Big Gay Night is a concert series to showcase queer and trans musicians, hosted by CJ Wiley.
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Tearing through Toronto on a groundswell of breezy, gripping slacker rock, non-binary singer-songwriter CJ Wiley doesn’t waste any time. With a message of love, healing and rancour, Wiley’s sound is urgent and undeniable. In ballads twanged slightly country, anthems skewed slightly grunge, Wiley’s musical project leads with their distinct voice, armed with the wit, candour, and energy of an artist with a striking perspective and a heart that demands to be heard. In their wide-reaching catalogue, a spectrum of soulful Sheryl Crow Americana and the electric grumblings of Garbage, sometimes in the space of a single song, they’ve carved out a decisive path for themselves in tongue-in-cheek stories about starting fresh, loss, gender, and how expensive it is to be alive. Wiley’s music is a down-and-dirty-roots-rock revelation into and over the horizon — and they’re bringing you with them. Performing alongside artists like Tokyo Police Club, Shannon and the Clams, or Haley Blais, and already a mainstay in the city’s queer music scene as the host of the Big Gay Night concert series, Wiley introduces themselves in songs as categorical and entrancing as the sold out shows they organize. Aflame in a stirring spectrum of soulful Sheryl Crow Americana and the electric grumblings of Garbage or Hole, sometimes in the space of a single song, Wiley’s distinct voice carries their project with the wit, candour, and excitement of an artist with a striking perspective and a heart that demands to be heard. The artist’s debut album, So Brand New. drops February 28, 2025 via Tiny Kingdom. Blending deeply emotional and uplifting tracks with a slacker rock vibe, So Brand New seamlessly marries introspective singer-songwriter elements with a polished, radio-friendly sound. Featuring ballads with a hint of country twang and anthems that skew slightly grunge, it creates a unique experience characterized by rich, textured arrangements and candid lyricism. This collection serves as a musical reflection on identity and the courage it takes to let go of who others think we should be, embracing the full range of who we’re becoming. The result is a set of songs that feel both intimately personal and universally relatable, celebrating the transformative journey of self-discovery and the acceptance of our ever-changing selves.
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With special guests Boy Banned and Sexy Milf Cougars