By Sara Collas & Valerie Milano
Photos THT/Sara Collas
West Hollywood, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/4/23 – Grace Jones is a force as powerful as a tsunami tearing up tradition, cliches, and posers.
Jones was an influencer way before the invention of the Kardashians. She makes a tidal wave wherever she lands from runways, James Bond movies, concert halls, to headlining West Hollywood Pride.
A gender bender who made androgyny hot in the eighties with her famous square jaw, chiseled features, beautiful Black skin, Amazonian height, outlandish outfits, her hair back in the day so flat and straight an airplane could land on it. The headliner on the second night of West Hollywood Pride, Jones gave us all she got. The audience loved her. And we loved her back. Telling the audience: “You’re the show. I’m just the side show.”
For one number she rode on the shoulders of a lucky burly security guy weaving throughout the audience showing us she was the only star of the night! During the performance she wore unique outfits which featured a galactic crown with glass lasers emanating rainbow colors. A glittering top hat that matched the disco ball above added to the repertoire. For another song she dressed up as an Egyptian pharaoh draped in a Jamaican flag. Jones belted out hits such as: “Slave to the Rhythm. “Love is a Drug”, and the classic “Pull Up to the Bumper.”
I can still remember dancing our ass off to “pull up to the bumper” in the eighties, my first entree to LGBTQ bar life at the Isis nightclub in Cleveland, Ohio. The excitement of the night was palpable. In one of many stylish outfits Grace Jones dressed as a church lady as she shared her idea of religion in the form of love, tolerance, and acceptance belting out “Amazing Grace.” The last song included Jones hula hooping ability for her encore. What an unforgettable performance by a legend! Thank you #OutloudWeho for booking this talent.
Enjoy these photos taken by Sara Collas: