PrideFest Announces 1st Wave Of Talent: Jackie Beat // Mario Diaz // Purple Crush // AB Soto // Jenna Drey // Magic Mouth

May 20, 2014• bySeattle Gay Scene

“Club King” Mario Diaz and the Legendary Jackie Beat are two of the big headliners for PrideFest 2014.
Photo: Mario Diaz

Well, technically it’s not the first announcement since Chely Wright and Steve Grand have been announced for the special PRIDEFEST CLOSING CONCERT, happening Sunday evening, June 29 at Seattle PrideFest 2014 at Seattle Center. It’s PrideFest’s first experiment with a paid attendance show, ($25 adv/$30 dos; get tickets HERE!) and one we approve of…as long as the majority of PrideFest is FREE to the public, there’s nothing wrong with adding some extra value content that comes with a price tag.

San Francisco drag superstar HEKLINA and her troupe of gals from her highly popular TRANNYSHACK show are also coming to town for the weekend with their big show, THE CHER/CYNDI WELCOME PARTY happening on Saturday, June 28 from 3pm to 8pm on the PrideFest main stage with a bevy of local performers and djs also on hand as part of a big afternoon FREE tea party/talent show held just prior to that evening’s Cher/Cyndi Lauper concert at Key Arena.

Today, One Degree/PrideFest are releasing the first wave of performers for the Main, DJ and Delta Stages at Seattle Center and they include some favored performers, many of them West Coast based. They include iconic drag performer/live singer/comedienne/writer MISS JACKIE BEAT and her BFF, MARIO DIAZ, the legendary Los Angeles based (but, he’s a former Seattlite!) event producer who’s bringing his hot BFD crew to perform on the DJ Stage. Zexy Mario is also the star/subject of the just released documentary CLUB KING which will HOPEFULLY screen in Seattle very soon.

This might not be the exact line-up of the BFD Crew, Mario Diaz will bring up to Seattle for performances on the DJ Stage at PrideFest this June, but it will be men of a similar…persuasion. (If you stand close to the stage, you might get an eye poked out….)

“Husband/wife electro duo” PURPLE CRUSH will be busy all week in Seattle…they’re not only performing on the Main Stage but they’re also associated with BANJEE BALL TAKEOVER, the mega hawt vogueing dance crew that will takeover the DJ Stage for a performance with Purple Crush. (AND, Purple Crush will also be on hand for Thursday’s Gender Blender party at Neighbours.)

Also Los Angeles based: the amazing music star/performance artist AB SOTO.

A burgeoning star in the Queer music scene worldwide. 2013 and 2014 have scene AB touring all over the world, the release of several singles and a plethora of videos. AB gives you sexy genderfuk realness. Unashamedly. He is singlehandedly bringing back the best of early ’90s club culture with a futuristic twist. His show is more than music, it’s theatre.

Not LA based: Dance music diva JENNA DREY:

For the past 9 years, Jenna Drey has been known for her contribution to bring pop sensibility and great song writing back into the world of dance/electronic music . With over two albums, 7 singles and 4 consecutive Hot Dance Airplay Billboard charting singles to her name, Jenna Drey is currently releasing a new single that’s sure to be a big hit on the dance charts this summer, “Making Me Love Again.”

And, bopping up from Portland, MAGIC MOUTH, the adorably energetic pop/post punk band that’s making a big name for itself as the opening band for the last GOSSIP tour.