New Haven Pride Center

On October 15th, the New Haven Pride Center, along with the United Church on the Green, sponsored a concert by Dysphoric Cyborgs. One of those in attendance offers this review:

As I was hanging flyers around downtown New Haven for the Dyphoric Cyborgs concert, a middle-aged, male stranger approached me and said: “Cyborgs, huh? Who are they, and what do they do?” I froze, puzzled, and stammered: “I…don’t know.” The fact of the matter was that I advertising for a show which I knew nothing about. I knew they were musicians and had heard something about a puppet show, so I told the inquiring stranger: “Well, sir, they are an experimental music group.” He gave me an absent expression, so I added: “And the members of the group are transgender.” His face remained blank, and he walked away. “Have a nice…day?” I weakly called after him. I continued posting advertisements and decided I needed to do some research.

So who are the Dysphoric Cyborgs? The duo is comprised of two transgender artists, Adelaide Windsome and elliott harvey, along with special guest and close friend Monica Gomery. Their concert was actually a showcase of engaging original music, both vocal and instrumental, as well as skits and an interactive puppet show. I was pleasantly surprised and intrigued by their unusual exploration of gender identity through these various art forms.

Adelaide performed sea shanties on her ukulele in an alternative rock singing style. She also displayed her impressively detailed, homemade puppets in a reflective and imaginative puppet show about a young girl’s struggle with her self-perception. Elliott sang his original and emotional songs in sweet feminine vocal registers while accompanying himself on a guitar and small keyboard. Song topics included: gender identity, poverty, and the pursuit of an unconditionally loving God. Special guest Monica offered unique harmonies on her harmonica and provided beats by stomping and clapping as a foundation for some of the more rhythmically driven songs.

The intimate concert, which took place at the Church on the Green in New Haven, CT, was an intimate and moving experience. One skit in which the main character tried to make sense of an androgynous stranger on the subway made the audience laugh wildly, while another song about hand-me-down clothes brought tears to the listeners’ eyes. Each musical and theatrical expression evoked strong emotion, because Adelaide and elliott were clearly authentic individuals trying their best to be themselves while facing the challenges of living as open and proud transgender people. The show and its heartfelt messages were personally refreshing and challenging. I look forward to their next local show. I dare any stranger to approach me now and ask me: “What’s a Dysphoric Cyborg?”

For more on the Dysphoric Cyborgs, check out their website here.

Tags: Dysphoric Cyborgs, review