Check it out on TicketWeb - SS Trannyshack 2009! featuring The Superstars of Trannyshack with Dirty Sanchez & guest DJ Juanita More! at Pier 41 on 09/26/09

For the first time in 6 years...don't miss the boat!

I suppose it is rather appropriate that this series of Trannyshack historical bulletins should end with one on Vinsantos, as he himself nearly brought about the club's own end many years ago; but more on THAT later.
Vinsantos first appeared on the Trannyshack stage back in December 1999 for the annual Punk Rock Christmas show. His take-no-prisoners, dead ringer impersonation of Wendy O. Williams (by way of sledgehammering half a dozen 36" televisions to pieces while wearing only an oily, blonde mullet wig and a pair of panties made out of dental floss and a carefully placed 7" vinyl record) certainly grabbed everyone's attention. During the following year Vinsantos brought his own unique, theatrical intensity onto the Trannyshack stage, often incorporating his own lighting, film projections, live music, and live animals (and sometimes all at once). In fact it was for one of his earliest co-hosting nights, "His Satanic Majesty's Request" from January 2001, that Vinsantos and I first incorporated outside non-Stud lighting. He built a lightboard from spare parts, mounted it on a small piece of plywood, and voilá – instant atmosphere! Though used infrequently over the next year and a half, by the summer of 2002 Trannyshack shows regularly used such effects; I've been hovering around that grimy back corner of the Stud Bar practically ever since.
After a solid year of raising the art-bar on the Trannyshack stage (via memorable numbers to Coil, The Cure, Slayer, Aerosmith, Legendary Pink Dots, and The Tiger Lilies among others), Vinsantos nabbed the crown at the 5th Annual Miss Trannyshack Pageant in November 2000. The winning number began with a 'live backstage' intro video in which the audience witnessed the stress from a year of solid performing take its toll on Vinsantos via a drunken breakdown and falling-out with his manager. Though eventually stumbling onto the stage and proceeding to lip-sync to "Alabama Song" by Marianne Faithful, Vinsantos was dragged off so as not to embarrass himself any further. The video screen then followed Vinsantos' escape from the club and his shameful return home. But during a sobering shower/breakdown scene, Vinsantos' guardian angel Squeaky Blonde appears encouraging him with words of wisdom to get redressed, head back to the club, and finish his number. Of course by this time Vinsantos had actually changed his outfit, climbed on top of a giant, 8' tall wholly mammoth (a circus performer friend on all fours wearing stilts and completely covered in brown faux fur) and was beginning to re-enter the auditorium via the back of the house. Followed by a large pin spot, and waving his then-new personal insignia – The Drag Flag, Vinsantos marched through the crowd, leaped back on stage, and finished his lip-sync to Pink Floyd's "In the Flesh", complete with video loops of atomic bomb explosions going off behind him. I still don't think I've seen anything quite like it since. Being in charge of carrying him offstage, getting him undressed, and also redressed into a rubber body suit in under 3 minutes (there was LOTS of lube involved), I also think it's still the single most stressful moment of my entire life.
But perhaps the most infamous moment of Vinsantos' Trannyshack life would have to be from another Punk Rock Christmas show; this time in 2001. Though I can't recall the song the number was performed to, I do remember standing on the go-go box, reading an anti-Capitalist/Christmas manifesto which Vinsantos himself had written earlier that day. Dressed as a priest, I pleaded with the audience to dispose of any and all corporate-label clothing they were wearing, and throw it forward. There was a very dry and dead Christmas tree on stage you see, covered in marshmallows, broken ornaments, and lighter fluid. The moment the first pieces of clothing were tossed, Vinsantos set the tree on fire. He then proceeded to blow balls of flame over the audiences' heads, somehow fitting in lip-syncing all the while. By this time the tree was a veritable bonfire, the flames more than just licking the ceiling, and now using the still-being-thrown clothing as further fuel. Panic quickly ensued. Though bar-owner Michael McElhaney practically leaped from the bar to the stage in a single jump to extinguish the fire, Vinsantos relit it as soon as Michael turned his back. Needless to say, by the end of the number Vinsantos himself was dripping in extinguisher foam, and a plethora of curses from Mr. McElhaney. We all had the stench of charred acrylic and polyester in our noses for days.
