Let the music play!

If you want to connect to the rhythm and heartbeat of a city, there’s perhaps no better way than by experiencing its live music. And in Sacramento, there are endless opportunities for LGBTQ people to do just that. Whether you want to hear the musical stylings of local musicians, dance the night away at a music club, see your favorite pop diva in an ultramodern arena, or connect with the local community at an outdoor event, you’ll find it all right here.

Here are some of great ways to turn up the volume on LGBTQ music in Sacramento.

Acts & Organizations:

Sacramento Women’s Chorus

What do you get when you combine peace, social justice, music, and community? The Sacramento Women’s Chorus, of course! Since 1987, this musical ensemble has put issues like LGBTQ pride, women’s rights, and equality in the spotlight. The chorus currently boasts 75 members who come from various backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join their voices in harmony. Every performance is just as likely to inspire and uplift as it is to entertain. If you want to hear the sound of progress in Sacramento, get a ticket to the next Sacramento Women’s Chorus show.

Gay Men’s Chorus

Photo courtesy of: Sacramento Gay Men's Chorus

Founded in the wake of the AIDS crisis to foster a community of support, the Gay Men’s Chorus welcomes all queer identities into its membership. Their performance season runs from August through the following July, and in addition to annual winter and spring productions, the chorus performs throughout the city at various events and fundraisers. With more than 90 members, catching a choral performance is a unique chance to see the full spectrum of queer identities represented and unified, using their voices to celebrate their experiences, confront intolerance, and advance social change.

Queer Voices

Formed by the Sacramento LGBTQ Community Center, this performance group puts queer art (in all its media) in pride of place. Made up of both youth and adults, Queer Voices travels to local high schools, colleges and community events to share their music, writing, visual art, comedy, dance, drag, and more. Visitors to the city will find plenty of opportunities to see the ensemble’s next live show, while residents are encouraged to join in and bring their own artistic expression to the group’s vast repertoire.

Venues:

B Street Theatre

Music, theater, dance, and more? Check. Commitment to equity and inclusion? Check. The B Street Theatre at The Sofia has all the makings of a show-stopping good time for LGBTQ people and patrons of all identities. Named Best Live Theatre by Sacramento Magazine more than a dozen times, this venue’s lineup includes weekly musical acts across forms and genres. Not only can you catch a Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus or Sacramento Women’s Chorus performance, you can also see acts from local, national, and international stages. Even better, the theater specializes in childhood education and engagement, ensuring the art of performance remains accessible and vibrant for years to come.

Golden 1 Center

There are concerts, and then there are concerts at Golden 1 Center. In addition to housing Sacramento’s lively sports scene, this state-of-the-art facility regularly brings out A-list musicians who are both queer-identifying and LGBTQ allies. To date, they’ve hosted icons like Elton John, Sam Smith, Lady Gaga, Lizzo, and Madonna, with even more performances always being added to the lineup.

Faces Nightclub

Strut on down to Lavender Heights to experience one of the city’s most upbeat, music-forward LGBTQ nightclubs. At Faces, you can take your pick of three separate dance rooms playing different styles of music, and if you visit on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday, you can even be the music at one of Faces’ signature karaoke nights. This hotspot is open seven nights a week, so no matter when you go, expect to find upbeat energy and live entertainment that keeps you moving with the rhythm all night.

Badlands

Just a few steps from Faces is yet another boisterous LGBTQ bar and nightclub that puts music front and center. Badlands boasts a disco-style dance floor, go-go dancers, live DJs, and drag performances that ensure there’s never a lull in the music or revelry. Themed special events include dance parties, drag showcases, Latin nights, karaoke, and more.

Events:

Second Saturday in Midtown

Every Saturday from May 13 - Oct. 14, the Midtown Association transforms the Midtown area into a community festival replete with live music, art, activities, outdoor movies, afterparties, and more. No two weekends are the same, making this a perfect repeat event for long-stay visitors and locals. You’ll not only get the chance to engage with and support local musicians, but you’ll also have access to delicious foods curated by culinary experts from the nation’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.

Sacramento Pride

It’s a concert. It’s a celebration. It’s a commemoration. Sacramento Pride is where the city’s multi-disciplinary talent unites with local organizers and activists to create an experience that’s as much a testament to progress as it is an opportunity for fun and togetherness. Produced by the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, Sacramento Pride includes a festival featuring LGBTQ musical headliners, entertainers, and drag performers. In addition, a Pride March leads floats and marchers from Southside Park to the Capitol Building in tribute to Pride’s political roots.