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Transitioning Is Human

Our weekly recap features our next live show, a new joint from Jessye DeSilva, an interview with Mary Bragg, a new video from Big Guy & The Very Large Men, and more!

Transitioning Is Human
Photo by yasmin peyman / Unsplash

Jenni Rose is the lead singer of Texas cowpunk band The Vandoliers and of the newly formed punk/pop band The Tomgirls. The release of The Tomgirls' new single "Run" marks the first anniversary of Jenni coming out as a trans woman.

Being part of the hetronormative and macho country scene, coming out as trans isn't what you'd call safe or for the faint of heart. Jenni doesn't seem to have skipped a beat - especially creatively. In the year since she came out, The Vandoliers have released a great album - Life Behind Bars - and she's started a new band. The Tomgirls' first album, "Sissy," will be released in February 2027. Vandoliers are still going strong, but Tomgirls (which includes Vandos' personnel) is a sonic departure from the band's rollicking cowpunk.

There are many reasons to listen to The Vandoliers and Tomgirls, but the main reason is because the music is so damn good. Of course, it has the added benefit of probably pissing off all the right people.

In the 1980s, Queercore - the queer punk movement - was founded as a response to government indifference to HIV/AIDS. It was in-your-face and a celebration of queerness. By being unashamedly queer, the music and the art brought their issues out in the open. It may not have increased broader acceptance - but it empowered a community that had been abused and neglected for too long. Today, governments all over are targeting Trans people as the new scapegoats and boggy people. Bands like The Tomgirls are celebrating who they are and pushing back against the hatred. Who knows what will happen as a result - but they too aren't going to be quiet any longer.

Let's start with some background...When did you decide music was what you wanted to do? And what first inspired you? I think I read somewhere that the Old 97s were one of your inspirations for Vandoliers...who else?

I grew up between Dallas and Fort Worth and around 5th grade music and being in a band became my main priority. I had become obsessed with guitar and writing songs after going to my first punk show.

What are the influences for the new band – any bands in particular or just an amalgamation of  people?

I listened to groups like Blink-182, Green Day, Alkaline Trio and started my first band in middle school. I think that “first band” feeling inspired Tomgirls the most for me. 

Will Tomgirls be a more political band than Vandoliers? I know you say the songs are reflective of the journey/process you've been experiencing for the past year and a bit since you came out - but is that going to progress to being a queer rights band?

I feel like Vandoliers has been outspoken and political throughout our career. That being said, since my transition, everything I do is political. Tomgirls is me processing my trans experience and that experience is politicized constantly. There are political songs on the record like "Red Flags" and "Submit or Die," but I could sing about flowers and it would be an act of resistance. 

What do you hope your audience gets from Tomgirls' music? 

I hope they see how human it is to transition. 

Read the rest of Richard Marcus' interview with Tomgirls when you sign in or sign up at $5 a month!

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This Week on Rainbow Rodeo

Editor's Picks 11/13: Lindsey Everly, Big Guy & The Very Large Men, Vandoliers
Every week, Rainbow Rodeo editor Rachel Cholst picks the three best queer country albums of the week. This week features grit that glitters, pop/country that transmutes pain into joy, and country punk that reaches into the future and the past.
Rainbow RodeoRachel Cholst

Rainbow Roundup

  • New social network just dropped. HearHear is a "letterboxd for live music." I've enjoyed logging my shows and uploading photos! Join and follow me here.
  • For No Depression, Rainbow Rodeo contributor Soda Canter revisits the movie Big Eden and its use of country music to subvert big-city assumptions about rural life.
  • There are no Black nominees for the CMA Awards this year – and the only out performers nominated are perennial nominees Brothers Osborne. As Rissi Palmer notes:
Rissi Palmer (@rissipalmermusic) on Threads
My thought on the CMA mess… I’ll tell y’all a secret… when things are truly equitable and inclusive to ALL, this red carpet thing doesn’t happen. Fighting for the marginalized saves everyone. Just sayin’. But enjoy the awards or whatever…
Threads

Fundraisers

  • Robert Bock is finally recording that damn album of his and I'm so excited to have it in my hands so help me out by contributing (you'll need to hover over the images – I got a little confused at first)
  • So many of the artists we feature here rely on shows like Mountain Stage and Tiny Desk to get the word out. If, like me, you live in a major city with a large donor base, your station is probably fine. So maybe adopt a station that's had more than 70% of its budget slashed? I'm choosing Allegheny Mountain Radio just because it fits the theme.
  • Kamara Thomas, who is a co-organizer of Southern Soul Songbook, needs support as she recovers from Stage 3 breast cancer
  • Color Me Country is seeking to raise $202,000 to support BIPOC artists with travel grants and more. Donate here.

Need a Protest Song Mixed?

Artist and Rainbow Rodeo contributor Arend Lee Jessurun has this offer for artists:

I'm looking to get back into the production/mixing/mastering game since a bit of a hiatus for health. I'm starting to better manage my energy with fibromyalgia, and I'm a bit antsy to do more of the work I love. And I'd especially love to work with other queers!
Also, if you've got protest music for these times, I'd love to produce, mix, and/or master it for cheap, even for free if I can swing it. If you're unfamiliar with my work and studio, check it out here.

Events

I make this list by scrolling through Instagram and Threads (and occasionally Bluesky when you all post there.) Feel free to send me events by replying to this e-mail!

  • 11/6 - 11/8 (Richmond, VA) – The lineup for Queer As Folk Fest includes some real heavy hitters. I can take Amtrak there, right?
  • 11/19 (Los Angles, LA) – BERTHA, the Grateful Drag cover band, plays The Bellwether. Get tickets here
  • 11/21 (New York, NY) – Brian Falduto has a Residency Encore and EP Release Show @ The Green Room 42 (Tickets here!)
  • 12/5 (Sacramento, CA) – Autumn Sky Hall, Eli Conley Quartet, and Chaps – all Rainbow Rodeo faves – play Two Rivers Cider
  • 12/11 (Newport, TN) – Housewarm the new Four Quarters Records HQ for Adeem the Artist's release party! Tickets here
  • 12/13 (Queens, NY) – Come on out to Long Island City for Rainbow Rodeo Live! Featuring Robert Bock, Emily Frembgen, Bryan Ruby, and Sweetbreads at LIC Bar! No cover, but we will be raising money for Mya Byrne's surgery recovery! RSVP on Partiful here!
  • 12/13 (Queens, NY) – Go to multiple venues! One In a Million Media presents Festivus Fest, with Light Bird and Bandits on the Run among others! The show is also a fundraiser for One In a Million Media, which has done so much to support independent artists and needs to recovery from a devastating flood. Tickets here.
  • 12/13 (Austin, TX) – Jaime Wyatt plays OUTlaw Pride's holiday show at the White Horse Tavern!
  • 1/30 (Nashville, TN) – Zdan and many more play Cannery Hall as part of 615 Indie Live

Artist Resources

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