Punk Pride, the outrageous creation of drag star Peaches Christ and conductor Edwin Outwater, has enlisted a bevy of performers for their Thursday, May 22 party at the Chan Queer Arts Center.
Glamamore, Kachina Rude, Miss Rahni, Leigh Crow, filmmaker H.P. Mendoza, Lindsay Slowhands, Mary Vice, Trixxie Carr and Queera Nightly are set to rev up the new arts space with some mosh pit-worthy performances. Andy Meyerson leads the house band in live music performances.
From the Sex Pistols to the Ramones to Green Day, the event celebrates the queer subcultures that created the world of punk rock as we know it today. All the while, the standing-room-only crowd will be immersed in moody lighting, loud amps, and beer. Dress in your counterculture best (or worst?) for an unforgettable night of anti-establishment 18+ fun.
But wait. What’s punk about drag?
“I’ve honestly been surprised by how confused some people online have been about us presenting a show that features drag performers doing punk music,” wrote cohost Peaches Christ (aka Joshua Grannell) in a social media post. “To me, punk and drag have always been inherently connected. Both are about subversion, reinvention, defiance; they challenge norms, push boundaries, and revel in the art of disruption. Performing in drag itself was punk when I started.
“Sometimes I wonder if drag has gotten a bit too polished or mainstream, too square, even, Peaches added. “I hope people take the time to dig deeper and discover the pioneers who truly embodied the radical spirit of drag and punk. Artists like Jayne County, the New York Dolls, Leigh Bowery, and David Hoyle didn’t just blur the lines between gender, art, and rebellion. They helped define what punk could be.”
"I still love so many of the punk bands that shaped me when I was first figuring out who I was," said Peaches. "Growing up in Maryland, I was immersed in the East Coast punk scene—bands like Fugazi, The Dead Milkmen, and The Ramones were my soundtrack. Their raw energy and refusal to conform gave me language for feelings I didn’t yet know how to express.
"As I grew into my queerness, I found even more resonance in the queer punk scene. Bands like Pansy Division, The Wasp Women, even The Dead Kennedys didn’t just speak to my rebellion—they spoke directly to my identity. They showed me that punk could be unapologetically queer, loud, defiant, and full of pride. That discovery was important."
"This is a big switcheroo for me and Peaches," said music director Edwin Outwater. "In our symphony shows, Peaches has brought her punk drag sensibility to the stage of the concert hall, where I do most of my work. And as you may know, it’s quite a formal and uptight space, though that is changing. For this concert I’m being thrown into the mosh pit, so to speak. The tables have turned!
Asked what punk music means to him, Outwater wrote, "Punk means energy, rage, power, shock, humor, art, and outrage. It means pure life force. It means anyone can pick up a guitar and say something with it.
"Punk is a feeling I have inside of me. I’ve had it as long as I can remember, but as a kid I was scared of it! I was scared to go to punk shows because my friends came back talking about getting beat up or spit on the mosh pit. I was scared what other people would think of me if I dyed my hair or pierced my ears. I was scared to seem different. The truth and power of punk enthralled me, but the risk and violence of it terrified me. It sounds a little like being in the closet, doesn’t it? So in my early years, I didn’t act, but I listened and dreamed."
Asked to name his favorite punk bands, Outwater replied, "My favorites are the ones I heard first, and since I grew up on the West Coast, a different set of American bands than Peaches: Black Flag, The Dead Kennedys, Fear, X.
"I have a special place in my heart for Black Flag because the music was so raw but had so many elements of expression in that narrow range of sound: I mean, they wrote "Rise Above" and "TV Party!" I also have always loved their cover art by Raymond Pettibon, and was so drawn to those albums in the record store because of that."
"And then there’s X, which is just such an incredible band," Outwater added. "They’re such refined musicians and songwriters, but that raw punk spirit still remains to this day. I could write a whole book about their song “Los Angeles,” but that would be annoying.
"Of course the Sex Pistols were huge for me, and The Clash kind of transcended genre, but their roots are obviously in punk and I think they are one of the greatest rock band of all time.
"Bad Brains are also an incredible band, also The Minutemen. I’ve gotten to work with Robert Trujillo when I collaborated with Metallica, but of course he was first in Suicidal Tendencies, which to me is equally impressive.
"Finally, the punk police might get mad, but I’ve got to shout out Devo here. They are one of my favorite bands and warped my young mind forever. And the fact that there are punk police out there is extremely ironic."
The show is 90 minutes with no advance seating. Request a chair in advance if you need one. $50 admission includes two drink tickets. VIP $100 tickets include an afterparty with pizza and drinks.
Punk Pride, May 22, 8pm. 170 Valencia St.
https://www.sfgmc.org/chan-queer-arts-season-02-punk-pride-with-peaches-christ-edwin-outwater
