BENT NIGHTS Making the best of a sad year - 661 - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News

For anyone older than 18, 2016 was a game-changer. It may have been the year that Cubs fans had waited for, but it also was a year that left the nation politically angry, divided, and with uncomfortable truths. In entertainment—and especially, music—there was no way to avoid that 2016, in the words of Rocky Horror, was "a pretty big downer."

So many musical icons fell in 2016 that it became routine, while two deaths in particular heralded the end of an era. Prince and David Bowie had such a lasting impact on popular music, media, culture, fashion and image that their passing seemed to jolt the planet. For the worldwide LGBTQ community the news hit especially hard, since both artists pushed boundaries ( and made the straight world accept said boundaries ) with gender, race, androgyny, sexuality and ( though they identified as straight ) queer thought.

There was clearly a touch of irony ( and mischievous humor on their parts ) on how they checked out. The anti-drug advocate Prince, who could always be counted on to be cheery, famously sang, "Don't let the elevator bring you down" on the smash hit "Let's Go Crazy"; however, lo and behold, he was found dead from an accidental overdose in his private elevator on April 21. As tributes to Bowie keep flowing in and as a wildly controversial president is about to take office ( one who has sent a near threat to immigrants ), nobody can make light of the fact that Bowie's last AM hit was prophetically titled "I'm Afraid of Americans."

For queer audiences, there were reasons to be glad, but you had to look for the real gems amid the froth. Sam Smith predictably snatched up Grammys and Oscars by the armload, and Lady Gaga quit diddling around with Tony Bennett and recaptured some of her former luster with the CD Joanne. Out vocalist Tyler Glenn went on hiatus from his band Neon Trees and broke from his religious upbringing, releasing the solo Excommunication, which questioned acceptance and pissed off a few Mormons. Out rapper/vocalist Frank Ocean finally released Blond( e ), which blew music critics' minds and contained the track "Ivy," which was produced by former Vampire Weekend guitarist and out producer Rostam Batmanglij. There was also new music from queer vets Ripley Caine, Pansy Division, and Tim Cain and Boy's Entrance, and they all managed to sound fresher and stronger then ever.

The local scene could always be counted on to deliver the goods regardless of what was going on nationally and this year was no exception. There were stunning breakthroughs from Chance the Rapper and the band Whitney but for queer music these were the best of times. Despite the abrupt close of DIY space Young Camelot ( and a nationwide crackdown on DIY spaces ) Donnie and Madison Moore's Glitter Creeps queer showcase celebrated its second anniversary. Queer favorites Strawberry Jacuzzi, despite the departure of drummer Devon Press released the sophomore Watch the Clock and played some of the fiercest shows to hit the city limits while queer friendly The Peekaboos released the well received Help Stop Decay. Scruffy punks Atta Boi and glammed out rockers Yoko and the Oh No's broke out to became the "must see" bands of the year.

I could go on, but I think my list of the "best" ( or what I listened to ) reveals that 2016 was hardly the end of the world—at least, for now.

—Event of the Year: The passing of David Bowie

The revelation of David Bowie's death from liver cancer on Jan. 10, or how it was received, had little to do with how he left the planet. That massive exhibit of his many faces that was shown at only a select few museums ( The Museum of Contemporary Art here in 2015 ) was, in retrospect, a warm, friendly wave goodbye. At the close of 2015, his play Lazarus opened to a big box-office take and positive reviews ( it is still running ) and two days before his death he released his 25th album, Black Star, which hit number one worldwide. The last face we would ever see of Bowie was in the video for "Lazarus," in which he is cocooned in bandages in a hospital bed and bidding the world farewell with the lyric, "Look up here/I'm in heaven."

—Recordings of the Year ( tie )

"Heaven Sent," by Parker Millsap

A powerful gem was nestled in one of this years best albums ( The Very Last Day ). Former Pentecostal church member and 23-year-old upstart Parker Millsap's gentle heartbreaker addresses the thorny issue of spirituality, sexuality, and acceptance at the core of the Religious Rights rejection of the LGBTQ community as a whole. I doubt if Millsap meant to write a political or controversial song ( he identifies as straight ), but his telling of a God-fearing, newly out protagonist facing rejection from his preacher father is incendiary, painful, and bracingly beautiful.

"The Creeper," by Lincoln Durham

This was a searing slice of gothic roots rock served up with a positively hair-raising vibe—and became my biggest guilty pleasure of the year.

—Shows of the Year ( in no particular order )

1. BLOWN Benefit hosted by Jacob Leatherman with Randy Chism, Rashada Dawan, Brendan James, Donica Henderson and others@ Uptown Underground

2. The Seth Bogart Show with Bogart, Imp Queen, Dorian Electra, Bon Bon, Michael Philip Zarowny, and others @ 7 on Halsted.

3. Yoko and the Oh No's, Atta Boi, and Damn Gila @ Schuba's

4. Pansy Division and Strawberry Jacuzzi@ Schuba's

5. The Hideout Reunion with Nora O'Connor, JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound, Kelly Hogan, Eleventh Dream Day, John Langford, Robbie Fulks, White Mystery and others@ The Hideout.

6. Fed Up Fest with Jesus and his Judgmental Father, ONO, Moor Mother Goddess and others@ Black Couch Studios and Auxiliary Arts Center.

7. Jill Scott@ The Horseshoe Casino

8. Le Tour, Absolutely Not, Velocicopter, and Strawberry Jacuzzi @ The Metro

9. Otis Rush Tribute featuring Eddie Shaw, Ronnie Earl, Lurrie Bell and others, @ The Chicago Blues Festival

10. Sheila E., The Isley Brothers, Billy Idol, and Ezra Furman @ A Taste of Chicago

11. The Gold Web with members of Thee Strange Doll Haas@ Emporium Arcade

12. Susan Werner @ The Auditorium Theater

—What I listened to in 2016

The Very Last Day-Parker Millsap

Terra-La Tour

Yoko and the Oh No's-Yoko and the Oh No's

"She's My Everything"-Atta Boi