http://www.gayblade.com/news0409_evans.shtml

THE BLADE

Feminist Fruit: Angie Evans' New Music

By Lyn Jensen

Angie Evans is currently scaling a couple of career peaks--one is her return to the Long Beach Pride Festival in May and the other is the release of her first CD, Cycle of Fruit. Although the gay community may wonder about the “fruit,” the title track’s lyrics proclaim, “let your love drip down” like fruit. “It’s me or others metaphorically as fruit,” Evans says. “You are the fruit, giving sweetness.”
“I don’t even say he or she,” she adds. “But I never hold back... being part of my community,” by which she means the GLBT community.
While the title track’s lyrics are personal, Evans also points to the significance of another top cut, “My Politic,” one of the CD’s more political songs. She doesn’t hold back on this song--either in terms of language or politics--while combining feminist and gay statements, even mentioning the Stonewall riots. 
Evans’ music may be described as Lilith Fair meets Jack Kerouac. She’s a female vocalist who plays guitar, but her style is more jazz hipster than the standard-issue women’s artist some first-time listeners may be expecting. As a teenager in the nineties, she wrote poetry, played guitar, and listened to women artists--Sheryl Crow, Jewel, Shawn Colvin. Then she started singing. Later she went through what she calls a “hip hop stage,” a time of Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Erykah Badu. Evans’ MySpace site lists still more influences including Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone--and sex, too. 
For Cycle of Fruit, Evans hooked up with a gay-friendly independent label, Freedom Tribe, based in Tempe, Arizona. In contrast to her earlier solo acoustic EPs and demos, Cycle features her four-piece backing band. Her debut CD is now available from the indy store Fingerprintz in Long Beach, or try Barnes & Noble, especially the Buena Park store. It can also be purchased at Evans’ Web site or downloaded at iTunes.
As for live shows, Evans will play the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Celebration--which is, along with many other things, a music festival--on May 17. Her slot is 4 p.m. on the Coffeehouse stage, but she wonders why the festival’s main stage doesn’t feature more “queer” (her term) artists. “They should be more focused on queer artists,” she asserts. “Our organizations have ability as queers to use the fest as an outlet to support queer artists.”
She does about twenty to forty shows a year, mostly in and around Long Beach, playing colleges, “queer” or gay groups, and women’s groups. About half are with her band, the others are acoustic solo performances. She books her own shows. Visit www.angieevans.com or her MySpace site to arrange for a booking, purchase a CD, or for more information.

Okay, so us butches/masculine style wearing womyn have no examples in magazines or media of "good" styled butch, right? Our only example for mainstream would be ellen and she has one particular style. And if we look to men we can't really get an idea of what might be a good shape or style for our body types. It is not our fault that we have been caught up in the cargos, hoodies and t-shirts....so don't get down on yourself.
>
I wanted to start posting with some easy steps and guidance for claiming the butch style with more pride and fashion sense, of our own. We are women and we have the most power over fashion, so lets do it. The femmes are dressing up for us, but we aren't dressing up for them. Most importantly, we aren't dressing up for ourselves. In doing so, looking good makes you feel good....MAKES YOU FEEL SEXY...makes you more confident.....which will then help in the rise of your career, love life or just out look on yourself, others and the world. I know it seems easier to hide behind your clothes, but, we can't hide any longer......What a metaphor right?
This guidance can be applied to anyone with womanly form including trans men.



So here it is..... we like masculine/mens clothing for the style right? But, the clothing is not made for the shape of our bodies.....and THIS IS WHERE MANY THINGS CAN GO WRONG.

BUTCH STYLE TIP #1 (some of you may disagree, but it is true)

:::::::::::::DON'T BUY MENS PANTS::::::::::::::::::



The bottom half of us is really important. We have womyn hips and if you think you are covering them with mens pants you are wrong. It makes us look BIGGER. Being who we are, with no fashion line for us, we are going to have to do some work to find the right stuff. But, believe me finding 2 pairs of nice fitting slacks or jeans(with that masculine style) will outdo 100 cargos and light colored baggy jeans any day.

