BY LESBIAN.COM

Palm Springs, California — As the largest and biggest lesbian event in the world, The Dinah has been continuously delivering a spectacular slate of legendary headliners, rising pop stars and celebrities alike.

Building on its reputation as the ultimate entertainment hub, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend has positioned itself as an event the entertainment industry’s most elite go to and a trendsetting event that entertainment industry insiders watch and jockey to book their artists’ performances.

It is the only acknowledged all-girl party that features such a phenomenal line-up of talent to ever to perform at a lesbian event.

Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Mary Lambert, Tegan and Sara, Kesha, Chaka Khan, Colbie Caillat, India Arie, The Pussycat Dolls and more recently Iggy Azalea, are just a few examples of major recording artists that have preformed at the iconic event over the past 25 years.

And 2015 will be no different. Now ready to soar to new heights, the 25th installment of The Dinah is already expected to be one of the major highlights of the 2015 Palm Springs festival season.

Already confirmed to headline the 25th Anniversary of the Dinah are international Billboard Top 40 superstars Meghan Trainor and Christina Perri; as well as pop music’s new “it” girls Bebe Rexha and Ivy Levan; and old school legends Crystal Waters and Rose Royce.

Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend is not just breaking grounds; it is making history!
And as the celebration of the milestone Silver Anniversary is already in full swing, past Dinah alumni are all proudly stepping in front of the camera to send in their best birthday wishes!

Want to know why everyone should experience the Dinah once in their lives?
Club Skirts’ got the insider scoop from our past headliners Katy Perry, Tegan and Sara, Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig, Salt’n Pepa as well as Iggy Azalea (among others) in this exclusive Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend 2015 Promo Video produced by award-winning filmmaker JD DiSalvatore.

The post Sneak peak of The Dinah’s 25th anniversary first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Are you looking to rock out for a good cause this August? Look no further than Luscious Queer Music Festival coming up at the Saratoga Springs Retreat Center, Friday, August 22-24,2014. A portion of the proceeds of the festival will go to various LGBT charities, including ORAM the Organization for Refuge Asylum and Migration.

The headliner this year is Mary Lambert, who is one of the music industry’s fastest growing stars due to her duet on “Same Love” with rapper Macklemore. The full artist line-up is replete with talented queer artists who will cover a rainbow of musical tastes.

I spoke with DJ Justin Justime, an associate producer of the festival as well as a performer, to discuss the how “Luscious” came to be as well as what concert goers can expect at the event.

How did you come up with the idea for “Luscious” — a queer music festival that raises funds for LGBTQ people seeking asylum?

We wanted to create a music event that catered to the entire LGBTQ community. All of the organizers are politically active and involved with community building. When we had to decide what to do with our proceeds from this event, it seemed to be an easy decision to give the money to organizations who support Queer Asylum seekers. Saratoga Springs is also hosting a week long LGBTQ Global Gathering, called Generate, that starts on Monday, August 25. This gathering is also supporting Queer Asylum Seekers. We are not only creating/hosting amazing events at Saratoga Springs, we are taking action to help solve global problems.

Saratoga Springs does a lot of good work to support community. The name LUSCIOUS represents what we are as Queer people, but it also represents our idealism around global peace, love and blessings for all people.

How did you turn it from an idea into a reality?

Page Hodel and myself were contacted by the owners and director of Saratoga Springs. They asked us to help produce a queer music festival and, of course, we both said, yes, please. Page has been working with LGBT event production for three decades.

I, on the other hand, am pretty new to the scene and have a lot of fresh perspective. Page and I are both DJs and we have both produced a lot of events. We started to reach out to our community of performance artists, musicians, comedians, and drag queens; we were really excited to see how many people were interested in participating. We have run into a lot of challenges in the production of this event, but I am overwhelmingly surprised at how much work we have done with such a small team of people.

You have some A-list talent in the line-up this year. How do you decide which bands participate?
This is a challenging question to answer. I think it is important to value that Page is a lesbian in her 50s and I am a queer-gay man in my 20s. Page and I both took totally different approaches to booking talent and we met somewhere in the middle. She and I both had to make sacrifices and we are fortunate to have such a stellar line-up. There are some A list performers showing up to Luscious, but ever single person on our bill is going to produce a memorable performance.

