Towards the back of last week, I pretty much had this week’s blog written (in my head). It was going to be all about the release of Madonna’s new album MDNA and I would go on and on about how wonderful it was and the direction she was taking and fall at her feet all over again. However, when it comes to pop royalty a lot can change over the course of a weekend and more importantly in a matter of hours on a regular Monday. 

On Sunday night it was the princess of pop, Kylie Minogue, which got me all flustered. She announced via Twitter that her “Anti Tour” would be hitting Manchester Academy and London Hammersmith Apollo in a matter of days, well a week in fact. The “Anti Tour” is exactly what it says in the title. Kylie had hinted after her enormous Aphrodite shows that she would like to go on the road with no production, play a couple of nights in selected tiny venues and her set would be made up of B-sides, album tracks, demos and songs that would never make it on to the set list of her usual mammoth glitter cannoned touring extravaganzas. Now, I thought this stripped back tour would come with a stripped back price – more fool me as the tickets were still £79. I initially recoiled at that price, but after some pondering, sweating at my bank balance and coercion from some friends I caved in and I can’t believe I’ll be seeing her in such a tiny venue.

So where does Madonna fit in to all this? Well, she too has announced a further UK date to her MDNA tour, yet this time it’s in an arena. When the tour was initially announced in February I was very excited but then I was disheartened when I saw that she would be playing Hyde Park in London. Not a venue I would like to see a concert by one of my favourite artists and after the fiasco that followed her Sticky and Sweet show at Wembley Stadium, I was immediately put off and added this to the other tour I missed out on: Confessions (I was gutted I missed that). So, Birmingham NIA has been added on 17th July and tickets will go on sale on Friday. The prices range from an acceptable £55 up to nearly £200. Will I get a ticket? After the usual performance of should I/shouldn’t I, I probably will and no doubt it’ll be amazing.

Oh and as far as her album goes there are plenty of reviews around. Some of them are more glowing than others. Personally I’m not yet convinced by it and I can’t make a proper judgement. On first few listens I could only review it with the sound of a disappointed sigh. Written by Andrew Roberts

As the name would suggest, the two of you are father and son. How does this relationship affect your music and have you always used music as a means of family bonding?

We don't really pick any type of genre to perform and with our generational gap we listen to varius types of music along with music from different eras. In short we love music and will perform songs we think suit our voices. Musica has always been a part of our lives both of us are very aware that we can pipe up at any moment, the car, the supermarket even the tennis court. It's a laugh as much as it is work.

You were first seen by the nation on Britain's Got Talent in 2010, and today have over 14 million views on YouTube. How does it feel to be so watched and recognized, and have things changed greatly since your time on the show?

It feels very overwhelming that a year has passed and we still get recognised. I suppose the reference point of youtube is always there and people can be constantly reminded. We have of course appeared on various other TV shows since and presented for a couple so have been seen in a different environment which is great. Have our lives changed?? Well we haven't let that happen really. We have always and will always be very positive and pro-active people so our exposure on BGT has just helped this. We are now just busier than ever.

Tell us a bit about The Jennifer Charity.

Well we have set up the Jennifer charity to support widowed fathers and their children. Jennifer was James' mother, Graham's wife and she died when James was only 1 leaving Graham to raise James alone. There was very little support from external sources other than family and much pressure from social services as single fathers were often looked upon s being uncapable. Unfortunately 25 years on there still was no official provision for widowed fathers and we decided it was time to change that.

Father and Son are performing at this year's Manchester Pride. How is Pride important to you both, and what can we expect from your set?

James has performed at 3 previous Pride events and really was where his career got a kick start. He met his first producer at pride when being on the same bill as Irish Boyband Too Close for Europride and it led to him co-writing and recording an album. There are lots of good memories I have of performing at Manchester Pride and we are both looking forward to being on the stage together this year. The set is going to be generally what you might expect. Big vocals, catchy songs and one surprise song that the audience wouldn't really think we would perform.

Manchester Pride has also special memoties because my theatre company 2toned performed Didn't We at the first extended fringe festival a couple of years ago.

The Pride event is also a massively important event in Manchester and across the country because it allows members of the LGBT community to come together in a safe environment and feel part of something really special, not to mention the amount of money that is raised for people living with HIV and AIDS in the UK which is still an important issue.

What does the future hold for Father and Son?

