VOGUE BRAWL 2 - PRIDE IS BURNING!

It's back! After the legendary first Vogue Brawl in January of last year, we are proud to present its return at the Bollox Pride party on Sunday August 26th at Legends - get ready to weeeerk bitchez!

Facebook event page.

More Homoelectric pics

Found some stray pics from the last HomoElectric with guests Bicep. Think these are by Thom Docking:

Drunk At Vogue boat party

We had a really great time at the Drunk At Vogue boat party - a trip up and down the Manchester canals in the sunshine to a soundtrack of classic disco and 90s house. Bliss! Here's some photos, mostly by Lee Baxter, and also by Thom Docking:

Live @ MEAT NIGHT (Gullivers)

A new night of fun and frolics from the ladies of MEAT.
Ft yours truly and some of the stars of Tranarchy...

Soundblab "Silverclub" review

"You see, Manchester has a very mixed relationship to its own musical history. While it's a city that has produced countless excellent bands over the years, it's also a place where the celebration and incessant revivalism of these 'classic' acts makes it harder for new talent to break through, causing a backlash against the scenes that made the city so popular. While there's a few key promoters and venue owners in the city who are guilty of this, much of the blame also needs to be laid squarely at the feet of the music press, who can't seem to cover a Manc band without having to mention (at least once if not more) desolate industrial landscapes and trench coat existentialism, or alternately Spike Island, 'avin' it and baggy beats. 

I mean, I GET IT. I understand the frustration of trying to throw off the musical shackles of a previous generation only to have them dumped on your shoulders again by an extremely lazy press. But in the rush to forge ahead and leave the past far, far behind, aren't we in danger of also throwing the baby out with the bath water? Cos, at the end of the day, I LOVED Madchester! I loved (and still love) the Happy Mondays, The (early) Stone Roses, New Order, yeah, all that cliched old Manc shit. 

Now, I'm not saying that Silverclub sound like any of these bands, but they do fit in this lineage of smart, funky, sexy 'indie-dance' (or whatever you want to cal lit this month). Take album opener 'Like Cats Eyes', which starts with a circular guitar part and a barely audible, spaced-out vocal which lulls you into a sense of familiarity, before being interrupted by a funky drum break and an electro bassline which pushes the tune into 5am post-club euphoric bliss. THIS is what I love about Manchester and its music - risk, adventure, a desire to push things forward backed with a true appreciation of how opposing genres work best together."

Read the full review here.

TAGO MAGO w/ Kurt Dirt LIVE

Some pics of a very fun gig we did last week, backing up Kurt Dirt live at the Lass O'Gowrie for Tago Mago:

Tranarchy live at Guilty Pleasures

On Saturday June 9th Tranarchy LIVE performed two numbers at the club night GUilty Pleasures - a bit of a different crowd for us, but it was great fun and the audience enjoyed it. Our brief was to help bring a "summer holiday" party atmosphere, so we duly performed "Holiday Rap" and "Hot Hot Hot" by Buster Poindexter, while shooting people with water pistols and doing the limbo:

Here's a video of us in action, doing "Holiday Rap" mashed up with Madonna's "Holiday" and Will Smith's "Miami". The sound quality is a bit rough mind: 

Drunk At Vogue III pics by Lee Baxter

Our Song

It's exactly a year since Joe Spencer told me he loved me as we walked down Oxford Road, before we detoured to Odder bar for a kiss that sealed the deal.

We have still to decide on what is "our song", though.

I jokingly tell people it's "Run" by Snow Patrol, a song that actually makes Joe physically sick. He's mumbled something about Adele, at which point I usually give him a slap. This seems appropriate though, as it was after seeing Ariel Pink that we declared our hearts' intentions:

Niallist interview on Tranarchy for Crepescule

Crepescule is the in-house, online fanzine of the Manchester venue Night & Day, who will be hosting our Zoolander Derelicte Ball on Friday May 25th. In prep for the night, I did a short interview with the 'zine, answering questions about Tranarchy, Derelicte and the Manchester gay scene.

CREPUSCULE:What’s the ethos behind Tranarchy? It’s the one ‘queer night’ that seems to occur both inside and outside of The Viillage. 

NIALLIST: Tranarchy is essentially a party for people who feel excluded from mainstream culture (and mainstream gay culture) but who still like dressing up and showing off. In the immortal words of the original NY club kid James St James, “Got a hump on your back? Well, throw some glitter on it and come dancing!” That pretty much sums us up.

In that respect we do like to work within AND outside of what is considered the Manchester “gay scene”. There may be a lot wrong with it, but it’s important to remember that many, many cities don’t even have a “gay village”! Tranarchy is all about inclusion, not division.

CREPUSCULE: It’s becoming a hugely popular, trans-cultural monthly event. What is it that makes you have such broad appeal? Or is it just because it happens in Manchester?

