My Favorite Things during the holidays are The Sound of Music. And not just the movie. Each season, I look forward to hearing “songs of joy and peace”. (That line from Joni Mitchell’s The River brings back fond memories of a love lost.)
Having been on the Brand g Danube River cruise this summer and visiting where “The Sound of Music” was shot, I couldn’t resist watching it (for the hundredth time) Sunday night on ABC. That movie is chocked full of great Rogers & Hammerstein tunes, and it was made even more special as I watched with new eyes the movie locations we toured in Vienna and Salzburg.
The talented musical duo of Branden & James were the entertainment on that cruise. They sang their holiday show at Purple Room this weekend. Afterward we reminisced about the trip that took us through some amazing territory – and a fun gay bar in Vienna that likely was not there in the 60s.
When I attend the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus show, I know I’m going to immerse myself in the music and the message. My favorite was the duet made popular by the unlikely duo of Bing Crosby and David Bowie: The Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth. The song was the chorus’ response to gun violence, especially in light of the recent mass shooting Club Q in Colorado Springs.
My Magical Musical Tour also took me to One Eleven Bar for Miss Rosemary Galore’s holiday drag show. The send ups of holiday classics were a sight to behold.
After this weekend, I’m ready for a Silent Night or two.
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide & KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
For the latest, follow our socials @GayDesertGuide and @KGAY1065 and listen to KGAY Palm Springs wherever you may be!
#ILoveGayPalmSprings
#ILoveGayCatCity
#ILoveGayTravel
#ILoveGay
#SayKGAY (and win!)
Garrison Brothers Bourbon Tasting
Aaron Pond of Purple Room’s Frank’s Bourbon Bar with Cole Kephart of Garrison Brothers Distillery present a Premium Bourbon Tasting on Monday, December 19 from 6–8 pm at the Purple Room Supper Club. Come and enjoy Small Batch, Single Barrel, High Rye, Guadalupe, and Estacado offerings from Garrison Brothers, with light snacks included. Get tickets
Holiday Food & Toy Drives
At The Roost Lounge, they are accepting canned food and non-perishable food items now through Tuesday, December 20, with drop-off locations at The Roost, Roadrunner Print & Ship, and various pop-up events from Brothers of the Desert. They are also accepting new unwrapped toys for local children, benefiting Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City, now through December 20 at the same locations. [More info].
Desert Theatreworks is partnering with the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission for a toy drive in hopes that every child at the mission has something to open during the holidays. Come see Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical through December 23 and bring an unwrapped toy for ages 0-12, when you come see the show.
The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert’s Community Food Bank shelves are emptier than ever, and they’ve launched a new “Feed a Family” campaign going into this holiday season. Your $55 donation can help the food bank provide a family of 4 with all the fixings for a delicious and healthy holiday meal [Donate here].
