Cabaret chanteuse and queer icon Justin Vivian Bond has a new video out today, which we're excited to be premiering on Papermag, featuring the artist performing the song "Golden Age of Hustlers," written by legendary punk transsexual singer Bambi Lake. The song -- and visuals -- revolve around the '70s-era, pre-AIDS epidemic hustling scene in San Francisco's Polk St. thoroughfare. The clip shows Bond singing onstage alongside key players in the NYC LGBTQ scene (including drag queen and Beautiful Person Merrie Cherry and transgender writer Kate Bornstein) while archival footage from the era (including shots of Lake) play in the background. And we'd be remiss not to give a s/o to the amazing costumes and headwear going on (we particularly love the feather-y turban worn by one performer).
The video was co-directed by Silas Howard (of iconic queer punk band Tribe 8) and Erin Greenwell and received consulting and support from filmmaker Rob Epstein (Lovelace, Life and Times of Harvey Milk) and one of our favorite comedians, Margaret Cho. Check it out, above.
The video was co-directed by Silas Howard (of iconic queer punk band Tribe 8) and Erin Greenwell and received consulting and support from filmmaker Rob Epstein (Lovelace, Life and Times of Harvey Milk) and one of our favorite comedians, Margaret Cho. Check it out, above.