Location: Lustre Pearl South, Austin
Date: Aug 6, 2022
Time: 1:00 P.M. - 2:00 A.M.
Supported by KUTX
The first annual ATX Queer Music Fest brings the Austin community two stages of live entertainment from DJs and drag to live music, as well as an art market, swag and booths galore… all for a good cause. The jam-packed event benefits ASHwell Sexual Health & Wellness, which serves Austin’s LGBTQ+ community by providing sexual health and wellness services and assisting individuals without health insurance in getting the care they need. The organization, which was founded in 1988 during the AIDS crisis, will be on-site at the Fest providing HIV testing and information.
Highlights of the event include critically acclaimed, LA-based trans musician, actor and activist Ryan Cassata, whose work has been praised by everyone from Rolling Stone and Billboard to CNN and The New York Times. In fact, Vogue Magazine lauded, “Ever since his public coming out in his early teens, Ryan Cassata has been at the forefront of protecting the lives of trans youth all over America,” and Sirius XM called Cassata’s work, “one of the best albums (of the year)”. Other performances include music from Austin’s prevailing rock & roll glamor boy Caleb De Casper, who will cover Lady Gaga with an all-star band that includes Oh Antonio’s Andrea Ballard and Tre Pham of Chief Cleopatra as well as Austin Chronicle’s ‘Best Electronic Artist” award winner P1nkstar and two-time Austin hip hop award winner Mama Duke. And with an unexpected twist on drag, Kara Foxx Paris will perform as Alanis Morissette with a live band (Alaniz) and Banshee Rose brings Selena to life alongside tribute band Las Chicas En 512. And it’s all Emceed by BJ Burgess of Frida Fridays and Eileen Dover, host of Playdate and Brew Paul’s Drag Show.
In addition to live entertainment, there will be body painting, a photobooth, an arts market from beloved Frida Fridays, and the aforementioned plentiful booths. The spacious and beautifully shaded grounds of Lustre Pearl South provide plenty of space for entertainment and more, including…
- Night Art Market by Frida Fridays
- A Free Photobooth by Le Photo Booth Company
- Free Body Painting by Tubi60– the Israeli liquor with the cult following.
- Free Pride swag– Pride flags, personal fants and more, courtesy of Technicolor Booking.
- A special Pride Drink Menu– $1 from every drink purchase will be donated directly to ASHwell. (Thank you, Lustre Pearl!)
Non profit booths include:
Since it’s Austin and it’s summer, you can be certain it’s going to be hot as hell, but besides the fact there is plenty of shade at the venue, ATX QMF has other ways for you to cool off, including…
- Cooling stations with huge fans in the gazebo
- Free frozen bandanas
- Free water
- Shaded table seating outside
- Table seating in the inside stage with AC
- Live entertainment runs from 2-6 inside and kicks off outside at 6pm when things begin to cool off.
The event includes two stages: one indoors, and one outdoor main stage complete with a runway.
Drag performances:
- Kara Foxx Paris performing as Alanis Morisette with a live band, Alaniz
- Banshee Rose performing as Selena with a live band, Las Chicas en 512
- Eileen Dover
- Gothess Jasmine
The evening includes a DJ Dance Party by DJ Kick It from 12am-2am + DJ Daydreamer from 8pm-9pm in addition to live music.
Bands/artists:
Caleb De Casper (“Gloriously Glamorous”- Out Front magazine)
Ryan Cassata (“Immaculate singer songwriter pop”- Paper Magazine)
P1nkstar (Electronic)
Mama Duke (Hip hop)
Demi The DareDevil (“A haunting sonic experience”- Rolling Stone)
Lord Friday the 13th (sibling- fronted trash glam punk)
Transy Warhol (Queer gothabilly riot girl music)
Thelonious Love (Gangsta queer realness/hip hop)
AZXO (Indie pop-rock)
Naga Brujo (Psych rock)
Cosmic Chaos (Pstch rock)
Ms. Amazing Head (Trans rap pioneer)
Maddie + the Dead Names (punk)
Provoked Emotions (Post punk)
About the organizer:
Genesis Vasquez is a non-binary Latinx who founded Technicolor Booking as well as the ATX Queer Musicians Facebook Group, both to provide visibility for the queer music scene here in Austin. They also serve on the Board of Directors for Austin Texas Musicians and have spoken at SXSW panels and created unofficial showcases, as well as running booking for Cosmic Clash from 2015-2019.You may have seen Vasquez volunteering for Girls Rock Austin and Mobile Loaves and Fishes, but attendees can catch them behind the drums with their queer wmxn band, Female Gallery and Selena tribute act Las Chicas En 512. And in terms of Pride events, this ain’t their first rodeo. Vasquez has put on parties at The Green Jay, Far Out Lounge, and Sahara Lounge.
