Gay Icon

Phew! It's hard to know where to begin with my description of today's Mad Pride celebrations at 24 Kitchen Street but suffice to say it was a wonderful (and long) day!

I took hundreds of photos throughout the day and my camera battery gave up the ghost just as I was starting to upload them to my iPad tonight so I've only had a chance to edit the first few before heading to bed. Still, as one of my highlights of the day was our first act, Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5, I'm very happy to blip a photo of their fantastic DJ and dancer (or Dijancer). I believe his name is David but I could be wrong... I can attest that he can REALLY move but, luckily, he was kind enough to stay still long enough for me to get this shot of him. See also the Extra Photo of him with the mirror ball while he was waiting for the soundcheck...

I'm also posting an Extra Photo of bandleader Colonel Mustard himself. Apart from being a singer and songwriter he's also a psychiatric nurse and, when I spoke to him, he was really supportive of what we're trying to do with Mad Pride and, indeed, all of our anti-stigma work around mental health and mental distress. Thanks, Colonel!

The band hail from Glasgow and are well worth checking out if you fancy dancing your socks off and being thoroughly entertained. Why not try their song 'Gay Icon' for starters www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r9GNDdZKZU

After they'd played we enjoyed music from DJs The Walrus Said and Rebel Soul, a fantastic series of spoken word performers and poets, curated by the lovely Faris www.blipfoto.com/entry/2149956369732603850 , pop-up performances from Suitcase Ensemble, Cabaret from the Shadows, Brolly Good Show and more. Not forgetting lantern making and screen printing workshops, face painting and a chance to be pampered by the nice people from Lush.

Then it was time to go outside and the rain held off while we had our Mad Pride parade around the Baltic Triangle, with 30 drummers, fire performers, lanterns and flaming torches. We attracted more people, Pied Piper-like, as we walked. Great fun!

Following the parade we were all wowed by a terrific fire performance by Bring The Fire before heading back inside for a set from DJ Kid Blast and a final band performance by The Lotharios.

I'm so hyped-up that I don't think I'll sleep tonight...

Huge thanks to everyone who came along and made the day such a success, to all the performers and volunteers and particularly to Nici www.blipfoto.com/entry/2117971567626423940 and Nikki www.blipfoto.com/entry/5024999 without whom it would never have happened.