Xtra.ca – Rob Salerno
Vancouver’s drag scene still thriving, kings and queens claim
It’s Friday night at the Odyssey and although it’s only a little after 10 pm, the bar is decidedly empty considering the night’s entertainment–this week’s round of the Ice Queen competition–was supposed to start a few minutes ago.
I start to wonder if Morgan Brayton was tapping into a broader sense of malaise in the gay community when she opened her Sep 14 column by declaring “I am bored of drag.”
At 10:30 pm, I still find myself sitting in front of an empty stage.
At 11:00 pm, a crowd starts to gather at the front of the still bare stage. When the night’s emcee, Iona Whipp, finally takes the stage, it’s 11:20, and the roar from the crowd is much louder than I expected.
When I turn around, I notice the club has finally gotten packed.
Vancouverites still like their drag, apparently. They’re just not early drinkers.
But it’s not that simple.