Check out highlights from Phreak ‘N Queer Festival lineup (returning 8/1 through 8/4)
The annual Phreak ‘N Queer Arts And Music Festival returns for its third year this summer. From August 1 through the 4th, the LGBTQ festival will host literary and art events, performances, and concerts across different venues in Philly. According to the festival, Phreak ‘N Queer is run by volunteers who “acknowledge the need for safe performance spaces and supporting local queer / trans talent.” There will be all ages events as well as those for the 21+ crowd. Below, get a sampling of some of the varied and interesting musical acts you can check out this year.
Philly’s Sgnls will be playing at the Rotunda on the opening night. The space-y electro-punk jam band trio has a different, weirdly cool sound that it is somehow both futuristic and old-school. Contradictory yet awesome. Their full length, self-titled LP was released in 2013 through Blind Prophet Records. Sgnls also mixes music and intriguing visuals in their live set – check out a video of one of their live performances last year.
Free jazz musician and composer Charles Cohen will also be playing the Rotunda on August 1. Cohen has been making music since the 1970’s, working with both jazz and electronic genres. He plays on the rare Buchla Music Easel, and doesn’t have much recorded music; most of his work is improvisational and created live. Watch this awesome video of Cohen crafting sounds on the music easel.
CHARLES COHEN AT THE BUCHLA MUSIC EASEL from Alex Tyson on Vimeo.
August 2 brings shows and performances (21+) to the XO Lounge on South Street. Brooks Banker of local indie band Dangerous Ponies is performing as his drag queen alter ego Golden Delicious. This is a good chance to catch Banker since Dangerous Ponies just recently announced their breakup and are playing their final show this summer. Check out this hilarious video of Banker/Golden Delicious lip synching to Adele.
The afternoon of August 3 will feature a queer writers reading at the Wooden Shoe. After that, you can head to Milkboy for a slew of performances hosted by local comedian Alejandro Morales. Headlining this night’s show is local grindcore act +HIRS+. They released a split LP with Water Torture, which you can listen to below. With all songs clocking in at under one minute each, and most under 30 seconds, the tracks seem to flow together in a harsh, fast, angry-and-noisy-about-it thrashfest.
The last day of the festival features “Grindhouse-a-Go-Go,” a closing show/party at The Dolphin with DJ Robert Drake. Check out Phreak N Queer’s site for more information on all of the events.