Sass-a-brass trumpets representation as demand grows for its roving queer street performances
June 18, 2024 | Ben Wolf
When Rosie O’Brien first organized a queer street parade brass band — specializing in Mardi Gras and Pride vibes — the sousaphonist-turned-arts leader had no idea the cultural impact and representation Sass-a-brass could bring to Kansas City.
Members of Sass-a-brass pose at a June performance; photo courtesy of Sass-a-brass
“The first time we got together as a band was for the first Lawrence pride parade in 2018,” explained O’Brien. “It was small, it was cute.”
As word of mouth grew, so too did the band’s roster of musicians — now at about 30 who rotate between events when they’re available. And while O’Brien had initially hoped to play just one or two pride parades each year, Sass-a-brass is now on track to finish 2024 with nine performances — including its recent appearance at Boulevardia — under the band’s belt.
The scale of Sass-a-brass’ shows ranges from KC’s biggest to smaller performances like a recent block party commemorating Womontown, a historic Kansas City safe haven for lesbians in the 1980s and 1990s.
Each member of the band comes from different backgrounds and musical skill levels, O’Brien said, noting that diversity contributes to the appeal and success of Sass-a-brass.
Click here to learn more about the history of Sass-a-brass.
Style and substance
Sass-a-brass is an “unamplified roving street parade band,” O’Brien said. Because band members’ instruments don’t need microphones, they can walk and play at the same time, as well as encouraging crowd participation.
“The general interest from the band is to make fun music that also has a liberatory thesis,” O’Brien explained. “So not only do we play New Orleans-style street parade and jazz music with the improv tradition, but we also do arrangements of protest tunes and union organizing songs.”
“Our mission is to create a supportive environment for queer and women musicians to play and perform together in a band,” O’Brien continued, noting that in Kansas City specifically, a lot of the jazz scene is male dominated.
Click here to follow Sass-a-brass on Instagram.
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
AltCap banks $55M in tax credits to bolster KC’s underserved entrepreneurs
A huge award will enable AltCap to make a broader entrepreneurial impact in low- to moderate-income communities throughout Kansas City. AltCap — a Kansas City-based community development financial institution that focuses on underserved populations — has received a $55 million new markets tax credit award from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The award enables…
$17M Operation Breakthrough expansion to bridge Troost, boost STEM and maker skills
An Operation Breakthrough expansion from the east side of Troost Avenue to the west is about more than jumping across the street, said Mary Esselman. The move will literally bridge a racial and economic dividing line that has persisted for decades. “Bridging Troost is not only a legacy to our founders, but is huge symbolically,…
ClusterTruck sizzles on KC food delivery scene with ‘ghost kitchen’ concept
The innovation cooking within ClusterTruck’s technology makes the rapidly expanding Indianapolis company a fresh take on the restaurant-quality food delivery scene, Christian Moscoso said. “We are a software company with our own ghost kitchens, if you will,” said Moscoso, general manager for ClusterTruck’s new River Market kitchen, which opened in mid-December without a public entrance…
Innovation Exchange returns in 2018 with new partners, topics
One of my favorite parts of journalism is the “Hm!” moment. They are the occasions when reading, watching or listening to a story whose details yield an inborn reaction of fascination or intrigue. They can’t be stopped. When your curiosity piqued, “Hmm!” is an impulse. “The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket produced 5 million pounds of…