THEYFRIEND Nonbinary Performance Festival
Drag & Music Showcase
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
7pm (6:30 doors)
Oasis (21+)
298 11th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
$20 early bird | $25 general admission
Limited pay what you can tickets
$7 Livestream tickets
Hosts: Gothess Jasmine + LOTUS BOY
DJ: Digital Kitkat
Live Performances by Krudas Cubensi, theyfriend, Piss E Sissy, Ling Ling Super Bloom, Harddeep Singh, & JanpiStar
In partnership with Oasis and the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District
About the Event
Join us for day two of the 2023 THEYFRIEND Nonbinary Performance Festival for a showcase centering nonbinary musicians and drag artists at San Francisco’s premiere LGBTQ nightlife venue, Oasis! Co-hosted by the 2023 San Francisco Drag King of the Year LOTUS BOY and drag deity Gothess Jasmine (Austin), this sensational showcase of nonbinary performance will feature live music from Krudas Cubensi and theyfriend (LA), and drag and burlesque performances from Harddeep Singh (London), JanpiStar, Ling Ling Super Bloom, and Piss E Sissy! Come early and stay late to dance to the stellar beats by DJ Digital Kitkat.
ACCESSIBILITY: ASL Interpretation will be provided for this event. Oasis’ main space is wheelchair accessible with three stairs to access the main bar. The space has single-stall all-gender restrooms with two restrooms that are wheelchair accessible. If you have questions or specific requests with regards to your visit, please email kiana@diamond-wave.org
COVID: Masking STRONGLY encouraged, participating artists and staff are COVID tested before the event.
This event is made possible with support from the California Arts Council and the Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation, and is presented in partnership with Oasis and the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District. Diamond Wave is a fiscally sponsored project of Intersection for the Arts that is supported by Grants for the Arts, the Horizons Foundation, the Walter & Elise Haas Fund and the San Francisco Arts Commission.
About the Artists
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(they/them)
Jasmine Amazing also known as Gothess Jasmine celebrates the power of art as a language and tool for healing. As Gothess, I proudly represent undervalued and underbooked performers and artists and use my platform to uplift others in marginalized communities. I aim to inspire others to use artistic practices such as painting , storytelling and visual performances as a means of radical self expression and spiritual healing. Through these artistic outlets, I intend to inspire people in a manner that transcends culture, language and ability.
Instagram: @gothess.jasmine
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LOTUS BOY is a transgender and nonbinary, unapologetically disabled, Chinese-American drag king and anti-disciplinary artist based in occupied Lisjan Ohlone Land (aka Oakland, CA). Zir work explores gender fluidity, accessibility, joy, sustainability, and healing from trauma, often incorporating humor as a vessel of universal connection. With every performance, he aims to help the audience learn—or unlearn—something about themselves and the world around them. This year, LOTUS BOY became the 2023 San Francisco Drag King of the Year. Ze is on the Board of Directors for Oaklash, the Bay Area's drag festival, and the SPM Disability Justice Fund. When not onstage, LOTUS BOY also brings drag and gender exploration workshops to high schools in SF and Oakland.
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Digital KitKat is a Queer Latinx Bay Area Deejay, Curator and Radio Host. Their love for music has started since childhood. Being a kid in the early 90’s, this required them to spend many hours in front of the television watching CD infomercials and music videos. Their music style is very eclectic. As an artist, they love curating a nostalgic vibe and experimenting with the reincarnation of genres. Catch them at El Rio every 2nd Saturday 9pm-Late for Popperz a Queer BIPOC inclusive party.
Instagram: @digital_kitkat
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Internationally recognized as Krudas Cubensi, Odaymar Cuesta (Oct 10th 1973) and Oli Prendes ( Nov 9th 1971) are cubans, Oakland California residents, Queer Trans Nonbinary Afro Latin Hip-Hop pioneers since 1999, fighting for justice for the afected communities they belong, BIPOC, TLGBI+, immigrants and all intersectional beings. They art has been legendarily recognized as inspirational by having healing impacts, transforming consciousness, redefining concepts, genres, techniques and styles, uplifting pride, sense of humor, spirituality, joy, well-being and resistance. They twist powerful crispy flow, fierce rebel lyrics and sounds to uplift a message that makes their delivery, irresistible. Until today they have been performing, recording, giving concerts, talks, workshops, educating and touring locally, nationally, globally and virtually all around North, Central and South America and Europe at spaces such as Brava Theatre, SXSW. Music Festival, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts, UC Berkeley (Artistic Recidency) UCLA, NYU and many more.
Instagram: @krudxscubensi
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(he/they)
Harddeep Singh (he/they) is a Punjabi drag king from London with a fiery passion for emo music and abolition. His focus is to use drag to highlight the experiences of those who are pushed to the margins, namely working class people of colour. His art draws on sound, music, movement and craft for storytelling, often inviting audiences to imagine alternate realities.
Instagram: @xharddeepx
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JanpiStar was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Janpi with a Degree from the University of Puerto Rico. This Star joined AXIS Dance Company in 2018 and moved to Oakland. JanpiStar has done works with: Arthur Pitta /Alice in “Californiland” 2019 , Jennifer Archibal /Petrichord 2019, and Asun Noales 2022, Janpi has been commissioned in the Bay Area by: Queering Dance Festival on 2019, 2020 & 2022 and by The FreshMeat Production in 2021 , 2022 & 2023. In the last two year JanpiStar has develop a new way to express themselves, doing Drag shows Janpi has performed at the MOMA SF, The Academy fo Science and Oaklash 2023.
Instagram: @JanpiStar
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(they/them)
Ling Ling Lee is a part time wizard full time human burrito who was born and raised on ohlone land (colonized as San Francisco, California) in the foggy hills with the coyote pups. They are a proud non binary tired slut who is passionate about finding the stupidest ways to express emotions through movement and effervescent moments. Their go to boba order is either almond milk tea 0% sugar with grass jelly and boba if its cold out or passionfruit green tea with coconut jelly and boba if it's warm out.
Instagram: @Linglingsuperbloom
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(he/they)
He’s a limp wristed sissy who will make you drippy. Piss E is a proud māhū, indige-slut, and drag hottie based in Oakland. They’ll bring high energy, campy, slimy, slutty, and perversely political to a stage near you.
Instagram: @pisse.pants
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(they/them)
theyfriend is a vaporwave/electronica producer and singer that celebrates the intersection of electronic music and transness and gender-nonconformity. Genderfluid and genre-fluid, theyfriend invites listeners into sweeping maximalist soundscapes where they can live their wildest dreams or most nostalgic memories of the late 90s. Their latest release, Secret's Out, is a vibrant cross-genre album that encourages the listener to live their best lives and let their inner selves out!
Instagram: @theyfriendmusic
To Attend
$20 early bird
$25 general admission
Limited pay what you can tickets
About the Festival
Now in its third year, THEYFRIEND is the world’s first performance festival uplifting, centering, and celebrating nonbinary identity! This year we are hosting five events November 14–18 in partnership with San Francisco presenters, nightlife venues, and community organizations.
Curated by festival advisors Rawiyah Tariq, transcriptions01, the Living Altar, and Diamond Wave Director Vin Seaman, the 2023 THEYFRIEND festival features the work of 40 local, national, and international nonbinary performers!
With THEYFRIEND, we’re creating a space of trust and growth for nonbinary artists to connect and present their work.