Accomplished as a filmmaker, musician, singer, producer, writer, and businessman, as well as hands-down one of the greatest performers ever to grace the Trannyshack stage, Vinsantos is a Renaissance Tranny if there ever was one. Aside from co-hosting shows dedicated to Satan and Pink Floyd's "The Wall", perhaps the most legendary of themes Vinsantos created in the past were his two previous Tokyo Tea nights, complete with Ikebana, paper lamps, flower lights, dangling Ukiyo-e, and a usable bridge that went from the runway to the countertops at stage right. This third and final staging of Tokyo Tea is, I believe, a celebration/damnation of contemporary Japanese culture and society; I'm sure the staging and performances will be more than up to par with the past two.

Tonight's show is, in a way, the final Trannyshack, as the last four weeks are dedicated to recreating some of the greatest performances of all time. It is more than appropriate to end this final run of co-hosts with Vinsantos, but not (as I originally suggested) because he himself almost ended the club, but rather because no other queen over the years has better represented what Trannyshack is all about: being as irreverent and iconoclastic as possible, even if the target of your aesthetic is irreverence itself. Though always keeping his 'sixth toe' well-immersed in tranny traditions, Vinsantos' penchant for both the high brow and the low-end, for both hysterical theatrics and professional composure, helped redefine what "drag" is in San Francisco. I hope you'll all be able to come down to the show tonight and help us thank him for all his years of dedication, humor, pathos, and unquestionable talent.
- Bobby Barber

The signs of the Apocalypse are all around us: wars rage on and on, great rivers flood, monster earthquakes leave devastation, inextinguishable fires that even burn the sky, the queers are marrying down at City Hall, Monistat's making The Guardian's Hot List…it seems the End Times are indeed here. But as I prepared to write this week's bulletin I realized that we've all had at least ONE sure thing to be grateful for during our last years of life on this planet– Glamamore, The Hog-Queen of Lip-Sync. Mother to a select few, and Grandmother to many, but Godmother to us all, Glamamore is associated with, if not responsible for many of the boldest, wildest and most cherished performances at Trannyshack. As alter ego Mr. David, he's been the dressmaker/dream-weaver to not just many-a-drag queen but to most of San Francisco's fashion-conscious bohemia for the last 15 odd years, culminating in a massive, opulent and idiosyncratic queerilla-retrospective of his work held at the De Young Museum back in April 2007. Though many of the other Trannyshack performers (after admiring their now-gorgeous selves in their fabulous and one-of-a-kind Mr. David creation) treasure the genius seamstress, the devotees in the Trannyshack audience have always adored the other, more extroverted half: the Grand Dowager of Pomp 'n' Pumps, the Sovereign Lady of the Pinspot, our Queen of Campy Catharsis – GLAMAMORE!

And what better way to celebrate the expressive artistry and theatrical brilliance of Glamamore then by combining her all-star salute with an evening dedicated to Broadway and show tunes. Already a legendary New York City drag queen before coming to San Francisco, Glamamore's penchant for combining animated and gritty portrayals with graphically grand gesturing are rooted in that city's at one time vibrant and dynamic underground performance art and drag scene. Glamamore's versatility in subject matter is as celebrated as her lip-synching expertise, being able to deliver master class-worthy impersonations of Eva Peron, Maria Callas, Norma Desmond and Judy Garland, and then turn around and wow us as Nina Hagen, Kate Bush, David Bowie and Fee Waybill. Her interpretations of Bowie's "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide", Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky" and "The Trial", Kate Bush's "Suspended in Gaffa", Nina Hagen's "Naturträne", Bjork's "Pagan Poetry", and Mott the Hoople's "Hymn for the Dudes" are only the first of countless many that come to mind when I think of how Glamamore truly makes a song her own.
