We caught up with one of the most inclusive promoters about town...
Your name:
Emily Franklin
Name of your events:
Shady Cow
Genre:
LGBTQueer music and arts showcase
Venues you do stuff at:
Rough Trade
Who else helps you run the nights:
Shady Cow is a collective, so contributors change. In the past I’ve worked with DirtyFilthySexy, Guerrilla Art Lab, members of the Radical Faeries like Russell Christie, and our Pride After Party at Rough Trade this year is being curated by local musician and emcee Baby Tap
Ten words that sum up the events you put on:
Freaky. Free(ing). Shady. Darling. Live. Beatific. Queer. Queer. Queer. Reclaimed.
Describe the average punter at your nights:
There are no average punters at our nights, dahling. Nobody ever fails to bring bucketloads of charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent, that’s for sure. Some people are there to discover new LGBTQueer live music, some just come to dance and meet new people.
Which local act has gone down best with your crowd and why?
It’s difficult, but I would say Baby Tap. When he graced our stage, it was like the mothership had landed. His sound is like nothing anyone’s heard before and his look was inspired by fashion designers from the next dimension. The crowd lived for it.
Which non-local act would you bring back again?
Ajah UK. Seriously tight musicians bringing metal, hip hop and more to create a performance that you could dance to forever. They're the ladies behind Sh*t Lesbian Disco in Manchester.
If you could get a celebrity compere in, who would you choose and why?
Little Richard. I love him, his music, his clothes and everything he’s done for open LGBT+ visibility since the fifties. He would be the most enthusiastic, energetic host ever.
Which booze sells best at your events?
I’m guessing pale ale and tequila. Not speaking from experience of course; I’m on orange juice all night, like a responsible promoter...
Tell us a crazy story that’s happened at your events…
At our May event, Wrapped in Plastic started giving communion to the crowd with Red Stripe instead of red wine cos we couldn't find a corkscrew. Then Joey Fourr set their guitar on fire which nearly got a bit out of hand. Rock ‘n’ roll, baby.
If you weren’t a promoter what would you have ended up doing?
I’m a musician myself, so I’d still be pursuing my dream of being a Drag King rockstar from Planet Zorg. Or there’s always bar work.
What other events in Nottingham do you love?
DirtyFilthySexy, Juice, Queerfest, everything Not Your Model Minority does, Fan Club and Notts Pride. Shady Cow have been the events coordinators for Notts Pride since last year.
What have you got coming up in July?
We have our free Pride After Party at Rough Trade on Saturday 29 July which is gonna be the biggest, fiercest night we’ve done to date. You’ll be able to see exactly what Baby Tap does on stage, alongside many other devastatingly fabulous artists.
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