Current Pride Band Alliance logo
old LGBA logo

Pride Bands Alliance is an international network of LGBTQ+ and affirming bands. Pride Bands Alliance was originally formed as the Lesbian and Gay Bands of America when members of seven independent lesbian and gay bands met formally in Chicago from October 1–3, 1982. Those bands were the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band (founded June, 1978), the Montrose March Band (Houston, founded June, 1978), the Los Angeles Great American Yankee (GAY) Freedom Band (founded October, 1978), the New York Gay Community Marching Band (founded September, 1979), the Chicago Gay/Lesbian Community Band (founded 1979), DC's Different Drummers (Washington, DC, founded January 7, 1980), and the Oak Lawn Symphonic Band (Dallas, founded May 6, 1980), and the Minnesota Freedom Band (Minneapolis founded September 12, 1982). In 2003 the organization changed the name to Lesbian and Gay Band Association and in 2021 to Pride Bands Alliance to reflect the diversity of the membership. Pride Bands Alliance currently includes over 30 bands in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia.

The purpose of Pride Bands Alliance is to promote LGBTQ+ Music, Visibility, and Pride by:

  • Providing an international network of LGBTQ+ and affirming bands in all stages of development;
  • Promoting music as a medium of communication among people;
  • Improving the quality of artistic and organizational aspects of member bands; and
  • Stimulating public interest in the unique art form of community bands in our culture.

Membership

Pride Bands Alliance is made up of member bands, partner groups, and individual affiliate members.

Great performances are the most visible manifestation of the pride band movement. Member bands across the country appear in hundreds of concerts, parades, and community events every year. Member bands in geographic proximity often perform together, and a typical marching schedule will include LGBTQ+ pride parades in several different cities.

Pride Bands Alliance strives to unite people who share a love of band music, and the bands help create and enhance the "community" its members call home. Pride Bands Alliance member bands are sources of pride within their cities, as well as positive symbols of the same communities. Making music creates a family where affection means more than affectional preference. By "banding together," Pride Bands Alliance shows that people of different sexes, ages, creeds, races, and challenges can build a strong community.

Conferences and Special Events

Pride Bands Alliance meets annually hosted by one or more member bands. Members of bands from around the world gather to conduct organizational business, elect officers, encourage the formation of new bands, and share the gift of music. Seminars on topics such as musicianship, programming, membership diversity, and organizational skills are held in addition to general business and committee meetings. Often special ensembles such as saxophone choirs, clarinet choirs and jazz bands are organized by the membership and perform at the conferences. There have been special guest conductors and composers at past Pride Bands Alliance annual conferences.

At the 2004 conference in Fort Lauderdale the massed band played Russian Christmas Music under the direction of composer Alfred Reed, and In Glory Triumphant conducted by composer Robert Longfield. During the 2005 conference, composer Frank Ticheli conducted a band of 120 musicians in Abracadabra and An American Elegy.

For the 2012 Conference in Dallas, the Pride Bands Alliance commissioned a new work by composer Michael Markowski. He composed City Trees to Commemorate 30 Years of Music, Visibility, and Pride.

The 2018 conference, "There's No Place Like Home" was held in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Orlando conference in 2019 was hosted by the three Pride Bands Alliance member bands in Florida, the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble of Fort Lauderdale, the Tampa Bay Pride Band, and the Central Florida Sounds of Freedom Band and Color Guard in Orlando. The concert included the world premiere of two commission pieces by LGBTQ+ composers. Julie Giroux composed and conducted My Soul to Keep, dedicated to all touched by gun violence. Randall Standridge composed Stonewall: 1969, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

