Miley Cyrus & Ariana Grande Duet On Song For Cyrus' New LGBT Youth Group

Via Slate:

To promote her new nonprofit benefiting homeless and LGBT youth, the Happy Hippie Foundation, Miley Cyrus has been partnering with other artists to cover pop classics in a series of “Backyard Sessions.” The latest is a cover of Crowded House’s mid-’80s hit “Don’t Dream It’s Over” with Ariana Grande, who—like Cyrus—spends the entire video lounging in an animal onesie. Unlike the luminous, poppy 2003 version by Sixpence None the Richer, the duo’s cover borders on bluesy, with occasionally twangy instrumentals. The acoustic setting complements Grande’s trademark indistinct elocution, which tends to get lost in more complex productions, while Cyrus shows off the lower end of her impressive range. And Cyrus—who, as usual, is “just being Miley”—makes things wonderfully awkward by flirting with Grande during the bridge.

Cyrus launched her organization after the suicide of transgender teen Leelah Alcorn.

RELATED: Ariana Grande will be the headliner at this year's NYC Pride Pier Dance. Get tickets here.

Demi Lovato - Really Don't Care

X-Factor judge and pop star Demi Lovato headlines this Sunday's NYC Pride Pier Dance. Today we get her new music video which was recorded during her performance at Los Angeles Pride earlier this month. The clip has 1.7M views already.

Demi Lovato To Headline NYC & LA Pride

Via Billboard:

Demi Lovato is about to go bi…coastal: The actress/singer will be performing at LGBT Pride events in both Los Angeles and New York during June's Pride month festivities. Lovato will first head to the west coast to lead the L.A. Pride Parade as Grand Marshal, in addition to performing, on June 8. The songstress will head to New York at the end of the month to headline NYC Pride's Dance on the Pier in Tribeca on June 29, one day after the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots of 1969 that sparked the gay pride movement.

58M views on this clip.

NYC Pride Announces Pier Dance Details

NYC Pride today announced that its iconic Pier Dance will be returning to Pier 26 in lower Manhattan, where it moved last year. Via press release:

NYC Pride announced today that the 28th annual Dance on the Pier would be returning to Hudson River Park’s Pier 26. Pier 26 will also be home to NYC Pride’s annual women’s event, Teaze (formerly Rapture on the River), and the Rally, the opening event of Pride weekend. Past NYC Pride performers include Cher, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Hudson and many more." Dance on the Pier is NYC Pride’s largest fundraising and community support initiative. The event’s production committee awards over $45,000 in grants to LGBT and LGBT-friendly nonprofits and community organizations each year. The event also supplies NYC Pride with critical operating revenue and pulls in countless visitors, driving attendance to NYC Pride’s other official events as well as various unofficial celebratory Pride events throughout the city. A huge draw for the event is the combination of heavy-hitting DJs and well-known performers. Spinning this year’s Dance on the Pier are DJ Pagano and DJ GRIND.

Can the Pier Dance top last year's performances by Cher and Deborah Cox? This year's entertainers won't be announced until May. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9AM and the event usually sells out.

Deborah Cox At NYC Pier Dance

Dance diva and Broadway star Deborah Cox preceded Cher at last night's NYC Pier Dance, where she wowed the crowd with about a dozen of her biggest dance hits.  Partial set list: Absolutely Not, Things Just Ain't The Same, Nobody's Supposed To Be Here.

Cher At NYC Pride Pier Dance

The photos above are from where Dr. Jeff and I were in the backstage area last night, where we could see Cher's giant teleprompters, which not only scrolled the words to her hits, but included stage directions. Tell the truth (point, point), This is a woman's world (four fist pumps), This is a woman's world. I'm not convinced that the vocals were entirely live, but ten thousand gay men did not care in the least and their singing was almost as loud as the sound system. Three songs: Strong Enough, Believe, Woman's World. The first clip is by my pal Matt Rettenmund of Boy Culture. Cher was introduced by surprise guest Whoopi Goldberg.

UPDATE: I've replaced a couple of the earlier clips with Matt's superior video from the press pit.

Cher To Play NYC Pride Pier Dance

I told you that you'd squee. Via press release:

New York City, June 18, 2013 - The one and only Cher is headed to New York City to perform at the legendary, Dance on the Pier, it was confirmed today by NYC Pride. Cher will be performing her new single, “Woman’s World” from her upcoming CD scheduled to be released on September on Warner Bros. Records in addition to other hits. “NYC Pride is thrilled to welcome Cher to the stage of this year's Dance on the Pier! Her performance will be one of the most memorable in the history of this world-class party. Now in its 27th year, the Dance on the Pier continues a proud tradition of partnering with all-star talent to create a high-quality event that raises funds to support local LGBT non-profits and New York City's annual Pride festivities," says Chris Frederick Managing Director of NYC Pride.

Get tickets here. Cher will debut Woman's World on tonight's episode of The Voice.  Yesterday NYC Pride also announced that Deborah Cox will perform at Pier Dance.

