There's no grace from which tramps like we can fall.
My influences are worn on my sleeve. Compare me. Contrast me. It's all good. My themes evoke a sparkling mess of crushes, tailored shirts, yearnings, cheap beer, pride, faded eye make-up, anger, vintage designer ties, martinis, and a trail of tattered hearts. I am a fighter who will break a sweat for whatever or whomever I love.
Starring in films that will never be made.
I've endured a lifelong on-again/off-again injury-laden romance with theatre. It led me to a recent, successful run starring in HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (Boston 2002-2003). I've also recently appeared with Ryan Landry's Gold Dust Orphans (CINDERELLA ROCKS); held the title role in Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (the latter, not the former...duh); and toured Europe in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (as Riff Raff). A lotta passion and a whole lotta physical math.
Juxtapose: Feel the moment and make it real, kid - but don't forget to strike the pose and hit the note on cue.
Free from this storm of hands, lips like quicksand, and gravity.
It led to a self-imposed immersion in (exile to?) New York City. I transitioned, I auditioned, and I wrote. I recorded demos and recruited (convinced? coerced? seduced?) musicians I'd previously only dreamed about playing with.
Juxtapose: 8 million people and I never felt more isolated - all together, all alone? Yet, that city is still beautiful and I will always love it.
Yo, hear us holler from beautiful squalor!
My band is a post-glam rat pack who mix up a stiff cocktail of trash-meets-class. IN A SHAKER: Combine bitter, seen-it-all lyrics with smooth guitars. Shake with upright bass and simple beats. Serve in a chilled martini glass and garnish with sweet harmonies. After the Oscars, after the Grammys. Did we win? Does it matter? Something once beautiful in its pristine state, surely takes on a new beauty when it begins to fall apart.
Juxtapose: Fabulous and Tragic. Glitter and Gutter. Trash and Tuxedos.
Press:
"Dante possesses both a rock frontman's natural charisma and an electrifying chameleonlike voice pitched somewhere between Bowie's wounded croon and Ian Hunter's bantam-rooster call to arm"~ Jonathan Perry, Boston Globe
"[Dante] sings with a powerful, yet lilting rasp that any rock star would envy."~ Robert Nesti, Bay Windows
"Streetwise, yet alluring (an alley cat Dietrich), with a powerhouse of a voice"~ Carl A. Rossi, Theater Mirror
"Boy can he sing." ~ Nick Dussault, Metro
"Gene has the audience in the palm of his hand"~ Laura Slapikoff, The Noise
My Friend Flicka. National Velvet. Equus. Roadsteamer? Jul 23
Robby Roadsteamer has been getting in touch with his artistic, sensitive side. He recently telephoned Gene Dante, pitching the idea for his Rock Opera based on the life of Barbaro, the champion race horse, and offering Gene a choice role in the production. Of course, Robby's guerilla film crew was on hand to capture the moment.
This episode has not yet been posted. I've no idea when it will, but here is the link:
http://roadsteamer.com/shitcom.html
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"We all admire the spangled acrobat with classical grace meticulously walking his tight rope in the talcum light; but how much rarer art there is in the sagging rope expert wearing scarecrow clothes and impersonating a grotesque drunk! I should know." (Vladimir Nabokov) Thank you for your friendship! Musical greetings from Munich/Germany!
posted Jul 11
synapscape says:
posted Aug 6