Ladyland Festival is Pride in a musical microcosm

Document goes backstage with the Brooklyn event’s queer icons, including Tinashe, Tokischa, Bob the Drag Queen, and many more

In its sixth year, Ladyfag’s Ladyland Festival returned for two nights over New York City’s Pride weekend. Across three stages under the Kosciuszko Bridge in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Lady’s knack for capturing the essence of the queer community from root to flower was on full display. Elaborate ornate outfits could be seen at every turn, blurring the line between performer and attendee with the overarching feeling that everyone was the main character. Themes of resistance and solidarity rang clear, with the stages named “Fist,” “Resist,” and “Truck.”

Perhaps the most well-rounded festival representing underground and queer icons alike, the curation centered a wide range of talents, boasting top billing headliners like Tinashe, Arca, and a surprise appearance by Madonna on the Fist stage. In a queer spirit, performers represented a spectrum of scenes and origins. Strong touches of camp were in the mix, including Countess Luann of The Real Housewives of New York City fame and RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Kandy Muse and Bob the Drag Queen. Fashion industry staples Julia Fox, Lucky Love, and Bearcat performed in superlative style. And artists who’ve remained cultural mainstays in the queer community tied the festival together, with Smartbar resident DJ Derrick Carter, Vogue Knights’ DJ Mike Q and MC Kevin Prodigy, and a stage hosted by Linux’s event Paul’s Dolls, a weekly downtown party at Paul’s Baby Grand. A.G. Cook, founder of record label PC Music, vital to the explosion of hyper-pop, closed out the festival on the creekside Resist stage to a crowd boasting lime green shirts with various slogans in reference to the cover of Charli XCX’s Brat album, which he produced. Paying homage to her legendary Pop Souk markets, Lady hosted a selection of cutting-edge New York designers including Marshall Columbia, Bond Hardware, Chris Habana, and Dorian Ferrer, who was applying tooth gems on site.

Lady has always been guided by a punk spirit, and she takes risks to platform artists with both heart and skill. Ladyland Festival was no exception. Her supportive, open-ended approach to the night displayed exactly what it takes to give the queer community safer environments to enjoy the music and creators they love.

Production by Colin Boyle and Katie Rex.