We are obviously pushing the charity and campaiging across the country for Jennifer so that is a big project in itself however we are currently filming and 'Dad Documentary' with The Sound Research Company which is an international look at the lives of single fathers. We are also developing our own radio show with Tower FM of UTV. We have regular slots on their breakfast show and really looking forward to getting our new podcast from September leading to our own full length show later in the year. Seperatly we are both persuing acting careers as this is something we are both trained in and have been working closely with directors to find the right parts. James also writes a regular blog for Celebritain.com.

Manchester Pride are delighted to welcome Father and Son to the festival this year, and they will be performing in the Gaydar Main Arena on Monday 29 August. For more information on Father and Son, see:

Twitter - @FatherandSonBGT

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Father-Son-Entertainment/172848006113802

WWW - FatherandSonEntertainment.com

Charity - www.JenniferCharity.co.uk

WRITTEN BY ANDREW ROBERTS

Manchester Pride seems to be approaching at some speed now, I can’t believe that since I started to contribute to the blog all those months ago, that we had the last volunteer social before Pride (which was great fun….sore heads all-round the next day), volunteer training and it's only next week that it all kicks off!

Pride Fringe begins on Friday 19 August and there are plenty of events leading up to (and over) the Big Weekend that are worth checking out. There is a good mix of free and paying events. If you’ve not had a look at what’s on then check out the brochure here. The stage listings for the Big Weekend have also been released and, as per usual, there are also plenty of events going on in the bars and clubs around the Village.

I’ve put together a list of what I fancy doing in the run up to the Big Weekend and over it. If you can’t decide, then maybe these will spur you on:

• 21x21: Portraits & Perspectives by Lee Baxter (19-25 Aug, 4 Piccadilly Place): I love photography exhibitions and I think this will be a really interesting one. 21 individuals from the LGBT community have been shot and have added their experiences of Pride to accompany their portrait. I have seen a small selection of Lee’s work on his website www.hip-replacement.com  and really liked what I saw. Definitely one of the top things for me.
• It’s a Gay Knockout (Thurs 25 Aug, 9PM, Taurus): This will be the first time that I have been to this event. I’ve heard that it’s loads of fun and pretty funny, as it is hosted by Polly I’d expect nothing less!
• Pam Ann (Fri 26 Aug, Gaydar Main Arena): Now, I’ve never really caught on to the Pam Ann thing. A couple of my friends who are coming over for Pride have told me that she’s hilarious live and that I’ve been missing out. From what I do know, she’ll be a great opening for the weekend.
• The Parade (Sat 27 Aug, 1pm, City Centre): There’s not really much to say about the Parade apart from it’s not to be missed. It’s likely to be bigger than before and the theme for this year is “Best of British”. It’s fantastic.
• Gaydar Main Arena (Sun 28 Aug): There are three acts that I want to see on the Sunday of the Big Weekend, Patrick Wolf, Sugababes and the recently announced Alexandra Burke. Fingers crossed for a beautifully dry day as most of it will be spent outside!
• Candlelit Vigil (Mon 29 Aug, Sackville Gardens): Another first for me. I’ve attended Pride many times, but never the Vigil and it’s about time I did.

Don’t forget that the Queer to Stay, 21 years of Manchester Pride exhibition is still running at The Lowry and is well worth heading over for. If you’re travelling up for the Big Weekend, it may be a nice little break from the festivities. Check out Warhol’s Divas whilst you’re there.

There will also be a nod to the beginnings of what is now Manchester Pride with a Bring and Buy sale in Sackville Gardens on Sunday 21 August. Last and by no means least the Lifestyle Expo and Market will also be running over the Big Weekend.

By Matt Horwood

Manchester is a fantastic city for upcoming musical talent, and this week Manchester Pride have spoken to a young lady who fits the bill perfectly. This week we have caught up with singer song writer, student and waitress Ailish Breen, who tells us a little more about what she does and why it is important to be Loud & Proud! 

So, Ailish. Tell us about yourself?

My real life job is being a fairly rubbish English student and working in a bar. My other thing that I do is music, but that doesn’t really earn me enough money to call it a job. YET. I once earned £60 for a gig and thought I’d died and gone to money heaven. I’ve been singing for about three years, I had my very first gig supporting my friend’s band in our local pub back home. I was probably terrible but I can’t really remember much of it apart from being terrified that people other than my bedroom mirror were going to hear me! After that first time on stage I was hooked though, you can’t help it. It feels amazing when people listen to what you’re saying and even enjoy it sometimes. Since then I’ve been playing as much as possible, my two favourite experiences were supporting New Young Pony Club and the legend that is Frank Turner. Hopefully one day I can earn enough from music to pay rent and actually call it my job!