Of course I dare not forget her wonderful theme night Grannyshack, held, I believe, three times over the years. A terrifyingly hilarious look into the not-so-distant future, Grannyshack was a night dedicated to the Metamucilizing of Trannyshack; needless to say there were a lot of adult diapers, wheelchairs, blue and purple hued wigs, walkers, and floral print sundresses. Another night of renown for Glamamore was her one-woman show – Dramamore! The Hog Queen tackled the little black stage of death all on her own, delivering a non-stop powerhouse 45-minute set which began with her entering through the crowd on the shoulders of Queen Size, and ended in with a mesmeric Thai Dance spectacle to "Canatara" by Dead Can Dance. Now if Kegel Kater would only return my copy of the show!
The last thing I need to do is sell Glamamore to anyone, especially those of you who read this. I only hope I've been able to convince you all to extend your Pride Weekend a little longer and join us in not only celebrating the legend of Glamamore but also in thanking her for all the truly awe-inspiring memories.
- Bobby Barber

I think I'm safe in stating that David Bowie is, without a doubt, birthday girl Heklina's favorite artist, of any kind. So is it safe to assume via association that Bowie is also Trannyshack's number one influence? When it comes to the superstar name-dropping influences (i.e. Bjork, Nina Hagen, Kate Bush, Siouxsie Sioux, Deborah Harry, etc.), Bowie is certainly the front-runner. However, outside of the world of pop, punk, rock, soul, cult cinema, MTV, Old Hollywood, ad infinitum, I'd like to think that the performers themselves have all been one another's primary influence over the years; no, this is not some wishy-washy half-joke either. But in the world of Trannyshack idol-worship, David Bowie's impact and inspiration cannot be over-stated. Whether it's as an overly cerebral post-hippie; a spaced-out, folky Warholite; a lightning-struck, rock 'n' roll alien; a proto-punk pirate cum circus freak; a pseudo-fascist, doped-up lounge singer; or all these at once, the often-maddening, mercurial faces of Bowie have been more than just that – they've been completely different states of mind and being. And then there's the consistently visual aspect of Bowie's music, a ripe field for many-a-rock 'n' roll queen. His lyrics are always more than just trite, rerun narratives or obscene declarations of banal emotion, and they lend themselves beautifully to performance, their ambiguity making it all right for a tranny to interpret them however she or he chooses. All this considered, perhaps there is no better queen to co-host tonight's show than our own multi-faceted, multi-talented, Glameleon par excellence – Kiddie!
First performing on the Trannyshack stage back in March '04 (on the now legendary Avant-Tarde Night no less), Kiddie quickly positioned herself as a fierce-to-be-reckoned with, and there's been no questioning it ever since. I recall her first number (to David Gray's "Other Side") as a high-art cross between a Goth girl's clothesline cum maypole and the climax of Hellraiser; needless to say, there was nothing "tarde" about it, unlike mine and Metal P.'s number from the same evening. She's hosted some of the best nights of Trannyshack's last four years, including RHPS vs. Hedwig, Mondo N.Y., It Came From Outer Space!, and Beware the Ides of March (an evening of assassinations). Despite her, to some extent, predisposition towards the dark, the dire and the dirge, Kiddie is actually (like the best trannys at the Shack) an incredibly versatile performer, equally comfortable serving you the high-brow drama or the low-down farce, the solo old school lip-sync or the big 'here's art in your eye' concept numbers. Highlights for me include her re-enactment of the attempted assassination of Gerald Ford (portraying Squeaky Fromme of course) to Bauhaus' "Who Killed Mr. Moonlight?"; her accusatory, vengeful and harrowing zombie born out of Pink Floyd's "Mother"; the stark, raving, yet beautiful cuckoo's nest that was her rendition of Bowie's "Five Years"; and her petrifyingly perfect impersonation of cinematic serial killer 'Buffalo Bill'. And if you haven't seen Kiddie's performance from the '04 pageant (it's on YouTube) then you're only missing out on what is arguably the greatest lip-sync ever recorded.
