Birmingham-based drag performer and producer, Fatt Butcher (Adam Carver) has announced an exciting new project with Fatt Projects which will see the creation of dancefloor ‘hymns’. ‘Congregational’ is a “new performance imagining the possibilities of choral music performance for nightclubs, exploring the nightclub as a queer spiritual space, and creating new ‘hymns’ for the dancefloor,” explains Fatt Butcher.
They have been funded by Arts Council England – with support from Fierce Festival, Cambridge Junction, B:Music, and Wysing Arts Centre – to develop this latest project which will be performed at ‘Club Fierce’ as part of Birmingham’s Fierce Festival on Saturday 19th October.
“‘Congregational’ explores queer spirituality, collective voice, live music, and nightlife culture, imagining what choral music might sound and feel like when created in and for nightclub contexts. Particularly it will re-consider & present the nightclub as queer spiritual space with its own rituals, ceremony, leadership, hymns, and congregation and provide space to create new musical performance within this exploration.
“In particular the project will consider: the role of the drag artist in community leadership, bringing together LGBTQ+ communities for moments of joy, community, and togetherness. What a ‘sacred music’ for nightclubs might sound like and particularly the possibilities for choral music and collective voice. The ways in which nightclubs and dance floors offer opportunity for collective emotion, action, communication, connection to community, and the possibility for transcendental experiences. What spaces and opportunities we might create for LGBTQ+ vocalists to connect through choral performance. And what queerness itself might offer us spiritually outside of organised religions.”
As part of the development, Fatt Projects are on the look-out for eight professional LGBTQ+ singers or vocalists to form a choral ensemble to join drag artist and vocalist, Fatt Butcher in the upcoming performance of newly composed choral music created specifically for performance in nightclubs, written by Fatt Butcher in collaboration with Nicky Harris (musical supervisor/arranger) and Tobre (music production), and produced by SJ Watkinson.
While the location of the project is based in Birmingham, and Fatt Projects is particularly keen to hear from West Midlands-based singers, the call-out is open to vocalists across England, Scotland and Wales. The deadline to apply is midday on Monday 9th September 2024, and full information on the project including rehearsal dates, performers fees, and more can be found on the Fatt Projects’ website: https://www.fattbutcher.co.uk/news/call-out-lgbtq-singers
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