Justin Bond is Close to You
La Gayola – The Queer Up North Spiegeltent
27 May 2010
The name is Bond, Justin Bond.
In this show the great genderqueer artist sang his way through all the songs on the Carpenters’ album Close to You. There were some additional songs, namely Ticket to Ride, a Patti Smith song and a couple of Bond’s own compositions, one taken from Shortbus.
As you might have expected, the performances were terrific: moving and energising and compelling. Perhaps what you wouldn’t have expected, though, was the wit and engaging banter between the songs; they more than anything made the show an abundance of fun.
Clearly, Justin Bond is licensed to thrill. Mind, the only fatal weapon on show was Bond’s dance moves. Step well back.