ROCK ISLAND, ILL. — OK, there’s still a ton of drag, from baby kings and queens and in-betweens, to nationally-known headliners and title-holders.
But this weekend’s Quad Cities Pride Fest also takes some bold steps with live music — including a brand new Pride Choir with its first-ever public performance; a 35-year music veteran who toured with Tina Turner; and a tribute band for the Talking Heads, a heralded experimental rock band that came to fame in the 1980s.
Above: clockwise l to r: Janice Robinson, a live rhythm and blues vocalist who performs Saturday night; Bentley Belanciaga, the weekend’s host and also a Quad Cities Pride Alliance board member; Auntie Heroine, a nationally-known drag horror performer from Rockford, Ill., performing Friday evening (tonight); Open Stage, an annual Pride Fest tradition where many newcomers get their first stage time; and the Pride Pop-up Choir, performing tonight (Fri., June 6) at 6:45 p.m. for the first time ever.
Organizers of the event that starts tonight at 4 p.m. have been working hard to reach out with one-day passes for $10 a day, or two-day passes for $15. Dan Gleason, president of the Quad Cities Pride Alliance that presents the festival, says the mission is especially important this year.
“It’s just great for our community to show there is support here, especially with our political climate going on,” he told a local TV station.
Give a look at the entertainment at Schwiebert Park, 101 17th St. in Rock Island, for two days starting tonight at 4 p.m., and tomorrow at noon. You’ll also find food trucks and a vendor fair featuring more than 80 business and resource vendors while the music plays:
Pride Pop-up Choir, Auntie Heroine kick things off Friday
Friday’s opening night kicks off at 4 p.m. with DJ Sklarz — who, by the way, also leads the festival’s after-party Saturday night. The Textures, a Quad Cities original funk and soul band that has just released its third album, performs at 5 p.m.
You can hear the new Pride Pop-up Choir perform for the first time ever at 6:45 p.m. Formed by Clock Inc. LGBT Community Center and Justice Choir of the Midwest founder Matt Bishop, the choir will perform four tunes for the event:
- “You Have More Friends Than You Know,” a song commissioned by the University of Iowa’s Hancher Auditorium that was also featured on the TV show “Glee:
- “This Is How We Love,” written by Joe Twist for the Sydney Pride Festival in Australia
- “Banned Together,” written by transgender composer Pax Ressler, and
- “The Times They Are A’Changin’,” the Bob Dylan classic.
Auntie Heroine, a nationally-known drag horror performer originally from Rockford, Ill., performs Friday evening.
At 7 p.m., along with an array of drag performers, the first of three big-name drag performers takes the stage: Auntie Heroine, a performer based in Rockford, Ill., who is part of the Boulet Brothers’ Dragula Season 666 nationwide tour.
The drag persona of Stephen Ramberg, who identifies as nonbinary, Auntie Heroine finished third out of 12 contestants on the drag/horror reality show competition this past season.
Her stage name is intended to “bring attention to people doing what they think is right even if society judges how they look,” wrote the Rock River Current in December.
Auntie Heroine will lead a cast of nine performers.
Friday night rounds out with the Funktastic 5, a Quad Cities funk and rhythm and blues band at 9 p.m., and more drag at 10:15 p.m., with Miss Gay North Carolina Giselle Cassidy Carter leading the late-night performances.
Talking Heads tribute band, Janice Robinson, Myh’ia Iman Le’Paige light up Saturday
Saturday, after DJ Sklarz kicks off the music at noon, annual Pride Fest favorite Jordan Danielson takes the stage at 1 p.m. He performs roots rock and covers.
An open stage competition — an annual favorite especially for budding drag artists — takes place at 2 p.m. Connect with emcee Bentley Belanciaga to perform, or sign up for next year.
Above, Heads in Motion performs covers of the 1980s experimental rock band Talking Heads.
You can catch more drag at 4:30 p.m., when an array of performers provide impersonations of eight pop stars. At 6 p.m., Heads In Motion takes the stage as the Quad Cities’ own Talking Heads tribute band.
The band performs all songs from the 1980s-90s modern rock band The Talking Heads, known for lead singer David Byrne and percussionist Tina Weymouth.
Next up, Giselle Cassidy Carter (pictured below) returns to lead a cast of seven drag performers at 7:15 p.m., before the festival’s two other national names take the stage.
- Janice Robinson was the original vocalist of 90s eurodance group Livin’ Joy and has toured with Tina Turner.
- Also taking the stage Saturday night:  Mhiya Iman LePaige (pictured above), a top performer from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 who is also known as the Queen of Flips.
Rounding out Saturday night will be two other annual favorites: AcroYoga, and a burlesque showcase at 10:30 p.m. Bentley Belanciaga hosts almost the entire weekend.
DJ Sklarz’ after-party, which also benefits the festival, takes place in the wee hours at Circa ’21 Speakeasy, a legendary show spot in downtown Rock Island, just a few blocks from the festival.
For more information on the Quad Cities Pride Fest, the schedule, or more, head to the Quad Cities Pride Alliance Facebook page.
