[OutVoice] Boys Night Out

[Mike Rickard]

Hi Everyone,

 

If you're going to be in Atlanta next weekend, I want to invite you to a
very special event.  It's called Boys' Night Out.  I organized Boys' Night
Out because I wanted to network and share the stage with some of my
singer-songwriter friends - and I wanted to have the opportunity to bring
all of our audiences together for a different kind of show.  I'll be sharing
the stage with Wayne Fishell, Lucas Mire' and Sean Kagalis.  Our friend
Richard Solomon will open the show.  We're all very excited about Boys'
Night Out because it's about unity and friendship.  Boys' Night Out will be
held at Red Light Cafe (in Midtown) - the doors open at 7:00 pm and the show
starts at 7:30 pm.  There is a $7 cover.

 

I'm really excited to announce that Southern Voice featured Boys' Night Out
in the issue that hit stands today.  I'm also expecting coverage from David
Magazine and the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.  

 

I hope you can make it - and I hope you will pass the word along to all of
your friends!

 

Take care,

Mike

 

Here is the article from Southern Voice:

 

NIGHTLIFE | www.sovo.com

One night only 
Gay male musicians lay claim to space on Atlanta's acoustic stage

By ROB BECK 
May. 04, 2007

WHEN MOST GAY MUSIC FANS think of acoustic guitar, they can't help but call
to mind the plethora of lesbian singer-songwriters who make quite a name for
themselves. 

But four Atlanta gay men take to the Red Light Cafe stage May 12 for Boys
Night Out to show that men also know their way behind a guitar.

The brainchild of gay Atlanta musician Mike Rickard, Boys Night Out features
performances by Rickard and three of his gay pals from Atlanta's music
scene. Wayne Fishell, Sean Kagalis and Lucas Mire also headline the show,
and Richard Solomon makes his Atlanta debut as the opening act.

Rickard, who began performing in 2004 with the release of his album "Stirred
Not Shaken," says the event took shape as he realized the need for gay
musicians in Atlanta to link up and share audiences.

"When I was first coming out as a gay artist," he says, "I only knew of one
other in the city. It was just a way to let the Atlanta audience know that
yes, there are a number of gay artists out there and for us artists to be
able to network together."

After conceiving the event, Rickard approached the other artists, whom he
knew but never performed with.

"They all immediately wanted to get on board," Rickard says. "They thought
it was a great idea."

Fishell, who recently released a new album, "Optimistically Hopeless," with
his band the Wayne Fishell Experiment, is just as enthusiastic.

"I thought it was a great opportunity to showcase some of the local boys who
are making music and doing Atlanta proud by our music," he says. "I think
everybody was very excited to take part in it."

RICKARD DESCRIBES THE SHOW, which features the four headliners on stage at
the same time, as a sort of "writers in the round."

"We'll be sharing the stage, taking turns singing, telling stories," he
says. "It's going to be kind of a loose, fun, collaborative forum."

Fishell, who appears without the rest of his band, likens the show to VH1's
popular acoustic series, "Storytellers."

"I think it's a fantastic format for a show, because you get to give a nice
flow to the evening," he says. "You're listening to different people sing
every song."

Beyond the concept of each artist bringing his own audience and exposing
them to a variety of talent, Rickard looks forward to taking the stage with
his peers and seeing what develops.

"There's a real sense of camaraderie and chemistry between us," he says.

  _____  

C 2007 The Southern Voice | A Window Media Publication