Page is more connected with popular culture, while I am a bit more connected to queer underground culture. Our connections and diplomacy had a lot to do with our success in building the line-up

What is the mood or tone like at “Luscious?”

The mood at the event will range from chill to epic. The event space is very relaxing and beautiful and most of our performers will blend right into the atmosphere. We have some performers and DJs who like to get a little bit darker, deeper and heavier. We will have one all-night dance party hosted by the LGBTQ Burning man group ‘Comfort&Joy’. There will be multiple live electronic performances and there will even be some amazing drag. The event will be relaxing and fun. Festival attendees can participate in everything from a picnic by the main stage, a swim in the pool or dancing until their feet hurt.

What feeling do you want attendees of “Luscious” to walk away with?

I want the festival attendees to walk away with a feeling of gratitude and satisfaction. A lot of hard work has gone into the production of this event and we really want people to enjoy themselves. We also want people to leave feeling empowered to participate more in social movements. This festival is a vessel for important global change. The performers, producers and festival attendees all have a responsibility to carry this vision. We are all participating in something much larger than ourselves, and that is a big part of the magic in Queer culture.

Want to attend? Buy tickets here!

The post Mary Lambert headlines Luscious Queer Music Fest first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Enjoy the official lyric video for Mary Lambert‘s “Secrets” and look for her LP “Heart On My Sleeve” scheduled for release on October 14.

The post Mary Lambert: ‘Secrets’ first appeared on Lesbian.com.

On June 26, Logo TV will air its initial edition of “Trailblazers,” a one-hour special featuring the celebrities, politicians, activists and trendsetters who are actively working to effect cultural change for the betterment of the LGBT community.

Actor Daniel Radcliffe, a longtime supporter of The Trevor Project, will serve as presenter as DOMA activists Edie Windsor and Roberta Kaplan, the cast of the groundbreaking Netflix series “Orange is the New Black” and openly gay former NBA star Jason Collins are honored.

Scheduled to air during the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the one-year anniversary of DOMA being overruled, “Trailblazers” will also feature performances by A Great Big World, Ariana Grande, Tegan and Sara, Iggy Azalea, Mary Lambert, Jared Leto, Kylie Minogue, Rita Ora and Tyler Glenn.

The event will be held in New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, one of the first churches to host gay marriages, and Logo is offering viewers an opportunity to share stories of their own “Hometown Trailblazers” with a chance to win a trip to the Big Apple to view the event live.

The post Logo TV ‘Trailblazers’ honors Windsor, ‘Orange is the New Black’ first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY LESBIAN.COM

The 29th Annual California Women’s Conference (CWC) will stage the Creative Expressions Concert series at Long Beach Convention Center across both nights of this month’s highly anticipated two-day event, May 19-20.

The Creative Expressions Concert series, showcasing performing artists including Mary Lambert, will be streamed live online. The Marriage Equality USA-sanctioned “Love Is Love” PSA set to Jen Foster’s “SHE” will be officially included in the program for Tuesday, May 20.

The program will also include a live Q&A with the multiple award-winning writer/director Nicole Conn, Jane Wishon (Board President of Marriage Equality USA) and some of the cast members from SHE4ME including Mike C. Manning (“Disney”), Gabrielle Christian (“South Of Nowhere“) and Traci Dinwiddie (“Elena Undone“). More names are expected to be announced closer to the event.

The CWC was first launched in 1985 to address the high failure rate among women-owned businesses. Over the years the CWC has played host to a phenomenal list of speakers including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, first lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Duchess of York Sara Ferguson, Barbara Walters, Jane Fonda, Madeline Albright, Condoleeza Rice and Martha Stewart.

This year’s conference will focus on helping attendees discover how to lead a thriving life. Experts will be on hand to discuss how to balance the five essential elements of well being: career life, social life, financial life, physical life and community life.

