16 JUN 2011 – Singer kd lang and the Siss Boom Bang is in town, performing a free concert on Friday, June 17 as part of the Luminato Festival. The concert is set to begin at 8pm at David Pecaut Square, just west of Roy Thomson Hall, in Toronto.

Serafin LaRiviere spoke with lang in 2008 for an Xtra cover story…

She’s been a cowgirl, a punky bride, a smoky crooner and an ingénue. But no matter what the outward incarnation, kd lang’s honesty and introspection always seems to shine through.

It’s been 25 years since Canada’s preeminent dyke singer first captured the country’s heart. None who saw it could ever forget that first televised entry into the nation’s consciousness: a gangly tomboy with spiky hair, galumphing joyfully onto the Juno stage to accept her first award, wearing a wedding dress, work boots and a sly grin. Few knew what to make of her, and plenty were ready to ridicule this exuberant misfit — that is, until she opened her mouth and shared that glorious voice with the world….

Shaky and vulnerable aren’t words that immediately come to mind when considering the statuesque lang. Long and solidly lean (whoever dresses her in those unflattering satin pants for TV needs a stern talking-to), she projects a calm strength that perfectly reflects her powerful alto and outspoken views.

Los Angeles has been home to the Alberta-born gal for several years and life stateside has given lang new perspectives on the politics of homophobia — even living within the relative safety of a so-called blue state.

“Ignorance has no colour,” says lang. “It’s very important to be truly centred and not to be too polarized on the left or the right wings.”

Check out the full interview here.

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UPDATE JUN 20….. Check out this vid from lang’s Jun 17 performance in Toronto.