It's Open Season at The Tivoli in Brisbane – a programme of contemporary live music and performance, and things will come to a close in August through a party with a purpose.
'A Night For The Queen', presented by Polytoxic and Hot Brown Honey, is a special night of healing and celebration, dedicated to prolific Brisbane-based performer Kim 'Busty Beatz' Bowers. Kim (Hot Brown Honey Queen Bee plus Musical Director, Composer, and Sound Artist) was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and is currently undergoing treatment.
Hot Brown Honey is a collective of fierce, multi-talented First Nations women smashing stereotypes and remixing the system, and Polytoxic are a collective known for hyper-visual, pop-inspired performance work.
'A Night For The Queen' will not only set out to raise funds to support Busty Beatz, but will also feature a slew of incredible performers to make the night – which brings Open Season to a triumphant close – one to remember.
Cabaret, circus, performance art, drag, powerhouse vocals. . . It'll be an experience for the books; an opportunity to laugh, cry, celebrate and rage through art.
Here, Leah Shelton (Polytoxic Co-Director) and Lisa Fa'alafi (Polytoxic Co-Director, Hot Brown Honey Co-Creator) tell us more about their collectives, and the night they're putting together for Busty Beatz.
For those unfamiliar… Tell us about Polytoxic?
Leah: Polytoxic is a sweaty, sexy and unapologetic collective of fierce performance renegades led by Lisa and myself. In our other lives, Lisa spends her time decolonising the world with the smash-hit Hot Brown Honey; and I have been touring my psycho-siren works 'Batsh.t', 'Bitch On Heat' and 'Terror Australis' around the world. Polytoxic is here to take a sledgehammer to the system with our high-octane cocktail of cabaret, theatre and activism – sh.t-funny, fully-loaded and flammable AF.
Leah Shelton - Image © FenLan Photography
Why do you think your two groups work together so well?
Lisa: Leah and I have grown our artistic practice together for over 20 years so our work is intrinsically linked by style, form and our ethos of creating politically charged, change-making work. And we often work with many of the same people between Hot Brown Honey and Polytoxic – so the times where our companies come together it feels more like a family reunion. We are excited to bring everyone together in this night of fierce healing celebration.
What will you be bringing audiences in ‘A Night For The Queen’?
Leah: This is going to be one hell of a party in honour of our beloved Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers. We invite people to dress the f... up and get down with us in a night of healing celebration for our Queen Bee, Busty. Expect a hot, sweaty avalanche of provocative performance and power vocals – and probably a whole lot of emotions – as we gather with our community to laugh, cry, celebrate and rage in the best way we know how – through art.
When putting the show together, what was the process of choosing performers like?
Lisa: Polytoxic and Hot Brown Honey have a big extended family of incredible artists – and so many people have come forward offering to support this event, it’s been such a beautiful show of solidarity. So, we have assembled a killer crew – there will be epic vocals, beatboxing, hoops, street dance, lip-sync, drag, performance art and a whole lot of glamour, drama and world-class-big-c...y entertainment. We also have a couple of top-secret special music guests up our sleeves so. . . Let’s just say you will be crying tears of regret if you miss out on this one.
'A Night For The Queen' performer Mayu Muto - Image © FenLan Photography
Describe the show in three words?
Leah: Celebratory #f...cancer party.
And finally, a message from Kim 'Busty Beatz' Bowers herself.
For everyone who has reached out with your support, donations, experiences and kindness – thank you. So many beautiful vibes. Blessed for my peoples who are next level magical in the art form of community care and distraction while I’m facing this reality. The relief of respite from the hustle is immense. My spirit is so full. It’s overwhelming. I won’t lie, I’ve been heartbroken before but this is a new kind. Side effects have kicked in. My body is rapidly changing. It’s so fast – I’m panicking. But I’m doing everything I can to process in the moment. Thank you. For keeping me accountable, pushing me to not to shut down and isolate (which I am very good at), to communicate what I need (which I am extremely bad at) and to be vulnerable in the uncontrollable (work in progress). I don’t really know how to navigate any of this. It’s messy and heavy, and a lot to grapple. But I wouldn’t be a part of your favourite crew if I didn’t find joy in this battle… Still don’t really know what’s to come. Thank you so much for all your continued love and support. I’m feeling it every moment of every day!
For everyone who has reached out with your support, donations, experiences and kindness – thank you. So many beautiful vibes. Blessed for my peoples who are next level magical in the art form of community care and distraction while I’m facing this reality. The relief of respite from the hustle is immense. My spirit is so full. It’s overwhelming. I won’t lie, I’ve been heartbroken before but this is a new kind. Side effects have kicked in. My body is rapidly changing. It’s so fast – I’m panicking. But I’m doing everything I can to process in the moment. Thank you. For keeping me accountable, pushing me to not to shut down and isolate (which I am very good at), to communicate what I need (which I am extremely bad at) and to be vulnerable in the uncontrollable (work in progress). I don’t really know how to navigate any of this. It’s messy and heavy, and a lot to grapple. But I wouldn’t be a part of your favourite crew if I didn’t find joy in this battle… Still don’t really know what’s to come. Thank you so much for all your continued love and support. I’m feeling it every moment of every day!
'A Night For The Queen' is on at The Tivoli (Brisbane) 25 August.
This story originally appeared on our queer sister site, FROOTY.