The Heart of It All Columbus, OH July 17-21, 2024
Rocky Mountain Dreams Denver, CO August 31-September 3, 2023
Sweet Home Chicago Chicago, IL May 26–29, 2022
Bigger and Brighter Houston, TX November 18-21, 2021
Tutti virtual conference July 25–26, 2020
Building Bridges (cancelled due to COVID-19) Portland, OR July 2020
Looking Back, Marching Forward Orlando, FL October 10–13, 2019
World Pride New York City, NY June 28–30, 2019
Gay Games X Paris, France August 9–17, 2018
There's No Place Like Home Kansas City, MO May 23–27, 2018[1]
The Stars at Night (cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey) Houston, TX August 30–September 4, 2017[2]
California Gold Palm Springs, CA November 2–6, 2016[3]
Music, Visibility and Pride Indianapolis, IN August 6–9, 2015
Fiesta Caliente Fort Lauderdale, FL November 6–9, 2014
Gay Games IX - Salute to Rock and Roll / Personal Best Cleveland, OH August 9–17, 2014
Color Our World Atlanta, GA October 10–13, 2013
Presidential Inaugural Parade Washington, DC January 2013
Go West with a Twist Dallas, TX September 13–16, 2012
Lights! Camera! Action! Seattle, WA October 13–15, 2011
Gay Games VIII Cologne, Germany August 10–18, 2010
Stop the World - I Wanna Get On! Indianapolis, IN March 24–28, 2010
Incantations New Orleans, LA September 3–6, 2009
Presidential Inaugural Parade Washington, DC January 20, 2009
Deliciously Wicked! New York City, NY October 30 - November 2, 2008
Silver in St. Louis St. Louis, MO October 4–7, 2007
Gay Games VII - When the World Listens Chicago, IL July 12–15, 2006
Sunshine Summit Palm Springs, CA November 3–6, 2005
SF4 – Fourth Dimension Fort Lauderdale, FL November 2004
Minnesota State Fair Minneapolis, MN August 28 – September 2, 2003
Under New Skies Melbourne, Australia October 2002
Gay Games VI Sydney, Australia October 2002
Meet Me in St. Louis St. Louis, MO September 13–16, 2001
LGBA Conference Washington, DC April 29—30, 2000
Millennium March on Washington Washington, DC April 29–30, 2000
Blast Off – Gays in Space Fort Lauderdale, FL February 1999
Friendship – Gay Games V Amsterdam August 1998
LGBA Conference Oklahoma City, OK April 23—26, 1998
Hollywood Goes Down Under Los Angeles, CA September 1997
LGBA Conference San Francisco, CA April 1997
Presidential Inaugural Parade/Concert Washington, DC January 1997
LGBA Conference Rochester, NY September 1996
LGBA Conference San Antonio, TX April 1996
LGBA Conference Indianapolis, IN Fall 1995
LGBA Conference Denver, CO Spring 1995
This is It! Ft Lauderdale, FL October 1994
Here and Now - Gay Games IV New York, NY June 1994
LGBA Conference Denver, CO April 1994
LGBA Conference Dallas, TX October 1993
Americans We / 1993 March on Washington Washington, DC April 1993
Presidential Inaugural Parade/Concert Washington, DC January 1993
Dreams: Toward the Next Rainbow San Francisco, CA September 1992
American Bandsong Philadelphia, PA March 1992
Stars Across America Houston, TX October 1991
band.ol.o.gy Baltimore, MD April 1991
March on Washington Washington, DC October 1990
Beyond the Rainbow - Gay Games III Vancouver, BC August 1990
LGBA Conference Denver, CO March 1990
LGBA Conference Minneapolis, MN September 15—17, 1989
Showboat ‘89 Ft. Lauderdale, FL April 7–9, 1989
Banding Together Boston, MA October 1988
Takin’ It Downtown San Diego, CA February 26–28, 1988
Let Freedom Ring Washington, DC October 1987
Southwest Celebration Phoenix, AZ March 20–22, 1987
LGBA Conference Dallas, TX September 1986
With the Greatest of Ease - Gay Games II San Francisco, CA August 9–17, 1986
Chinese New Year's Parade San Francisco, CA March 8–9, 1986
Notes Across the Nation Denver, CO October 18–21, 1985
One Night Only New York, NY March 22–24, 1985
LGBA Conference Minneapolis, MN October 12–14, 1984
A Gay Night at the Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, CA June 1984
LGBA Conference Houston, TX Spring 1984
LGBA Conference Los Angeles, CA September 30—October 2, 1983
LGBA Conference Washington, DC February 18—21, 1983
LGBA Founded Chicago, IL October 1—2, 1982

Notable performances

Pride Bands Alliance was the first openly LGBTQ+ organization invited to participate in a parade and review of the United States presidential inauguration, first doing so in 2009. The 2013 inaugural featured a 215-strong Pride Bands Alliance contingent hailing from different U.S. localities. Members of then Pride Bands Alliance also performed during both inaugurals of President Bill Clinton in 1993 and 1997.

The Pride Bands Alliance performed in Washington, DC for the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation (1987) and again for the Millennium March on Washington in April 2000 with concerts at the Warner Theatre (1993) and on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (2000).

The 4th conference was held in Los Angeles, CA and featured a concert at the Hollywood Bowl with special guest Rita Moreno. The concert, A Gay Night at the Bowl was performed on June 30, 1984.

See also

References

  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2017-07-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "LGBA 2017 - the Stars at Night". Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  3. "HOME". www.lgba2016.org. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
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