Why Can’t the Trains Run on Time? – A New Musical
The Palm Springs Cultural Center and Nunzio Sisto present the West Coast premiere of Why Can’t The Trains Run On Time? • A New Musical, on Monday, December 19 at 7 pm. This is an emotionally charged modern-day musical about an artist learning to let go of his past and appreciate his present. It’s a timeless tale that anyone can relate to, and a lesson about life that speaks to everyone who sees it. A Juilliard graduate, Nunzio Sisto’s music has been compared to Sondheim for its rhythmic and harmonic complexities, and to Schwartz for its memorable melodies. Get tickets
Romance of the Holidays – Music of Joe Giarrusso
Romance takes center stage when Palm Springs International Piano Competition presents Romance of the Holidays on Tuesday, December 20 at 7 pm at CVRep. This 90-minute concert celebrates the work of Joe Giarrusso and includes seven talented musicians: John Bayless, Cindy Brogan, Giorgi Latso, Anna Federova-Latso, Bram Conley, Richard Treat, and John Walz. Pianists, cellists, a violinist and a French horn will present all genres of music culminating with a holiday theme finale. Following the concert, enjoy a Holiday Sweets & Cocktail Reception where you’ll meet the evening’s performers. Get tickets
Deserted Films Presents: Holiday Oddities
Join local film archivists Melissa Dollman and Devin Orgeron of Palm Springs’ own Deserted Films, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit, for Holiday Oddities, an evening of curated holiday-themed film oddities from decades past, on Tuesday, December 20 at 7 pm at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. The program includes many unique, one-of-a-kind films from the Deserted Films vaults – and some vintage Palm Springs footage too, including home movies, educational films, advertisements, and other ephemera from the 1920s through the 1970s. Get tickets
Women’s B.A.M. Salon for December
The LGBTQ Center of the Desert presents B.A.M. Salon (Book and Movie Salon) for women, hosted by Flynn Sylvest and Irma O’Dell on Tuesday, December 20 from 7:00–8:30 p.m. and every 3rd Tuesday, monthly on Zoom. The group’s purpose is to develop and deepen LGBTQ+ community and connection through stimulating and informative conversations about books and movies that highlight women authors and women’s stories and experiences. This month’s salon features Kissing Jessica Stein (2002). Jessica is at the end of her emotional rope. She happens upon an intriguing personal ad, whose only drawback is that it’s in the “women seeking women” section. On a daring whim, she decides to answer it. She meets funky downtown hipster Helen Cooper for drinks, and to her surprise, they click instantly. With conventional gender roles absent, the two women proceed to muddle through an earnest but hilarious courtship, making up the rules as they go. More info
The Lincoln Debate: A New Play by Terry Ray
The Palm Springs Cultural Center and The Bent present The Lincoln Debate: A New Play by Terry Ray on Wednesday, December 21 at 7 pm. Terry Ray is the playwright of Electricity, the record-breaking longest running play in Palm Springs. The Lincoln Debate takes a funny, touching and historically honest look at the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed, a man he shared a bed with for four years. Did they have an intimate relationship? Did one of the greatest men in American history have a letter under the LGBTQ banner that fit him? Get tickets
Prime Timers of the Desert Monthly Dinner
The Prime Timers of the Desert December monthly dinner will be at Grand Central Palm Springs on Wednesday, December 21. Cocktails begin at 5 pm, with dinner orders at 6 pm. $55 per person, all inclusive. Includes custom, three-course, pre-set menu, all non-alcoholic beverages, tax, and tip. More info
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical – Final Performances
Desert Theatreworks presents Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Musical, this Thursday and Friday, December 22 & 23, a musical stage adaptation of the beloved 1954 holiday film. Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge. With a dazzling score featuring well-known standards including “Blue Skies,” I Love a Piano,” How Deep Is the Ocean,” “Snow,” and the perennial title song, White Christmas is a family-friendly holiday show bursting with cheerful dancing, treasured tunes and a generous helping of yuletide cheer. Get tickets
Win Tickets to Boozehounds’ Studio 54 New Year’s Eve Party!
KGAY 106.5 wants you to WIN a pair of tickets into Boozehounds New Year’s Eve: Studio 54! This is the most stylish party celebrating the golden age of Disco…with a night at Studio 54. Get ready to hit the dance floor and dress for the era in your best disco attire! Tickets include: Premium Open Bar, Specialty Welcome Cocktail, Signature Small Bites, Dedicated Table & Service, DJ, Disco, Dancing & Midnight Toast! Enter to win on the KGAY 106.5 Contest Page
Palm Springs International Film Fest 2023 Lineup + Giveaway
The Palm Springs International Film Festival has released the lineup and schedule for the 2023 festival, which runs January 5–16. Plan ahead and get ready for individual ticket sales to open. The American Express Pre-Sale is on through Monday, December 19 and Member Days begin on Tuesday, December 20 [More info]. Passes are on sale now, and KGAY 106.5 has your chance to WIN a 4-pack of passes! This is one of the largest film festivals in North America featuring twelve extraordinary days of screenings and special events with celebrity appearances and post screening discussions. Enter to win on the KGAY 106.5 Contest Page
