More LGBTQ+ Fun to Be Had in Austin on the Unofficial Side of SXSW
Catching the South By second-weekend wind
By James Scott, Fri., March 14, 2025
Are you feeling it now, queer Chronicle readers? That burden of too many good options during South by Southwest weighing down your aching shoulders? Well, well: I’ll take that load off ya with my carefully selected recommendations. Second-week vibes are more sonic in nature, I admit, with many music showcases featuring your faves as well as soon-to-be faves. We’ll be staying unofficial, too, since I think our talented Music writers are more than capable of telling you which SXSW-stamped acts to attend. So sit back, open up your calendar, and let my highly skilled human brain devise you a schedule most satisfying.
Glazefest
Thursday 13, noon, Cheer Up Charlies
Local arts magazine – which as a category, to me, makes them automatically a little gay, not even counting the many drag artist profiles they run – Glaze throws their third unofficial SXSW fest. Within Cheer Ups’ be-neoned lights will perform a variety of local and touring acts, so the sweet sounds of ATL’s CDSM, NYC’s Catcher, LA/NYC’s Magdalene, and ATX’s the Opera, Almost Heaven, and Quentin Arispe can serenade you while shopping a vendor market. Even more cultural fulfillment awaits than just music, of course, as designer DursxDurs puts on a fashion show same day, same time, same place. You will, as Glaze puts it, “darty like you’ve never dartied before.”
Queermad 2025
Thursday 13, 4:30pm, Knomad Bar
Doubling up my reco from last week’s Qmmunity column – which, IMHO, you ought to check out every week to stay in the gay event know – for this showcase presented by lineup members the Side Saddles. In a display of Southern hospitality, this here’s a real genrefluid lineup to please everyone from the synth sickos to folk freaks and all the music lovers in between. Bulking up the beats are offerings from Vestite, Snack Supper, Grotesques, Snailmate, Blair Baldwin, Provoked Emotions, Wild Heaven, Tiny Specks, and Connor McGee.
No More Dysphoria Presents: Queer Alternative Showcase
Friday 14, 2pm, Alienated Majesty Books
No More Dysphoria? Yes please! I kid, I kid: This nonprofit’s work does the nonbinary Lord’s work assisting trans and gender nonconforming folks with transition expenses – you know, hormones, binding and/or tucking equipment, whatever your gender requires. They pair up with local DIY collective Tiny Sounds for this showcase of queer music mayhem down on 29th (basically Guad area) featuring vibey sounds from Perennial, Benét, Chrysalis, Flowerbed, Hit Like a Girl, Best Bear, Charlie Mtn, Snailmate, and Virginia Creeper. Although entry is free, donations to the artists is highly recommended – we’re all passing around the same 20 dollars anyway.
Perreo Club
Friday 14, 8pm, Coconut Club
Created in 2021 by deck master and promoter Suxxy Puxxy as a “queer friendly Latinx space in Downtown Austin,” this perreo party du jour pops up at Fourth and Colorado’s corner club, courtesy of sponsor Bacardi. Interested Bacardi party hardies will be pleased to see a stacked DJ set list, featuring Club founder Puxxy alongside Foudeqush, Nick Dgo, Astros, De Mendoza, Poni Boy, Ella Ella, Lodri, Dragonnqueen, Soutarreal, Adrian Activo, and a special, slow B2B set between Zenei and Adrian Be. Should your soul desire reggaeton until 3am, drop $15 on a GA ticket via perreoclub.com.
Book Talk: Breaking Bias & Avoiding Burnout
Friday 14, 7pm, Birdhouse Books and Gifts
Surprise! I’ve included a little literature break for you during this musical maelstrom. Authors Anu Gupta and Bianca Best converse at Burnet Road bookery Birdhouse, discussing their new tomes on unlearning bias and busting burnout. Both Gupta’s Breaking Bias and Best’s Big Impact Without Bias provide a path forward “to make a difference in an intolerant climate,” says Birdhouse’s event copy. Snag your spot via birdhousebooksatx.com for a sliding scale donation of up to $20.
Pink Pony Club – the Party
Saturday 15, 9pm, the Austin Eagle
How much more local can a gathering get than being jointly presented by Austin Pride, Austin Kink Weekend, the Central Texas-based Sir Rat Leather and Gear, and Project Transitions’ Top Drawer Thrift? Well, consider this: There’ll be a panel from our current Mr. Austin Eagle, Kensuke Suzuki, alongside guest immigration attorney Law Daddy and Austin Pride prez Micah Andress on understanding the queer community’s civil rights; a drag show featuring local queens Kara Foxx, Nadine Hughes, and Simone Riviera; a queer market filled with Austin-area vendors; and the titular blush-colored horse ho-down, with DJs Boi Orbison and Cosmique behind the decks. Entry is a $10 donation, all of which goes toward local LGBTQ nonprofit Out Youth and the mysterious NS3 Health, whose Instagram only has one post – a flyer for this very event.
