Emotional baggage

Homo performers bring emotional baggage to Pride while hetero performers just want to boogie.

“One of the unfortunate things about gay acts – a whole lot of psychosis gets brought into things. While straight performers see it as a great big party,” says Pride’s entertainment co-chair, Mark Smith.

“Homos have a tendency to use it as an emotional vent, which is great – that’s what music has always been,” says Smith. “I do find that a lot of gay music is more emotional. For example, out of the 400 and some odd demo tapes I get, I would say one-third of them will be folk singers singing about being alone in their bedrooms and nobody understands them.”

Smith says that straights see Pride as just one helluva party.

“Straight acts all sort of looked at it as not being a gay/straight thing, but being a really, really good party to be involved in. They see it as something that makes them feel good as performers.”

Carole Pope (co-creator of the classic alternative ’80s band Rough Trade) believes that queers need to get over their victimization.

“We should quit thinking of ourselves as victims and get over our ghetto mentality,” writes Pope via email.

“Who really cares who fucks who or what anymore?”

And she thinks it’s great that so many heteros are involved. “Art is art.”

The straight DJ and Cookey Duster (a Toronto house/rock band) member Brandon Canning says he goes to Pride every year and is “honoured to be a part of it this year.”

“There are good floats, good dancing, and is a great party more than anything. What more could you want?

“I don’t have anything hugely profound to say about it. It builds a good sense of community and lets everyone know that there is a whole world out there that maybe they’re not even aware of.”

Long standing Toronto punk and Pink Sunday band member, Shawn MacDonald is another hetero who can’t wait for Pride.

“Pride is one of the best days of the year. It’s what new year’s eve should be like. It’s really cool, everybody loves everybody and I wish it could be like that all the time. And I get to hang out with friends and share their day with them,” says MacDonald.

Pink Sunday is a Black Sabbath cover band which plays at the Bovine Sex Club every month. And this is the first time that they’ll perform at Pride.

“We’re all pretty stoked about it,” says MacDonald. “To any straight people out there, if you’re not gay, don’t worry about it and go! Go and have fun.”