Besides attending tonight's show for your love of Bowie, and to give Heklina that expensive present you've been saving your hard earned cash for all year (actually… gift cards to Bed, Bath & Beyond are her favorite), come down to help us all in thanking Kiddie for all her years of wonderful drag. Her artistry, diligence, originality and, yes, humor have made for many glitter-ridden yet life-long memories.
- Bobby Barber

You might be asking yourself, how is tonight's theme any different from almost every other Trannyshack, right? Well, there's a particular breed of male rock star all too absent from today's gaggle of icons, but who at one time flourished throughout the '70s and '80s, and into the '90s too I suppose – The Man in Make-Up! Perhaps it all started with Bolan, Bowie and Roxy, but who can really find the source of anything when it comes to pop culture. All we know is that at sometime in the early, early '70s, the male peacock/rockstar leaped onto the charts, and created his own look to go with the now-glamtastic hit sounds of amp-ed up glitter, sequins and cocaine. Aside form Glam Rock, the '80s brought us the New Romantics and the Gods of Hair Metal, who, if you asked me, really perfected the whole notion of 'men in make-up'. I can only surmise who we'll be graced with this evening…The Human League? Adam Ant? Kiss? Marilyn Manson? Poison? Gary Numan? The only sure thing this evening is that it'll be a drag-queen free show – tonight, everyone's a boy! Or at least DOING a boy.
Tonight's theme is co-hosted by the very queen who first brought us this legendary night back in 2005 – our very own Syphilis Diller! Syphilis first performed at Trannyshack via the 5th Annual Star Search Pageant back in December 2003. In no time, Syphy was a more-than-welcome regular on our stage, possessing a wondrous gift for concept and humor that immediately fit with the age-old precepts of Trannyshack. Syphilis went on to compete in the 9th Annual Miss Trannyshack Pageant in November 2004, the exploits of which are incredibly documented in Sacha Aiken's award-winning documentary "Blood, Sweat & Glitter". Syphy's epic performance to Prince's often-overlooked masterpiece "Let's Pretend We're Married", is the stuff of Trannyshack legend, though at the time (as is documented in the movie) it was much-debated; at one point in the film during the judge's deliberations, Syphilis was actually the winner! In my opinion, any number that incorporates a bride wearing a 15-foot wide wedding dress (that also fits her synchronized dancing bridesmaids at the same time), and said bride turns into a 60-foot(?) tall (by means of a cherry picker) priest with floor-length satin gown…well, I thought it was, as the kids say these days, hella fierce.
Aside from her pageant number, Syphilis has graced with some truly memorable and extraordinary numbers over the last 4 1/2 years. She tackled the terrible Taliban with A Flock of Seagulls' "I Ran"; she's done spot-on impersonations of Madonna ("Dress You Up") and The Go-Go's ("Vacation", complete with pink tutu-clad back-ups and water-ski tow ropes); Michael Alig & Co. fell victim to Syphilis' warped imagination with a truly haunting, fogged and flashlit number (was it Radiohead?) from "Club Kid" night. Syphilis even managed to create one of the few, literal drag mash-ups I can think of, by performing The Cure's "Lovesong" AS Michael Jackson, turning Robert Smith's lovely, melancholic lyrics into something altogether pederastic and hysterically disturbing. Syphilis Diller's been a fantastic performer all these years; her wonderful, dark sense of humor, and her commitment to 'doing something different' have endeared her to all of us at Trannyshack. Come down tonight and join us in thanking Syphy for all the remarkable and often side-splitting memories.
Next week is Heklina's birthday. It's David Bowie Tribute Night, co-hosted by Kiddie. Need I say more?
