New Orleans bounce is becoming a way of life for the indie music scene. Who would have expected that to happen? I've always had an affinity towards all things related to southern rap. It is a music scene that is very unique within the hip hop community, and that's saying something. In general, African American community is not known for being very hospitable to the gay community, but artists such as Big Freedia and Sissy Nobby have been helping to alter this perception for the past decade. As Big Freedia will attest to, it has been an uphill battle, but it's refreshing to see that she is finally getting the respect she deserves. I mean, every Queen Diva is owed a certain amount of reverence, right? Yes.
Last week, despite constant tweeting that the Big Freedia's concert at Fitzgerald's was cancelled, to my surprise, the promoter officially announced that the show must go on. Thank. God. I missed Big Freedia last time she made her way to Houston and was elated to hear she decided to go for round two.
The audience consisted of a mixture of hipsters, gays, and black people...not necessarily your typical congregation of concert-goers. Nonetheless, everyone was there to have a " boucin'" good time. Ok, that was cheesy as shit. I know. Anyways, the evening started off with DJ Good Grief spinning an array of classics. DJ Jubilee - Get Ready, Ready was definitely crowd favorite (It got me sweating. That's for sure.). The stage quickly flooded with gyrating bodies as the beats began to speed up and the bass was shaking the entire venue. My white v-neck was thoroughly soaked with perspiration, and Big Freedia hadn't even made an appearance yet.
Finally, the production crew began to clear the horde of amateurs in anticipation of Big Freedia and his Divas taking to the stage. I can't lie to you...my "giddy school girl" side made a quick appearance. As soon as she began her set, you could feel the energy immediately. The Queen Diva truly knows how to get the crowd going. Her constant interaction with everyone made the night even more memorable. If you have seen any videos of these concerts, you know that it is tradition for audience members to go on stage and "shake what they got in them jeans". One of Big Freedia's more well known tracks is "Azz Everywhere" (clever title, I know). The crowd went frantic as soon it began, and the stage started filling up. I had just enough vodka in my veins to be on the fence as to whether or not I wanted to go on stage. Well, Big Freedia made the decision for me and physically pulled me on stage herself. This was one of my proudest concert stage moments. Excuse my French, but I shook my ass SO f*cking hard. I'm pretty sure I received applause and outdid the girl next to me. Oh, and don't worry...it's all on video. I can prove that this actually happened. My adrenaline level reached sky-high levels, and I was on cloud nine despite my bruised shins and knees. On a sidenote, my dad recently joined the world of Facebook. Since my siblings confirmed his friendship, I felt obligated to do the same. Because he currently has a whopping four friends, my profile is plastered all over his news feed. What status did he have the pleasure of reading Saturday morning? "I shook my ass more than ever before tonight. Thank you Big Freedia for personally pulling me on stage and letting my show my stuff. My shins hurt from getting on my knees on stage. Azz everywhere." Oh yes, he made a comment about it. Can you say, "awkward"? That should be an example in the dictionary. I might need to institute a few privacy settings.
I have to show my utter amazement and admiration for Big Freedia's Diva dancers. I cannot even fathom dancing like that for an entire set. I am absolutely exhausted after a mere ten minutes. I also can't imagine poppin' it on a handstand and going into the splits. I definitely have some practicing to do to even approach that level of awesome/stripper.
This concert was a much needed change of pace. I don't attend enough rap/hip hop shows. Not only does Big Freedia do her shit right, she also has an amazing back story. Nothing but love and respect for her.
Check out a live video of "Azz Everywhere" below:
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