So you probably want to know where to get this stuff. Well, if you go to banana republic style stores they always have womens suits. Those stores are a little pricey so H&M is a great alternative and sometimes Target(just be careful when it gets cheap......it might just look cheap). We are lucky these days with the rise in womens suits. Yes, they make jackets and dress shirts a little too femme for us, but we will get into that later. Try on ALL the women's slacks you can. If none of them fit right or make you feel sexy. Don't buy them! But, just remember fitting slacks will feel a little different at first. Make sure they are not too tight, but definitely not to big. NEVER WORRY ABOUT THE LENGTH. Only focus on the fit of the pant. Because you will be taking them to get hemmed.

******HEMMING IS VERY IMPORTANT********

Do not wear your new pants without going to your local dry cleaner, they usually do alterations, FIRST. Do not roll them or pin them. Put the pants on in the store and let them pin it for you. Make sure to wear your shoes when doing this.

All above applies to jeans as well. Don't get the large boot cut and stay away from light jeans. This will help for a more masculine looking fit and light jeans just don't work.

Don't buy the jeans if they are just okay. Sometimes you can find some androgonus jeans at old navy, target and H&M. But try not to get everything from one store. Honestly it is hard to buy high end jeans when you are a size 11 and up, so don't get down on yourself, just look in stores and try the stuff on. Once you find a fine studdly fitting jean....do what? GET THEM HEMMED.



DO NOT ROLL. DO NOT CUT.

:::::::::::::::::::DON'T BUY MENS SHORTS:::::::::::::::::::::

I know, what about the 30 cargos in your closet?



Now a days they are selling longer and more masculine style womens shorts. They stop at the knee or a little above, just like mens shorts, and they are not tight. They are called "city shorts" I think.

But, if you can't find any shorts, which I know you can, remember it takes work. Find some slacks or pants you like and get them hemmed at the knee.

The thing is when a man buys a size 38 short his waist is proportioned straight down to his legs. So the short goes with his legs and fits. When a woman has a size 38 waist that doen't mean she is a 38 straight down(the hip factor) so we make ourselves look wider, less put together, makes us look more little boyish....and we want to look adult, we want to look confident(no gendered description needed). We want our masculine style to be taken seriously.



Fashion Revolution right?

I hope info helps out some of my butch sisters and brothers.
If there some other things you want to know about send me a message and I will make sure to hit on them in the next blog.

Here it is blog/rant number 3......Haven't played in LA since the CD release party last year.....oh and what a great night that was. And I think the reason I seldom take the trek up to LA from Long Beach is due to the whole venue situation. In case non of you know about booking shows and how things work, I will just let you in on the basics. Lets not keep this a secret....... Some venues are "pay to play." This is where you sign a contract, in which are given a sum of tickets, a certain amount you are required to sell and the number of extras is what you get to keep. Usually 75% of ticket sales go to the venue and "IF" you sell over that required amount you get to keep the rest. "Pay to plays" usually range frome a required $250 to $1000. Crazy I know. For example; the artist is doing the $500 deal.....they give you 70 tickets, you sell 50 for $10 a pop(giving all that to the venue) and if you sold those 20 extra(so very kind of them) you get to keep the rest($200). Did I mention if you don't sell $500 worth, you still owe them $500. Now lets think about gas, email and internet time, cost of paper for flyers and all the time and preparation......well, to put on a good show. Say you have a band of 4 people. You maybe make $35 bucks each, which you might go and spend on a drink and a late night meal after the show..........okay you made nothing. And for an indie artist..... without big time promotion and advertising....bringing 70 people is very hard work. "pay to play" are gigs I do not do, but make me very disheartened about the whole LA music "scene."
Other venues give you a un-contracted requirement of the number of people you must bring and after a certain amount of people brought you are given half to full amount of the cover charge. For example; $10 cover, you bring 30, the door/venue gets first 15 paid($150) and the artist gets the 15($150), if it is full door price given. Or if you bring 10 people and you are required 15 you are not penalized. They make $100, plus drinks they sold, you play the show and go home with no compensation Sometimes there is money, sometimes there isn't. The venues that I do play at in LA have amazingly caring bookers and people working at the venue(like Room 5 and The Mint) and this is why I play there. If I am going to invite you all to come see a show, I wanna make sure it is accepting towards my people and toward myself. That energy is important to keep strong, I will not compromise that.

