beauty in a wicked world.

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:

This show was the most pleasant musical surprise I've had in quite awhile. Not that I was shocked by how beautiful it was but purely the fact that it was actually happening. As gaymixes burst through my ear canals at Fox Hollow during their newly founded Sunday Funday tradition, my friend and I started to chat with one of the bartenders towards the end of the event. As he was hastily readying the bar area for closing time, he mentioned to us that he was moving fast so as to make it to Fitzgerald's to see Jay Brannan. In my mind, my mouth dropped; Jay Brannan is performing in Houston? Tonight? I have to be there. It had been pre-decided. I've been longing to see him live. He is an openly gay, Texas-born, singer/songwriter/actor based in New York City. If you don't know who he is, do yourself a favor and watch the movie Shortbus (one of my top favorites) and enjoy the soundtrack afterwards. Just an FYI, the film is not for the faint at heart when it comes to sexuality. Don't say I didn't warn you.

After scarfing down a nutritious Wendy's power snack, we headed straight to the venue and arrived just in the nick of time. Although not a packed house, Brannan drew a nice, good-sized, diverse mix of people. For the most part, the audience treated the show as they should have: with respect. I absolutely detest assholes audience members who feel the need to drunkenly banter during quiet, intimate performances. Moving on....a shot of Jameson later, Brannan could be found sitting center stage under the spot light. Some music fans feel that solo acoustic shows become monotonous halfway through the setlist, but I completely disagree with that statement. Brannan has a clever, witty way of twisting his lyrics together. Some tunes make your heart smile wide, while others can draw a tear from your eye. I encountered both reactions but probably more of the latter...If you haven't realized this by now, I'm not afraid of my emotions like some people :P

Brannnan is also very good at interspersing short anecdotes and interacting with the audience. He is one of those few artists that can show off his beautiful, genuine personality without even trying. It just shines through. That made the show even more special to me. His hour (plus) set included songs such as "Goddamned", "Soda Shop", "Half Boyfriend" (afterwards, he responded with, "Who needs a boyfriend when you have TSA sticking their hands in your pants?"), and "Housewife". He also performed a Christmas song for you pessimists out there, "Christmas Really Sucks". The older I get, I can't help but become a bit jaded by the holiday season. Alcohol helps a lot though (currently drinking a glass of wine). You know what I mean.

Although I'm still not in love with the physical set up of Fitzgerald's, the performance was wonderful and charming. The only thing missing was my nonexistent "special someone". Can someone tell me where to find one of those? It is easier to find a leprechaun. The people of Mobile can attest to that. Even if you  knew, you probably wouldn't tell me because you would keep him for yourself [I know I would].