RAINBOW RIOTS RADIO
International LGBT rights organisation Rainbow Riots will launch a weekly web radio series ‘Rainbow Riots Radio’ on May 30th. The podcast will feature ten unique shows exploring queer stories, culture and history from around the world. Each episode mixes engaging stories, investigative journalism, and spoken word poetry, backed by specially composed music. Episode 1 available from May 30, with a new episode every 2 weeks.
The series is created and hosted by Rainbow Riots’ founder, the Swedish artist and activist Petter Wallenberg, who also composed all of the music for the series in conjunction with some of his guests.
Episode one features an intimate interview with 73-year old gay historian and author Lars Fimmerstad, who has lived through modern gay liberation. Through Lars’s memories the listener will travel on a journey of sexual revolution to the AIDS crisis of the 80’s where he lost the love of his life.
Later in the series, the listener will hear stories often untold in mainstream media. From divine transgenders on the streets of Bombay, to Aboriginal drag queens in Australia, Africa’s first openly gay reverend, to queer bondage girls in Berlin. Petter will also introduce Ugandan’s brave queer community, Dykes on bikes in 80’s Sydney and the Jamaican rapper and gay activist with a bounty on his head.
The stories and interviews are all uniquely told with the help of musical collaborations that Petter has made with the guests, in which song, rap and poetry form a musical weapon against oppression. The whole soundtrack is original music created by Petter and his queer artist collective Rainbow Riots.
Petter Wallenberg said: “This is both a radio show and a musical collaboration with some of the people I have come across during my travels to fight for LGBT rights worldwide. Danger, drama and resilience – it’s all here. Rainbow Riots Radio connects our queer stories across continents and cultures and gives voice to those that are often silenced.”
Supported by Svenska Postkodstiftelsen and Kulturbryggan.