R.I.P. Hint of Mint Live (08-08 – 06-09)

Just a short quick note that this is Hint’s final post. We took great pleasure in our short time detailing the goings-on in the LGBT communities here and sometimes beyond. This was an endeavor of love for the community and the arts. We only hope that Hint took to you places you might have missed otherwise.

But if you think Hint is closing just because, you are wrong. Cindy is still capturing great footage and covering the local music scene and is the fab diva behind FineLineLive.com. Yours truly has taken a job at the Dallas Voice as a staff writer. I hope and plan to continue the same type of coverage we had here as well as being even more available to the local community to tell their stories.

Without a lot of fanfare, we thank you for all the times you stopped by. We love you for reading our Internet corner of the world. And appreciated all of those who told us “good job.”

Hint of Mint….over. And out.

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Five new songs from God-Des & She

Over on God-Des & She’s page, you can find five previously unreleased songs. And the band is looking for your opinion on their latest stuff. They say, “We want your opinions. Listen to the new songs and tell us your favorite song of the five.” And you can do that by leaving a comment on their MySpace page.

Or tell them yourself. The band hits Dallas on May 23 at Buddies II with opening act Karin Animal. Get to know ’em a little better by watching their interview below from The Lesbian Podcast. Despite their tough attitude and in your face songs, they seem like some sweet chicks.

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Queer Control Records Video Showdown underway

Over on Queer Control Records‘ Web site, you can vote on one of five videos for their Video Showdown. We’ve made our choice but we’ll be mum about it. Don’t want to influence your vote.  The DIY-ness gives them some refreshing perspective against your everyday music vid and some innovative art direction makes some of the vids overly interesting. And the songs are killer. We wish QCR released a mixtape of these ditties as well. Vote now. Polls close June 14.

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Instinct Magazine reports what Hint already knows

We love that there is this gay music scene on the rise. And even locally some bands are getting into the act of being out or GLBT friendly and it’s no big thang. But there is a pool of talent out there that a few outlets have truly tapped in to (Mandrake, Queer Music Heritage, OutMusic) and while we’re playing catch-up with them, we like to think we’ve offered some stuff up you haven’t heard before. Unfortunately, we’re not the kind of media outlet that gets the big interviews (cough..Brandi Carlile…cough cough) or gets the super cool kids invites to review concerts (ahem…Uh Huh Her…cough cough cough) but we’re committed like the others to spotlight those GLBT bands trying to make it big and celebrating the established artists who have. Fortunately for the music fans out there, Instinct magazine announced their upcoming Summer Entertainment Preview with lots of fab news on movies, music and more. But what caught our attention was this little clip.

We also look at the changing face of queer music in America and why more and more artists are getting in the business as out as they can be—and succeeding—introducing readers to three up-and-coming gay musicians who are making music on their own terms this summer.

Those three include broody folkster Jake Walden, non-threatening popster Levi Kreis and Tel Aviv’s (and cover boy) Yehonathan Gatro. All are impossibly handsome which befits Instinct’s demo but while we wish they would have been a bit more daring in their artist selection, we can’t help but offer ups to the mag for spreading the word on GLBT acts.

Unfortunately, none of the above are coming to Dallas anytime soon. What is up with the local GLBT scene here that doesn’t feel the need to bring these acts in? We luck out with bands big enough to tour here and stop at the Granada or Rubber Gloves but with big entities like Caven and ample clubs like Buddies II, you’d think we’d be getting more touring artists here. Guess we’ll just have to settle for our nightly drag shows. Thank goodness the ladies come through for those of us starving for a scene. Sue Ellen’s and Buddies II have done their part a bit but with those two venues and so many others, it just seems like so much more should be happening. 

Ummm…ramble much? OK, go read your Instinct now.

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Round Up Saloon is #1

Props to Advocate Magazine for realizing what we’ve all known for quite a while. This month, they ranked the top gay country and western bars throughout the nation and while two of them are here in Texas, Dallas took the top spot. The Round Up Saloon was named the number one C&W bar in the U.S. Pretty sweet, huh?

Here is Advocate’s lowdown:

1. THE ROUND UP SALOON, DALLAS 
The best country bar in the nation, hands down, the Round Up is all you can ask for in a C&W bar. Hot cowgirls and cowboys swirl the floor of this country-western dance delight nightly. Karaoke stars in the Victorian Parlor Bar. Shots hit the spot at the rowdy Tequila Bar. Six bars with different characters attract a hot crowd of local good ol’ boys and girls.

