OUTsider, an upstart film, art, and academic festival is nearly upon us, and news of the lineup is now flowing forth like sweet, fluent honey.
In naming their festival OUTsider, co-founders and collaborators Curran Nault, Annie Bush, and Bobette Mathis (amongst others… oh! to have been a fly on that pub wall) suggest a particular politics of rebellious discomfit, anxious artistry, and NSFW naughtiness. It’s pokey-pokey-pokey, but in the age of more conservative family-friendly LGBTQ politics (which, we remind you, gave impetus for the organizers of Queerbomb!), OUTsider is a welcome relief.
Regardless if you identify as an outsider, you can’t argue that OUTsider’s programming isn’t well honed. And they’ve f.i.n.a.l.l.y. released some of the details. Here are the highlights:
If you don’t know who OUTsider’s opening night act, the legendary Narcissister is: a) What’s wrong with you? and b) We suggest her performance Ass Vag to familiarize you/jog your memory (or her America’s Got Talent audition).
Also opening is Silky Shoemaker‘s Gay Wax Museum (which is, paradoxically, not really made of wax). It’s an idea a decade in the making; look out for a write-up about it in an upcoming print issue.
Even though OUTsider is a new festival, it’s never too soon to give out a legacy award. OUTsider’s opening gambit had punk dykes (and this fag, at least) squeeing with glee: Tribe-8 (a pun on “tribade” #duh), the bad ass San Francisco dyke punk outfit fronted by Lynn Breedlove is reuniting and prepped for “an all-star tribute.” To get you properly lubed, may we suggest “Butch in the Streets“?
And of course there are so many others:
• Local classico queermo Russell Reed plays a song cycle
• Shane Shane. Just… I mean… Shane Shane. Shane Shane.
• Newly Golden Globe-ed Zackary Drucker will give a retrospective presentation (our favorite? The sweetly abject intergenerational FISH: A Matrilineage of Cunty White Woman Realness.)
• And the return of Gay Ballet.
Epic.
Plus, there’s Jonesy, Jarman, and just about everything else an outsider could want. The first announcement of programming can be found here.
Badges are key, and are still on sale.
This article appears in January 23 • 2015.