious with the sound when playing live – and to embrace the sort of machine-in-malfunction sound that tends to happen when we play. As we were still playing shows while the album was being written and recorded, the live show and this new sort of looseness influenced the final recordings quite heavily – so I think this record lent itself to the stage a lot better and easier than the past ones.

It's been interesting to read reviewers' analyses of the album. Do you ever find Circlesquare's music being misunderstood?

It’s difficult as the sound of Circlesquare isn’t easily categorized – which in turn leads people to some pretty odd conclusions. This can also be frustrating at times as it seems more like laziness by critics, than misunderstanding. Just like “Oh this is moody and has monotone vocals – they must want to sound like Joy Division!” (not that I don’t love Joy Divison, but really, listen a little closer…). I don’t think that there’s a particular way to ‘understand’ Circlesquare and it’s inevitable that the hyphens will come out in full-force when describing the sound (ie. pop-noir-shoegaze-techno-folk) as it really is a hybrid form. That said, I do think it requires a certain amount of patience and definitely more than a quick listen off a laptop before people can really make up their minds about it. It’s music that should be able to exist on varying levels and that I think you get a lot more out of on repeated listens (as well as proper speakers). It is really wonderful though to come across a review or text that real nails it in a way I’ve never been able to put into words. I think critics/writers can often explain what an artist is doing much better than the artists themselves – I guess that’s technically their job…

As an artist, do you care about reviews?

Sure yeah, of course I do. But at the end of the day I’m not writing music for good reviews. They can be really offensive at times – especially when you feel like the critic didn’t take enough time, had preconceived notions, or didn’t do their homework (see above). But you’re exposed to so many opinions these days because of the internet that you really can’t worry about it - absolutely everyone seems to be a critic and a ton of them feel the need to let the rest of the world know their opinion, so you can only accept whatever they feel the need to say very lightly otherwise you’d go crazy worrying. I do read them, I can’t help it – but I’m actually starting to enjoy both the good and the bad… the Youtube video comments (and subsequent arguments) are my favorite!

For more info on Circlesquare, check out the latest issue of V-Rag or go to www.circlesquare.ca.

V-Rag Official Launch Party

2009-07-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

Well, the time has finally come. You got a teaser last month of the newest gay arts & culture magazine from your friends at the House of Opulence. Tonight, be the first to see the official debut of V-Rag! Hosted by Miss Cotton, with performances by Conni Smudge and Robyn Graves, as well as some surprise performances, prizes, vogue-offs, DJ's Betti Forde, Jef Leppard & Coleo and OutTV filming live for their brand new series Don't Quit Your Gay Job! It's going to be a legendary party for a great first issue. Doors open at 9:30, with the fun going all night long.

Miss Cotton

2009-07-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

It's a House of Venus Extravaganza for the first issue of V-Rag! Miss Cotton's Wiggle 15 is the cover feature this month, and she hosts the official Launch Party at Pulse Nightclub on July 3. Check out this fierce performance from April's Legends Ball.

V-Rag Preview Party

2009-05-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

Get your hands on the limited preview edition of V-Rag on June 5 at Pulse Nightclub! Come down for an Opulence Ball style vogue-off, some special performances, great prizes, fierce DJ's and your chance at an exclusive look at V-Rag, all hosted by Conni Smudge (the Mother of the House of Opulence if ya didn't know).

Calling All Artists

2009-04-07T23:09:00.000-07:00

If you're interested in fashion, film, music or art, or if you're a photographer, writer or artist, let us know! We're currently looking for contributors for the summer issues. Contact cole@v-rag.com

Who Are We?

2009-04-07T22:45:00.000-07:00

V-Rag is an exciting new venture to help promote Vancouver’s gay arts & culture scene. From fashion to music, art to film, the free monthly magazine will be the first of its kind and is working closely with the House of Opulence, H.I.M., The House of Venus and some of the finest writers and photographers in our community. At a circulation of 5,000, focusing on downtown, Main Street, Kitsilano, UBC, Commercial Drive, East Van, and the West End, this is the perfect time to advertise with us. It’s a great way to get maximum exposure in the community, while getting unrivaled advertising value.
With the current economic situation, advertising is something most businesses will be cutting back on. Since V-Rag is a not-for-profit community publication, we can offer some of the lowest ad rates in the city, starting at just $40. We also have special deals for advertisers who sign on for 6 month and one year agreements. The purpose of V-Rag is to help promote local LGBT events, not to turn a profit.
Every month will feature a calendar of events, which is sure to become the most comprehensive listing in the community. Regular features from Cotton Venus (The House of Venus Show), Alison McLaughlan (BC Business) and Paul Nixey (H.I.M. Magazine) will have readers coming back month after month.
Exclusive features have already been finalized for the coming months, including interviews with internationally renowned artist and author Douglas Coupland, infamous queer punk film maker Bruce LaBruce, acclaimed fashion house/dance troop/New York sensation House of Dangerkat, newly inaugurated Empress of Vancouver Iona Whipp, Rough Trade recording artists The Hidden Cameras, New York Times’ “Next Big Thing” Final Fantasy, and Project Runway Canada winner Evan Biddell. Major event coverage will include Vancouver Pride 2009, East Van Pride, Wiggle, The Legends Ball, The DMS Investiture, Out On Screen, as well as local concerts, fashion shows, film screenings and gallery openings.
V-Rag is the brainchild of designer Cole Johnston and gallery manager Matthew McGale, who bring a wide range of combined experience. Cole most recently produced the 2009 DMS Coronation Program Guide, and is no stranger to local magazines. He worked for over two years at iconic music rag Discorder as Art Director, while becoming Editor and designer for Vancouver Fashion, a publication put out by Vancouver Fashion Week. Currently, he works as Art Director for Visitors’ Choice, a travel magazine with a circulation of over 2 million worldwide. Matt holds a Fine Arts degree and is a fixture of Vancouver’s art scene. He is currently manager of one of the city’s finest art galleries.
Our goal at V-Rag is to create a totally unique publication, one that is completely inclusive and serves the community, while establishing itself as a stylish and thoughtful arts & culture companion. With such low ad pricing, this is a great opportunity for any business to gain exposure and become part of a worthwhile cause. As an introductory special, we’re also offering one free month of advertising when you sign up for six months. For advertising inquiries, please contact:

Cole Johnston cole@v-rag.com
or
Matthew McGale matt@v-rag.com

Vancouver's New Rag

2009-03-30T16:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the brand new blog for V-Rag, Vancouver's newest gay arts & culture magazine. Watch out for the very first issue out June 1, 2009.