- Bobby Barber

So just try to picture it: a 'stage' made of beer crates and a sheet of plywood; two weak fluorescent lights; eight horny Japanese tourists; and three drag queens held together by grit, polish, and ardent determination – this was the first night of Trannyshack back in February 1996, and tonight's co-hostess, Jordan L'Moore, was one of the said three queens. Only Heklina, Pippi Lovestocking and Jordan can tell us WHAT, if anything, happened that primal night which made them all want to come back the following Tuesday and keep it going. I bet it had a lot to do with drink tickets, great music (thanks to Robbie D.), and being a singular place where everyone could meet and party, but I'm sure the draw of the 'empty canvas' stage (and its ability to scratch the creative itch) had a lot to do with it as well.
Prior to Trannyshack, Jordan came from a theatrical background, having been a member of The Sick & Twisted Players from 1994 thru 1998, participating in their productions of Poseidon Adventure, Friday the 13th, Burnt Offerings, and Poltergeist, among others. When time came for Trannyshack's first night, Heklina (a fellow Sick & Twisted) called on Jordan to help her out, via coming down to The Stud and performing at her new club; Jordan's been an integral part of Trannyshack ever since, always to be counted on for delivering vigorous and vivacious performances, capable of both high-art conceptual, and just flat-out fierce drag-personations.
When I first began coming to Trannyshack in the spring of 1998, there was a Holy Trinity of Realness afoot at The Stud, one that represented Glamour, Fear, and Beauty. Respectively, this trio was comprised of Kennedy, Portia 666, and Jordan L'Moore. Kennedy was the original Glamazon – she'd stride onto the stage equal parts aristocratic-debutante and Nancy Spungen, dripping in blinkless poses that would hold her breathless audience captive. Portia 666 was a devastatingly gorgeous hellion – a spot-on, Rock 'n' Roll drag queen cum spitfire, who would do just that if the mood so struck her. But it was Jordan L'Moore who always personified sheer, drop-dead loveliness – with her killer body and smile, knockout eyes, and some of the most dazzling wigs and outfits this side of the House of More!
But most important, of course, was Jordan during performance. Her impersonations of Marilyn Monroe, Nancy Wilson, Stevie Nicks, Ziggy Stardust, and in particular, Debbie Harry, are about as close to drag-queen realness as one can get. Besides the rock gods and godesses, Jordan can conjure the silver screen queens just as well. I'll never forget seeing Kennedy and Jordan as Catharine Denevue and Susan Sarandon, reenacting the lesbian sex scene from "The Hunger", complete with mattress, sheets, pillows, and lots and lots of blood. Or when Jordan took at shower at the Bates Motel, only to suffer at the hands of "Rip Her To Shreds" by Blondie – "Mother! Oh God, Mother! Blood! Blood!" But Jordan can also stir the pot of pathos with the best of the art-damaged fags, as witnessed by her beautiful and haunting interpretation of This Mortal Coil's "Song to the Siren" from 4AD night. The list truly is endless. When talking about someone who's been performing at Trannyshack as long as Jordan L'Moore has, no write-up of this length is going to do her numbers and accomplishments justice. Her professionalism, drag diligence and unwavering charm has, for all these years, made Trannyshack what it is. Without a doubt, Trannyshack would not have been the same without Jordan L'Moore.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, tonight is a tribute to Steve Nicks. So expect lots of tambourines, cocaine, platform boots, wind, and piles of chiffon and lace dripping in sweat; who knows, perhaps even some live doves, but don't say I told you. However, despite the obvious and deserved allure of Stevie Nicks, tonight's show is a great big thank you to the legendary Jordan L'Moore. Come down and help us celebrate the drag legacy of this true Trannyshack original.