Singer Deborah Cox Announced As Performer At NYC Pride's Pier Dance

Via press release:

New York, June 17, 2013— NYC Pride announced singing sensation Deborah Cox will perform at the annual Dance on the Pier. Fresh off her captivating Broadway performance as Lucy in “Jekyll & Hyde,” the Grammy-nominated and multiplatinum-selling artist will rock the stage on Hudson River Park's Pier 26 as part of the closing for NYC Pride’s official events. Under open sky and surrounded by the New York City skyline, Deborah Cox will wow crowds with her sultry songs of love, pain and acceptance. As an advocate for human rights, her voice accentuates the progress LGBT Americans have made towards the equal recognition of love.

Get tickets here. NYC Pride will announce a second performer tomorrow. I already know who it is and you will totally squee.

NYC Pride's Pier Dance To Return To Outside Setting At Tribeca's Pier 26

Last year NYC Pride was forced for the first time ever to move its legendary Pier Dance to an indoor location on a pier north of its traditional site, which had been scheduled for demolition.  The party was still a success but many attendees were disappointed that they couldn't view the spectacular Hudson River fireworks that cap off the day. That won't happen this year. Via press release:

NYC Pride announced today that its famous Dance on the Pier has found a new outdoor home: Hudson River Park’s Pier 26 in Tribeca. Dance on the Pier, now in its 27th year, will again serve as the official closing to NYC Pride week on Sunday, June 30. Hudson River Park’s Pier 26 will also play host to The Rally, the official Pride kick-off event, and Rapture on the River, the official women’s event. NYC Pride is very excited about the move back to an outdoor venue. While last year’s Dance and Rapture were a great success and Pier 57 a phenomenal host, producing the event indoors was a detour from tradition necessitated by the loss of Hudson River Park’s Pier 54. Dancing unabatedly in full view of this great city is something that many of the events’ attendees have come to love and expect. It is with great pride that we bring the Dance and Rapture back outside to their rightful place in the sun.

Pier 26 is second one from the bottom of the above photo and not only is it bigger than Pier 54, it is just about finished with a multi-million dollar face lift. Great news!

SLIDESHOW: Pier Dance 2012

Cyndi Lauper To Perform At Pier Dance

Breaking with many years of tradition, NYC Pride has announced the headliner for this year's Pier Dance. That news is typically kept secret right up until they appear on the stage. Via press release:

“Pride is about celebration, we are honored to have Cyndi celebrate with us,” said Mo George, Dance Director. “What an amazing way to introduce our new home for the Pier Dance to our audience, with a memorable performance from Grammy Award winning artist, Cyndi Lauper,” said Chris Frederick, Managing Director. “We will continue to raise the bar on delivering a high caliber production for this event that will definitely not disappoint.” NYC Pride also announced a new extended run time for the Dance on the Pier. The event will begin at 5 p.m., following the conclusion of the LGBT Pride March, and run until 2 a.m.

At least this year, we won't have those annual "Madonna is in town!" rumors.

UPDATE: NYC Pride writes to clarify that Cyndi is not the headliner and that they're "in talks" with another artist for a 1:45am performance. Resume the rumor mill!

More Gay-Related Titanic Trivia

For the past 25 years, NYC's gay pride celebration has been capped off by a massive outdoor dance party on Pier 54, where thousands and thousands of LGBT folks cheer the spectacular fireworks display over the Hudson as the party ends. But Pier 54's history is decidedly less celebratory.

Pier 54 is perhaps best known for its associations with the Titantic and RMS Lusitania. In April 1912, the RMS Carpathia, after picking up 705 survivors of the sunk Titanic, returned to Pier 54 to discharge. On May 1, 1915, the RMS Lusitania embarked from Pier 54 before being torpedoed by a German submarine. The ship sank in 18 minutes just eight miles off the coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 of the 1,959 people on board and becoming the rallying cry for American involvement in World War I, and turning public opinion against Germany in their war with Great Britain.

This will be the 26th and final year for the gay pride party as the city will be demolishing the pier rather than attempt expensive repairs. And with the Pier Dance goes a little bit more the Titanic's history.

PHOTO 1: The Carpathia arrives at Pier 54.
PHOTO 2: Pier Dance 2011.

Pride 2008 Photo Recap

I finally found my memory stick from Pride 2008, so here's a quick photo recap of the day. Our gang gathered at the corner of Christopher & Gay, as always, and while the intermittent rainstorms drenched the crowd and the marchers, each crack of thunder only brought a joyous roar from attendees and nobody seemed to flee.

