By Andrew Keller
PGN Contributor
© 2007 Andrew Keller

Raunchy lyrics, catchy choruses set to infectious beats and a stage show complete with fashionable vintage clothing — the boys from Philly-based V.I.P. have it all.

Jonny Makeup, Peter Party and Bear are not content to simply bathe themselves in irony: V.I.P. uses a highly developed sense of humor to build candid hip-hop anthems about gay life.

“We’re talking about what’s real, and what really happens in our lives,” said Makeup.

This catchy, truthful style produces songs that grow more complex, funny and thought-provoking with every listen.

The guys in the band did what they could to survive during their first years together. Makeup met Party at their jobs as phone-sex operators in Philadelphia.

“We were disguising our voices to sound like girls,” said Makeup.

“Living in Philly, you have to stretch yourself, and there’s still not enough work,” said Party.

Bear met Makeup while working at the public-relations firm Cashman and Associates. The two didn’t get along well at first, but soon bonded over their love for female rappers like L’il Kim, Foxy Brown and Trina.

When all three eventually met each other, the ideas started to flow. Soon after, Party’s old band was asked to open for Pansy Division at the Khyber. Since that band had already broken up, V.I.P. formed and had their first show.

“It was kind of talk between us,” said Bear. “When we got asked to do that show it was like, ‘Oh, well, this could be a reality.’”

It wasn’t always easy, but things started to pick up for the band three years ago, when they had a few shows with Gravy Train, whose fun, gritty beats were a perfect match for the boys, said Makeup.

“Ever since that show we’ve been living for each other. They’re like our sister band.”

This past year, their flight canceled due to a snowstorm, the band drove for over 24 hours to the South by Southwest Festival in Austin. Enough people showed up at the last minute to make their performance a memorable one, said Bear.

“It was the last day of the festival so we were a little worried, but it was a good crowd,” he said.

When asked about how the band will be received in places like the Midwest and Canada, Party was optimistic, speaking of their previous tours in the South.

“They’re going to be receptive to it. We’ve done some shows in rural parts.”

Bear was equally positive.

“I really don’t go into things having expectations. I just always try to have an open mind,” he said. “If they’re coming to a Gravy Train show, they probably have an open mind too.”

Also, the popularity of Web sites like Myspace has helped the band choose a different path for selling their music.

“We were trying to rely so heavily when we first started on getting a bigger label,” Party said. “But nobody’s really buying CDs. So we decided to sell our music online.”

While Party’s goal is to be busy enough with the band to make enough money to quit his day job, Makeup said his dream is to be on the cover of Us Weekly. Seconds later, in a more serious tone, he corrected himself.

“I could throw [the money] out the window just as long as I’m being heard, and I’m reaching out to audiences and letting them know what I have to say and, in return, knowing that they’re getting something out of it.”

V.I.P. performs at 8 p.m. tonight at the First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St.