All-local rock lineup kicks off Pride Week party

Full slate of headliners to be announced the first week of June

Pride Toronto has announced a fabulous lineup of local talent for the Friday night kickoff party, including Light Fires, Carole Pope, Diamond Rings and The Cliks.

The performers are all part of the Kick OUT the Jams show on the Bud Light South Stage, just north of the Church and Carlton intersection. They will be joined by DJ Triple-X and some of Toronto’s best drag talent, says TK, Pride’s arts and culture manager.

“They are all bringing new music, with the exception of Diamond Rings, but he just released last year,” TK says. “Carol Pope’s new album that she’s working on will be called Music for Lesbians. So that couldn’t be more perfect.”

Whenever possible, TK says, he tries to ensure that the stages showcase all-local talent. “That’s important to me,” he says. “I really want the performers to be local, or at least Canadian.”

Pride Toronto will release a more complete list of artists and performers the first week of June, he says.

“I am doing a slow reveal on all the headliners,” he says. “I kinda like the slow burlesque reveal, like a little striptease. We are actually days away from announcing the complete headliner listing.”

On May 23, PT announced some of the headliners on the main TD-Wellesley Stage, including Mia Martina, Anjulie, My Name Is Kay, Reverse and the House of Xtravaganza.

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