Left Of Menergy

New mix from Kid Zipper:

Dubstep MNRG by Kid Zipper

Musings on UK vs US Drag Styles

Now, I LOVE RuPaul's Drag Race. I'd say it's probably my favourite show (not on UK) TV, and definitely my favourite reality TV show. Well, if you can call our hyper, heightened glamour world 'reality'!

Watching it though, you do come to realise that there are several key differences between U.S. and British drag queens, and after consulting a few dragnificent friends of mine, it doesn't just seem to be me that thinks this.
For one, American queens are definitely more obsessed with looking convincingly 'femme', often trying to out-'tuck' one another and there's a clearly sexual aspect to this too. If they can not only pass as a real woman but also get fucked by a straight guy who's turned-on by them, then they've been successful.

Also, U.S. drag seems to be more pageant-oriented than it is over here. That's wholly a U.S. concept anyway, but you really see this underscored in drag culture, and I guess the house ball system also plays a part in this somewhat too.

The other major thing that I notice is the type of makeup they all tend to use, and the way they apply it. Doing your face is called 'beating', and U.S. queens favour heavy, theatrical makeup like Kryolan, which they apply in a process called 'cooking' where they let the makeup set before they blend it all together. For me and other makeup artist friends of mine, we find this method a bit crazy. We're used to applying makeup more like a woman would, starting with foundation and building up contours with blush, as opposed to layering it all up separately as foundation shades.

Personally, I feel that our style of drag here in the UK is a bit more cutting-edge, experimental and fierce, though I do love the 'Showgirls' style too, even though a lot of it's quite alien to us here. We all love a pretty face and big titties, but aren't constrained by beauty like a lot of American queens seem to be. Drag provides a space for experimenting with your look and aesthetic, and should be constantly in flux, not settled just on mimicking one specific sex. As the word suggests, we should be 'trans' - in a state of constant transition between the causal factors of queer theory. That's what makes it all so fun and exciting! :-)

NIGHTWALK

Saturday's MENERGY may only be days away, but Lady M & VVG will be on the tiles on Friday night too, guest hosting at bi-annual independent fashion showcase NIGHTWALK at the Arches!



Fused with electronic music, art, photography and performance, see cutting-edge fashion and seductive performance on the spectacular 40ft Nightwalk runway while being immersed in stunning sound & visuals.

Obviously y'all will be coming to see US, but there's also a few other people doing shit there:


Performance: Cat Aclysmic
...
Designers: Beretk!Ah... // Betty Spoke // Fair Feathered Friend // HandmadeInPartick // Hilary Laing // Jennie Lööf // Katerina Lambrou // Lilly Wiggler // MeeMee Couture // Obscure Couture // Oui! Designs // ten30 // William Chambers Millinery

DJ's: Ursula // Mustang Sally

GSA Capsule Collections: Adnan Mirza // Clare Boyle // Daniel McGeough // Emily De Vale // Hannah Mitchell // Israel Parra-Zanabria // Louise Grant // Megan Held // Olive Pearson // Paul Duncan Thomson // Roisin Connoly // Stacey Keen // Stephanie Hutchison

Hair by:
SASSOON SALON

*Tickets are £15. Each ticket includes 1 voucher for £15 OFF @ SASSOON SALON in Princes Square! To claim your voucher, purchase your ticket from the Arches Box Office in person. Everyone gets a Sassoon goody bag! Meal deal @ the Arches CafeBar also available.

Click the links below to buy online:
The Arches: http://www.thearches.co.uk/events/clubs/nightwalk-ss2011
Tickets Scotland: http://www.tickets-scotland.com/
TecketWeb: http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/
Sassoon Salon: In store @ Princes Square

Proceeds go to local charity St. Margaret’s Hospice.

NIALLIST: Menergy POPPERS Mix

A brand new mix form the Niallist, featuring some of the tunes that rocked the floor at the last Menergy. Enjoy!

Menergy Poppers Mix by Theniallist on Mixcloud

ZSA ZSA NOIR - Hey Lean Diggy Doggy
DEN HAAN - Gods From Outer Space
PATRICK COWLEY - Mind Warp
GOLDFRAPP - I Wanna Life (Niallist MNRG edit)
SCISSOR SISTERS - Invisible Light
FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD - Welcome To The Pleasuredome
MIA v PINEAPPLES - XXX Come On
VANITY 6 - Nasty Girl (Chuck Hampton Edit / Original)
SAM SPARRO - Pink Cloud
HARD TON - Food Of Love
MADONNA - Burning Up (Demo Mix)

DJ Pee Play 's Cruising #2 "Deep Inside"

More vintage gay butchness, this time an excellent re-edit video by San Francisco's DJ Peeplay (of Honey Soundsystem) cutting up the gay S&M thriller Cruising to the sounds of Harddrive's "Deep Inside". We like this. A LOT.

Menergy is gay for Games

Skatt Bros "Life At The Outpost"

Totes Hilare! Thanks Gregor :-)



I really wanna get a copy of "Party Every Day" now too..

New LGBT Mental Health Campaign

One of our regular queens approached me and told me of a campaign that they're currently working on and feel passionately about - namely the new campaign of the National Union of Students, There's More to My Education, which is focused on LGBT mental health. This is also something we here at the HOUSE OF MENERGY feel strongly about, so we thought we'd share it with y'all.



Evidence shows that experiences of isolation, homophobia and general oppression are all too common for LGBT people. This not only contributes to higher incidences of mental ill health among this group, it also shapes their experience of accessing mental health services. It is clear that the stigma attached to both mental ill health and LGBT people must be seriously challenged in order to ensure they are able to access these services without fear of being persecuted because of your sexuality.
I feel strongly that more must be done to improve the mental health experience of LGBT people and that creating positive mental health across all groups of people should be a priority.

We ask you to pledge to support LGBT people and improve their experience of mental health services. By pledging your support you are making a much needed statement that mental health in university and college campuses, our health services and our communities in general should be free from discrimination and fully accessible to all.

And on that note, some wise words from JIZ.



x

Ursula from Disney's The Little Mermaid lipsynchs to Divine!

Well, her look IS based on Divine, so it makes sense! Props go out to Gregor for finding this gem. :-)

Menergy April Flyer

He's done it again!

MIA v PINEAPPLES "XXX Come On"

Here's a wee mash-up by Menergy resident The Niallist. It's MIA's "XXXO" vocal over Pineapples "Come On Closer". Fierce bitches and Italo - two of our favourite things!

MIA v PINEPAPPLES "XXX Come On" by theniallist

Zsa Zsa Noir LIVE at Menergy

Here's another vid of live tranny action - this time it's Manchester's Zsa Zsa Noir performing at last month's Menergy. Yes, there's a quick flash of the fisting incident too:



There's an exclusive interview with this seriously feroche bitch further down the page.

Vanity Von Glow live at the FRD Ball

Here's a vid of our very own Vanity Von Glow performing at the Fierce Ruling Divas Ball - wurk it gurl!