Nightgowns Forever
I love Drag. I love High Drag, I love Crafty Drag, I lover Arty Drag, I love Genderfuck Drag, I love Drag, periodt. And I think that there's some great Drag artists who have put on great shows, pandemic be damned. But I miss watching Drag performers do their thing. There's nothing like the connection the artist has with the public, the moment the reveal, or the dance move or the wink reaches you across the stage. Thank goodness we have NightGowns to remind us how awesome live Drag performances can be. NightGowns and Sasha Velour have been featured here before and it's always a pleasure.
Sasha started NightGowns some years ago and it was basically a celebration of Drag. It's a Quibi web series now and this video kind of does a best-of. They could not have an in-person celebration, so they did a virtual one and I think it did not disappoint. The streaming was long (three hours!) but the performances were incredible and they showed performances from two, three years ago and even more recent ones. The event was free, with donations going to LGBTQ and Queer BIPOC charities.
I watched the whole thing (because of course I did) with some breaks to get more popcorn and ice cream. My favorite performers were, in no particular order:
It's Sasha Velour, people!
Because you'll never think about Bohemian Rhapsody in the same way ever, again.
Oh, yes. Vander. That's why Vander was the winner of Dragula.
It's Amanda FUCKING Lepore. She's ART.
Because somebody has to teach the children how it's DONE.
We need to see more of her. That's for sure.
Oh, you like your Drag with Semantics and intersectionality? I have got the performer for ya, hunny. Pearl Harbor doing Do-Re-Mi, from The Sound of Music.
And that's all for today. I know some of you may not have the time to watch the whole thing (I would try to, though, it's fantastic and what else do you have to do this weekend?) but you can watch some of the performers I highlighted.
You see how I always think about you?
XOXO
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Drag's come a long, long way from the first time I saw a drag show in a dive bar in the backroads of South Florida. These girls are amazing and talented. And those looks! Wow! But, wait...where's Maddie? Why is she not here? Where has she gone? Maddie? What backroads dive bar has she gotten herself into now? That girl!
ReplyDeleteCatch me down at Glory Hole..shows on the hour tootes!
DeleteOh, I remember when Drag was a Tuesday night staple. There were four people in the bar and we were all friends with the performers. Girls used to work the stage with the same passion then than now.
DeleteAnd there's Maddie! Probably retouching her lipstick.
XOXO
I, too, love the art of it all, so, for me, my favorite is Sasha Velour. Stun.Ning.
ReplyDeleteI know, right?
DeleteI'm always in awe. The creativity, the artistry. And Sasha has demonstrated why she was the winner in her season....
XOXO
It IS the art of it that makes or breaks, isn't it? My first exposure to drag was Kenny Kerr in "Boylesque" - it was fun, it was funny, it was irreverent. And I loved it! xoxo
ReplyDeleteOh, definitely.
DeleteIt's much more than just the lipsynch and the wig, of course. It's EVERYTHING else. I've always seen it as almost a living, breathing, art installation.
And fun, funny and irreverent seems perfect to me...
XOXO
Well you know, I love and adore Sasha!!!!!! And Amanda has been a inspiration for years for me in certain respects. I love Nightgown Forever. Of course I'm still enjoying online platforms and many queens are still continuing with them. I was just tickled beyond believe when Sasha came here in Dec with her Smoke and Mirror show!!!!! The week before that was the RDR Girls with their Christmas show. Thanks goodness. who know how long till I see another show in person.
ReplyDeleteOne of my dream shows would be to see a drag show with Lysinka, Joey Arias, and Charles Busch together.
I think Amanda Lepore is fantastic. She doesn't even have to do splits or death drops. She IS the show. I also think that Drag artists are going to re-define the way we have to view this artistic expression due to the pandemic. Did you hear that Naomi Smalls is putting up a one-woman-show online? And that Shea Couleé has an Only Fans of some sorts?
DeleteAnd I cannot believe you saw Smoke and Mirrors! Joy! I've seen snippets online and I bet it was fantastic!
Oh, and yes, yes, yes! I found an HBO special online filmed years and years ago that has the three of them running around New York. Epic.
XOXO
Interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt is, indeed.
DeleteXOXO