#240622: image snatchers pride ljubljana
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Most members of our 'The Feminalz' troupe were quite nervous to perform on Ljubljana PRIDE PARADE on 15/JUN. Number of them are actually members of the LGBTQ+ community, with lived experiences of disadvantage through their sexual orientation (mostly). To them it meant so much to perform at the event that is a riot and celebration of sexual and gender diversity. We also worked quite a bit on how to structure and perform on this occasion. We are used to either more club-like atmosphere - our home base is Club GROMKA at Metelkova city, a punk/concert venue at the cultural squat (ex-military baracks) in center of Ljubljana, and in recent times we also perform at the theatre Mladinsko, where we transform the hall into more club-like vibe (with tables and chairs) - but for Pride we were scheduled to perform on a big stage on a big public square (Kongresni trg) at the very center of Ljubljana.
Further, performances we shared stage with were all very music-focused (a neosoul hip-hop pop female duo "Freekind" on drums and keyboards and Raiven, this year's Slovenian contestant for Eurovision). Considering this there was great amount of effort put into shaping our performance so that we would differentiate ourselves as not 'primarily' musicic act but more of a feminist technoburlesque performance group which can function on an almost stadium-like stage like this.
We have created a mix of acts/scenes, some of them from our growing pool of acts as 'Technoburlesque: Image Snatchers' show (since 2013), and some from the recently premiered 'Image Snatchers present: Mad Jakale In A Film We Haven't Seen' (2023) and edited them with tightly choreographed transitions. We practiced and optimized costume changes, planning in advance for the total absense of a dressing room. I managed to plug my trusty little Behringer X18AIR mixer into the main sound system, so I was "at home" with all the processing of vocals (vocal pitch shift, distortion, and autotune fx) and balancing the overall sound.
It was loud - in a good way, and I'm happy to say we were very satisfied with both: our execution, and the reception by the joyous audience. The backing tracks sounded really really good and deep in most cases, vocals were in the front and bright enough (most of the time), and it all left us feeling that we did it the way we wanted it to be. Judging by the comments from the performers the communication with audience was quite exhilarating, and there were numerous enthusiastic comments after the show. We were honored to be able to present our work at the biggest event of the Slovenian LGBTQ+ community in a way that engaged and perhaps elated its members.
After that Pride Saturday evening we also performed our 'standard' Technoburlesque: Image Snatchers mix of acts on Wednesday at a more chilled event called "Roza ZRC+" (within slightly academic context and also part of 'pride month'). For this occasion, as we performed in a quite reverberating atrium, we selected "more acoustic" and solo (or duet) acts. We were all quite happy with this realisation of the performance too.
Such events have quite some people involved - there's usually 7-10 performers, a makup artist, light designer, one or two producers from Emanat, and myself - usually transporting the costumes, setting up audio, sometimes video projection and display, running the show technically (sound design/video), and sometimes even performing one act/number on stage (not last week). It usually takes me the whole day of work, sometimes a day and a half, not counting our rehearsals (which are few times a month on average), or additional music/sound work.
So, onto this update's goodies: I have created a little video that plays out a specific part from our Ljubljana Pride 2024 performance - after the very first introductory number (which is a reworded song Somewhere Over The Rainbow - lyrics below!) there's a tiny snippet from Bowie's "Let's Dance" (which is a number that will usually switch to from Somewhere Over The Rainbow) there's a transition into an act called "Magic Mike" from the 'Mad Jakale' stage show for which I wrote a funky track 'Echoes of Magic Mike' which is in fact a cover and rework of Olof Dreijer's 'Echoes From Mamori'. Here it's a shortened edit from the Mad Jakal version.
As always, thank you for your generous support and being part of The Backstairs Tone journey, I hope next week treats you well, and I’ll see you soon!
somewhere over the rainbow lyrics
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I have heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true.
Somewhere over the border, "Human rights"
Is a thing that I heard of once, god knows when and why!
Some day I'll wish upon a star, and wake up where
the war/the clouds Is/Are far behind me...
Where troubles melt like mountain tops
And bombs just change into raindrops
That's where you 'll find me...
Somewhere over the wire, we are all free
To enjoy the fruits of exploitation and child labour slavery.
Somewhere over the wire blue birds fly
Birds fly over the wire Why then oh why can' t I.
Some say in front of our nurseries, abortion is a crime.
And the migrants at the border, a punishment from the Divine.
Somewhere, down in the closet, we are all queer
Join us in this final hour, the end of the world is near/dear
Somewhere, down in the closet, we are all queer
Join us in the final hour, and grab yourself another beer/deer/fear
(adaptation by Tristan Bargeld and H.P.D.)
PRIDE playlist (15/JUN)
ROZA ZRC+ playlist (19/JUN)
