Chappell Roan & The Aces Slayed The House Down Boots at Kentuckiana Pride Just As The Good Book Intended
Photo by Jackilyn Cooper
Ten minutes after the clock struck 9 PM on an ungodly hot, hot Saturday in the middle of June in Kentucky, intermittent chants singing, “Chappell! Chappell! Chappell!”, anxiously erupted throughout the crowd. In the lulls, you could hear flurries of the “Good Luck Babe” chorus sung in eager anticipation for the Pride festival's headliner - the one and only, Chappell Roan.
Chappell Roan is an unapologetically queer pop DIVA (read: very talented artist) from Missouri who, over the last 10 years of major highs and lows, has come onto the pop music scene with relentless determination to be exactly who she is and make stellar music while she’s at it. Camp in every way that matters, Miss Roan has made such an impact on my life as a queer woman. Her elaborate stage performances — which are often reverent odes to queer culture and queer artists that paved the path for her — are single-handedly rejuvenating the live music space, in my not-so-humble opinion.
Seeing Chappell Roan live is experiencing life and art at it’s very fullest capacity — emotionally charged, exuberant, bright and so colorful, you spend half of the show screaming and dancing, celebrating life and the other half contemplating every relationship you’ve ever had. Don’t walk, RUN to a show.
According to the festival itself, it has been running for 24 years and this is the only year that has reached capacity. This could speak to a lot of things - the world is in shambles and we are all feeling an impending sense of doom (unless that’s just me..) and while it seems that mainstream media is accepting and celebrating queer people more and more, and even more specifically lesbians who are lesbians for real, it can still feel daunting and dangerous to be proud, out loud. So, Pride festivals are a haven for our community. On the other hand, Chappell Roan has quickly reached icon status since the release of her debut album The Rise And Fall of The Midwest Princess in October of last year, and having the chance to see her perform in the most intimate setting she will grace with her presence from here until the end of time, is especially exciting. PLEASER — for what it’s worth — was there for both reasons.
As we walked towards the festival entrance, we saw a gaggle of rainbow umbrellas, silver sequined outfits, pink (pony)boy hats, and all of the gorgeous gender-non-conforming Midwest princesses making their way down to Waterfront Park to wait in the sun for hours (some had been there since 6:45 that morning), witnessing stellar drag performances and hearing speakers from the local government tell them that they would leave the pride flag out in front of city hall all year long - a pride month slay if I’ve ever heard one! Let’s hope they keep their promises.
The Aces, a mostly queer rock band from LA, flew overnight to open the festival last minute, getting the call the day before the show. Over the mic, the band’s lead vocalist, Cristal Ramirez, said, “How could we turn down an opportunity to open for the queen herself?!”
Photo by Jackilyn Cooper
“Kentucy Pride, how we f*ckin’ feelin’????”
The Aces brought an infectiously upbeat energy to the stage, their The-1975-reminiscent guitar licks along with their fun beachy tunes made it feel like we were watching a show in Santa Monica, CA rather than Louisville, KY. Bright and poppy in their demeanor, sleek and suave in their style, they had me instantly hooked.
Originally from Utah, the band has been making music together and touring pretty extensively since 2016, even having toured with 5 Seconds of Summer, but here in Kentucky, being celebrated and accepted for who they are, is where they finally felt at home on stage.
After finding our places in the photo pit, chatting with other media people, and noticing how many older white men were taking up space at the queer femme show, it was time. Our favorite artist’s favorite artist — in an outfit, hair, and makeup that was an homage to one of the best to ever do it — took to the stage with all the Divine Feminine Energy she could muster to give us “Femininomenon.”
A most stellar opening song, Chappell instructs the crowd to “get it hot like Papa John” while simultaneously asking that dude to “play the f*cking beat,” inciting a raucous, almost feral, feeling in me, especially, and the rest of the 45,000 people screaming the words at the top of their lungs behind me.
“Can you believe it? We're at Kentuckiana Pride!!”
Chappell Roan’s stage presence is nothing short of mystical, magical, and every frilly word that fills you with joy in between, and she truly just is so queer. I love to see queerness out in the open and done to the fullest extent, feeling safe and encouraged, even, to be myself.
After only one round of her usual “teaching the crowd the ‘Hot To Go’ dance” bit, she said “Alright, I think they get it. They’re gay!” And the crowd laughed as she went right into one of the catchiest and silliest and campiest songs you’ll ever hear.
The song transitions were funny and flowed nicely, there were surprise fireworks during “Casual,” a new song (ah!!), a deep cut, and almost every single song off the album, making it a night to remember.
”I'm so, so proud to be here. I'm so, so proud to be queer. Happy Pride forever and ever and ever.”
If you haven’t gotten a chance to see Chappell live yet, please do — it’s imperative.
Me & Jackilyn after the show hehe <3