Where and from who do you draw inspiration?

Inspiration for songs comes from the people around me, nights out, books I’ve read, boring and not so boring poems we study at Uni, falling in love (or thinking you have) and everything else in between really…I love artists who tap into everyday thoughts we all share and make them sound beautiful. Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling, Cat Power, Frank Turner, Bon Iver…they all do that quite well I think.

In your opinion, is it important for LGBT artists to be out and proud for other budding artists who may be more shy about their sexuality?

I think first and foremost you’ve got to be focused on your music. If you’re being honest with yourself and with your audience your music will be better and people will relate to you more, no matter how much or how little you have in common. Being out is important though, if you’re in a position where you’re safe to be out then you should. Visibility matters.

Have you been to Manchester Pride before?

I’ve never been before! Is it good? I hear it is… I am very much looking forward to being there this year for it's 21st though!

For more about Ailish or to hear some of her songs see her Myspace at: http://www.myspace.com/ailishmarie

With just 21 days until tickets for Manchester Pride's 21st birthday go on sale, we take a look, day by day, at the number one hit singles during each and every event in Pride history.

Roll Deep were top of the pops during our last Pride event with Green Light.

 

David Guetta was tearing up dancefloors during Pride 2009 with Sexy Chick.

Feisty popstar Katy Perry burst on to the scene kissing girls during Pride 2008 - very fitting indeed!

Kanye West was number 1 with Stronger during Pride 2007.

Shakira's hips certainly didn't lie back in 2006 when she was top of the pops over Pride number 16.

Back in Pride 2005, McFly were rocking the number one spot with their hit I'll Be OK.

Natasha Beddingfield was queen of the charts during Pride 2004 with These Words.

Sean Paul & Blu Cantrell stormed to the top of the charts with Breathe during Europride in 2003.

Crossroads by those Blazin' Squad hunks (phwoaar!) was at the top of the charts at Pride 2002.

5ive had everyone up dancing at Pride 2001 with their #1 single Let's Dance.

Groovejet by Spiller was the chart topper over Pride number 10 in 2000.

Mi Chico Latino by Geri Haliwell was top of the pops during Manchester's ninth Pride in 1999.

No Matter What by Boyzone was number 1 over Manchester's eightth Pride in 1998.

Will Smith's Men in Black was number one during Pride number seven in 1997.

During our sixth Pride in 1996, Spice Girl's Wannabe was number one.

Country House by Blur was the chart topper during our fifth Pride in 1995

Love is All Around by Wet Wet Wet was number 1 over Manchester's fourth Pride in 1994.

Mr Vain by Culture Beat was top of the pops during Manchester's third Pride in 1993.

Rhythum is a Dancer by Snap! was number one during Pride number two, all the way back in 1992.

The first number one in Manchester Pride history was Everything I Do by Bryan Adams back in 1991.

 By Matt Horwood

Though it has been a fair while since we last heard from the Dirrty and Candy Man loving Christina, Ms Aguilera has made the headlines this week after topping a Stonewall social media poll. Christina’s 2003 hit 'Beautiful' has been named as the most empowering song of the decade for LGBT people in a survey of 1, 007 people, with 33% of the votes, beating off the likes of The Gossip’s ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ and Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’ who came fourth and fifth in the poll respectively.

Aguilera has expressed her delight at being voted top of the chart and has explained how important her gay fan base is to her. Christina is also an avid supporter of Stonewall’s ‘It Gets Better... Today’ campaign – helping LGB people stand up against homophobic bullying.

The hit is penned by Linda Perry, who has written for Pink, Hole, The Sugababes and Faith Hill amongst others, and features different alienated members of society including a gay male couple and a girl with anorexia. Its lyrics “You are beautiful/No matter what they say/Words won’t bring us down” sent a wide spread message instantly on its release, and mny online comments claim the song has saved lives. 'Beautiful' has also appealed greatly to breast cancer sufferers who are on the path to getting better. It is no wonder that Aguilera's hit became a UK #1 and stood tall as an empowering song for many years to come. Her position in the chart is therefore thoroughly deserved.

