Pride '98
Well here it is, nearing the deadline for our ever-lovin' Pride 98 issue, the issue that hits the streets on the Friday of the great Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Pride Parade and Celebration weekend, and I'm at a total loss for words about it, save for it certainly came around again very quickly. Seems like only yesterday that I attended the said event with a firm plan of hiding my basic disdain for...well, humanity in general (sorry kids, what can I say), my been-there-done-that-over-it jaded Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender self, my dislike of mass exhibitionism of highly developed male physiques that attained their Marylin Monroe meets a Marine hybrid of beefcake through injectable steroids, depilatory cream, and regular visits to the tanning booths and the inherent pecking order of the pecs resulting, the reptilian narcissistic quest for sexual gratification (shirts with shirts, skins with skins, no cross-breeding), the massive commercialization of the event which started as a protest for basic rights and is now brought to you by the likes of Pac Bell, The Hardrock Cafe and Bud Light, the simple fact that it sometimes is hard to put on a happy porcelain veneered smile when you have lost so many people who have brightened this day in your past, the fact that all printed guides for the event and all the community publications are riddled with huge ads for protease inhibitors--our if-fy chance at a future and the definite fiscal future of the profiteering Pharmacological conglomerates worldwide, the fact that many young people will flock here for their first ever Pride celebration and quite possibly sero-convert due to lack of proper education and the selfish pleasures of the embittered and or careless, the very un-Tales Of The City-like ways SF has become--high rents for one--just as the series finds heightened exposure nationally, the fact that any representation of the more marginalized or freakish aspects of the said community have historically had to fight tooth and nail to be included in this, our parade, and other sordid, darker-side-of-the-rainbow-flag details--these things I tried to put aside last year in an attempt to have a fun, wondrous day of joy, sun and a sense of togetherness. I wanted the Gay Day dynamic to sweep me up and prove that goodness can overcome my jaded over-wrought attitude. I actually started to believe it might happen. I kept it pretty positive through most of the day until some skanky hippie heterosexual peddler tried to sell me a pair of rainbow painted bobbing insect antennae, no doubt repainted surplus merchandise from a Grateful Dead show and I went off--it all came crashing down then. I had been dreaming to think I'd see things much differently. Oh well, I at least tried to make sure my thoughts and feelings didn't ruin anyone else's gay day or burst any less erudite Pollyanna pride bubbles around me. I wasn't truly let down, I felt I had given it a good try but deep down I knew the score for me personally. That's not to say that a lovely time isn't to be had on this weekend of weekends--I wish the very best of times to all of you queer revelers and here are a few highlights or specific events I'd like to bring to your attention this weekend. For many many reasons, it seems to me that the really happening and wonderful event is the Dyke March on Saturday the night before the parade. This renegade celebration originated about 4 or 5 years ago and has been growing by leaps and bounds in numbers and in overall popularity. Men are invited to show their support from the sidelines--this is strictly a female joint and anyone who can't understand and respect that is bent--the wrong way. I've not yet attended The Dyke March but I'm very much looking forward to it with a certain excitement I can't seem to muster for the parade anymore. After all, from my first ever Gay Parade till present, Dykes on Bikes have always been the most awesome and enriching show of community solidarity and spirit of the entire parade experience. It's inspiring, and probably has a bit to do with why I've often found myself riding bitch through the years on the back of my man's bike--and my current mate is the best driver yet. We have rode wheelies while riding double, not to mention scraped peg on sharp turns and flipped off more than our share of fucked up motorists before forcing them to eat our dust. It takes more than a good bike and the 17th Street hill in low gear in order for us to achieve orgasm but we're pretty good with the daredevil stuff. We love that lane between two lanes of automobile traffic and use it often. Another event that I'm very much looking forward to that night isn't a particularly gay lesbian bisexual transgender focussed thing but more of an inter-planetary/monster rock and roll sci-fi event which could stand as a healthy break from all that rainbow colored stuff for those of you queers who've had enough, like myself. At Bottom of the Hill just after the Dyke March (around 10pm) is a triple band bill that rips and one that I've been waiting for a good long time. The first band is one that I've never heard of but it features one of the members of White Zombie and they're called Famous Monsters. The nights headliners are the incredible Man or Astroman? who do a unique and winning style of surf music that goes just a bit harder than most other surf-type bands dare to, not to mention their creative and ever-present tape loops of government propaganda recordings, and war of the worlds-like sci-fi space sound-bites and b-movie dialogue scattered liberally through their large catalogue. Live their shows are reportedly over-the-top in entertainment value, with space costumes and props and crazy antics. Sounds like a blast but the real attraction for me on this bill lands with the middle band--back from a tour supporting The Delta 72, the San Francisco-based band that I consider to be our finest currently, and a more than worthy reason to be proud. A few issues back I reviewed their latest LP Positronic Raygun, a disc that really had me going there in the stream-of-consciousness descriptive fashion and as a DJ this disc has been in heavier constant rotation than any other I can think of all year. The people love it and respond heartily and I love it and believe it or not haven't seen the band perform live yet. I hear they are absolutely incendiary live so I can't fucking wait and wouldn't miss this for the world. Check out this show if you are in need of a gay break but if it sounds like something you want to catch, make arrangements for tix ASAP. Another attraction you might want to catch earlier on Saturday evening is Stone Fox on the main Stage of the civic center celebration area. I believe this is a first, the way they've scheduled events at the Civic center for both Saturday and Sunday, and it marks the return of the usual parade route culminating at the civic center like it used to about four years ago. Construction of the new library and such re-routed the affair in a way that always seemed alien to me and could be one of the main reasons my enthusiasm waned over the years. I'm glad it's back to the usual direction and culminates at the civic center. I'm also really glad to see Stone Fox in the line-up of entertainment on Saturday around 5 pm (check your parade guides). This marks the return of the band to the SF Stage since Jorgee the vocalist relocated to LA, however, they did play live a few times since then down south, most notably opening for X at the Whiskey for their big reunion shows. Many people are wondering about the future of Stone Fox since their
hiatus, as they really are a great rock band and a lovely bunch of gals, well-loved and supportive of a broad-based pan-sexual Glam and freak community. I'm excited about catching them and catching up with their current plans as a band. Following their set at some point is Tribe 8 who really have a knack of riling a crowd up with their punk metal dyke renegade
posturing, a wicked sense of humor, their gutsy kick-ass front-person Lynn Breedlove whose lyrics cut hard and laugh at the blood, and instrumentation that has gotten to be quite an adept force. I love Tribe 8. They used to do things with chainsaws and strap-on dildoes on-stage.
The main stage Sunday features a really broad variety of acts, a little something for everyone, including a resurrection that I hadn't heard a thing about, and that is the appearance of Extra-Fancy in the closing spot. It was my understanding that this ace band from LA, fronted by the charismatic homo vocalist Brian Grillo had broken up and Brian was forging ahead with a new band but the printed schedule says they're playing. Curious--I mean far be it for the Parade Committee to make such big mistakes with details such as these. We'll see.
I certainly hope all of you queers seeking that good old false sense of well-being have procured your E-ticket substances of choice early in preparation for the parade because it's such a shame to scramble about hurriedly at the last minute and often unfruitful. As a matter of fact, even scrambling for it well ahead of time may not have done the trick this year--things are harder and harder to find all the time. But don't worry, there's always plenty of cold Bud Light Beer for sale. And if your cash supply gets low, just look for the mobile bank machine vehicles and get more, it's simple. And finally, and I mean this most sincerely, have a great time at the Parade.
