Justin Utley at the Triad Theater

by baad lamb

On Friday night I went to see Justin Utley at the Triad Theater on West 72 near Amsterdam Ave. Justin is an out n' proud ex-Mormon, and endured a life of Mormonism and 2 years of conversion therapy before running away to The Big City, where we are happy to have him. Entertaining us with earnest, heartfelt music that draws significantly on his life lessons, his gentle charm, handsome looks and magnificent smile add up to a new gay icon and advocate we can all embrace.

Opening the show for Justin and his backing band The Saturday Saints, was the winsome duo of Liah Alonso and Kelly Halloran:"Left on Red". These women  created quite a local following busking in subways, but have grown many more fans as they tour. Those followers were right because Left on Red rocks!

Lots of video and pics after the jump...

Born This Way Only OK

By West Village Bill

By now, I'm sure a considerable chunk of QNY's readership has had a chance to purchase and digest Lady Gaga's Born This Way. What do you think of it?

I'm enjoying several songs on the album, but overall, I think it's a bit of a letdown. There's no song that demands to be listened to again and again like "Bad Romance," "Telephone," or "Poker Face" from The Fame/The Fame Monster. The title song is fine and well-intentioned, but it doesn't have as memorable of a hook as Gaga's earlier hits.

I like "Americano," and I want to believe it's a love letter to America Ferrera. And I like "Hair" despite its ridiculous assertion by Gaga that she's "as free as (her) hair." WTF?

"Fashion of His Love" sounds like something Tiffany would have sung at a Long Island mall in 1988. And that's not a good thing.

New York magazine has put "The Edge of Glory" in the running for the Song of the Summer. It's one of my favorites from the album. As are the country-ish "Yoü and I" and the anthem-ish "Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)." But I could do without "Heavy Metal Lover" and "Electric Chapel."

Please leave your own impressions in the comments.

Quilled Lady Gaga card created by Leesandra Diaz at New York–based Sweet Spot Card Shop.