For these final months, it would've been next to impossible for Heklina to book individual tribute nights on behalf of every beloved icon/idol of Trannyshack. This last calendar of themes has been peppered with shows honoring many of our most treasured influences, but there are so many more for which there simply wasn't room: Pat Benatar, Cyndi Lauper, Nina Hagen, Alison Moyet, Lene Lovich, Grace Jones, Deborah Harry, Siouxsie Sioux, ad infinitum. Thankfully, tonight's theme, Ladies of the '80s, kills multiple birds with one stone, satisfying the needs of those who demand one more visit to the land of primordial MTV. Ahhh… the '80s – New Romantics, Valley Girls, Power Dressing, Miami Vice, designer sneakers, Lacoste, Vaurnet, mousse, and Movado watches…am I missing anything? Oh yeah, Ray-Ban sunglasses. Let's face it, if we did a Ladies of the '70s or '90s, it just wouldn't be that great. Joni Mitchell & Linda Ronstadt Night?!?! And who the hell would want to sit through an entire show dedicated to Courtney Love & Celine Dion? Precisely. The '80s lent itself so completely to glitzy and over-the-top visualization, and most of its music followed suit. This being the case, there's no better co-hostess for tonight's theme then our very own gutsy, flashy and lurid faux queen-extreme – Trixxie Carr!
Trixxie began performing at Trannyshack in late 2001, making an immediate splash with her assured and provocative performances. Right away we all came to pick up on Trixxie's love for the '80s, à la her penchant for Hall & Oates, Air Supply, Journey and Starship. And it was with a Starship song, "We Built This City", that Trixxie competed in the 2002 Miss Trannyshack Pageant, creating a rousing and energetic number, complete with tight choreography, spot-on-era wardrobe, and climactic explosions. I remember watching from the upper deck at the City Nights Club, and by the time the performance was over I was so taken aback that Trixxie had made me jump up and down, clapping and screaming my approval – forgetting that it had been done to a Starship song; hence the magic of Trixxie Carr. She's always been able to take any song, and re-envision the lyrics into a higher, and most often hilarious, narrative. This has always been my own main draw for coming to Trannyshack – the alchemy, albeit often heavily sequined and occasionally covered in god-knows-what, but alchemy nevertheless (or was it alcohol?) And Trixxie Carr has been one of Trannyshack's main sorceresses: from her inspired interpretations of Kate Bush, Blondie, Michael Jackson, George Michael or even as Special Agent Clarice Starling (hell, I've even seen her take on Dr. Phil!), Trixxie always surprises you with her side-splitting, but always spot-on, magical antics. And of course, what would the Pageant have been these past four (five?) years without Heklina and Trixxie's opening performance of "Trannyshack"? It's always been the perfect kickstart to what's consistently a truly wild ride of an evening. Thank you Trixxie!
Next week is the final co-hostessing duty for one of Trannyshack's foremost and fundamental superstars – Jordan L'Moore. So come down to not only help us in thanking Jordan, but to help her celebrate the work of this night's tributee – it's Stevie Nicks Night!
- Bobby Barber

A hypnotic, Barnum-esque theatricality…Being equal parts high glamour and low-down fear…Dark passions for violence, gore, and rock 'n' roll…A deep, seditious love for all things cinematically subversive…
Such are the thoughts that come to mind as I ponder how to describe tonight's co-hostess: the illustrious, cult-leader supreme – Peaches Christ. Someone may argue that it is unnecessary to mention Trannyshack performers in ranks and echelons – that to do so only creates rivalry, resentment, and argumentation. But fuck it, I'm going to give the lady her due: Peaches Christ is, unquestionably, one of the cornerstones of Trannyshack. There's only a gaggle of queens left from the early beginnings and Peaches is certainly among this select few. As you can see, professional, objective distance is something that will be clearly lacking from this week's particular write-up, as Peaches Christ is the reason I myself first went to Trannyshack back in the summer of '98. Having just moved to San Francisco eight weeks prior, I went to a screening of Female Trouble at The Bridge Theatre. The film was hosted by a tall, glamorously Goth-damaged, and incredibly charismatic drag queen named Peaches Christ. When I went up to her after the show and told her how much fun I had, she asked if I'd been to Trannyshack yet, as I was sure to love it there if I enjoyed Midnight Mass. Three days later I was at The Stud. And Peaches had been most certainly correct in her prediction.
