On the evening of July 5, two shows in Cherry Grove caught my attention, Porsche’s first “Porsche Live” show of the season, on the Ice Palace deck, and Ginger Snap’s, at Cherry’s. At both, most of us sat safely masked and distanced assisted by CJ Chuck McTague, Porsche, offering a generous selection of songs, began by singing country, Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel like a Woman” and, in contrast, “History Repeating,” in Shirley Bassey’s volcanic Earth Mother bass. ABBA’s “S.O.S.” came next and then Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” as Bea Arthur, among others, might have done it.
A request for “old school” Bette Midler yielded Porsche’s “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and then came “Heart of Glass” and “Call Me,” for ‘the world’s biggest Blondie fan,’ Christian. Porsche took us back to the mid-1960s with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” She sang “Love Me or Leave Me,” when someone asked for some Nina Simone, and “C’mon a My House,” in Japanese, to satisfy a yen for some Eartha Kitt. For something more recent, Porsche gave us Erykah Badu’s “Tyrone” and, for another number taking a man to task, Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain.” Then it was back to country, with “Delta Dawn.”
Heading toward the climax of the show, Porsche saluted the “Ladies Who Lunch,” in Elaine Stritch’s song from Stephen Sondheim’s “Company;” did a turn as Judy Garland, singing “The Trolley Song” and “Over the Rainbow;” and added “Piece of My Heart,” as Janis Joplin. “What’s Up?” concluded the show.
With Ginger Moore in the DJ booth, Ginger Snap gave us drama and music in a theatrical selection of songs. She started with proud anthem “This Is Me,” from “The Greatest Showman,” and a fervent “Satisfied” (My name is Angelica Schuyler),” from “Hamilton.” Some intense Tina Turner followed: “Simply the Best” and, with Jada Valenciaga and Kate from Bay Ridge joining her, “Proud Mary.”
Ginger Snap followed these with more theater, a vivid “Sweet Transvestite,” from “The Rocky Horror Show,” and a touching “There Are Worse Things I Could Do,” from “Grease.” She became Liza Minnelli, paying tribute to “New York, New York,” and hosted a dance contest, between Joelle from Long Island and James from Manhattan, in which the former won a copy of photographer koitz’s book “Gay Fire Island.”
Ginger’s final tours de force were “Xanadu,” as she roller skated around the bar and out to the dock, and a yodeling medley of classics from “William Tell,” “Carmen,” and “Orpheus in the Underworld,” with encores on the dock, complete with a conga line.
It was good to have Porsche and Ginger Snap back with us.
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