I recently had an amazing experience I will never forget, it was a huge step in my life and for me as an artist. As you all know I worked on a documentary with Freddy Freeman, the creator of Bearapalooza, we both discussed the creation of a documentary showcasing the last 10 years of the traveling music festival as well as the many talents that have been a part of it. I completed the 90 minute documentary, though it still needs some work, I consider it as it is now to be a draft of possibilities for where we can take the documentary when we start work on it again. The film was set to premiere at the Bearapalooza 10th Anniversary which was a two day event set in New York City. I traveled up from Florida to participate in this event, we met for rehearsals Friday, November 9th & before the show Saturday, November 10th. This was my first time rehearsing my music in a live setting. My songs were primarily done with backing tracks for the show with the omission of guitar from the backing track in favor of a live guitar player to join me on stage. I also had the help of Freddy and his husband Jay Freeman as backing singers to add to the chorus and parts of the songs. If their was anyone who understood the songs better, it was Freddy since he is producing Kaleidoscope and worked on those tracks. Rehearsal went well but got me nervous when twice during rehearsing I forgot the lyrics to "Slave" and I even got them mixed up. It got me in a mood of panic from then till the moment of my performance. I repeated the lyrics in my head, and kept trying to remember the lyrics I forgot, and as the moment drew closer I got more nervous. The live rock show was to be held at Rock Bar NYC which is located in the West Village. Eventually came the moment where Candy Samples, our hostess of the evening and a talented singer songwriter Drag Queen announced me to take the stage. I remember that once the music started, my nervousness slowly began to disappear as I sang the lyrics. I became very comfortable on stage by the time we finished "Slave" and moved in to "Diary". I noticed that my voice was cracking a bit as I sang "Diary" and I should of brought up a water bottle to hydrate before doing that song but as my first performance it was an amazing experience and it went better than I even thought it could. After my performance I went outside to unwind, I had a rush the whole evening and tried to film most of the concert as I could. Everyone did a fantastic job, the coolest part of this performance is that everyone took their music and transformed it in to a live full band set up which was new for myself, Bone Intell, and Kendall and our MC Candy Samples. Then the next day, we all met up at the LGBT Center for the second part of the event which was the Documentary Premiere, the Wedding of Freddy & Jay Freeman, and some acoustic performances. It started with the film premiere which made me cry a bit, it was great to finally hear the reactions from the people who lived and experienced these moments first hand and as I created the movie I got to be a part of those experiences with them and get to know them. Even though the film was rough and still needs some work it went over very well and i'm glad I was given the chance to do the film. After that we had the wedding which had to be one of the most beautiful things i've had the chance to witness, Reverend Roger Anthony Yolanda Mapes performed the ceremony and Freddy & Jay sang their vows to each other. It was just so great and moving to be there and i'm glad to be a part of both their lives. After the ceremony and I dried my eyes, we had some acoustic performances from Yolanda, Freddy Freeman, Tommy Johns, and even Troy Rusnack who couldn't join us the night before joined us a performed. We ended the event by singing Freddy's biggest song titled "Echo". I will always look back on that event and remember fondly, even though Hurricane Sandy almost destroyed it, we worked together and we endured. To be part of this brotherhood of men who express themselves artistically is great and they are all talented and great people.
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