Yo La Tengo Protest Tennessee Drag Bill, Play Concert in Drag – Rolling Stone

In response to Tennessee’s restrictive new legislation round drag performances, Yo La Tengo staged a protest at their current Nashville present with a part of the band enjoying a portion of the gig in drag. The beloved Hoboken, New Jersey, indie-rock band performed the primary of two nights at Nashville’s Basement East on Monday.

As reported by the Tennessean, the band carried out a primary set after which took a short intermission. For the second set, singer-guitarist Ira Kaplan and bassist-keyboard participant James McNew returned in ladies’s garments — singer-drummer Georgia Hubley remained in her typical garments — and performed a few of their best-loved work, together with “Stockholm Syndrome,” “Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s Home,” “Sugarcube,” and “The Story of Yo La Tango.”

There was no point out of the legislation by the band members, who recorded a number of of their albums in Nashville together with 2000’s And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out and 1997’s I Can Hear the Coronary heart Beating as One, which included the observe “Return to Scorching Rooster.” A request for remark was not instantly returned by their consultant.

Tennessee’s drag legislation, signed by Governor Invoice Lee in early March, isn’t a complete ban of drag however as an alternative goals to limit it to adults-only institutions by defining it as “adult-oriented cabaret.” Proponents of drag argue that the artwork type isn’t obscene and could be tailor-made for all-ages crowds, and individuals who work within the authorized subject have identified that the legislation basically simply references present obscenity legal guidelines. Nonetheless, some fear the uncertainty about what is going to and received’t be thought of punishable could have a chilling impact on performers, companies, and different LGBTQ people in Tennessee.

The drag invoice is however one among a number of items of laws aimed on the LGBTQ neighborhood in Tennessee. Governor Lee has additionally signed a ban on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender teenagers, whereas there may be one other invoice geared toward stopping trans folks from altering their gender on their driver’s licenses. And yet one more permits officers to refuse to solemnize marriages on spiritual grounds, opening the door for challenges to homosexual marriage.

In response to the controversial legal guidelines, Jason Isbell, Allison Russell, Maren Morris, and Paramore’s Hayley Williams will carry out a profit live performance in assist of LGBTQ rights, dubbed “Love Rising,” on March 20 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Area. Earlier this month, Texas band Vandoliers performed their Maryville, Tennessee, live performance wearing drag to protest the legislation.