In 1970, a new local gay liberation organization, energized by the uprising at Stonewall, rented the annex of the Chicago Coliseum near 16th and Wabash for the first public queer dance in the city—two months before its first Pride parade. Almost 50 years later, that event has inspired Red Bull Presents: Renaissance One, a south-side dance party this Thursday organized in collaboration with local Black-femme-focused promoters Party Noire.
Renaissance One featuring BbyMutha, TT the Artist, Kidd Kenn, and Blu Bone, plus DJ sets by Rae Chardonnay, Hijo Pródigo, and Professor-Wrecks Thu 6/27, 8 PM, the Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. West, $15, 18+
In terms of background and style, the artists at Renaissance One cover a lot of ground. Just about the only commonality across the lineup is an impact that goes beyond the stage. Baltimore-based Tedra Wilson, better known as TT the Artist, operates in multiple mediums and has built a label, Club Queen Records, that reflects her feminist values.
Pride celebrations embody one of the things that TT wants Club Queen to be, and she hopes to reflect that in her performance at Renaissance One. “All around the world, we’re being brought together by a celebration of our identities,” she says. “I want to use my work to empower that spirit that makes people want to express themselves. I want people to be ready to celebrate.” v