To purchase tickets to the concert series visit: http://goo.gl/ynTR5k

Speakers for the California Women’s Conference: http://goo.gl/ddYs1U

For tickets to the California Women’s Conference 2014: http://goo.gl/HVp83v

The post SHE4ME ‘Love is Love’ PSA featured at California Women’s Conference first appeared on Lesbian.com.

The post Strong women (and smells) rock social media first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY CANDY PARKER

Mary Lambert loves her body and she wants you to love yours, too.

The openly lesbian singer, perhaps best known for accompanying Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on 2012’s LGBT rights anthem “Same Love,” debuted her official video for “Body Love (Part 1 and 2)” earlier this week, unveiling her own spoken-word anthem to self-love.

Lambert is serious about her message of self-acceptance and empowerment. Leading up to the video’s release, she launched the #BodyLove campaign on Instagram. As part of the campaign, Lambert shared a photo of a different body part each day and wrote about what she loved about that part of her body. She also encouraged fans to do the same using body-loving hashtags such as #lovemybutt, #lovemyeyes and #lovemylegs.

There are two videos available for the song, both the official video produced by Adam Leeman and Targa Sahyoun and directed by Lambert and Jon Jon Augustavo, as well as the 1 Mic 1 Take version directed and produced by Possum Hill.

“Body Love (Part 1 and 2)” – Official video

“Body Love” – 1 Mic, 1 Take

The post Lambert releases ‘Body Love’ videos first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY CANDY PARKER

Boston Pride announced that Mary Lambert will be among the headliners performing Saturday, June 14, at Boston’s City Hall Plaza as part of the city’s Pride Festival.

Lambert shared the news with fans via video:

Lambert shot to fame after writing and singing the same-sex rights anthem, “Same Love,” with hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. The revolutionary song touched millions, and Lambert performed it live at The Grammys, The MTV Video Music Awards, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” VH1 and “The Colbert Report.” “Same Love” sold over 1 million copies in the U.S. alone. Lambert recently released her newest single, “She Keeps Me Warm” and the music video tallied one million views in its first week.

Joining Lambert in headlining the Festival are A Great Big World, Alex Newell, JD Samson & Men and Jeanie Tracy.

“Boston Pride is excited to host these amazing musical headline acts this year,” said Sylvain Bruni, President of Boston Pride. “All of these artists’ stories and songs mirror our mission of inclusion and embracing diversity. We know that they will put on remarkable performances for Boston Pride and embody the spirit of this year’s theme — Be Yourself, Change the World.”

The post Lambert among headliners at Boston Pride first appeared on Lesbian.com.

The post Top 10 social media posts from The Dinah first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Wednesday kicks off the 24th annual Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs, Calif., the largest queer female party and musical festival in the world. Known for its debauchery, infamous pool parties, world-class dance parties and musical talent, the Dinah Shore is the ultimate spring break for queer women, April 2-6.

The Dinah Shore isn’t just about scandalous parties. If you want to have a debauched weekend, if you want to network and promote your business, if you want to leave Palm Springs with new friendships, then it’s the place to be. To make the most of your trip, here’s a rundown on the week’s festivities.

Wednesday kicks off the complimentary Dinah Official Pre-party at the Hilton Hotel from 8pm to midnight. Thursday brings the Dinah Comedy Night at the Palm Springs Convention Center hosted by Suzanne Westenhoefer and featuring “Chelsea Lately’s” Fortune Feimster and “Last Comic Standing’s” Erin Foley and Gina Yashere. Doors open at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm. These opening events are a great opportunity to meet women that you can hangout with for the rest of the weekend.

The Dinah Opening Party kicks off the dancing Thursday night at 9pm at Zeldaz nightclub with the best DJs and a special performance by Palm Springs local, III G, performing her hit, “Wavy.”

On Wednesday and Thursday, all of the Dinah events don’t start until the evening, which is why you should take full advantage of the Palm Springs Dinah VIP program for Wednesday and Thursday Dinah guests. The city has provided a VIP card to Dinah guests offering discounts to Palm Springs sites and attractions. Enjoy the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s largest rotating tramcar, The Indian Canyons, shopping and dining out.

