Music & Concerts
Raunchy queer rapper Big Dipper readies Pride headlining set
Body-positive performer discovered career making campy, funny viral videos
One of the headliners at this year’s Capital Pride Concert will be rapper Big Dipper, best known for his frank sexuality and tongue-in-cheek humor, such as in the video for the song “Lookin,” which features a group of nearly naked men getting wet at a soapy car wash — only the men in question are not the typical body types you would expect.
“They are all big, fat dudes dancing in skimpy shorts,” says the rapper, who identifies as a bear.
It wasn’t until he was 26 that Dan Stermer adopted the moniker Big Dipper and released his first song “Drip Drop,” a raunchy parody of Disney-esque tunes about cruising for sex. He quickly developed a cult following and started performing at clubs. Big Dipper is slated to perform around 5 p.m. on the Capital Concert Stage. (Meet-and-greet tickets for Big Dipper are $25 and were available as of Blade press time.)
WASHINGTON BLADE: What can those coming out to the concert expect from you?
BIG DIPPER: I just found out that someone who is performing after me has a very large tween fan base, so I need to be a little more buttoned-up and make it more age-appropriate than I normally do.
BLADE: How is that going to change what you planned? Your fans might be expecting raunchiness.
DIPPER: I love Pride events and I love the fact that we get to support people of all ages, even from a young age, but more often than not I am a nightclub act, so when I go out in the day, I’m sort of like a vampire and I need to think about what I can do that’s appropriate for everyone. I may just have to hold the mic away from my face on certain words. Sometimes I yell out to the crowd that it’s time for the little ones to put their earmuffs on because we’re going to talk about “this thing” but I’ll have to see what happens.
BLADE: So, preview what’s in store.
DIPPER: My show will be provocative, high-energy, sex-positive, body-positive and a celebration of queer identity, all set to the backdrop of beat-club music and a bunch of me yelling into a microphone.
BLADE: What made you decide to get into the music industry?
DIPPER: I started on a whim. I made up one song with a friend of mine as a joke and the response was so positive that it just snowballed. That was seven years ago and I’ve been at it ever since trying to stake my claim in one little corner of the music industry.
BLADE: Your videos are hilarious. Was it a conscious decision to draw people into your music by way of these outlandish videos?
DIPPER: I definitely had ideas I thought would go viral, but the videos were never intended just for that purpose. If it didn’t serve the song, I left the idea alone. They are not just about getting people to pay attention but are always about making the best video for the song. I think a lot of independent artists who don’t have representation with a label and on top of that are queer — and essentially a different kind of queer that the mainstream media doesn’t think they can make money off of — and I believe I fall in all of those categories, but often those kind of artists don’t have the money or resources to make videos. I’m lucky in that I have so many creative friends around to rally to make these videos with me. They are all a labor of love. It’s just about making art I want to put out in the world.
BLADE: How have these videos helped your career?
DIPPER: Well, because I’m able to make videos that catch people’s eye, it’s allowed me to create a fan base and play big shows, like Capital Pride.
BLADE: You opt not to just have the “pretty” people in your videos, but you mix it up with different body types. Why was that important to you?
DIPPER: Yes, because of statements like you just said — the so-called good-looking people. I never saw sort of big bodies represented in any sort of media or sexualized in any sort of media, and for me, it’s really important. The most I can do is be a representative for people who look like me. The more of us who represent our identity, the more people who will feel seen and heard. I don’t think there are a lot of chubby, hairy dudes dancing around and making music videos, so the fact I get to do that and have people feel seen, feels important.
BLADE: Did you ever think when you were starting out that you would play a big event like Capital Pride and perfrom in front of so many people?
DIPPER: I never set out to be a performer, so no. This has all been haphazard and I’ve been letting it grow over time. I feel really lucky. When I play these big events, it’s kind of shocking. These ideas from my brain that I wrote down on paper and yelled into a microphone, now I’m getting the chance to share them in front of all these people and they are cheering me on. That’s a wild thing.
BLADE: Do you set goals for yourself? Where would you like to be in five years?
DIPPER: I would love to make money doing this. This is my full-time job but I am an impoverished artist. It would be nice to feel like I could survive. I would also like to elevate what I do to a larger audience and play on straight bills and not have it be a token thing or have to censor myself.
Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue brings her acclaimed “Tension” world tour to D.C. next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.
The show features songs spanning her long career, from 1987 debut single, “The Loco-Motion,” to “Padam, Padam” from her album, “Tension.”
Music & Concerts
Busy season for live music in D.C.
Erivo, Kylie, Sivan, and more headed our way this spring
One sure sign of spring’s arrival is the fresh wave of live music coming to Washington. With more than 10 venues and a diverse lineup of artists, the city offers no shortage of live performances for the new season.
