Tonight, the band that will shock America takes the stage at O’Brien’s Pub in Brighton. GAYC/DC makes their appearance with special guests Stars Like Ours.
The first band of the night was Stars Like Ours– The band consists of Michelle Paulhus – Bass, Lead vocals, Kristin Holliday – Guitar, Backing vocals, Rice – Drums, Backing vocals. They are a local band from the Boston area.
They came to the stage and the fans screamed. As soon as they got on set they mentioned that they were having technical difficulties and were hearing back feed on the mics if they talked so they were going to just play with less talk. They started their set and the fans seemed to know the band and were singing along and showing love and support for them. They played a few songs from their albums and fans were jumping and singing.
Those familiar with their Rum Bar Records self‑titled release could easily pick out favorite moments — the way they blend alt‑rock grit with a strong pop melody is alive and well in performance. Slower builds, melody‑led moments — when Michelle’s vocals came forward, there was a sweet contrast to the distortion and energetic percussion. Songs like “I Don’t Mind” or “Everyday” gave breathing room, letting the audience catch their breath (though not for long), singing along to choruses that ear‑wormed their way in.
One of the things that makes Stars Like Ours really work live is how tight they are musically—no flubs, very little empty space. Kristin’s guitar work cuts through the mix, not just a rhythm layer but occasionally searing leads. Rice’s drumming is relentless; speed and precision are matched by a kind of joy in the beat. Michelle has a stage presence that balances grit with vulnerability: she can roar one moment, then pull back and let the melody do its work, captivating without theatrics over make‑up. Everything feels earned.
The crowd was solidly into it: folks of all ages, a mix of longtime fans and newcomers drawn in perhaps by the reviews, or by their EP Better Every Day. You could feel that kind of shared nostalgia — the 90s influence (garage rock, alt‑rock, fuzzy guitar) — but also excitement: this isn’t just a throwback band, they’re crafting something current. Singalongs broke out, especially in choruses. By the end, people were dancing, shouting, cheering, clearly wanting more.
Finally, the band the fans had come to see was about to hit the stage. The world’s first and only all-gay tribute to the music of AC/DC! GAYC/DC.
Founded in 2013 by Chris Freeman (bass player from iconic queer punk band Pansy Division), the idea for GayC/DC came from bouncing around names for more tribute bands with gay members after he’d been playing with the Gay Gay’s (gay tribute to the Go Go’s) for more than a decade. Once the Gay Gay’s went on hiatus, Freeman moved forward with forming a band that could be as good as AC/DC.
This four-piece spent months looking for a gay vocalist to no avail. Finally, Freeman asked the others if he should audition. Nervously, he did, the band agreed, and they were off—but now they needed a bassist, so Freeman recruited bass player extraordinaire, Glen Pavan, once again someone Freeman had met while on tour. Pavan had previously been keeping the low end down for LA queer punk rockers Best Revenge (who got their name from a Pansy Division song). In 2025, Portland-based guitarist Topher Ruby will be taking over on rhythm guitar duties. Also recruited was Karl Rumpf on rhythm guitar, who Freeman had met while on tour with Pansy Division and later worked with in a band/project called Dart. Rumpf was also in the last incarnation of the Gay Gay’s (it was Karl who came up with the name GayC/DC), along with drummer Brian Welch who Freeman had also met while on tour. Welch is from Boston so this was his home town show. The fans were super excited to be able to see him and his band play live in their hometown.
The band remains true to the music (working diligently to replicate the actual sound of AC/DC), while playing around with the lyrics and changing pronouns to suit the gay angle. Hence, TNT becomes PNP (a song about the “party-n-play” status some gay men post in their online sex ads), Bad Boy Boogie becomes Gay Boy Boogie (do you really need to ask?), and Big Balls needed … no changing at all!
To say the band is off-the-hook live is an understatement, even scoring a “pick of the week” in LA Weekly for a pre-COVID LA gig. The word of mouth has been intense and they are in-demand for live shows as clubs re-open. There is never a dull moment with all the costume changes and props being trotted out, all in the name of outrageous entertainment. Even those who say they don’t like AC/DC end up being fans.
If there was ever any doubt that rock ‘n’ roll could be fabulously queer, GAYC/DC blew it away with a wall of amps, glitter, and sheer power. The Los Angeles-based tribute band, known for queering the legacy of AC/DC with a fierce twist, delivered a high-voltage performance that was equal parts tribute, satire, and unapologetic celebration. Clad in leather, mesh, and cheeky schoolboy drag, the band stormed the stage with the swagger of Bon Scott and the strut of a drag show finale.
The setlist was pure AC/DC gold, but GAYC/DC’s charm lies in how they lovingly subvert the machismo of classic rock. “It’s only rock ‘n’ roll if you can do it in heels,” the frontman quipped before launching into a raucous “Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap).” But it’s the queer camp energy—sassy stage banter, glam costumes, and gender-bending bravado—that transforms the show from a tribute to a full-blown reclamation of rock.
By the encore, which included a flaming version of “T.N.T.,” the audience was drenched in sweat, beer, and joy. GAYC/DC didn’t just pay homage to AC/DC—they rewrote the rules and made them fabulous.
GAYC/DC
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