OUR STORY SO FAR: Michelle Shocked had a concert scheduled for last night, April 25, at the Alberta Rose Theatre. Then she had some sort of meltdown/rant at a show in San Francisco on March 17, during which the formerly gay/currently born-again singer said some really unpleasant anti-gay remarks. She claims she was misconstrued, but the Alberta Rose show—along with several others on her current tour—were promptly cancelled. In its place, the Alberta Rose scheduled a fundraiser for Basic Rights Oregon called BROmance. Then on March 28, Shocked turned up in Santa Cruz outside one of her own cancelled shows, staging a bizarre protest for free speech, wearing a white jumpsuit and with her mouth taped shut. In this week’s “My, What a Busy Week!” we sorta joked about her showing up to the cancelled Portland show and protesting here, too.

Well, that’s exactly what happened last night. First, a weird tweet that suggested she was on her way to the Rose City:

Then, another strange tweet that said she was at the KBOO studio last night (did anybody listen to the show?):

Michelle Shocked outside the Alberta Rose last night

And sure enough, she was spotted hanging around outside the Alberta Rose last night during the show. Ryan White of the Oregonian attended the concert last night and has a full report. It sounds like she fit in with all of Alberta’s Last Thursday activities pretty seamlessly.

Shocked was around the corner in white overalls, sparkly Converse shoes, and sitting on a drum, pounding along. In her mouth, attached to a gold beaded necklace, a gold noise maker… Behind her, a handwritten sign said, “A Poet Assumes Silence Speaks Volumes.” She had a cameraman with her recording her and her interactions, though most people didn’t seem to have any idea what was going on.

“So what’s your deal?” one woman asked.

Shocked responded by blowing her noisemaker.

White’s done a great job with the story, so be sure to check out his full account. It’s just a weird and sad story—even weirder and sadder than it seems on the surface. Hollywood Reporter did a lengthy, thoughtful piece about Shocked’s recent events, suggesting that mental illness might be playing a role. Meanwhile, Shocked is on her way to Seattle right now, and has been composing impenetrable haikus on her Twitter feed.

Ned Lannamann is a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon. He writes about film, music, TV, books, travel, tech, food, drink, outdoors, and other things.

12 replies on “Michelle Shocked Protested Outside Her Cancelled Concert at the Alberta Rose Last Night”

  2. Hey Michelle, you need an SSRI or something. Do a Kickstarter, I’ll send you $5.

    The prices of her CDs on Amazon are all through the roof right now, haha.

  4. “I think she’s struggling with mental illness.”

    You mean, aside from the fact that she’s a Christian and gay-hating gay person?

  7. I agree with Cat and Beard. Regardless of what someones views are, hateful or not, rational or not this does not appear to be some one in full control of their faculties.

  8. No sympathy. She’s lucid enough to know where her cancelled gigs are, lucid enough to show up, was certainly lucid enough to choose to become born again, lucid enough to share her world views. Personally, I think she’s more than lucid enough to know her best stab at harm reduction is to adopt this half-crazy, partially victimized persona, too.

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