A performer at Trannyshack since its first months, Peaches has been a stalwart, consistent and always-astounding presence, both on and off the stage. Architect of two of the most legendary nights at Trannyshack over the years, "The Passion of the Christ" and "Kooler Than Jesus", Peaches is also co-creator and co-hostess of the renowned Star Search Pageant, soon to have it's tenth annual. She's also co-hosted too many shows at Trannyshack to mention them all here, but the highlights include: Cult Movie Night, Rocky Horror vs. Hedwig, Scary Movie (I & II), and, tonight's theme, Prom Night. Aside from ALL this, Peaches has also been the lieutenant extraordinaire for Heklina, taking on main hostess duties whenever Hekles is out of town.
Prom Night (at one time an annual night at Trannyshack) hasn't occurred since May of 2001. Perhaps it was due to all the controversies at past Proms that it never came back (accusations of rim-bribes; a newborn baby found in a bathroom trashcan; boys dancing with other boys, etc.) But the way it works is like this: on the way into the club, everyone is given a ballot and mini-pencil. You'll have multiple choices for Prom Queen and King. Principal Christ is on-hand to make sure that not only is there no stuffing of ballot boxes or bribing, but that there is also no close-contact dancing (what Martiny calls "dirty dancing", after her favorite movie). Right before the final number of the evening, the winners are announced, crowned, and forcibly removed from the stage. But the main highlight/reason for the evening, of course, is so all us queers can dress to the formal-nines, and flaunt our fierce tuxedos and jaw-dropping gowns. Of course, such formal wear is not mandatory tonight, but it is highly encouraged; and any sort of Prom reference will do (Carrie, Prom Night, Juno, Pretty in Pink) – you get the idea.
So besides the obvious, celebratory, end-of-school reason for coming this Tuesday, the show is particularly bittersweet, as we gather together to say an enormous, heartfelt "THANK YOU!" to tonight's co-hostess – Trannyshack legend, and superstar, Peaches Christ.

Over the years, Trannyshack 'tribute nights' have fallen into three distinct categories: those that are often just as (or more) tongue-in-cheek than sincere in their idolatry (Jackson Family, ABBA, Madonna, Cher); those that are thankfully repeated for their constant, unadulterated, '70s/'80s rock nostalgia (Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, Blondie, Heart); and finally, those nights dedicated to the performers par excellence, whose work begets the tortured art queer in all of us (Annie Lennox, Bjork, Bowie, and tonight's anticipated honoree, Kate Bush). This is the third time Trannyshack has presented a Kate Bush Tribute Night, the other two being in 2003 and 2005. Both previous shows have become a part of Trannyshack history, in particular the 2005 show – a 48 minute, seamless, experimental narrative titled "The Fog", in which producer, designer and co-host Precious Moments led us all down the Kate Bush welsh rabbit hole via her own gorgeous and phantasmagorical imagination. With incredible performances by everyone involved (including Heklina, Glamamore, Fauxnique, Suppositori Spelling, Putanesca, Kiddie and many others), "The Fog" was a Kate Bush fan's wet dream come true. "James and the Cold Gun", "Moments of Pleasure", "Leave It Open", "Get Out of My House", "Deeper Understanding", "Cloudbusting", ad infinitum – Precious Moments thankfully left no stone of Ms. Bush's oeuvre unturned. Kudos Presh!
If you've always appreciated Trannyshack for it's 'conceptual art' side, then Kate Bush Tribute Night is definitely an evening NOT to be missed. Ms. Bush's music has always polarized people, as I've yet to meet someone who thinks she just all right; either people love her, or they think she's a wack-a-doo. Highly conceptualized, thought-provoking, lyrically challenging, and melodically eclectic, Kate Bush's songs are, if anything, never boring. Her music almost demands visualization, so of course a gaggle of art-damaged trannies are just clamoring to bring their own particular visions of Kate's world to the stage – shards of well-sequined, and leotard-clad art will literally by flying directly into your eyeball! The performers at Trannyshack pull out all the stops for Kate Bush Night, so be prepared for the single best thing you've ever experienced for a measly eight bucks.
