The Golden Lantern Outer Journey

One music and art performance that I got to experience was a drag show. Upon entering the Golden Lantern in the evening, it was cavernous and dark. The room was lined with colorful characters. Immediately to the left there has a small, square stage with brightly colored lights. I was standing on the cold hard floor, in the small crowded bar with my friends jamming out to the opener of the show and dancing, awaiting this new experience. I look around at all the different types of people in there ranging from young, old, men, women, dressed up, casual, straight and gay. There are smiles on everyone’s face and I hear laughter. The rumbling of the bass was vibrating the floor and my feet. The opener was strumming his guitar, singing songs that everyone could sing along to. In between songs he would keep the crowd entertained with funny jokes and antidotes. Everyone was laughing away with their friends, patiently waiting for the queens to come out. The opener finished his set and announced the queens will be on shortly and everyone waited in anticipation for the beautiful dressed men to entertain them. Suddenly the lights dimmed and a song comes on, the bright spotlight shines on the vibrantly dressed queen while she struts onto the stage. The first words out of her mouth aren’t really words. She is lip singing and shaking her hips. The crowd sings and screams and starts throwing fists full of dollars. The show has begun and I can hardly contain my excitement.

Photo by me