Drag Show Concert @ French Quarter

Friday night was all kinds of classy at the French Quarter Café, where a drag show-themed concert took place. The night was hosted byThe Aeronauts, and featured performances by local bands,The Little BearJunkyard Girls, Pushy Lips, and Lazy Susan. Things started off early around 7 pm with a performance by the new Infinity Cat band, The Little Bear. Imagine the combined voices of Fiona Apple and Leigh Nash, but singing pretty, pop/alt-rock—somewhere along the lines of Vedera or A Fine Frenzy.  I only caught their last song—something about a parachute—but it was good enough to make me want to investigate their next show more thoroughly. (It will be on July 28th at The End). After Little Bear’s set, there were a number of people scuttling around in drag, which was piquing everyone’s interest for the next band, Junkyard Girls. The Nashville experimental/ambient/singer/songwriter group was only in duo form, featuring lead singer/pianist, Aaron Phipps, and violinist, Caroline Yoder. Clad in a sensible navy blue and white, polka-dotted dress and Kelly green wig, Phipps oozed the quiet drama of Dame Judi Dench, as he serenaded the audience with autobiographical ballads about intimacy in its many forms, in addition to some real talk concerning drugs, politics, and aliens. Compared to previous Junkyard Girls shows, it was clear that several of the songs had been revamped a bit, such as “The Intimacy Is Absent,” “Fantosmia,” and “Aliens.” The trusty, “Tell’Em I Sent You” was played with a Latin-infused, bossa feel, created by Phipps on the autoharp, and the dramatic melodic enhancements of Yoder’s violin playing. “Caged Bird,” was a new one, and interestingly enough, sounded like something that came off of Beach House’s second album. Any sort of finalized ensemble formation has been long-awaited, although the acoustic setup was good for Junkyard Girls because it showcased Phipp’s voice and his lyrics, which seem to be his strong points. Speaking of points, that’s when it was time for me to skedaddle. This was unfortunate, because I foolishly missed the other bands, (especially the Aeronauts, who sound like Muse), and didn’t get to participate in the high-heeled drag racing. Get it?! Drag racing? Oh well—better luck next time.—Erin Manning