Voss Events’ Night of the Living Drag with Violet Chachki, Plastique Tiara, Kandy Muse, Kim Chi, Rose, Jaida Essence Hall, Aquaria, Alyssa Edwards, and GottMik
Terminal 5
New York, NY
October 29th, 2021
Halloween weekend in New York City… there is truly nothing quite like it. There’s something for everyone and the event for me this Halloween weekend? Voss Events’ Night of the Living Drag. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love drag and how much I love the hit show RuPaul’s Drag Race. So it was no surprise that I was headed to New York’s Terminal 5 on the evening of October 29th, for a sold out performance from some of the top queens in Drag Race herstory.
I’ve attended several drag tours hosted by Voss Events and they’re always extremely entertaining and a fantastic way to see some of the most notable queens from the show live all at once! But if there’s one thing a drag queen can absolutely smash, it’s got to be Halloween. I entered Terminal 5 and grabbed my credentials, then made my way into the concert hall. Immediately, I was thrown into the spooky energy. Halloween music played throughout the venue and fans donned a variety of costumes that evening.
In typical drag queen fashion, the show started a little late — but it definitely did not disappoint. Fans erupted in screams as the venue went dark and suddenly a voiceover played throughout the venue and the giant LED screen on stage lit up. The mysterious narrator for the evening told us a frightful story of Empress Violet and her unfortunate banishing to the underworld. We were about to be taken on a journey alongside Empress Violet, as she collected the souls necessary to escape the underworld.
Suddenly a fiery graphic overtook the LED screen on stage and dancers in short fabric skirts and skull masks graced the stage. The iconic winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7, Violet Chachki, took center stage. Violet served us with a captivating opening performance, before wrapping herself in fabric and flying into the sky. If I can count on Violet for one thing, it’s always going to be a jaw dropping, stunning performance.
Violet Chachki
After her opening performance and a quick outfit update, Violet returned to the stage to welcome us all to the Night of the Living Drag. Violet did a wonderful job hosting the event, reading fans in the front row and engaging with the audience from front to back, all throughout the venue. The first soul to be collected by Empress Violet was that of Season 11 superstar, Plastique Tiara.
Plastique graced the stage looking fabulous as always. She ripped into a high energy dance performance that captivated the fans and left us all wanting more. Her short, but sweet, performance was followed by Season 13 icon, Kandy Muse.
Plastique Tiara
Kandy entered the stage wearing a fabulous wedding gown, ready to meet her groom at the end of the aisle. But the wedding she wanted and expected, was not going to be happening. Kandy’s performance told the story of a fierce woman who so badly wanted to love the good guys, but always found herself attracted to the bag guys. Delving into a dance number soundtracked by Charli XCX’s “Good Ones”, Kandy Muse stunned fans throughout the venue with her slick dance moves.
Kandy Muse
Up next was Kim Chi, from season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I first saw Kim Chi perform on the 2020 Halloween Drive N Drag tour and her performance was both captivating and frightening, so I was excited to see what she was bringing to the stage that evening. Kim Chi’s performance featured four dancers, masquerading as mushrooms and Kim Chi played the mushroom master. Dancing to a child-like song, Kim Chi and her dancers bounced across the stage, emulating mushrooms growing. Despite the lack of a Halloween theme and a fear factor, Kim Chi’s performance was a much needed light hearted break.
Kim Chi
Following Kim Chi’s performance a short intermission took place, before we returned for a performance from Season 10 winner, Aquaria. This was my third time seeing Aquaria perform and every time she gets stronger and more captivating. Aquaria’s performance surrounded the idea of someone who had gone crazy from the fame and paparazzi. It felt a little ironic to be standing there photographing someone who is performing about going crazy from being photographed too much! Aquaria concluded her show stopping performance by being lifted into the sky, in a very “soul leaving body” type of way… perhaps we were witnessing Empress Violet stealing a soul right in front of our eyes!
Aquaria
Up next was the queen of queens, the tongue pop master — Alyssa Edwards. The choreography queen herself gave fans a solo performance that evening. Entering center stage, Alyssa posed with her back to the crowd and awaited her soundtrack to start. Alyssa turned and walked to the stage right where she sat in a chair next to a table and lip synced to the iconic scene from the 1981 film, “Mommy Dearest.” Alyssa grabbed a wire hanger and effervescently mouthed the iconic line: “No more wire hangers, ever!”
Alyssa Edwards
Fans ripped and roared in excitement over getting to see one of the most iconic queens in Drag Race herstory, perform live in front of their eyes. Though it was a hard performance to follow because of her success, Season 12 winner Jaida Essence Hall was up next.
Serving us 50’s housewife realness, Jaida Essence Hall’s performance revolved around the idea of a housewife lusting after the milkman, once her husband has left for work. Jaida, the most recent Drag Race winner on the tour, served us up with a captivating and high energy performance. I truly enjoyed watching Jaida perform that evening and her highly emotive face was the icing on top of the cake.
Jaida Essence Hall
Season 13 finalist, Rosé, graced the stage next. Returning to her Scottish roots, Rosé entered from stage left wearing a fabulously extravagant Mary Queen of Scott’s style gown and wig. Rose offered fans not one, but two outfit reveals throughout her performance. The first, about 30 seconds into the performance, saw Rose’s dancers rip her gown off her to reveal a lovely blood red gown. Twirling across the stage, it wasn’t long before the red gown was ripped from Rose’s body to reveal a lace bodysuit. Rose and her dancers grabbed large swords and performed a complex yet intriguing dance routine. The swords, which were bedazzled, glistened and sparkled each time the light radiated off of them. Rose captivated the audience with her fantastic dance skills and really set the stage for the final performance of the evening.
Rosé
The venue erupted into cheers and roars of excitement for the final soul of the evening. Season 13’s iconic GottMik took to the stage. Fans throughout the venue resonated with her performance, making history as the first trans mascluine drag queen to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race. GottMik certainly served fans a performance that will be unforgettable.
GottMik’s rock n roll, edgy style oozed out of her performance that evening. Gracing the stage in a bedazzled, horned mask/headpiece and a long red velvet cloak, Mik captured the attention of every person in the venue that evening. Immediately ripping the headpiece and cloak from her body, Mik took center stage for an epic performance wearing nothing but black nipple pasties, a black thong and thigh high lack leather boots. Very on brand for GottMik.
GottMik
I truly couldn’t think of a better queen to conclude the performances that evening. Following Mik’s departure from the stage, the entire cast of Night of the Living Drag took to the stage for the finale number. The queens and their souls took to the front of the stage, while Empress Violet stood atop the stairs at the back of the stage, collecting their souls to gain the energy needed to escape the underworld.
In a performance that lasted just under two hours, Empress Violet and her souls captivated New York City and left us all with our jaws on the floor. This being the third nationwide drag tour that Voss Events has hosted since the beginning of the pandemic, I can confidently say that they just keep getting better each time. The intimacy that being in the same venue, just feet away from these queens, created was unmatched. Their performances and energy were some of the best I’ve ever seen and it let me beaming with excitement for when the next drag tour will come to town!
