On March 9, Dyke Night and drag artist Tiki Vonté got in one last ribald nod to Black History month with Aphro Punk: An All-Black Cabaret.
The event, which took place at the Color Club, 4146 N. Elston Ave., was created as a showcase highlighting sapphic talents from all over the city—with the added allure of being a Black lesbian curated show. The evening’s organizers intended to build bridges between people of varying communities and identities while celebrating Black lesbian queerness overall.
With Vonté serving as emcee the SRO show featured comedy from Kenya Elan, drag from Lynzo the Heartthrob, comedy and drag from Asa Lama, poetry from Ms. Mamas and exotic dance from Fierce.
The show got off to a brisk opening when Lynzo hit the stage with a revealing striptease that recalled dancer Sally Rand. Asa Lama did double duty, first appearing in a drag performance, then coming back in the second half for a comedy performance which drew nervous laughs from the crowd. Commenting on being a school teacher earlier in her career, she veered off into witchcraft, Ouija Boards and autism. Even more over the top, comedian Kenya Elan giggled through a set about a government conspiracy involving Croc shoes, the dangers of masturbating while watching art films and the Klu Klux Klan.
Ms. Mamas brought the temperature in the room back to normal when she recited several personal poems, including “Safe Space,” which hushed the crowd. Mayhem broke out when dancer Fierce wrapped herself around a pole and pushed the sauciness of the night with a slinky performance that managed to be both erotic and artistic. Closing out the show, Vonté offered an athletic performance before taking a bow with her cast.
