On Friday night the Saloon will be taken over by Glasgow based collective EXCUSE MY BEAUTY. They re a fresh collective of gender diverse individuals, based within Glasgow who are setting out to help the wider community. The main purpose of EMB is to create a framework of regular events that raise funds and support transgender people in Scotland and beyond. Our members come from varied backgrounds, spanning from activism and community development, all the way to festival work & queer nightlife. We aim to celebrate, support and uplift the already spectacular Glasgow trans scene, celebrating the ways in which our community builds solidarity and spaces in which our transness liberates us.
They will be presenting 7 hours of uninterrupted trans performance, celebrating the diversity of their community and the beginning of their efforts to raise funds for and build community between trans people around Scotland.
They have put together a gender diverse lineup of DJs, MCs and dancers who will be turning the Saloon into a hotbed of liberation and trans beauty for one night only. So shake off your shame and come celebrate rebirth and rebellion on Friday night at Kelburn 2023.
THE LINEUP
7pm-8pm :XO
XO (They/Them) is one of the most promising up and coming MC’s on the Scottish scene. After their successful 2022 festival season, XO FKA jayda kicked off the year headlining Celtic Connections at St. Luke’s Cathedral in the production house “Hen Hoose.” and supporting LADY INCARNATE. The Rapper and Producer based between Edinburgh & Glasgow, has been shaking up the growing Scottish Rap & HipHop scene from the underground arena. Their vulnerability is infectious, XO has comfort and energy on stage that is refreshing to experience, but their skills for lyricism and poetry are the real star of the show.
8pm-9pm: LADY INCARNATE
LADY INCARNATE (She/Her) is a gender punk poet, MC and Producer from Glasgow. Her debut album, slated for release in March 2024, pioneers a genre which she calls Dollstep and fuses elements of the UK Garage and Dubstep that she grew up on, with poetry and the deeply experimental electronic styles of modern Queer artists like SOPHIE, Eris Drew, Bored Lord and Alice Longyu Gao.
Her work is a combination of uplifting protest and deeply challenging discussions of the human experience expressed via incisive lyrics and ecstatic dance. She is also known for her role as front woman with Scottish underground mainstays The Positive Experience and her electrifying microphone work on the Scottish Dub and Bass Music scenes alongside the likes of HEATNAVI, Mighty Oak, Mungo’s Hi Fi, Crucial Roots, Decades of Dub & Vixen Sound.
9pm-10pm: El APHA
EL APHA (they/them/elle) is a Scottish-Mexican DJ, space-holder and visual artist. They are the co-creator of Yo Perreo Solx; a queer, Latinx club night for marginalised. genders to shake their booty’s without disruption and to bring Latinx culture, music and hot, sweaty, sexy vibes to GlasgowEL APHA likes to bring a mix of underground reggaeton, cumbia(ton), dembow, latin trap mixed in with some classics and latin house. They strive to bring this type of music, which isn’t heard enough in Scotland, to different spaces; with queer spaces at the centre.
10pm-11pm: JAM EYE
JAM EYE (They/She/It/Per) is a creative, songwriter, and DJ based in Glasgow. They are a co-founder of QTIPoC club night, and duo, Mojxmma. JAM EYE’s music is a fusion of various genres, including hip-hop, hyper pop, and house, which reflects their diverse musical influences. JAM EYE is a strong advocate for highlighting the contributions of black women and femmes in the arts and creating inclusive spaces for marginalised communities. They draw inspiration from artists like Grace Jones, Nicki Minaj, and Lil’ Kim, who have paved the way for the next generation of musicians and creatives. With their music, JAM EYE hopes to inspire and empower others to express themselves authentically and without fear.
11pm-12am: Halal Kitty
Halal Kitty began DJing in early 2020 when they founded QTIPOC+ club night Mojxmma with high school friend Jam Eye.
Since then they have also grown as an independent DJ in the Glasgow scene, having played alongside the likes of LSDXOXO, JYOTY and Byrell the Great, and at some of the cities most infamous parties including Riverside Festival, H.O.T and the Art School. Using music as a way to explore and celebrate their mixed-cultural roots, Halal Kitty brings an eclectic selection of unconventional, modern and old sounds from the African diaspora and beyond. Expect everything from RnB and hip hop to reggaeton and Afrobeats, to techno and breaks.
12am-1am: VAJ.POWER
VAJ.Power (they/them) is an alias of a Glasgow-based DJ, Promoter and 3D artist, Sof. Their practice started in early 2016 from the love for both music and visual art, which led them to pursue VJ practice, but it was inevitable they would end up behind the decks. Not adhering to a specific genre or BPM, their sets explore many facets of club music with a focus on bass genres. Expect breaks, jungle, footwork, sexy club edits and much more. In the past, they’ve supported the likes of LCY, Nikki Nair, Bluetoof, Interplanetary Criminal, Sherelle & diessa among others; and played such staple events as Riverside Festival and Kelburn Garden Party.
Sof is also a promoter of FUSE Glasgow night taking place in Stereo, which focuses on creating a safer space to enjoy all genres on the bass music spectrum.
1-2am: Miss Cabbage
Miss Cabbage is a trans-feminine DJ from the highlands of Scotland, who now lives in Glasgow. There is no limitations on what she plays, though you can expect techno and hard dance coming throuh as the primary sounds. She has shared stages with TAAHLIAH, LSDXOXO, Thempress, Angel D’lite, Bonzai Bonner and many more. Miss Cabbage instils her lived experiences into each set, applying a feminine high-pitched euphoria juxtaposed with intense bass and fast BPMs. She encompasses the reality of being queer and In doing this, carefully gift-wraps the sharp edges of the queer experience in a pussy pink bow, to demonstrate the way queer joy and community can help to remedy the pain that comes with a largely transphobic world. Miss Cabbage’s music is both a fast-paced “fuck you” to society and a love letter to her queer siblings.
AND MORE!
In addition to this world class lineup of musical performers, expect to see a selection of dancers from the trans community leading the way on the floor and taking the atmosphere to the next level.
