The B-52s
Friday, June 28, 8 p.m.
Atlanta Botanical Garden
www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org
Gay factor: Lead singer Fred Schneider and guitarist Keith Strickland are both gay, as was founding member Ricky Wilson (brother of B-52s member Cindy Wilson), who died of AIDS in 1995. Member Kate Pierson operates a funky Catskills resort with her life partner, Monica Coleman.
The B-52s headlined Atlanta Pride in 2000, driving what still may be the festival’s largest ever single-day attendance. The band, and Fred Schneider solo as a DJ, have performed for multiple gay and HIV causes.
The Human Rights Campaign’s “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality” video series has been a big hit on the web. Notable celebrities such as Whoopi Goldberg, Moby, Julianne Moore, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and others have participated in the campaign, but yesterday, HRC posted to YouTube what might its most important endorsement yet – Joan Rivers!
“All New Yorkers believe in fairness. That’s why we should support marriage equality,” Rivers says in the video. “For goodness sakes, come on guys!”