Funny thing is most independent performers/bands could care less if they get paid, as long as they get to play music for a receptive audience....such as myself. We seem to be very used to it. Why would we continue to perform in places that may have only have 5 people listening? Passion. Love. Enjoyment. Hope?
So I want to thank the 3 women at the table to my right, the 2 women to my left, the one woman at the bar, the group in the middle, and the dude with the hat who was diggin it in the back, yes I saw you, and the other listeners that just happened to be there. Wonderful audience, wonderful time. Thanks for coming out to Room 5 on inauguration night to come see myself and my band, Natalie and Elliot, do what we love to do more than anything. Make music. Without you, we wouldn't have enjoyed the show as much as we did.
Because the artist and the fan/listener need each other to survive.

We need each other to survive.

I won't lie to you and tell you it is all easy work or oh so glamorous....it is not....but I love it. I will keep playing away, looking forward to seeing you all at the show. AND remember support independent music. Cuz it feels so good.
in sisterhood,
ae

I have had my fare share of "excuse me sir" "sup dude" and "hey bro." I have even had conversation with men who for a long period of time have still thought of me to be a man. In the far past that has annoyed, frustrated and even hurt me. But over the past 2 years, getting in touch with my 'butch' has been such a beautiful thing. I AM A BUTCH WOMYN. mmmmhhhhhmmmmm. and I like it. I also wonder why many women I meet stray away from the word 'butch.' They say 'i am who i am', all the while wearing cargo shorts, baggy t-shirts and fantasizing about wearing a suit. Well, I don't know this, I can only assume right, cuz I do love to wear a suit. I mean, yes, we all are different. Some femmes like femmes. Some butchas like the butchas. And a lot of "middles" like the "middles." But, sometimes I feel like there is a battle in some women with identifying as butch. THE EMBRACE OF YOUR FEMALE MASCULINITY is such a beautiful thing for all women. ppssssssst....it doesn't mean you want to be a man! If you have that want to open the door for the ladies....embrace that. If you love to fix things around the house, all while using a drill(I love drills).....claim that. If you like the idea of putting on a tie, some nice fitting slacks, some nice dress shoes(from the mens department) and oh don't forget the tie clip, shiny watch and the cuff links, but you are to afraid of being labeled a woman who wants to be a man. SAY "FUCK IT" You are a butch woman, who feels good, strong and sexy doing and wearing the things she wants to. I have so much more to say on this subject but I will leave it at that. I wanna give a shout out to all those girls who look like boys, be proud, claim your butch or your gender queer identity while staying proud to be a woman. I also wanna give a shout out to the butch loving femmes who are always by our side.
If you haven't read "STONE BUTCH BLUES" or "FEMALE MASCULINITY" you might want to pick one up.
I will definitely get back to the subject in another blog
in sisterhood,
ae

In this new year 2009 I am doing all the things that I have always wanted to do, but just never did. All those things that I made internal excuses for. Maybe it was all due to money or time. Or maybe I had fear. Maybe I didn't take a vocal lesson because I was afraid that the instructor might tell me that I couldn't really sing. Maybe I didn't sign up for an excercise class because I was afraid I would realize I am very out of shape. Or maybe I was afraid of all the work. Aaaahhh work...... To improve ourselves; mind, spirit and body takes WORK. I have done a lot of tearjerking work with my spirit and am now focusing on mind and body while holding that spirit close. Without my spirit work I don't believe I would have been able to approach the things I am with such appreciation, excitement and passion.Why do we forget about ourselves? This is turning into a rant I know.... bare with me..... but why to we do that? Like an alcoholic, the first step to recovery is admitting you are an alcoholic. Should we admit we are a forget-about-ourselves-aholic? Okay, back to the reason why I was starting this blog. To tell you why I took a vocal lesson.Time is precious. Passion is like a flame(cliche;been said billions of times before, but very true), while there is no air or fuel to keep it burning, it will go dim. The passion on the top of my list is; provoking emotion through the vibration of sound. It is my job, with pleasure, to get on stage and provoke emotion with sound. Haha... the next time someone asks me what I do, I will say 'I am an emotion provoker.' But since sound, using the voice and guitar, are my tools I should do everything and anything possible to improve upon that. Thus, the vocal lesson.What did I learn? I play two instruments! Never really thought of it that way. I knew it felt so good to sing, but never thought of it in relation to my guitar, an instrument I take care of. I change the strings, give it a polish, keep it in a safe case and make sure it doesn't get too cold or too hot to protect the wood. But, now I know I must take the same care, with my good ol' voice. My voice was self taught, so I never learned the useful tools that might prolong healthy singing as well as stretch my vocal comfort zones. And today is the first day of my life.....okay maybe that is going to far....but can't everyday be the first day?So I guess thats it for now. Also, promised myself I would do some more blogging in 2009. I've gotten many requests from some of you, so here you go. A rant on voice, passion and life.in sisterhood,aeps:I have my next vocal lesson next week.

