Vancouver band Queer As Funk celebrates 10 years of music for the queer community

Vancouver band Queer As Funk is celebrating its 10th anniversary amid weekend Pride celebrations in the city. 

"We feel very lucky that our band has been able to continue on as strong and as long as we have," said vocalist Connie Buna. 

"Over the years our purpose has sharpened and our musical abilities have elevated … and we're really excited to share that."

Queer As Funk started when nine musicians came together to create what they describe as a safe musical space for the queer community in Vancouver. 

Music with a mission

Trumpeter Allison Gorman is credited with coming up with the idea for Queer As Funk. 

Buna says Gorman thought the band would be a fun way to make music together with other queer musicians. 

"We were singing together in a small community choir called Leadfoot … and things have just taken off from there," she said, adding their music is best described as Motown soul.

With their groovy arrangements and powerful vocals, Queer As Funk's music is inspired by what they described as the "musical greats," from Tina Turner to Janelle Monáe to even Bruno Mars. 

"We choose songs that we love, that have been meaningful to us … and that we know are going to get people on the dance floor," said fellow vocalist Jocelyn Macdougall. 

Macdougall says Queer As Funk's initial goal was to create safe spaces for queer people to connect. 

But with time, their purpose has evolved, according to Buna, and now also includes educating people about the queer community and experience. 

"Ten years ago, we were rather … naive to what we were doing and what the opportunity looked like in front of us," Buna said.

"We have spent concerted effort and time to realize this responsibility [of educating people] and solidified it as a driving purpose for what we do."

Celebrating with Pride

Queer As Funk has played across the province over the years, but their favourite venues have been in small B.C. communities, especially at Pride events. 

"When we're playing in a small community … we find ourselves in rooms that are full of local queer folks, but also full of lots of other local folks who are just out to have a good time," said Macdougall.

"We played the very first Pride in Pitt Meadows, in Squamish, in Hope and those have been really meaningful to us."

Macdougall says Pride performances have become more than just a celebration — it's also a way to stand up for the queer community, amidst anti-Trans and anti-LGBTQ movements in the United States and Canada. 

Several drag storytime events at B.C. public libraries, such as the Nelson Public Library and Coquitlam Public Library, have been cancelled in recent months after staff and storytellers were threatened and intimidated online. 

"It's an opportunity for all of us, queer folks and allies alike, to remember that in these [situations] it's important to … stand beside and in front of our community members and our siblings that are being targeted," said Macdougall.

"We're trying to … use our gift [for] music-making to invite people to build relationships based in love across differences."

The band celebrated their 10th anniversary on Friday with a "sweaty gay dance party" at the Commodore Ballroom, according to Buna, and will continue celebrating at Vancouver Pride events this weekend, including the Trans March and Dyke March.