Punk lovers and drag fans alike gathered on Oct. 25 at Chapel of Bones, a coffee shop by day and a hard rock venue by night. The fifth annual Punk and Drag show packed a punch with three bands and five drag performers.
The show provided both entertainment and a sense of community. The artists melded the energy of the music and the creativity of drag into a star-studded evening. This, along with the fun Halloween twist, made for an unforgettably spooky night.
The show started off with an action packed performance by drag performer Vermillion Heaux. They danced across the stage and into the audience, doing backflips and cartwheels while dressed as Freddy Krueger. The audience gathered around, also dressed in their own creative costumes as they knew a $200 tattoo certificate would be awarded to the best dressed.
The drag performances were broken up by punk bands, each emphasizing the activist roots of punk music and drag culture. All of the bands credited the drag performers and urged the crowd to keep supporting small artists, particularly in the LGBTQ+ community. In the crowd, you could always spot members of the punk bands watching the drag performances.
The Dead Ringers kept an energetic presence throughout their short set. The lead singer, Nora Connor, captivated an awe-struck audience through belting lyrics while dressed as an undead bride.
There was a vibrant energy throughout the event. The lively audience came together to support each performer throughout each performance, making it feel like a sold out show.
Will Charmer, a prominent drag king from Charlotte, took the stage performing a set that was themed after “Beetlejuice.” The audience sang along, cheering while Charmer chose some audience members to come onstage.
Asylum 213 was next on the setlist for their last performance ever. Originally from Richmond, VA, the band has been around for fifteen years and took their final bow during the Punk and Drag event. Their playful interactions with the audience engaged the crowd throughout their set.
Frontman Dylan Lawson closed the band’s set by thanking fans for all of their support over the years. He also urged the audience to never be afraid to be themselves, and thanked Chapel of Bones for providing a safe space for queer communities.
This strong sense of community was also made apparent through audience interactions. Often, the stage acts as a wall between performers and audience members, but this was far from the case at Punk and Drag. Strangers became friends throughout the night and performers drifted in and out of the audience, conversing with fans and snapping photographs.
Jack Harness took the stage next, dressed as a werewolf in a denim vest with “queer” written on the back. Harness also facilitated this audience engagement through encouraging patrons to sing and dance along with the set.
The lights went out and Harness disappeared from the stage, replaced by Alcantara, a Raleigh-based band. They were all dressed as characters from “The Shining.” This was especially notable, given the bassist and guitarist are identical twins, and sported the iconic blue dresses of the Shining twins.
Alcantara held the crowd with their guttural screams and intense guitar riffs. The crowd formed a mosh pit as “The Shining” played on the screen behind the stage.
The final drag performance combined humor and classic drag flare with performers Vanta-Black Heaux and Coop De Vil Heaux dressed as the infamous characters Art the Clown and Pennywise. The two performers spun an enchanting narrative throughout their set which included fighting, dancing and a hint of romance.
Vanta-Black Heaux gave a hilariously show-stopping performance as Art the Clown, mimicking his mannerisms in perfect fashion. Coop De Vil Heaux added sass to the horrifying Pennywise, making for a captivating performance.
Ultimately, this unique event brought folks from all walks of life together and ended with one final message: Punk is drag, and drag is punk.