What was perhaps the bigger shock however is ‘Mother Monster’ Lady Gaga, whose ‘Born This Way’ was beaten to third place by Boyzone’s hit ‘Better’, which only made it to numbers 22 and 26 in the UK and Ireland charts.

Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ (reviewed in Manchester Pride’s blog only recently) has been deemed by many as one of the greatest ‘gay anthems’ of all time. When speaking late last year to Entertainment Weekly, Elton John called Gaga “the bastard daughter of Elton John”, and said the song would “completely get rid of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’” and is “the new gay anthem”. With such esteem and support, its third place in this chart is debatable.

Perhaps it depends on where you stand, what empowers you, and what you wish to be empowered for. The poll is specific to Stonewall supporters and users of social media, which is in fact a fairly niche audience; many may wonder where the likes of Bette, Cher and Kylie or perhaps Joni, Cyndi and Kim are in the chart. Should an empowering gay anthem make you dance? Should it make you cry? Should it be written by the artist who performs it? Should the song be about being LGBT or, moreover, be sung by an LGBT individual? Should it be an acclaimed, charting hit? How would you choose yours?

Who makes your top five empowering ‘gay anthems’ of all time?

To tell us who makes your chart, visit our Facebook page here. Results will be published at the end of the month!

By Andrew Roberts

**SPOILERS IN THE ARTICLE**

If you were to cross the films 300, Troy, add a bit of Prince of Persia and then a dash of Carry on Cleo (for camp of course) then you’d be somewhere near to what was unveiling before roughly 16/17,000 Kylie Minogue fans on Saturday evening.

The backdrop to the stage was a huge Parthenon with screens in between each column, from each edge of the stage was a wide sloping catwalk, forming a U shape and meeting on a smaller central area a few blocks into the audience.

As the dry ice pumped out, true to her Aphrodite ‘incarnation’ Kylie rose to the top of the stage in a giant golden shell to the military drumming of the title track from her Aphrodite album, she looked amazing. This was the first time that I’d been so close to the stage at a Kylie concert so it was fantastic to actually see her in the flesh rather than a combo of video screens and squinting a bit.

From the opener it was pretty much nonstop. The show heavily featured her newest album but it was still peppered with all the classic songs. From a few bars of ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ right up to the newer classics of ‘Wow’ and ‘The One’. On the staging front there was; winged horses, chariots, acrobats, angels that flew from the top of the stage to the end of the catwalk - Kylie strapped to his back of course, feathers, glitter, boys in underpants (actually lots of boys in underpants) and girls in skimpy little costumes. I’ll give Kylie one thing, she certainly knows how to play to her key audience of gay guys and lesbians yet keeping the show fun and engaging for families and an older crowd, both of which there was a lot of.

I like the fact that she also stops to chat and interact with the audience, she announced that it was the 25th time that she had appeared at the MEN and thanked Manchester for welcoming her so often. When performing the amazing ‘If You Don’t Love Me’ the song pauses between the lines and at that moment the crowd told her that they did love her. You could see her quivering and generally touched with emotion.

Just when you think you’d seen it all, there was the finale. Water. Lots of water. During a thumping remix of ‘On A Night Like This’ the U shape walkway fired jets of water upwards and outwards. Finishing with ‘All The Lovers’ Kylie rose up from the smaller stage surrounded by dancers moving like synchronised swimmers, aerial acrobats spinning above the audience and the jets perfectly in time with the music. Of the times I’ve seen Kylie, this was probably the best and my money was truly well spent.

By Andrew Roberts

In Greek mythology the goddess of love, beauty and sexuality was Aphrodite and she famously rose out of the sea foam. In pop history the goddess of catchy numbers, tiny hotpants and white slashed shrouds is Kylie Minogue and on Friday she will rise out of the Ship Canal and into the Manchester Evening News Arena for four nights.

Three years on from her X tour, which was quite a techno spectacle, doing away with lots different sets and instead using a huge banked stage that was also a video projector changing images to suit the theme and who could forget the giant bejewelled skull that she hovered around the stage on.

Les Folies seems to be taking Kylie back into her “Showgirl Tour” territory. On the run up to February’s opening night in Denmark, Ms Minogue was tweeting pictures of sequins, feathers and odd details from the costumes designed by Dolce & Gabbana. She also posted a link to her website giving fans a better idea of what the actual stage is going to be like. I shan’t say what it is as some people may have purposely avoided spoilers or set lists. I on the other hand haven’t; I read the spoilers, watched some clips on YouTube and tried to memorise the set list. All I will say is that I doubt people will be disappointed. As expected there will be a lot of material from Aphrodite and it’ll be great to hear how that album translates into a live show. Of course she’ll be digging through her back catalogue and bringing out the classics, I imagine, in a re-worked form.

