Chicago is the birthplace of country music as we know it today, so it’s only fitting that it will host the first (to my knowledge) three-day festival of queer country music on September 13 – 15. Organizers Alexis Stein, of Chicago’s The Queer Social Club and Swappin’ Boots queer line dancing party, and singer Andrew Sa, whose music we’ve proudly featured here, brought the lineup together and will present a tribute to queer country pioneer Lavender Country. The festival will bring together national acts like The Kentucky Gentlemen, HC McEntire, and She Returns From War, as well as Chicago-based bands like #QueerCountry Bandwagon (I know Richelle is reading this, so shout-out!) and Iris Marlowe. You can purchase tickets here.
In our interview, Andrew and Alexis explain how and why they put the festival together, as well as Chicago’s place in the queer country scene.
How would you describe the queer country scene in Chicago?:
Alexis: The queer country scene in Chicago has always been here, and I know there have been several smaller-scale queer country events for years, but up until recently I think the scene was more latent, ready to be tapped into and embraced. Now, I would say the scene is burgeoning – starting to expand and proliferate rapidly – thanks to all of these amazing queer country actis like Andrew, events like Swappin’ Boots, orgs like Second City Country Dance Association and the Illinois Gay Rodeo Association, and all of the folks that are ready to embrace country-western culture.
Why do you feel it’s important to build queer country community in the Windy City? What’s some of the feedback you’ve gotten?
Alexis: The feedback I hear most commonly is that someone is from [insert conservative state] and that they have never been comfortable being openly queer in environments where there is country music and dancing. Hosting a queer country event in Chicago helps them to feel more welcomed and safe, while allowing them to take part in a culture that they were previously excluded from. It’s about reclaiming country culture. It’s also about introducing country culture to an audience that is unfamiliar with it and showing them how fun it can be to dress up, dance, and sing along to country music created by and for the queer community.
How did the idea for Lavender Prairie get started? How will you honor Lavender Country at the show?
Alexis: There are a couple stories behind the creation of this fest that Andrew can tell you! Most importantly Andrew was a close friend of Patrick’s since 2018 when they shared the stage together at the Hideout. This fest is a way to honor his legacy, as well as to create a queer country fest that uplifts musicians, just as Patrick did. Aside from that – Sully and Andrew had been dreaming up the idea for a queer country festival for a while after attending one that was a total bust. The two brought me in to collaborate since Sully and I produce a queer two-step night, Swappin’ Boots, together, and it seemed like the perfect fit. At the festival we will be honoring Lavender Country with a Tribute Band led by Andrew. We will also have a queer resource station and directory led by Lyn Rye, which will give artists a chance to highlight queer organizations and businesses from around the country.
Andrew: The idea came about after I had a pretty awful experience playing my first queer country festival in Austin, TX. I was more excited than I’d ever been for a show and without going into too much detail, I’ll just say that there were some big college football games going on that day and we had to share the stage with a giant megatron screen. Leaving that experience, Sully Davis and I started dreaming up our own queer country music festival. I want to give these acts what I didn’t get – a crowd there to celebrate them and their music. As far as Lavender Country and Patrick Haggerty are concerned, I’ll be organizing a Lavender Country Tribute performance for Saturday night’s show in true Patrick fashion, the more the merrier!
Tell us more about the artists who are playing! How’d you build the lineup?
Alexis: Acts are coming in from around the country like the 27-year old twins The Kentucky Gentlemen from Nashville, HC McEntire, a writer/vocalist/producer from Durham, She Returns From War, a rising star from Charlotte, SC, and Philly duo Big Benny Bailey (feat. Shamir). Also rounding out the festival from out of state is long-standing country-punk artist Abigail Austin who went on tour with Lavender Country in 2022.
Picked from Chicago’s budding queer country scene are Olivia & The Lovers, the halloween-loving Iris Marlowe, Edie McKenna from queer-rockers Modern Nun, #QueerCountry Bandwagon, and duo The Devil Said Jump. Andrew Sa will be assembling a tribute to Lavender Country with former touring members of that band which was a collective of queer performers.
Andrew: Sully and I keep aware of as many queer country and Americana acts as we can from around the globe. This national lineup is built from our local friends, friends we’ve enjoyed working with in the past, and folks we’ve been longing to work with. I’m thrilled to be bringing my good friend and collaborator H.C. McEntire up from North Carolina. She’s such an inspiring and brilliant artist.
Lavender Prairie will be on September 13 – 15 at Judson & Moore. You can purchase tickets here.