Over a 100 people were in attendance to see Queer as Funk’s first performance in Hope — who helped to kick off the first weekend of the Hope Pride Festival.
Toe-tapping beats and fun times were the themes at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 228 (Legion Hall), on Saturday night (June 3), as the Vancouver based cover band took attendees on a musical journey full of classics that included (though most definitely weren’t limited t0) Whitney Huston, Gloria Gaynor, Marvin Gaye, and Tammi Terrell.
“We love playing at Pride celebrations in smaller communities,” said Jocelyn MacDougall, one of the vocalists for the band. “We do that a lot. And it’s always such a joy to be making queer party space for folks who don’t have the everyday experience of living in a sort of gay Mecca like Vancouver. Of course, not only for local queers, we were inviting everyone to be part of the party and be really queer forward and queer centered.
“And it’s quite emotional for us when we get to bear witness to, and participate with, a community that is celebrated their very first out and proud Pride festival and taking up public space in that way.”
The show was part of the, first ever, Hope Pride festival, hosted by the Hope Pride Committee (HPC), which takes place this month. Starting at 8 p.m., residents of both Hope and Chilliwack (who made the drive to see the band) found themselves dancing, participating in a conga line, and singing along with the band. Fun was promised by the band and fun was most definitely had as members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and their allies, had nothing but smiles and laughter throughout the night.
In addition to the show, attendees who had a chance to participate in a Silent Auction which, according to HPC founder Megan te Boekhorst, brought in $320. Items in the auction were donated by Hippie Mike Industries, Mountainview Brewing Co., Kerfuffle Creations, NomNom Cookies, Hope Local House - Silver Chalice Pub, Wildflower Creations, Megan, Mentally, Get Stoned Sabrina, as well as a prize basket full of HPC merchandise.
Until the end of June, every Saturday the HPC is putting on fun events to foster inclusivity, equality, and solidarity with Hope’s LGBTQAI2S+ community. This includes the Community BBQ picnic that took place earlier in the day (June 3), the Queer as Funk concert, Dorothy’s Cabinet (June 10), Drag Queen Storytime (June 17), Rainbow Paint Day (June 24), and a Sunday service by the Christ Church National Historic Site (June 25).
Celebrating 10 years of performing together, the music the band plays is an homage to the “amazing artists” that inspire them through their music, struggles, talents, and stories. Originally starting as just a way for friends, who are part of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, to hang out and jam together, the band has since expanded into a popular mainstay of the Vancouver scene. Eight members make up the band: Connie Buna (vocals), Alison Gorman (trumpet), Catherine Hiltz (Bass), MacDougall, Allan ‘Soulman’ Ollivierre (keys), Luis ‘Babyface’ Melgar (trombone), Marc Van Rosi (guitar), and Ian Carona (drums.)
Through their music, the band said they hope to bring people together and to help build inclusive communities. This idea, they said, comes from their own awareness of the origins of the music that they cover and play.
“We have taken a very serious approach to really understanding where music comes from — from the origins of the music, the experiences of the creators of the music, and the time that they were creating the music,” Buna said. “And so, when we’re we’re in our community, and when we’re in a space with people sharing the music, it is always coming from that perspective. I’m really trying to show gratitude and respect to the folks that have created the music we play.
“And it’s such an honour to play in Hope. As Jocelyn said before, our mission really is to create safe and inclusive space. Particularly for smaller towns where visibility isn’t as prevalent, so it feels like a great honor to be invited into the community and be able to share a message and share space with the folks here.”
For those who missed the show, or wish to see the band perform live again, Queer as Funk’s will be performing on Aug. 4 at the Commodore Ballroom, in Vancouver.