In addition to this impressive list, don’t forget the many artists coming to town for WorldPride, May 17-June 8. In addition to headliner Cynthia Erivo performing on Saturday, June 7 at the two-day street festival and concert, many other performers will be in town. Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, and RuPaul are among the featured performers at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds, June 6-7. Visit WorldPrideDC.org for a list of other performers.
MARCH
Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Mary J. Blige will take the stage at Capital One Arena on March 26 for her For My Fans tour. Two days later, on March 28, J Balvin will also perform at Capital One Arena for his Back to the Rayo tour.
The Lincoln Theatre will host the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington for three performances—one on March 15 and two on March 16.
If dance parties are more your vibe, you’re in luck. DC9 is hosting a series of themed dance parties this month, starting with Poker Face: 2000s + Dance Party on March 14, the ever-popular Peach Pit ’90s dance party on March 15, H.O.T.S.: A Sapphic Dance Party on March 22, and RageRiot!—a burlesque and drag revue featuring a lineup of local drag kings, queens, and everything in between on March 29.
APRIL
Australian queen of pop Kylie Minogue will bring her Tension tour to Capital One Arena on April 8, with British dance artist Romy as her special guest.
Indie singer-songwriter mxmtoon will stop in D.C. for their Liminal Space tour on April 4 at the 9:30 club, followed by indie rock band Gossip on April 5. The 9:30 club will also host two dance parties in April: Gimme Gimme Disco – a dance party inspired by ABBA on April 11 and Broadway Rave on April 18.
The Atlantis will feature Brooklyn-based indie rock band Pom Pom Squad on April 2.
Comedy duo Two Dykes and a Mic will bring their Going Hog Wild tour to the Howard Theatre on April 19.
DC9 has two dance parties lined up this month: Bimbo Night on April 4, hosted by Baltimore’s “premier red-tattooed Filipina diva” Beth Amphetamine, and Aqua Girls: A QTBIPOC Dance Party on April 5, celebrating “queer transcendence through music, movement, and community.”
The Anthem will welcome a lineup of big names in April, starting with Alessia Cara on April 8. Lucy Dacus will take the stage on April 18 and 19 for her Forever Is a Feeling tour, while funky pop artist Remi Wolf will headline on April 27, joined by special guests Dana and Alden.
MAY
Indie-pop artist Miya Folick will bring her Erotica Veronica tour to The Atlantis on May 1, followed by multi-genre musician SASAMI on May 2. Pop artist Snow Wife will close out the month at The Atlantis on May 31 as part of an official WorldPride 2025 event.
Queer rock band Lambrini Girls will perform at the Howard Theatre on May 4, while rock trio L.A. Witch will take the stage at DC9 on May 12.
Union Stage will feature Rachel Platten on May 3 for her Set Me Free tour, followed by Femme Fatale: A Queer Dance Party later that night.
The popular DJ festival Project Glow will return to RFK Stadium grounds on May 31 and June 1.
JUNE
Pride month kicks off with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Trixie Mattel, who will perform at Echostage on June 3 as part of a series of official WorldPride 2025 events.
Queer icons Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe will take over The Anthem on June 5 for a WorldPride 2025 event performance.
Perfume Genius will bring his signature sound to the 9:30 club on June 7 as part of WorldPride 2025 festivities. Later in the month, Blondshell will hit the 9:30 club for her If You Asked for a Tour on June 24.
Music & Concerts
Pride concert to take place at Strathmore after Kennedy Center rescinds invitation
International Pride Orchestra ‘heartbroken’ event ‘would no longer be welcome’ at DC venue
The International Pride Orchestra has announced its Pride concert will take place at the Strathmore Music Center on June 5 after the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts disinvited the group.
Since President Donald Trump took over the Kennedy Center during his first month in office, LGBTQ events and performances have been banned with community allies withdrawing in solidarity.
The Kennedy Center has cancelled “A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride,” a May 21 concert that was to feature the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. The International Pride Orchestra on Monday said its concert will now take place at the Strathmore.
“We were heartbroken when we learned that our concert would no longer be welcome at the Kennedy Center,” said International Pride Orchestra Founding Artistic Director Michael Roest in a statement released by the orchestra’s media page. “The Kennedy Center has long been a symbol of artistic excellence, inclusivity, and freedom of expression. However, we are profoundly grateful to the Strathmore Music Center for opening their doors to us. Their willingness to host our Pride Celebration Concert ensures that our message of love, pride, and resilience will be heard on the doorstep of the nation’s capital.”
The Pride concert is among the events that have faced uncertainty since the Trump-Vance administration took office on Jan. 20. Many, however, are fighting back and looking for ways to push back against the bans and cancellations.
“We aim to create a powerful and positive representation of the queer community through music,” said Roest. “We want to show the world who we are, celebrate our queer identities, and amplify the work of organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community.”
WorldPride is scheduled to take place in D.C. from May 17-June 8.
Ruby Corado sentencing postponed for third time
Second federal lawsuit filed against White House passport policy
A room with Pride: D.C.’s LGBTQ history finds a new home at the Eaton
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