Still Touring: The Village People

The Village People, those campy disco icons, seem today like cartoon characters — decidedly gay ones at that. So it’s worth remembering that when they were founded in 1977, they were conceived as… well, cartoon characters, basically, but not gay, per se. Somehow, at some point (well, instantly, really) this...

By Sam Eifling

January 7, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
          "component": "16971022",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "15769925",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Rectangle 2x - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782206",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782207",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

The Village People, those campy disco icons, seem today like cartoon characters — decidedly gay ones at that. So it’s worth remembering that when they were founded in 1977, they were conceived as… well, cartoon characters, basically, but not gay, per se. Somehow, at some point (well, instantly, really) this dancing, horn-section-backed sextet of American male iconography was co-opted by gay men. (Hey, no one ever said they didn’t have taste, right?) After more than 30 years, three of the original band members are still touring: Felipe Rose, the Indian chief; David Hodo, the construction worker; and Alex Briley, the soldier. The cop (Ray Simpson, 1979) and the cowboy (Jeff Olson, 1980) have been around nearly as long. By contrast, the biker, Eric Anzalone, having been with the band some 15 years, is a newbie. And they’re still singing that paean to your local YMCA. Young men, get your dose of ’70s nostalgia at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts (2855 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs). Tickets will run you $39 to $50 and are available through the arts center online at coralspringscenterforthearts.com or by calling 954-344-5999.
Sat., Jan. 9, 8 p.m., 2010

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of South Florida, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.