CONCERT REVIEW
The Triangle Area's newly-formed
Real Women Productions brought two
rapidly rising women's music stars/
Lucie Blue Tremblay and Diedra
McCalla to UNO's Carroll Hall
October 24 in a concert co-spon
sored by the Carolina Gay & Lesbian
Association.
Tremblay's second North Carolina
performance was equally mesmerizing
as her first appearance at the
Charlotte Indoor Women's Music
Festival last winter. Tremblay, * ,
who is French Canadian, performed
songs in both French and English.
The English translations that she
provided before each French song
were almost unnecessary; she is so
expressive that the audience can
understand what she means without
understanding the words.
Perhaps more amazing is her
whistling. Tremblay doesn t
whistle by puckering up her lips
and blowing like most people do.
Instead, she produces a deep
whistle somewhere in her throat
which she modulates by moving her
lips. The effect is both unique
and beautiful.
Tremblay has been touring the
U.S. for several months and is
obviously enjoying herself. She
displayed her fascination with
American accents and American folk
music, even singing one song with a
reasonably good Southern accent and
a mischievous grin which delighted
the audience. She dedicated one
song to her father which had an
American country music sound which
he loved dearly. She even
introduced the audience to her
newest accoustic guitar. Missy,
whom she met in Albany, New York.
While Tremblay's part of the
concert was gentle and romantic,
Deidre McCalla's half was passion
ate and fun. She joked, clowned
around on stage playing the air
guitar, and told stories. On her
mother's visit to McCalla's
performance at the New England
Winter Music Festival: "You
haven't lived until you've tried to
explain lesbian S&M camping to your
mother".
In one song, dedicated to AVF
(Adult Victims of Felines), she
describes the problems involved
with having a relationship with a
cat owner. She advised the
audience to accept the fact that
"felines are a power greater than
ourselves." Some of her songs had
a serious side, too, dealing with
suicide and her relationship with
her mother.
McCalla's second album, "With a
Little Luck" has just been released
on Olivia Records. Produced by
Teresa Trull and featuring Linda
Tillery on backup vocals, "With A
Little Luck" is a good follow-up to
her critically acclaimed first
album.
L.
HA TE CRIMES
DOCUMENTED
As a result of lobbying by the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF), the American Psychological
Association, the American Civil
Liberties Union and other organ
izations, the House Subcommittee on
Criminal Justice voted 5 to 2 in
favor of the Hate Crime Statistics
Act (H.R. 3193), a bill sponsored
by Rep John Conyers (D-MI) that
would mandate the federal collec
tion of statistics on crimes based
on sexual orientation, race, relig
ion, and ethnicity. An amendment
to remove the "sexual orientation
provision offered by Rep. George
Gekas (R-PA) failed in a 4 to 3
vote with the Democrats present
voting against the amendment and
the Republicans voting for it.
"This vote is a victory for the
gay community and all those con
cerned with ending crime motivated
by bigotry," said Kevin Berrill,
Director of the NGLTF Anti-violence
Project. "It may well be the first
time a positive bill with a 'sexual
orientation' provision has ever
passed a Congressional subcommit
tee. It is also an acknowledgement
that anti-gay violence is a serious
problem, one deserving greater
official recognition and response."
During the debate on the
amendment to remove the 'sexual
orientation' clause. Rep. Patrick
Swindall (R-GA) dismissed the
arguments that the bill wojuld help
end violence against gay people,
calling gays "sexual deviants" and
comparing them with "rapists and
child molesters." Commented
Berrill, "Rep. Swindall's rhetoric
was ugly and frightening and only
served to underscore the need for
this bill."
digniTv
AN ORGANIZATION FOR
lesbian and gay catholics
AND THEIR FRIENDS
Sponsors weekly religious
and social events
For information call:
362-0414 (Raleigh)
682-4852 (Durham)
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