World Aids Day & G-A-Y - another successful year

It felt a little bit like the Red Ribbon campaign sadly lost its visibility this year, especially with images like this:


Spot the difference

But thanks to great initiatives like the mass HIV Testing Station at G-A-Y, this year 745 men and women took a test and got their results on the day. For each test, £10 is donated by Jeremy Joseph to the Elton John AIDS Foundation - which means it's a no brainer to go down and get tested if its not already part of your sexual health routine. Over £9,000 is expected to be raised by the end of the campaign.

This is the second year the campaign has run, I hope it becomes an annual event and bigger and better next year.

Coupled with an amazing line up at G-A-Y that brought the best of gay together - Rylan Clark and Lucy Spraggan in an unbeatable double bill, what a 1st December for Jeremy Joseph and G-A-Y/Heaven. I've always been very impressed that they get one of the first PAs of the X Factor Finalists as they exit the show week on week and this year has been even better matchedthan ever, as there has been a wealth of gay acts on the show - perhaps next year a new show will pop up 'Gays' got talent?!

New Music: Kenelis EP Launch

The new EP Launches this Friday at 100 Club in Central London. The launch event promises to be an exciting, entertaining celebration of this EP.

You can view the Music Video of the new single, GFY below - it's modern punk rock (a cross between Blondie and Hole) with a great Pop Art look.

 

'MOVE' EP Release!

The EP 'Move' will be released next Monday 10th December on itunes & all major download sites. For those of you that enjoy the whole creative package of a music release there are eco-friendly CD digipacks with full lyrics & exclusive Artwork by jTayam (AKA Jessie Thomas), which is available for pre-order NOW on www.kenelis.com/music. Pre orders will be sent out immediately so you will receive them before the release!

Pre-order now on www.kenelis.com/music

Read the EP review from music loving Donald Strachan from Generate Radio http://dstrachan.tumblr.com/search/kenelis

 Follow Kinelis us on Facebook & twitter to stay totally up to date @Kenelis @MelSanson

You can attend the launch event! 

Get there early to see fantastic support acts, Joan Ov Arc & Words From Willis
If you haven't got your tickets yet, do not fear! You can still order now on www.kenelis.com/tourdates
You will receive email confirmation for your tickets which you can use to get your tickets on the door.

Kenelis Stage time 10pm (45 mins)
Age restrictions: 18+ (bring ID)
£8 in advance 

Getting into the LFestive Spirit

On 1st December we broadened Planet London's horizons with a trip to Birmingham (the infamous Nightingale club to be exact) to join in with LFestive - the winter taster for the summer lesbian music and arts Festival LFest.

With a cracking line up demonstrating the Festival's pull with big name lesbian fan favourites (we got treated to performances from Horse, Greymatter and the L Project as well as speed dating from Gay Girl Net, performance poety, short films and a tea dance) we and several hundred lesbians and bi women from the Midlands and beyond (we met people from Leeds, Brighton and Chesterfield) had the full run on of the venue.

We had a fabulous time talking to lots of women from outside of London but who like to visit London. We told them all about the variety of events on offer to London's lesbians and bi women and they were jealous. Let's hope we see a few of them soon on the scene.

LFestive was great fun and a mere taster of the well structured 3 day outdoor summer event that has already whet our apetite. It's already got a cracking line up and a well deserved reputation as the place to be in July. Friendly volunteers worked hard to make us and the other stall holders feel welcome and looked after, and make sure all the guests were having plenty of fun. It's easy to see why LFest pulls in top draw names. 

My Kingdom for Horse: Interview with Horse

We caught up with Horse at LFestive in Birmingham on December 1st, who performed some classic tracks and also alongside the L Project performance of charity single "It Get's Better". 

Lovely Horse

Horse credits her longstanding music career, which spans some 30 years, to determination, self belief and the power of her songs. It hasn't been the straightforward career-in-a-box many young hopefuls pitch for on the reality TV circuit, turbulent in terms of opportunities coming and going, and personal challenges too. However, the songs speak for themselves, and quality and integrity of songwriting is something Horse prides herself on. Originality, too, and being unafraid to stay true to her music rather than become part of the pop music marketing machine.

For Horse, the song always comes first. But, as her career has developed, so has the writing. She writes songs knowing she will perform them, they are geared towards her performances, she says the performance is "bound up in the song". We have to say this is true of the performance we saw yesterday, which included new song 'Soldier' (available on itunes) and classic 'Speed beat my heart'.

In particular, 'Coming up for Air' (2009) explores the experience and the grief of loss, which she finds resonates with many of her audience. Moving people with music is her measure of success, that and fans who have stuck with her throughout the span of her career, fans who share their enthusiasm with the next generations. 

Horse's involvement with the 2012 L Project song 'It Get's Better' follows the same rationale. Growing up gay, there were no role models or lesbian visibility for Horse, and it was a difficult time coming out. It still is for many young people today, but artists from the L Project showed that we have the opportunity to get the message across to young LGBT people that it will be worth the struggle in the end.

We discussed inspiration. Horse's music has always emoted raw, deep honesty and Horse talks openly about the desperation to escape a small town mentality that formed the original inspiration and motivation to write, "writing saved my life" she says, simply.

Back to the present day, Horse has just finished her latest UK tour, in preparation for her upcoming album (shortly to be released). 2013 offers personal celebrations in the form of marriage and a huge gig in Glasgow with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her second album 'God's Home Move' and new album 'Home'.

It might seem like life and career highlights will all be taking place next year, but there have been a number of high points along the journey for Horse, she remarks it's hard to choose just one, and with a career that includes concerts with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra,  touring with BB King and Tina Turner and 6 albums it's not hard to see why.

For details of upcoming gigs, and how to get hold of that new album (as well as the wonderful back catalogue) visit www.randan.org.

By Katie