Hosting the first-ever Frock n Roll event was the fabulous Vertigo (who we recently saw perform at Draglins at Royal Arcade which you can read about at https://rhysreviews.com/2024/03/27/draglins-production-review/) who made sure the evening ran smoothly and helped to introduce the performers. The Cheltenham-based performer also decided to host an interactive game/performance where the winner would get a free drink at the bar which instantly got us invested! During their performance of microplastics by toast she encourages the audience to shout the iconic “La La La” as loud as possible. The simplicity of this challenge meant that every single person could join in even if, like myself, you had never heard the song before. This quickly spiralled into thunderous La La La which created a highly chaotic but incredibly entertaining sequence. Our favourite performance of the night from Vertigo would have to be he they launched into a rendition of “Get into it (yuh)” by Doja Cat which is a highly complex and high-energy rap track. Doing this as a live performance must have been extremely intimidating by Vertigo did not seem fazed in the slightest as they nailed every single lyric as she paced throughout the venue.
Those who are familiar with the Cardiff drag scene will have realised that Chae with a C (who we have actually interviewed for our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/84KfWuZ8YMU?si=PRS71T19lwmJ-gPq) is very quickly becoming part and parcel of every drag show! Despite seeing her at pretty much every drag show in Cardiff however, I physically can never get bored of her infectious energy which lights up any room she is in! Unusually Chae decided to start her set with a rendition of “Get the Party Started” by another Welsh icon Shirley Bassey which is not a song I would have usually associated Chae with. This was the perfect number to open a set with as the lyrics not only reflect the imitation of something but the build-up in music meant that by the end everyone was hyped and ready for the rest of the set. Chae decided to also take on another camp classic in “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler (which we most recently saw performed by La Voix and you can read about this at https://rhysreviews.com/2024/04/22/la-voix-red-ambition-production-review/) Chae had crafted such an intense partnership with the audience that she was able to instruct the venue to turn on the main lights and instructed the audience to light her up simply using their flashlights. There could have been nothing more embarrassing than switching the house lights off only for Chae to be plunged into darkness but she was able to influence the audience into providing their own spotlights. During her run in Eagles Got Talent (which you can read about at https://rhysreviews.com/2024/03/28/eagles-got-talent-2-production-review/) Chae decided to showcase a unique parody of Don’t You Want Me by the Human League where the only lyrics were simply “working as a Waitress in a cocktail bar” which had the audience in fits of laughter throughout and the performance of this one of a kind set landed just a well! Due to Frock n Roll being held within the Bike Lock Cafe, Chae was able to actually get behind the bar as if she was in fact taking on the role of a waitress in a cocktail bar which made total sense. Not only this but Chae used the tables, benches, stage and audience area to create a truly immersive and highly entertaining performance which the crowd went wild for! So decided to bring her set to an end with an eccentric rendition of the 90s classic Crazy Frog theme song which is something I would have never expected at a drag show but now am surprised nobody had done it sooner!
Next up was the incredible Glas (who we most recently saw at Hell Haus’ musical show which you can read about at https://rhysreviews.com/2024/04/18/hell-haus-3-production-review/) who decided to use their set to showcase the plethora of talents they possess. The first performance shone a light on their vocal talents as she decided homage to the incredible Moulin Rouge the musical (which we have actually reviewed at https://rhysreviews.com/2022/08/18/moulin-rouge-production-review/ by performing the Backstage Romance Medley. Glass decided to strip back on choreography, theatrics etc to allow the audience to solely focus on her incredibly beautiful voice. Despite having seen this specific performance before, Glas has an optimistic yet powerful voice that fits the character of Christian perfectly and thus makes for a very realistic and believable performance! After this vocal showcase, Glas decided to totally switch it up by performing “Living La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin which is a high more high energy number that Glas decided to use to showcase some of her dance abilities during the extensive dance breaks. When you consider the fact that the Bike Lock is a very intimate venue and Glas confined to the front of the stage (due to singing live) Finally Glas used this opportunity to also showcase their comedic talents during a rendition of “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry Not only was this a pitch-perfect performance by Glas managed to inject a wonderful array of snappy one-liners throughout the number that had the audience laughing throughout!
The fourth queen in the first ever Frock n Roll lineup was the brilliant Ivory Glam (who we have also interviewed on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/DkydmBZr3J8?si=4apN2w4P93TBokC-) who has name a made for themselves for their unique brands of camp comedy and live vocals. In our opinion, one of the highlights of Ivory’s set was their homage to the iconic musical Grease with their rendition of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” which was absolutely beautiful to listen to. Ivory was also able to inject the perfect amount of comedy into this routine by interacting with key members of the audience. I don’t there has ever been such a drastic cultural reset than when Miley Cyrus released the eccentric music video to “Wrecking Ball” and Ivory Glam was able to capture all that and more as she showcased her version of the song for the audience at The Bike Lock Cafe. I have been a massive fan of the art form of drag for many years and over that time I have seen countless queens cover “Creep” by Radiohead but I have to be honest this rendition by Ivory Glam was one of the best renditions I have ever heard! This is an extremely complex song to perform but Ivory did not seem fazed in the slightest as she showcased her incredible vocal talents.
The final queen to join this lineup was the amazing Vanity Act (who we have also interviewed on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/QBtsisDtCH0?si=JyMt99B7rptc4vXX) who decided showcase a rendition of the highly sensual “black velvet” by Alannah Myles which saw the performer used every inch of the Bike Lock venue including the bar, stage and audience area to create a total immersive experience for the audience. Throughout the number, Vanity showcased an array of sexually fueled dance moves including the splits, and crawling across the venue and a highlight for me was the performer showcasing some beautiful floor work which fitted with the sexual nature of this track. In the closing moments of the show, Vanity decided to showcase a party dance classics medley that was also fused with the iconic “I can’t do it alone” from Chicago. This song is all about two people doing a dance routine and Vanity had cleverly cut the two tracks so that the dance moves in the song were excerpts from classic party songs including “Soulja Boy”, “The Fast Food Song”, “Whip Nae Nae” and “the cha cha slide” which had every single person in the audience stood up dancing along. Having this performance right at the end of the show is a very brave choice as this would be where the performers would be at their most fatigued but Vanity did not seem fazed in the slightest! They fully committed to each of the cheesy party hits and nailed every one of the classic dance moves to create a highly entertaining way to end the show!
Overall, Frock n Roll was an intimate night of celebrating Cardiff’s fastest-rising drag artists! The performers were able to make the most of the smaller venue that is not traditionally designed as a space for drag performers while they used every inch of the venue including stage, audience area, behind the bar, on top of table etc with the combination of live singing and lip-syncing which made for a truly exciting and entertaining viewing experience for the audience! I would rate this event 4 out of 5 stars!
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