And in the number three spot was Houston’s Brazos River Bottom. We like that spot too but props to Big D for serving up the country right.

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Evoke Dallas magazine should launch in June

Dallas’ newest gay lifestyles magazine, Evoke Dallas, is slated to launch this summer. Touting itself as the Hottest Gay Magazine in Dallas, the magazine will focus on style, entertainment and fashion and probably much more. Let’s just hope it won’t be another pocket size magazine like Gab, or Red or TWIT. What is it with free gay rags in that size?

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They are shooting for a June release as they say in their Craigslist ad seeking writers. In fact, wethinks some of us might apply. Ahem.

Evoke Dallas is the newest Alternative Lifestyle Magazine. We are shooting for a June issue and we are looking for writers. This is a Gay publication so we don’t care if your straight just remember who your target audience is. We want local writers to be a part of this, It will be a monthly magazine so you only have to write once a month. This is great opportunity to gain experience and credibility.

Email us a sample of your writing. We’re interested in seeing your style. visit us on myspace or at http://www.evokedallas.com

email us directly at info@evokedallas.com

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News Bit of the Day – DC on board with gay marriage

Looks like a one-two victory punch against discrimination with this headline from the Human Rights Campaign. All we can say is – we likey.

District of Columbia Council votes to recognize gay and lesbian couples’ out-of-state marriages

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Some more SXSW stuff

While one might consider the Perez Hilton event the gay highlight of the festival, that honor really belonged to the GayBiGayGay mini-fest held in someone’s backyard. Oh, you already know the story. We do find it peculiar that not much footage seems to be popping up. We found this ultimately boring clip of DJ Fucci spinning and scratching on her laptop while the gays danced the night away – and that did look like fun – but so far no clips of any of the bands or other festivities have come up. Go figure.

And then we came upon this little article by Alexander Cho posted exclusively online on the Advocate magazine’s Web site. He talks a bit about GXGG and how it rings truer than most of the other showcases going on.

Not everyone, though. While SXSW scene-stealers were busy bagging swag at events sponsored by companies from Scion to Levi’s to Dell, a group of volunteers was hard at work decorating a stage that stretched across two huge dusty backyards in east Austin, miles away from the hubbub. The daylong counterfest, affectionately called GayBiGayGay, is now in its fourth year. It has become a community hub for Austin queers and their visiting friends looking to escape the largely hetero commotion on the final Sunday of SXSW.

Clearly this was not a Perez Hilton event…and thank goodness for that.

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QTube offers up your fave gay music vids

Boy we must be late to the game on this one. We’ve often wondered where we could find our GLBT artists and their vids other than spending way too much time trolling around YouTube only to be distracted by other videos and trains of thought. Thanks to Queer Music Heritage (in a roundabout way) we’ve discovered QTube – GLBT Music Videos on Demand. And no, they aren’t a site that hasn’t been updated in a few months. They seem to be staying on top of the latest releases by our favorite GLBT and friendly bands and musicians.

We didn’t get to see them at SXSW but this recently uploaded vid from The Gay Blades makes our fave list. We wanted to show you this one but didn’t in case any kiddos were in the room.

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Martina McBride speaks to Out Magazine

We’re not sure but is Martina McBride the first major contemporary country star to talk to gay media? We know Garth Brooks has been friendly in the past and Faith Hill probably loves the gays who love her but off the top of our heads, we can’t recall any major interviews held between a GLBT pub and a country star. And don’t say Dolly. She’s kind of a given but also, it wouldn’t be surprising either.

From Out.com

Out Magazine interviews country superstar McBride in her first gay media chat ever. Which is interesting since that whole genre of music seems to be lost on the gays and vice versa. Although there are some of us who like us some beefy Toby Keith…but that’s neither here nor there. Props to the strong voiced diva for making an effort.

The interview, however, doesn’t have a whole lot of depth discussing Martina liking the gays (she never really SAYS she does other than for her hairdresser), how to look like a Martina drag queen (really?) and her drinking habits. Unfortunately Out never digs deep and we can see as McBride admits that her dance remix is kind of the reason she’s doing this interview. Plus, a new album that drops today.

Nonetheless, it still is a step in the right direction. Hopefully other C&W big timers will do the same.

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