I find that Kylie really engages with the audience on her live shows and looks like she is having an amazing time. I like to think that Manchester is special to her seeing as she has done some long runs of dates in the city during previous tours and as per usual we’re likely to give her the warmest of welcomes.

Perhaps we could convince her to do Pride?

By Mark Webster

Just before Christmas last year, I bought Adele’s ‘19’ album from the ‘Under A Fiver’ section (I love giving presents but I love giving a bargain even more) with the intention of copying it and wrapping it up. It was around the same time as X Factor was gripping the country and Rebecca Ferguson’s jaw-dropping performance of ‘Make You Feel My Love’ was taking our breath away (well, for me it did anyway!). Before long, I was playing Adele’s album constantly without a piece of shiny wrapping paper in sight. It seemed to satisfy my every mood – thoughtful, emotional, relaxed, drama queen… you name it!

Adele’s recent performance of ‘Someone Like You’ at the Brit Awards left the pores of my skin tingling once again. The simplistic style of a woman dressed in black singing alone on the stage worked brilliantly and catapulted both the live performance and the single to the top of the charts. I’m sure Lady Gaga would even crack open her egg and applaud the way that Adele carried it off. It goes to show that artists don’t need to wow the crowds with fancy aesthetics and dance routines that would make your two month-old kitten exhausted!

Adele is for the thinking gay; the sensitive, emotional type who looks at the relationships that we forge. Her songs evoke emotion and convey personal experiences. She’s no stranger to the power of sexuality and living with the consequences. As the first song on her ‘19’ album, ‘Daydreamer’ is about a bisexual ex boyfriend who would never be able to love her in the way that she loved him. Heavy stuff for a nineteen year old if you ask me!

She isn’t a gay icon and I don’t think she would want to be put into the same glitzy basket as Madonna, Kylie and Gaga. However, you can’t help feeling that she’s there when you want to be sad; stomp around the house in your underwear; or have a good moan with your best mate over a bottle of wine. She’s the gobby one that you meet having a fag outside the club and get chatting to for about an hour. I have since bought (yes, at full price) her second album and it’s just as good as the one before; taking you on an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you belting out the tunes at the top of your voice.

Besides, I think my mum preferred that gift set anyway…

Tweet us your thoughts @ManchesterPride

By Andrew Roberts

Before I start and there’s a lynch mob waiting for me on Canal Street, what I’m about to write I hope is a balanced argument. I love Lady Gaga and I respect what she does artistically, she seems to be a newly appointed leader of the gay community (I’m not sure how Madonna or Kylie will feel) and mother to her little Monsters (us, the public) but what are the merits of her new single being a “gay anthem”?

After months of waiting and countless Twitter teasers on 11th February 2011 the radio and internet was set ablaze by “Born This Way”. In the late 80s Madonna’s Express Yourself was a relationship anthem for women who were suddenly told not to stand for “second best”. It is clear that Gaga has taken inspiration from that song but put her lyrical and musical twist on it. She is telling people to be themselves, but that’s about it.

To be honest I'm a bit nonplussed by the song. It is a good pop song, but I don't feel particularly empowered by it. I’m sure a lot of the LGBT community do and I don’t want to take how they feel about it away from them, but personally I don't think it would help me necessarily come to terms with my own sexuality and who I was.

I see what she's trying to do. She’s trying to be a spokesperson for all races, genders and sexuality but is it all for her own vanity and what has made “Born This Way” a new gay anthem? In some countries, being LGBT can be a horrific ordeal, but those people may never hear the battle cries of Lady Gaga whose audience is (in the majority) a westernised civilisation that in most parts has become more accepting of the LGBT community. With that in mind why should we have an anthem? Surely we should be seen as everyone else on the street, a group of people that are included rather than being separate with our own song to stand under.

Lady Gaga is linked to various charitable causes and if she really wants to strengthen her message of equality and empowerment to the masses then perhaps she could dig further into her condom material dress pocket and donate some of the proceeds of this or future releases into charities that could help these people who face a life of secrecy and persecution.

Tweet us your thoughts @ManchesterPride