Queer Country Monthly at Brooklyn's Branded Saloon: Proof Gays Do Like Country Music

(Julia Steele Allen and Owen Taylor at Branded Saloon)
 
We made a musical discovery this weekend: Queer Country Monthly, a veritable jamboree of singers/songwriters at Branded Saloon in Prospect Heights. This showcase of Southern-fried performers and their plaid-shirted fans grew out of the success of last year's Gay Ole Opry at Public Assembly. "We got more than 300 people for that event so we decided we had to just keep it going," said Karen Pittelman, who curates the night in the appropriately-themed back room at Branded. (Antler chandeliers? Check!).
 
The evening consisted of a two-hours of twangy tunes, mixing old favorites like Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gale (sung by the sultry Bryn Kelly) with some fresh ukele ditties about modern romance (strummed by the sexy Joshua Marcus). But what really impressed us was the night's headlining act, a unique duo called My Gay Banjo. This super-talented male/female combo completely wowed us (and the packed crowd) with their gorgeous melodies and beautiful original songs. They even threw in a lovely cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" too, which was amazing (and viewable on YouTube)! We were wondering how MGB got their start and, after they got offstage with more than a couple encores, we got a chance to chat with them while having some beers.
 
"We were roommates together and started jamming in our kitchen," said Julia Steele Allen of her musical partner Owen Taylor. And how did they come up with their unusual name? "That was actually the name of the first song that we wrote together," added Taylor. We wondered if it was tough being roommates and performers, too. "Living together, we have a sibling-like relationship where we fight and we get cranky," said Taylor. "But when we get on stage, it all goes away."
 
Though the roommate aspect of their relationship will be ending soon as Taylor moves to Philadelphia to marry his boyfriend, My Gay Banjo is not breaking up. In fact, they're just getting started as they prepare for the release of their second CD in March. And we can bet that you'll be hearing more about this duo, who reminded us of an updated, more playful version of the Indigo Girls. What we particularly loved about them, and the Queer Country concept in general, was seeing girls and boys come together for a night on the town; a rarity in the often same-sex segregated world of New York gay nightlife. It was wonderfully refreshing to see that we all can get along—especially when singing along to Dolly!