NIALLIST: Hmm, that’s hard to answer - I don’t really want to analyse what we do that too closely in case it loses any of its magic! Maybe it’s got to do with our “inclusive” vibe? One thing I will say is that there is no one else doing what we do on the Manchester scene at the moment, so I guess we are filling a gap in the market. As for Manchester, it’s a great place to put on a night like this, as the crowd are into getting dressed up, but also not afraid of getting sweaty and dirty, getting drunk and dancing all night. 

CREPUSCULE: So, you’re doing a Zoolander themed party. How come no one already thought of this?

NIALLIST: Well, you’d be surprised at how many people have not seen it. It’s not quite reached the cult-comedy status of Austin Powers, but it is getting there. Plus the fact that it only came out 12 years ago means that it is only now old enough to start being thought of as “Cult” and “Classic”. But it’s important to remember that Zoolander is the film that essentially broke Will Ferrell and Owen Wilson, two of the most popular comedians of our time, into the mainstream.

Read it all here. 

RPDR Season 4 Finale - NO, REALLY THIS TIME

THE SHADE OF IT ALL!

In a cunning twist, RuPaul has broken with Drag Race conventions and decided NOT to announce the winner of season 4 till the re-union show next week! Hunty pulled the wool over everyone's eyes, which means that this "finale" was not really a finale at all, even though we saw the last three queens fiercing it out in a 3 way lip sync for their lives. OOOH GURRRL!

It also means we'll be back in the Outpost next Tuesday evening to find out who will be crowned America's next Drag Superstar, getting our booze on and whooping up a storm. Will it be the spooky and charming Sharon Needles? The flawless and elegant Chad Michaels? Or *cough* that damned Phi Phi O'Hara? And this time we WILL find out why Willam got the boot…

So see you next Tuesday, same drag time, same drag channel. And don't forget to tweet for your favourite queen with #DragRace!

Facebook event page. 

TRANARCHY pres the ZOOLANDER DERELICTE BALL

It's that damn Tranarchy - they're so hot right now! Have you ever wondered if there's more to life than being really, really, really, ridiculously good looking? Well Earth to Meekus - TRANARCHY will be taking crazy pills on Friday May 25th when we screen cult fashion-parody ZOOLANDER and then host Manchester's first ever DERELICTE BALL! What is DERELICTE? To quote the legendary designer Jacobim Mugatu: "Derelicte is a way of life inspired by the very homeless, the vagrants, the crack whores that make this wonderful city so unique!" Think shoes with holes, slept-in clothes, unwashed hair, empty booze bottles, ripped open rubbish bags… it's high fashion taken to low extremes, and we will have prizes for the best Derelicte outfits! There will of course be a walk-off judged by David Bowie and a "Blue Steel" competition (with bonus points for "Magnum" and prizes for the winners) while The House of Tranarchy will do some live eugoogelizing and evil DJs will be breakdance fighting! So come join us at the Night And Day Café For Kids Who Can't Read Good, where we'll guzzle down some orange mocha frappucinos and do the jitterbug, before we blow the roof off the sucker! Fun kicks off at 8pm with the film screening at 9, and the ball activities kick off at midnight. Entry is £5 all night, with special reduced rate of £3 for those dressed Derelicte - but remember, our evil Katinkas will be judging you on the door…

Facebook event page. 

The Beastie Bears @ Bollox

Niallist interviewed on Manhattanchester

An interview with me on Greg Thorpe's ace blog Manhattanchester!

Tell us three singles/albums/videos/artists that inspire you to do what you do:

1) Daft Punk, Homework

This was the record that made me think I could make music myself without having to rely on a band, I just needed to get some boxes and pump them up! Homework also acted as an amazing crash course in Chicago house, Detroit techno and New York disco. I think this album changed an entire generation's musical lives, and you can still hear its influence fifteen years later.

2) ...anything at all by Missy Elliot

Missy is such an inspiration – she's always pushing the envelope in visual and musical terms, while remaining accessible and unpretentious. To me Missy is the artist who represents that golden age a few years back when chart-topping pop music was genuinely bizarre. She's also representing for all the big peeps who consider themselves to be ‘freaks’!

Read more here:

WIll the real Niallist please step forward...

BANG THE BOX promo mix

44 tracks in 52 minutes! Nuff bangin 808s and 909s!! Some of this crazy new "rapping" fad!!!