Below are the first few Dykes On Bikes, rainbow flag creator and grand marshall Gilbert Baker coming over to greet us, Eric Leven waving from one end of Gilbert's banner, crowd favorites the gay cops, assorted hotties and flamers, a family photo courtesy of Father Tony, and some baby Dominican dykes having a party stomping in the puddles.ABOVE: Pier Dance was mobbed with its usual 6000 happy men. BELOW: Gorgeous DJ Tracy Young likes to come out from behind her turntables and work the front of the stage.ABOVE: Eric Leven, bookended with handsomeness. BELOW: My longtime pal Mark Fernandez, looking just as he did when we were tearing up the clubs of South Beach twenty years ago, damn him.My buddy Ned and I happened to be trapped against the front of the stage when Pier Dance headliner and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson closed the day with a three song set including her new single Spotlight and, of course, And I'm Telling You. I got sweated on by an Oscar winner! I think you can spot Ned and I in the clip below that a party attendee has YouTube'd. Hudson seemed to have a great time and turned the mic over to the audience many times.

The perfect day (made more so by the rain, somehow) ended with the usual fireworks show, only this year the fireworks barge began firing shells when it still quite downriver, only finishing the show when it actually got up to the pier. Curious. Thanks to all my pals and all the JMG'ers that I met for such a great day. And here's a couple dozen more pics from the previous night's Blowoff, in case you want to oogle some furry monsters and rock stars.

Swag Tuesday

Courtesy of the Saint-At-Large, today's swag giveaway is two tickets to their official post-Pier Dance party at Pacha featuring DJs Stephan Grondin, Jonathan Peters, and Junior Vasquez.

The Saint At Large, gaydom’s premiere dance party for over 28 years, presents CHAMPIONS - The Official Afterparty for Dance on the Pier. Heritage of Pride, the non-profit organization founded to produce New York City’s Gay Pride events including The Rally, The March, Pridefest, Dance on the Pier (for men) and Rapture on the River (for women), will benefit from the proceeds.

Due to the overwhelming praise lavished on the DJ talent introduced at this year’s Black Party, The Saint At Large is pleased to announce the return of both Stephan Grondin and Jonathan Peters who will join living legend Junior Vasquez to round out the Pride Afterparty musical lineup. The theme of ‘CHAMPIONS’ was chosen to pay respects to the 2008 Olympic Games and because everyone in the gay community is a champion during Pride.

As a special bonus, today's winner will also receive the two disc CD set, Music Of The Saint: 1980-1988, just released the celebrate to 20th anniversary of the closing party of the original Saint. You can listen to streaming DJ sets from past Saint parties here. Tickets to the Champions party are $50 advance, $60 at the door. Advance tickets are available online or at four retail locations in Manhattan.

Enter to win the Champions tickets and Music Of The Saint CDs by commenting on this post. Only comment once and remember to leave an email address that you check frequently. The winner may transfer the prizes to another person if unable to be in New York City for the party. Publicists: if you'd like to take part in Swag Tuesday on JMG, please email me.

Pier Dance 2007

This year's Pier Dance was a fantastic (if occasionally gruelling) exercise in trying to stay with your friends, as the crush of 5000 men continuously attempts to separate you. It was like being in that episode of Star Trek when they visit the planet where nobody ever dies. Definitely not for the claustrophobic. Still, I managed to hang onto the Farmboyz and the Thruple for the entire event, a first time victory for me.

DJs Larry Needham and Jonathan Porter totally knocked it out of the park, providing a lovely melange of (screaming diva-free) breezy, jazzy house and disco classics. Highlights: How Could I Love You More - M People, Everytime I Close My Eyes - Lustral, Red Letter Day - Pet Shop Boys, and my favorite 90's trance hit, Madagascar's You're Beautiful. That song has tremendous emotional resonance for me as it was the late DJ Neil Lewis' trademark song for my circle of friends. It wrecked me even before Neil died, now much more so. It was dark when You're Beautiful was played, rendering some cover for my tears.

I feel real good this evening
And I feel good for one reason
We're all here together
I love what you're doing to me
You're beautiful
The gay cheerleaders did a tumbling/acrobatics show around twilight, following a couple of hours later by headliner Idina Menzel, the Tony Award winning lead of Wicked. Nobody around us seemed to know who she was, although when I explained that she was married to Taye Diggs, that got their attention and they began scanning the crowd around the stage to see if he'd accompanied her. No such luck, apparently. Menzel delivered a rather rote two-song set, with little banter to the audience. The dance mix of Wicked's first act closer, Defying Gravity, was actually OK, especially considering the grievous track record of discofied showtunes.

The evening closed with Heritage of Pride's annual fireworks display over the Hudson River, fired from a barge just off the pier. To the accompaniment of Aaron Copeland's Fanfare For The Common Man and the Beatles' All You Need Is Love, thousands of gay men pulled their lovers and friends into tight, swaying groups. To crib from last year's Pier Dance post, "The fireworks began and we turned to face the Hudson, arms around each other, our faces illuminated by the rockets in the sky and the love we have for each other." Thanks again to all my friends for entirely perfect day. While I realize that five minutes of fireworks may not make the most compelling video, it will hold sentimental value to those who attended. And watch for the Farmboyz having a romantic moment a couple of minutes in.