Local restaurant Frida’s, co-owned by a gay and lesbian couple, hosts a kick off event with a DJ on Wednesday at 6pm. Their food is a fusion of Mexican, Spanish, French, Cuban, Caribbean and Central/South American dishes. Plus they serve the most delicious mixed drinks. All of the proceeds go to the local LGBT community center.

Friday, April 4, from 12pm to 6pm is AfterEllen’s Thank God It’s Dinah Friday Pool Party at the Hilton main pool area. They’ll be DJs, cocktails, dancing, a live Sirius XM radio broadcast with OUT Q’s most popular radio personalities and a live performance by disco diva Evelyn Champagne King.

Friday night at 8pm in the Hilton grand ballroom, you can watch the latest web series and short films with the casts and crew who created them, hosted by JD Disalvatore, award-winning producer of “A Marine Story” and “Elena Undone.” The Dinah’s second annual Dinah Film Festival is screening “Dyke Central,” “Girl Gets Girl,” “#Hashtag,” “Kiss Her I’m Famous,” “Nikki and Nora,” “Little Horribles” and “Secrets and Toys” followed by a question-and-answer session with the casts and crews.

Expect an electric performance from Iggy Azalea at The Dinah White Party, hosted by Curve, on Friday at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The celebrity-studded red carpet arrivals begin at 10pm.

“The L Word” fans won’t want to miss the largest lesbian pool party in the world on Saturday, April 5, from 10am to 6pm at the Hilton main pool. “The L Word” Pool Party, commemorating “The L Word’s” 10-year anniversary, boasts an outside beer garden, thousands of women, go-go dancers, incredible DJs, a performance by “The Real L Word’s” Hunter Valentine, exclusive “The L Word” giveaways plus a photo opportunity from 2:30pm to 5pm with Leisha Hailey, Kate Moennig and Laurel Holloman, aka Alice Pieszecki, Shane McCutcheon and Tina Kennard respectively.

If you want a more chill pool environment on Saturday and Sunday and you like old school music, then you’ll want to attend The Dinah Pool Party II at The Saguaro, from 10am to 4pm. If you’re big into dancing with wet, half-naked queer women in hot weather, then be sure to be at the Hilton’s main pool at 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday for the Battle of the DJs.

Twin heartthrobs Tegan and Sara are ready to make you swoon, dance and sing along on Saturday night. Their concert starts at 8:30pm. Doors open at 7:30pm at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Music sensation Eve is performing at The Black Party, the largest party of the weekend. Held at the Palm Springs Convention Center, doors open at 9 pm and the celebrity studded red carpet arrivals, with cameos from Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig, begin at 10 pm.

The celebrity poker tournament benefiting the Human Rights Campaign takes place during The Black Party at 10pm. You’ll need a ticket to The Black Party to get on the poker action. With a $50 dollar buy-in, you’ll be playing poker with a lot of your favorite queer women, from actress Nicole Pacent to filmmaker Rolla Selbak to “Real World Ex-plosion” star Ari Fitz. You’ll also be entered into a raffle to win a lot of amazing prizes, like a free weekend for two to The Dinah 2015, including 3 nights at one of the host hotels and two VIP tickets, a weekend for two to Shedonism, Las Vegas’ hottest women’s weekend, a gift basket from Curve and more.

Mary Lambert is singing “Same Love” at The Wet and Wild Pool Party on Sunday at the Hilton main pool at 5pm. From 10am to 6pm, you can get your dance, drink and swim on. They’ll be DJs, go-go dancers, plenty of beverages plus a special performance by Ifalade and Pink Dewberries at 1pm. Due to the popularity of “The L Word” reunion, there will be a second chance to see your favorite characters from 11:30am to 1pm at the Hilton pool.

The best way to end the weekend is at The Dinah Closing Party on Sunday night at Zeldaz nightclub. If you’ve been eying a special someone throughout the weekend, this is your last chance to make a move. It’s also your last chance to hang out with the women who you’ll leave Dinah Shore calling your friends. Get your dance on one last time, enjoy the people you’ve met this week and the incredible experiences you’ve shared. Additionally, you’ll enjoy a live performance by Thea Austin.

All photos courtesy of Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend and Frida’s.

The post What to expect at The Dinah this weekend first appeared on Lesbian.com.