Just three months before the due date of the highly anticipated album Born This Way, Lady Gaga returns to Chicago with fellow New Yorkers Scissor Sisters for The Monster Ball Tour at The United Center, 1901 W. Madison, on Monday, Feb. 28.
The controversial blonde could not wait to release the title track, which sounds like the love child of Madonna's "Express Yourself" and Patrick Hernandez's "Born to Be Alive." There is no relation with the coming-out disco anthem "I Was Born This Way," which has been sung by Valentino and Carl Bean. On a recent appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Gaga said she received an e-mail with a blessing from Madonna's camp, as many have compared the two hits. The "Paparazzi" singer's new look gives a nod to the modified persons community with dulled horns in her temples and protruding bones in her shoulders. When Lady Gaga was in town last summer for Lollapalooza, she unveiled the grammatically incorrect "You and I."
There is a Facebook petition to get a Scissor Sisters song to be performed on Glee, ever since Emmy Award winner Chris Colfer said he would love to do one of the quartet's numbers on the primetime program. "Any Which Way" and the terribly catchy Elton John collaboration "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" seem to be obvious choices, but the '80s electro-sleaze delicacy "Invisible Light" or Talking Heads-inspired "Running Out" could do the trick, too. Scissor Sisters' Night Work is out now.
Janet Jackson's Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour will be holding court Monday, March 7, through Wed., March 9, at The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State. Throughout her career, the superstar has claimed the top spot on the pop, dance and R&B charts on multiple occasions. The concert's set list ranges from the assertive, funky jam "What Have You Done for Me Lately?" to Jackson's contribution to the 2010 Tyler Perry film Why Did I Get Married Too?, "Nothing."
In 2008 Jackson deservingly received the Vanguard Award at the 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards for continually supporting the LGBT community. Her work pleads for social justice ( "Rhythm Nation" ) , remembers loved ones lost to AIDS ( "Together Again" ) and tackles homophobia ( "Free Xone" ) . On top of recording a message for the It Gets Better campaign, the Grammy winner penned the self-help book True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself. Jackson's latest retrospective Number Ones spans three decades and includes the new track "Make Me."
On "It Gets Better" Rebecca Drysdale tells the story of high school youths leading tormented lives. Drysdale sums up recent public episodes of bullying by stating, "There's no one who is meaner than a bunch of asshole teens." During the bridge, a laundry list of LGBT celebrities is rattled off. This recalls the "Vogue"-like "Legendary Children ( All of Them Queer ) " by Holly Johnson of Frankie Goes to Hollywood fame. Some of the names that Drysdale mentions are not commonly known as queer, such as actor Sir Alec Guinness and Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day. "It Gets Better" is available on iTunes and the video is on YouTube.
As part of the It Gets Better campaign, TimPermanent posted a very personal video. Here, he recounts how he was picked on continually in high school and even in college. But things did get better for him, as he beams talking about making music and performing before an audience.
TimPermanent just released the EP Marker. Just imagine if Jason Mraz had a gay younger brother who has a knack for electronica. On "More Than Want," the Los Angeles-based artist feels pressure to hold back and asks, "and what you might say if I was to sing it out like Beyonce Knowles?" On "Asymmetrical" the singer-songwriter confides that he bears his soul in his craft, which is a perfect lead into the more organic closing track "Alkaline." On Marker TimPermanent gives a glimpse to thoughts running through his mind in a fun, personable fashion.
Marsha Ambrosius has a must-see video on her hands with "Far Away." Here, the British chanteuse belts out a slower-paced song—not to be confused with Carole King's classic—while telling the story about her gay friend. After awkward social interactions with the object of his affection and getting beaten up in the park, her friend overdoses on pills. At the end of the clip, Ambrosius reveals that she lived through a similar event with one of her friends and she begs for tolerance and change.
"Far Away" is from Ambrosius's solo bow, Late Nights & Early Mornings. The trimmed-down Ambrosius might be recognized as being half of the acclaimed duo Floetry. The pair also penned Michael Jackson's "Butterflies." The scornful single "Hope She Cheats on You ( With a Basketball Player ) " already has been released from Ambrosius's Late Nights & Early Mornings.
Sophie B. Hawkins has posted a new song "Flying at Half Mast" in reaction to the tragic shootings in Tucson, Ariz., that took place Jan. 8. This track is available for free download at sophiebhawkins.com .
Hawkins is no stranger to mixing her craft with current events. Last year, proceeds from "The Land, the Sea & the Sky" benefitted Waterkepper's Alliance to aid the Gulf Coast oil spill. Also, she transformed her breakthrough hit "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" into "Damn! We Wish You Were President" in conjunction with Hillary Clinton's presidential run. "Betcha Got a Cure," from the forthcoming album Dream Street & Chance, is available for purchase on Hawkins's official web page.
