"I love that we have music on vinyl." - Daffo
Daffodils symbolize rebirth and renewal, which aligns with blossoming musician Daffo’s sensibilities. Gabi Gamberg chose the flowery moniker to represent their artistry and band at the age of 21. The young queer singer uses they/them and she/her pronouns as descriptors in life. Raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Daffo started playing music at an early age and at 15 took a summer program at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. This led to adventures in New Jersey, singing at various open mics and meeting...
"There is no other show like it where someone can showcase their queerness, gender expression and just be free." - Nymphia Wind
The Serpents Tour starring Nymphia Wind and Plastique Tiara snakes its way into the historic Vic Theatre at the tail end of January. These talented drag artists are ready to sink their fangs into Asian folklore and onstage storytelling. Taiwanese drag persona Nymphia Wind dominated RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2024, taking home the crown on season 16. Leo Tsao became the first East Asian to win the franchise and has taken home trophies with the NYX Face Award 2019 Taiwan and in 2021 became the...
"the LGBTQ+ community supports me the most, whether it is at festivals or shows." - TheARTI$t
Musician Erica McCauley is making a name for herself as TheARTI$t in the world of rhythm and blues. Hailing from Newark, New Jersey, this queer soul singer is becoming one to watch with a growing catalogue of new tunes. She has acquired over 38 million streams from a loyal fanbase and her projects are getting bigger. In 2023, she released ARTchives and the following year ARTchives: The Gallery came out to resounding acclaim. In 2025, her EP Who I Am debuted and fresh collaborations have...
"There were gay film festivals in the early ‘80s, but I was formulating a plan." - Gus Van Sant
The legendary director Gus Van Sant has carved out a massive career over the years and he slices into 2026 with Dead Man’s Wire. He brought his latest project into the Windy City in October of 2026 for an early screening at the Chicago International Film Festival. From Row K Entertainment, Wire is the film adaptation of Dead Man’s Line, a 2018 documentary about Tony Kiritsis holding a hostage in Indianapolis. Bill Skarsgard tackles the lead role with gusto and humanizes Tony while hitting all...
"It's epic in the true sense of the word" - Graham McTavish
Spartacus was a real-life gladiator and leader who fought against Roman authority. His story has inspired works of fiction for decades and Starz Entertainment has produced several television series, starting with Spartacus in 2010. Just in time for the holidays, the network is gifting its viewers a spinoff tale titled Spartacus: House of Ashur, which debuted on December 5. This unique sequel explores the possibility of what would have happened if Ashur had not died in the second season of Spartacus. For House of Ashur’s...
"We try to keep our Baby Said sound, but we still change a few things and keep evolving." - Baby Said
Baby Said is a supremely talented band made up of two sisters, Jessica and Veronica Pal. The siblings began playing music at a young age and cut their teeth busking in the street. They created a cover band called AstroModa and later changed their name to Baby Said after a song from Italian rock band Maneskin. The dynamic duo sat for a chat before their set at the Iceland Airwaves music festival. JN: (Jerry Nunn) After missing you at South by Southwest, it’s good to...
"I wanted to be around music all the time and it has led me to many places over the years." - Bríet
Icelandic singer Bríet Ísis Elfar bangs to the beat of her own drum in two different languages. This talented songwriter debuted an EP 22.03.99 in 2018 and her first album Kveðja, Bríet, in 2020. At the tail end of 2025, her second EP titled Act I dropped on November 7 timed to an important gig. The Iceland Airwaves music festival started the year Elfar was born in 1999 and she first performed there at 15 years old. She returned to her roots with new material...
Daffo
Nymphia Wind
TheARTI$t
Gus Van Sant
Graham McTavish
Baby Said