ADRIAN — What began two years ago as a drag cabaret put on by a local entrepreneur has grown into a concert that aims to celebrate the diversity and talent of the area’s LGBTQIA+ community.
“Coming out of COVID, I just wanted to put on an event,” recalled Jacob Wilson, owner of W4 Entertainment, an Adrian-based event management company.
He found a partner in the M Society, a local organization that also organizes Lenawee Pride, and their first event took place that spring at the Adrian Armory Events Center.
“The first year sold out,” Wilson said. “It was a great time.”
This year’s event will take on more of a concert-like feel, with a three-piece band backing up the performers. While there will still be plenty of traditional drag, Wilson said, “we also wanted to encompass more of the LGBTQ community.”
Southeast Michigan drag queen Jadein Black will be the host, and also plays piano in the band. The lineup also includes Hershae Chocolatae, who was in the sixth season of “America’s Got Talent,” Maxi Chanel, Erika Norell, Denise Russell, and Baddie Brooks, a singer and songwriter who also plays trumpet and euphonium.
“There is a wide variety of talent in the community,” said M Society president and founder Socorro Sevilla.
Sevilla started the M Society in 2020, naming it in tribute to their younger sister, Micaela Faith Sevilla, who died in 2000 at the age of 20. They officially launched the organization on what would have been her 40th birthday. In addition to coordinating Lenawee Pride, the M Society hosts a variety of peer-led support groups and organizes service projects in the community.
“Live Beats & Drag Treats” will take place at 9 p.m. Friday, April 19, at the Adrian Armory Events Center, 230 W. Maumee St. Tickets start at $40 per person, with an optional $20 charge for bottomless mimosas served in a souvenir glass. VIP tickets are $75, including the mimosa ticket. Snacks are included with the ticket price, and there will be a cash bar.
Tickets may be ordered online at w4entertainment.com/lbdt.
