Due to the cold Maine "spring" last year, not all Bowdoin students got the chance to see Doria Roberts perform at her outdoor concert. Thankfully, the Bowdoin Queer/ Straight Alliance and the Campus Activities Board are giving students another chance to catch this great performer at Queerstock on Saturday, October 16.
Hilary Goldberg, Daniel Cartier, and Tim'm West are also performing, along with Bowdoin's own Sam Farrell '05, Margaret (Munny) Munford '07 and Jonah Gabry '07.
"The purpose of Out Week is to raise awareness and visibility around issues of sexual and gender orientation and identity, so we thought it would be perfect to bring Queerstock to campus for Out Week," said Caitlin Connolly '05, head of the BQSA. "It will hopefully attract a large and diverse audience, since it features a bunch of great musicians who sing about all different kinds of subjects."
The performers range from Roberts, a self-described singer-songwriter, to West, a hip-hop artist. Goldberg is a spoken word artist and Cartier does solo acoustic guitar work. Cartier's most noticeable attribute, however, is the tattoo that covers his entire head. Besides performing with these other artists, Roberts also produces Queerstock and has been on its circuit since the first festival in 1995. The event started as a small concert and then blossomed into a tour, releasing its first compilation disc in 2001.
Connolly first heard of Queerstock when Roberts last performed at Bowdoin. "Doria Roberts is a fabulous musician and singer. The concert was outside and unfortunately it was pretty cold, so she couldn't play as long as we all wanted. She mentioned being involved in Queerstock and we thought it would be a great thing to bring to campus as part of Out Week," she said.
The Bowdoin performers also recognize the integral role of music in Out Week and how successful Queerstock can be because of the music. "At the risk of sounding like a cliché, music brings people together," Sam Farrell '05 said. "Writing music is such an honest, revealing process as well, and I think it goes well with the idea of Out Week?having the courage to be honest with people around you and most importantly yourself. It's not easy."
Munford and Gabry, who have performed for other BQSA events and Bowdoin coffeehouses, look forward to the chance to perform with Roberts on a bigger stage at Queerstock. "If you like the singer-songwriter style with a flare of blues, you'll love her," said Munford. "I think the issue of fostering a more tolerant community is an important one for the Bowdoin campus. This event is multi-purpose, bring some quality music to Bowdoin and also help people find a voice in an accepting and tolerant community."
Gabry also shares similar views. "I think one thing that a lot of people don't realize is that these organizations are not only for gay or bisexual people, but, rather, they are set up to encourage the formation of a community that's larger than a specific group, so I encourage anyone who supports these goals to get involved," he said. "Even though I'm not gay or bi, I'm definitely a proponent of gay rights and gay pride for those who wish to express it."
Thanks to Roberts's return performance, those accompanying her, and the Bowdoin performers, BQSA can look forward to a successful Queerstock on Saturday night in Pickard. In regards to Roberts, Farrell's response was simple; "I heard Doria for the first time last year and the lady rocks." Good thing the event is inside?there is no excuse to miss her.