A-DEG-BA-LO-LASay it!

Writings, Essays, Lyrics, Musings, Commentary . . .

Article #36: My Heart Is Full ... Of Wicked Chocolate!!!!!

My, my, my! I thought my heart was going to explode! It was (and still is) so full of delicious joy. The joy was aural and delivered by three bands I'd never heard before. Please indulge me.

Last weekend (August 24 - 26, 2007) was PRIDE weekend here in the Burg (Fredericksburg, VA). For this occasion, Terry, the owner of Colonial Tavern, asked two of my friends (Resa Gibbs and Jackie Merritt, members of MSG - The Acoustic Blues Trio, www.acousticbluesmsg.com) and me to play there on Friday night. Our friend, djembe player Colleen Dugan also joined us. We called ourselves TWINGE!

TWINGE!

While we've worked together before, we'd never played acoustically and never played so out and openly. We did songs like "Queer Blues" and "Hetero Twinges." Resa and I sang love songs to each other -- "Tonight you're mine completely. . ." We sang about "Mean Church People" and "Lying Preachers." We were all about FREEDOM!

Then, for our last song, we asked everyone to sing an a cappella tune with us. Everyone had a copy of the lyrics. We turned the lights up and everyone -- over a hundred voices strong -- sang this song at the top of their lungs, swaying, joining hands 2nd time through:

I AIN'T ASHAMED (c. Gaye Adegbalola)

I ain't ashamed
No, no, no I ain't ashamed
I ain't ashamed
No, no, no I ain't ashamed
Well it's dark in the closet
Now I'm out in the light
Proud of who I am
And my light is shining bright
Yea, yea, yea, yeah
I ain't ashamed

I ain't afraid
No, no, no I ain't afraid
I ain't afraid
No, no, no I ain't afraid
I'm out in the open
I no longer live in fear
I can look you in the eye
And smile from ear to ear (or As a strong, proud queer)
Yea, yea, yea, yeah
I ain't afraid

I ain't alone
No, no, no I ain't alone
I ain't alone
No, no, no I ain't alone
Got my brothers and my sisters
Standing by my side
Fighting for our freedom
We will not be denied
Yea, yea, yea, yeah
I ain't alone

Repeat
I could see it all from the stage. I could feel it all -- my heart beat double time as we rejoiced in the pure freedom of the moment! Heart Explosion #1.

The next day the PRIDE Fest was in downtown Fredericksburg. Suzanne and I "manned" the Equality Virginia booth in early afternoon. We finished just in time to hear WICKED JEZABEL (www.wickedjezabel.com) start its show - ASS KICKING! . . . 6 ASS KICKING WOMEN! Their opening medley: "I'm Coming Out," "Celebrate Good Times," "We Are Family," and "Super Freak."

WICKED JEZABEL

It was over 100º, but I got my dance on. So did everyone else. Yes, even with 100º heat, you had to move. That's how good they are. I couldn't believe my ears. I'd never, in all my years, heard a women's band rock like this! Perform like this! Exceptional rhythm section! Exceptional lead players! Exceptional vocals! I truly don't mean to be sexist -- that's just the truth of my many musical experiences. Now my heart's doing rapid fire again . . . Heart Explosion #2.

I had to leave before JEZABEL finished their set. Drenched from the dancing, I went home to shower and change before going to the Bluemont Concert Series (held on Saturday nights in the summer in F'burg). The CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS (www.carolinachocolatedrops.com) were performing.

We arrived as the CCDs were finishing sound check. My heart kicked it up another notch when I saw this beautiful, beauty/full young black trio playing old timey string band music. In no way can this writing share the depth of my feeling at that moment.

CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS

All my musical career, I've tried to keep alive the spirit of the classic blues women -- not just because of the great music, but also to keep them from being written out of history. Now here I see/hear these young black people (emphasis on young) keeping string band music alive -- loving the music and loving the spirit and determined not to let it get written out of history.

Yes, they love this music and proceeded to KICK ASS! On banjos and fiddles. On resonator guitar and jugs. On drums and bones. They even threw in some buck dancing and yodeling! And, a dose or two of some heartfelt blues and righteous harp. They talked about Joe Thompson and Ted Bogan and Algia Mae Hinton. How could I ever contain my heart?? Occasionally my heart escaped through my eyes. . . Yes, tears of joy. And, speaking of eyes, this band was eye candy too. Ear and eye candy!! So very delicious to see and hear. Heart Explosion #3.

As though all this wasn't enough, at the end of the concert, I approached them to get my CD signed. Rhiannon, the female member of the CCD, knew me -- had seen Saffire several times (starting when she was in 9th grade), had been inspired by us, had drawn a picture of me. They took a photo with me and, lo!, Monday morning, posted it on their website. Can you at least feel part of my excitement?? Again, I can't convey the beauty. I was/am so very thrilled.

CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS & GAYE
Photo by Fredlock Gnegy

As we exited the concert, we (the TWINGE! posse) decided to go back to the Colonial Tavern. Guess who was playing?? Oh yes, wicked, WICKED JEZABEL. . . in a place with AC and. . . libations. Did we ever dance!! I shook it like I was 18. Shook it high, shook it low -- all over that dance floor! That band levitated the joint! We danced until the last note was played. Finished the night by chatting with the band members until the staff swept us out of the club.

So, the moral of this writing is: IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS OR WICKED JEZABEL, DON'T MISS THEM. AND, IF ANYONE WANTS TO HEAR TWINGE! AGAIN, THAT'LL ONLY HAPPEN BY SPECIAL REQUEST.