Hello​ folks​,​

If you haven​'​t heard​ there​ is a reall​y cool free music​ websi​te out there​ calle​d www. pando​ra.​ com

I use it all the time to find out about​ new artis​ts and bands​ I might​ like to buy a CD from.​

You just login​ (for free)​ and start​ plugg​ing in your favor​ite artis​ts;​ e.i '​Angie​ Evans​,​'​ and then the syste​m plays​ simil​ar music​ accor​ding to genre​ and sound​.​ You give a thumb​s up and a thumb​s down to teach​ the genom​e proje​ct which​ sound​s/​songs​ you reall​y like and it fits the stati​on to your taste​.​ You can make 100 stati​ons and chang​e them as you like.​ Great​ for gathe​rings​!​

You shoul​d try it.

You can start​ with makin​g an Angie​ Evans​ stati​on.​ :)

My frien​ds Coyot​e Grace​ are on there​ too. If you haven​'​t heard​ you shoul​d.​ They are amazi​ng!​
We will be playi​ng a show toget​her Fri. Feb 27th in LA

from the groun​d level​,​
xoxo ae

The album is available at these locations:

Fingerprints
4612-B E 2nd St.
Long Beach, CA 90803
Phone:(563) 433-4996

Open Bookstore
2226 E 4th St
Long Beach, CA 90814
Phone:(562) 499-6736

Borders Books and Music
Buena Park, CA

Stinkweeds
12 W. Camelback
Phoenix, AZ 85013
Phone: (602) 248-9461

Zia Records
1940 W. Indian School Road
Phoenix, AZ 85015
Phone: (602) 241-0313

Zia Records
2510 W. Thunderbird Road
Phoenix, AZ 85023
Phone: (602) 866-7867

Zia Records
105 W. University Drive
Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone: (480) 829-1967

Zia Records
1940 W. Chandler Blvd.
Chandler, AZ 85224
Phone: (480) 857-4942

Zia Records
3370 E. Speedway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85716
Phone: (520) 327-3340

Zia Records
3655 N. Oracle 107
Tucson , AZ 85705
Phone: (520) 887-6898

Zia Records
4503 W Sahara Av
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Phone: 702-233-4942

Zia Records
4225 S. Eastern Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Phone: 702-735-4942

The only way violence against women(as well as other men and boys) will EVER stop is if there is some sort of "MALE REVOLUTION" / "MALE FEMINIST THINKING REVOLUTION"

Get informed and tell your brothers, fathers and friends.....

Rape can not be prevented by women learning how to physically defend themselves with classes and teqhniques. Unfortunately, it is important that we do so and is also unfortunate that we have to think about preventing the violation of ourselves everytime we walk out of the front door....and many times behind that door.

Why is rape prevention soley put on the woman when men do the raping and beating?

Please pass this website around!!

I would love to see men creating groups, holding city meetings, FRATERNITY MEETINGS and walking the streets passing around the information given on this website with passion and urgency.


www.mencanstoprape.org

you call me a "bitch"... and I respect every one of all races, cultures, sexualities, disabilities, economic status and gender (men, women & intersex). So think about me or your sister, your daughter, your mother and your grandmother before you make her scream, before you cum in her face, before you bring her to her knees, before you call her a name and before you dehumanize her being. Don't call yourself progressive and claim you fight for change when you call me a "bitch." I wouldn't cut down your race or whatever place you are in because I make the effort to understand, as so many women do. Why is it when a woman speaks up and refuses silence that word likes to trickle towards your tongue. When you call me a bitch you call the women in your life a bitch. Becoming a hypocrite in all the lines you spit.