First and foremost GALA Festival is about the music. I enjoyed so many wonderful moments from spectacular choruses. It really was a treat to hear them all sing. I even got choked up on occasion. It's thrilling as a performer to have an entire world-class performance venue rooting for you. The audiences have incredible energy. When I first saw the registration fee amount I was taken aback. Now I believe that amount was a bah-gain. If you are a singer you should make a point of attending GALA Festival IX.
The Festival experience is anything you want it to be. Truly, my festival experience was a reflection of who I am. The GALA experience is what you bring to it. I could have seen every single concert block or I could have seen only the one in which I performed. I could have spent days and nights hooking up with man after man. I could have gone sight seeing until the cows come home. I could have partied from morning until dawn. I could have attended workshops galore. I like to think that overall I had a nice balance. Although if you didn't notice, I will draw your attention to the fact that I had a totally rated G festival. Ok, maybe PG for my use of language. This PG rated experience is totally a reflection on how stupid, clueless, and warped I am. I am convinced that nothing steamy happened because on one of those trips that I took to CVS I picked up some lube and condoms. I was very surprised to discover that CVS had something in stock besides KY. I found a handy dandy travel size bottle of Wet platinum. Go figure! I bet if I had been totally unprepared and relied on the kindness of strangers something would have developed. It's just like it will rain if you forget to bring your umbrella and won't rain if you do.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to Giang Nguyen, Patrick Hagerty, Mark McClurg, Terry Evans, Paul Tyrrell, Mike Liddick, and Jeffrey Acker for their gifts of photography. If a photograph was not credited it was mine. Unless I made a boo-boo, which is entirely possible and did not give you the credit you deserve. Should you want a copy of any photograph I can send you a link for any that I took. If it is another person's photograph I can forward your email address to the person whose photograph it is and they can make arrangements with you.
GALA Festival IX host city is yet to be determined. There is a long process that takes place involving a committee. Sometime in Fall 2009, GALA will announce the host city. Dallas was making a huge push promoting Dallas as the next host city. Scott from San Francisco would like to have it in his city. I know that Denver was a finalist for 2008. I would not be surprised by any of these cities being host. Personally, I would love it if San Francisco played host. I have never managed to visit there and it would be a good excuse. What I don't want is Philadelphia to host. Granted, I would save oodles of money; butI love to travel. I want to go someplace else.
Your reward for sticking it through this journey to the end is one final ridiculous story. Early on in the week I inadvertently discovered the poor man's botox treatment. I was getting ready for a night on the town. My hair was looking uber-gaytastic and I wanted it to stay that way. I went crazy with the super hold hairspray. So crazy that I sprayed my forehead. After leaving the bathroom, Adrienne told me a funny story. I was laughing, but my face was not moving. My eyebrows did not lift up. My face was stuck. It only lasted for about 30 minutes. But that is my instant, cheap-ass botox story.
Mark your calendars! GALA Festival IX will be mid-July 2012. I'll see you all there!