It's my promo mix for Bang The Box, which is starting this Friday at Night and Day Café on Oldham St, Manchester. [https://www.facebook.com/events/251145908303365/] Here's a taster of what to expect - from acid house to bitch house and from Miami bass to New Orleans bounce:

BANG THE BOX Mix by Theniallist on Mixcloud

BIG FREEDIA - Look At Her
BIG FREEDIA - Azz Everywhere
PRINCE - 1999 (New Orleans Bounce Edit)
MISSY ELLIOT - Joy
SOUL SONIC FORCE - Looking For The Perfect Beat
KRAFTWERK - The Man Machine (live)
NEWCLEUS - Jam On It
EGYPTIAN LOVER - What Is A DJ?
DEREK B - Rock The Beat (Bonus Beat)
RUFUS & CHAKA KHAN - Ain't Nobody
MC TWIST & THE DEF SQUAD - Just Rock
FUNKADELIC (Not Just ) Knee Deep
SNOOP DOGG Who Am I? (Acapella)
THE NIALLIST Dance Club (Haunted Edit)
THE NIALLIST Dance Club (acapella)
SISSY NOBBY Lay Me Down (DJ Sega Mix)
A GUY CALLED GERALD Voodoo Ray
ADONIS Two The Max
JJ FAD Supersonic
HANNAH HOLLAND Transexual Bass
HOUSEMASTER BOYS House Nation
PIERRE'S PFANTASY CLUB Dream Girl
FAST EDDIE Hip House
AZEALIA BANKS Liquorice
LONE Pineapple Crush
THE 2 BEARS Bear Hug (acapella)
T-TOTAL & FERAL Phearsome Bitch
MASTER AT WORK The Ha Dance (KenLou Mix)
CUNT TRAX Beats Werkin'
THE 2 BEARS Bear Hug (Niallist Acid Mixx)
ELECTROSEXUAL Discolition (Niallist RoboVogue Edit)
STEVE POINDEXTER Work That Motherfucker
CHERIE LILY Werk (Nita's Battle Ready Mix)
SPANK ROCK Put That Pussy On Me (Diplo Mix)
2 LIVE CREW Throw That D
MURK If You Really Love Someone (Murk Groove)
CAJMERE Percolator
TRONCO TRAX Walk 4 Me
LIPPS INC Funkytown
PHUTURE Acid Trax
DONNA SUMMER I Feel Love
THE NIALLIST Work It (acapella)
SEX BAND I Have Got The Answer

Supporting HUNX AND HIS PUNX 13th May

Me and Kurt Dirt will be presenting a Tranarchy live revue as support at this gig at the Islingotn Mill on Sunday May 13th. Exciting! Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/248617708559569/

TRAMARCHY official video

So here it is, filmed mostly by Sian Williams and edited by me. I think we did a pretty good job!

TRAMARCHY!!!!

OMG WE FREAKIN DID IT!!! With no hassle and no cops!!!



This was a wonderful, magical experience that I am glad I got to share with some of my best friends :-) Also big up to the Metrolink Security who, after a few minutes debating, let us continue on our journey back into Manchester city centre! You'll see that on the official video coming very very soon, but for now here's a couple of short clips:

NIALLIST special on ALL FM

I was a guest and tune selector for the wonderful Fiona Ledgard's "Anything Goes" breakfast show on Manchester's ALL FM. I had a great time (even though it was early in the morning) and you can listen to me talking nonsense here:

22/03/12 The Anything Goes Breakfast Show with The Niallist by Anythinggoes on Mixcloud

Is it all over my face? I'M IN LOVE DANCING!

Manchester's very own internationally renouned performer and producer THE NIALLIST joined me live in the ALL FM studio. He played tracks off his AMAZING new party album 'The Niallist AKA' and he talked about his collaborations, Tranarchy, a lesson on vogue, bears, language on the dragqueen scene and other interesting and empowing things!

He also played music from J. J. FAD to Loose Joints!

Thanks Fiona! :-D Here is what we played:

Dead Kennedys - Kill The Poor
Missy Elliot - Slide
The Niallist - Work It
Egyptian Lover - My House On the Nile
The Niallist & Cherie Lily - Dance Club (Party Party)
The Niallist & Zsa Zsa Noir & CHRISTEENE - I'm Weird
JJ Fad - Supersonic
The Niallist & Scream Club & Beth Ditto - If U Want It
The Niallist & Ms Mac D - I Came
Saltylips - If Yr A Bear (Niallist Remix)
Bad Taste Barbies - Working Up A Sweat (Niallist Remix)
Love Unlimited Orchestra - Strange Games & Things
Loose Joints - Is It All Over My Face (Larry Levan Mix)

Tranarchy SECRET FLASHMOB PARTY!!

THIS SATURDAY!!! This is gonna be fucking EPIC!!

Flashmob Party Mix by Theniallist on Mixcloud

I have put together a wee mix that is the soundtrack to the party - this is what you will hear, can you guess where it is yet??

Flash And The Pan - Waiting For the Train (intro)
Dance Reaction - Disco Train
Rhianna - S&M (acapella)
Telex - Moskow Disko
Azelia Banks - 212
S'Express - Theme From S'Express
Rose Royce - Is It Love You're After?
Salsoul Orchestra - Love Break
Madonna - Vogue
McFadden & Whitehead - Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
MFSB - TSOP (Soul Train theme)
O'Jays - Love Train (Extended Mix)
Flash And The Pan - Waiting For the Train (outro)