While Pride is firmly etched on the consciousness of both the LGBT and straight community, National Coming Out Day remains relegated to the margins of the LGBT calendar. Founded on the principle that the greatest form of LGBT activism is living life as an openly gay person, National Coming Out Day was created to help individuals tell friends, family and colleagues about their sexual or gender identity.

To highlight the importance of the date, Vancouver’s premium lesbian clubnight Hershe Bar has booked high-profile “celesbian” Kiyomi McCloskey, a.k.a Kiyomi Valentine, to rock venue Bar None.

As the lead singer and guitarist of Hunter Valentine, an all-female pop-punk band originally formed in Ontario, McCloskey’s talent for songwriting led to tours with names like Sum 41 and Cyndi Lauper. With distortion-laden guitar tracks and catchy vocals, McCloskey’s group have torn up events such as Atlanta’s LGBT film and music festival, and their three albums have garnered a cult following amongst the LGBT community.

Taking the volume down for an intimate unplugged set from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m., McCloskey will offer Vancouver unique, stripped-down versions of tracks from Hunter Valentine’s latest EP The Pledge, alongside a variety of other tracks.

It wouldn’t be a Hershe night without a raucous dance party, however—and after McCloskey has put down her acoustic guitar, the venue is billed to explode with a wild, “pants off-dance off competition party vibe”. Featuring DJs Riki Rocket, Miss M, and McCloskey herself, Bar None will be filled with high-energy music and, we’re assured, “smoking hot dancers.”

Kiyomi McCloskey is at Bar None on October 9

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