Matt Packman's (mostly) solo project Catholic Gaydar has been quietly ticking along for years, occasionally putting out pop-hooky, sparkling bedroom recordings or inspired covers online, popping up live once in awhile to play shows with friends such as AA Wallace, Jenocide or Windom Earle. "I've been doing Catholic Gaydar since Lulu LaRude started the 5 Minutes of Fame talent show in 2004," says Packman. "It has continued to be more of a bedroom project and less of a real band, although it gives me more freedom to create songs on a whim, and collaborate with friends."
This Friday is one of those rare events, Catholic Gaydar plays the new all ages venue The Sad Rad with Like A Motorcycle, Eekum Seekum and Milk Moustache at Queer Punx Come Out, an event offering an alternative to the selection of bar-based events this Pride weekend after the Dyke and Trans March (Friday, July 27, 6pm, in front of the Spring Garden Library).
"This will be my first year attending the Dyke and Trans march---I'm stoked! Basically gay pride can be weird and corporate sometimes. For a lot of people it feels more sincere to have a bunch of rad folks get together and have a separate march---free of sponsorship. Although it's a shame there is this divide between people that should be able to both protest and celebrate together."
And bringing different scenes together is something that Packman considers a benefit to the community.
"For me, the biggest challenge as a gay musician in Halifax is navigating between the club scene that caters to a more homo-centric crowd, and the punk scene which tends to be ignored by many in the gay community. However, over the last decade, venues like Reflections and The Company House have melded the two scenes, almost unintentionally---creatively, it's the best thing that's happened to the Halifax music scene."
Catholic Gaydar w/Eekum Seekum, Like A Motorcycle, Milk Moustache Friday, July 27 at The Sad Rad, 5820 Young Street, 9pm, $5, All ages