No diehard Kate fan has ever left past tribute shows disappointed. So if you ARE a big Kate fan, but have never been to a Trannyshack tribute, you owe it to yourself to check this out. And even if you're not fond of Ms. Bush, or don't know anything about her music, these queens will have you running to Amoeba tomorrow to buy her used CDs…seriously – I've seen it happen.
And in the continuing vein of bringing you the best Trannyshack has offered over the past twelve years,next week Heklina is proud to present the return of a favorite bygone theme…it's PROM NIGHT! Created and always co-hosted by Principal Christ (aka you-know-who), Prom Night is forever associated with high formals, high drama, high hair, and high times. Don't forget your Prom Queen and King voting card on the way in!
- Bobby Barber

May 6th, 2008
What's Your Favorite Scary Movie? – Mercy Fuque

As we all experienced on Queens of the Silver Screen night two weeks ago, the world of cinema has been an obvious and enormous influence on Trannyshack and its stable of performers. Besides the over-flowing bucket of pizzazz that comes with personifying Bette, Joan, Judy, Marilyn, and all the other idols and classic films of yesteryear, the Horror film is another constant source of inspiration and motivation. Things can't be sunshine, lollipops, and Dexedrine all the time at Trannyshack; there needs to be regular injections of murder, mayhem, demon-possessed children, homicidial maniacs, vengeful ghosts, and malevolent witches. Oh yeah, and blood…lots and lots of blood. Streams of blood. Rivers of blood. So much blood it drips from the ceiling. And of course gore as well. For nothing says Trannyshack like getting slapped in the face with a chewed on pig's foot, or a slimy handful of chicken livers. Ah…and such a lovely smell!
From such Tranny Killer classics as Psycho, Dressed to Kill, and The Silence of the Lambs, to the nightmarish phantasmagoria of The Shining and Suspiria, and all the chainsaw wielding, butcher knife cleaving and hockey mask wearing loonies in-between, What's Your Favorite Scary Movie is a night that's always kept the scream queens satisfied. A semi-regular theme at Trannyshack, Scary Movie has been hosted by the likes of Peaches Christ, Vinsantos and Cookie Dough over the years, all of whom brought their considerable Tranny talents to the cold, black slab.
Tonight's co-hostess, Mercy Fuque, who has long been an admitted junkie for Horror films, wanted to bring the terrorizing theme back one final time before Trannyshack's end in August. One of the most talented, stalwart, and unheralded performers in Trannyshack's history, Mercy Fuque is an inspiring queen, who never does anything on that stage half-assed. She can conceptually re-envision a lyric in a way that'll make your head spin, or do a straight up perfect impersonation of Babs, Judy or Annie Lennox, and deliver seemingly impossible lip-syncs without flaw, all the while juggling props, choreography or while standing perfectly still – nothing escapes the phenomenal range of Mercy Fuque. Having co-hosted One Hit Wonders, twice co-hosting Tired Night, and even infusing us all with an evening of performance art via The Mangina Monologues, Mercy truly is a queen-of-all-trades. First performing at the 3rd annual Star Search Pageant back in December of 2001, Mercy went on to place 2nd runner-up in the 2003 Trannyshack Pageant with her amazing performance to The Boomtown Rats' "I Don't Like Mondays". Thankfully, many of Mercy's numbers of legend are on YouTube: from the pinnacle of unplanned audience participation (thanks Spaz) in "Blue Bayou", to the sublime, side-splitting pathos of "Sittin' on Top of the World"; from the seamless passion in her tongue-in-cheek impersonations of Streisand, Garland and Madeline Kahn, to the mesmerizing, murderous mayhem of "I Just Called to Say I Love You"; all are available for your worship online.
So just what is your favorite scary movie? Chances are it'll be personified on stage tonight. Perhaps not in the way you remember the film to be, but definitely in a way you're not soon to forget. And speaking of things not soon forgotten, next week is the return of everyone's secretly favorite tribute – it's Kate Bush Night! The past two Kate nights are truly the stuff of legend at Trannyshack, and this final one is sure to be as well. Come help us celebrate this woman's work!