BIG FREEDIA: Wed Aug 29 aboard The Rocks Off Concert Cruise: Harbor Lights
Aboard The Harbor Lights
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Rocks Off Cruise Aboard the Harbor Lights
Boards: 7:00pm / Departs: 8:00pm
E. 23rd St. & FDR Dr. Maps & Directions
Big Freedia (pronounced “Free-da”) is the undisputed “Queen Diva” of Bounce Music, and performs six or more times a week in various venues throughout her home town of New Orleans.
Bounce Music is an original urban music rising up from the challenging yet fun-loving nature of the New Orleans housing projects which dominate the city’s street culture, and Freedia performs a derivative of Bounce reserved for self-proclaimed “Sissies” (a locally used name for biological men with varied and ambiguous sexual identities) that has risen to prominence in recent years and features explicitly gay and cross-dressing musicians and themes. Big Freedia, like other “Sissy” artists, has achieved mainstream success with several New Orleans hit singles such as “Gin in My System” and “Azz Everywhere!” from her albums “An Ha, Oh Yeah” (1999) and “Queen Diva” (2003). Freedia began her musical career almost 15 years ago at the Walter L. Cohen High School in New Orleans, where she was enlisted as choir director from her Sophomore to Senior years. She sees her performance as a Bounce artist as an extension of this work, often interacting in a call and response/teacher and student fashion with her audiences.
While also running a successful decorating business (for which she has counted the Mayor’s office as a client), Freedia has begun traveling outside the city regularly with her dancers, The Divas, and live DJ, Rusty Lazer, playing to sold out audiences from the East to the West Coast alongside (or onstage with) artists such as Spank Rock, Ninjasonik, Monique, The Rapture, 7 Seconds, Snoop Dogg and many more. 2011 has been a banner year for the Queen Diva as she's begun to travel to Europe and beyond, headlining shows in Paris (Social Club), Amsterdam (Valtifest), Milan (Nike Stadium) and London. Freedia will perform at Meredith Festival in Australia this December, followed by a 4 city Austalian tour, then returns to the Big Easy to put the finishing touches on her next album which will include collaborations with New Orleans' most prominent rappers and beatmakers alongside the work of unique producers and performers from around the world.
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