If you've come to Tower Grove Pride over the years, you've more than likely moved along with us to the legendary lineup of stage performers. These have been local musicians with huge talent and a lot of heart for the LGBTQIA+ community. They've helped us celebrate in style and have asked for very little in return. And, what you might not know, is they came at the request of TGP team member Melinda Cooper.
Melinda's connections to the music scene in St. Louis run deep. Many Tower Grove Pride performers she herself has shared a stage with at one time or another. Almost all she's share a beer with. In a 2016 RFT article, Cooper explained the importance of highlighting the queer presence in St. Louis music scene. And year after year, she's helped us do just that. Her knowledge of the sound and how to arrange the bands on stage created magic at the festival, and kept the cheering fans entertained for countless hours.
As Melinda moves on from being the music aficionado and stage manager of Tower Grove Pride, we thank her for giving years of her time and energy, to helping us build a world class event, empowering local (queer) musicians along the way!
FWIW, we still expect Melinda to be hanging out and helping out at our 2019 event, but anyone interested in being on stage should reach out to us directly at towergrovepride@gmail.com. Our 2019 stage manager, who has big shoes to fill, will be announced in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!