St. Pete Pride’s executive director Eric Skains has pushed one very strong message the past year – ”St. Pete Pride is more than just a one-day street festival featuring a massive parade. And this year, the community will get a chance to begin celebrating Pride just a little bit earlier. The night before the annual street festival and promenade – renamed Pride Carnivale in 2013 – a pre-Pride concert will light up the State Theatre downtown. Dubbed the “27/82 Concert,” the name signifies the longitude and latitudinal coordinates of the city.
The concert features three musical acts Uh Huh Her, Leisha Hailey (‘Alice’ from The L-Word) and special guests Geri-X and Daphne Willis. The concert also incorporates the popular Butchlesque fashion show that originated in Sarasota.
“I love this idea,” says Tara Liaschenko of Girl2Girl Productions, the organizational mind behind the show. Last year a similar idea sputtered to life, but it was not a Pride-sanctioned event. That’s not the case this year.
“I like the thought of turning our Pride into a destination weekend scenario,” Liaschenko adds. “People are going to stay in town the entire weekend and it’s great for St. Petersburg, for restaurants. This is just a great formula.”
Liaschenko said that when she approached St. Pete Pride about a partnership, the organization was quick to jump on board. Skains says the concert gave Pride an opportunity to overcome one criticism it has heard in the past -that there weren’t enough women-focused events coordinated through St. Pete Pride.
“This was the perfect solution and I’m expecting this inaugural concert to exceed our expectations,” Skains said.
And with such a strong, out, lesbian group headlining, Liaschenko is certain that Girl2Girl Productions is giving the Tampa Bay community what it wants.
“We’re compiling acts that is compatible with the audience,” she says. “But realize this is a co-ed event and we want to provide entertainment for men and women.”
And while Butchlesque is technically a lesbian-themed event, both men and women will enjoy the addition of the creative fashion show, says Kim Herbel, who started the Butchlesque show in 2011.
“Butchlesque is like preschool for drag,” Herbel laughs. “Our participants create their own look and it’s staged like a high-energy fashion show. It’s women showcasing what they see as the ‘butch’ look, and everyone’s definition of butch is different.”
In fact, 2012’s Mr. St. Pete Pride, Vinnie Marconi, got his start in Butchlesque, Herbel says, adding that without that opportunity, Marconi may not have ever tried male impersonation.
Typically Butchlesque is a contest, with the audience voting for their favorite butch performer. But for the 27/82 concert, more attention will be paid to the performance aspect of the show.
“We’re so excited to do this with Pride,” Herbel says. “We’ll have a choreographed dance to Psy’s ‘Gentleman’ and we’ll be in our signature colors of red, black and silver.”
And for the first time, Butchlesque will add a “Fem” element to the mix.
“It’s exciting to think that maybe some of our audience will be there and we’ll be getting greater exposure,” Herbel adds.
Butchlesque gives women an opportunity to show what “butch” means to them. So offering a blanket statement of what it means to be “butch” isn’t easy for Herbel, who says she’s attracted to butch lesbians.
“Some might have a narrow definition and think buzz haircut,” Herbel laughs. “But does hairstyle define someone as a butch? It might not have anything to do with look. It might be more of a mindset.”
Since beginning Butchlesque in 2011, Herbel says she’s always impressed with what is presented on stage, but she adds that she’s never been real surprised.
“I think the whole point of the show is to get different definitions of ‘butch,'” Herbel says. “I don’t know if it’s something I could do – get up there and perform.”
And there will be plenty of performances at the 27-82 Concert, which in itself shows that St. Pete Pride is still growing from year-to-year, Liaschenko says.
“This is a great opportunity for the community to experience another location within St. Petersburg and showcase the fact that St. Pete Pride is expanding,” she says.
Pulling together such a large production takes time, and patience, according to Liaschenko. But fortunately she and partner Tara Weldon have plenty of experience.
“We have a strong planning background,” Liaschenko explains. “So for us that part is simple. The challenge is on the marketing and promotion side. Pride is strong with that and we’re partnering with TwirlGirl Productions and they will promote the concert as well. It’s about getting the word out and aligning with a strong team.”
The concert begins at 8 p.m. and doors open at 7:30. Tickets are $25 in advance at StPetePride.com or $30 at the door the night of the concert. There is no seating in the State Theater and it can hold 705 people. Liaschenko expects a big, cozy crowd.
“The State Theatre is familiar with Pride and is happy to be a part of it,” Liaschenko says. “This is an exciting event for the community and shows that St. Pete Pride is expanding.”
For everyone else, the community, great to experience another location and the fact that pride is expanding.
