Foxtrot Oscar 1: HOLD FAST Variety Show

August 20th 2024

Majestic Theatre, 390 Duckworth Street
August 20th, 7-9pm

Join us in celebrating 25 years of the HOLD FAST contemporary arts festival with Foxtrot Oscar 1! Inspired by the message behind our mural in 2016 by Jonathan S. Green, Foxtrot Oscar 1 translates to “I will keep close to you during the night”, which captures how the unwavering support from our artistic community has kept HOLD FAST going strong for the past 25 years.

Purchase tickets HERE.

This celebration will feature a mix of performers from the festival’s past, as well as some new friends! Performers will include: \garbagefile, Sam the Band, Lynn Panting Dance, Tendai Mudunge, Craig Francis Power, Madame Daddy, and XIA-3!!! You can learn more about all of the performers below.

\garbagefile is St. John’s premiere spooky drag clown! In addition to being a performance artist, Backslash is also a visual artist, filmmaker, and certified circus freak. Their love for science fiction and body horror frequently appears in their work via special fx makeup, otherworldly costuming, and decadently unhinged performances. Backslash began performing at Treble Lounge in 2018, and has since performed at and hosted shows for large scale festivals (Lawnya Vawnya, the Festival of New Dance, St. John’s International Circusfest) and fundraiser and advocacy events including Palestine Action YYT. Backslash also performs with their drag collective the Phlegm Fatales, the icky stickiest performers in town. They are a passionate activist who believes drag is a political tool, and that none of us are free until all of us are free.

Samtheband is an Afro-fusion girl band with gorgeous voices and relatable lyrics that are impossible to ignore. With voices that have been trained in choirs, and instrumental expertise built in orchestras, these sisters have a unique knack for fusion music. Their music speaks for a generation of women who are lovers, fighters and learners. As newcomers to Canada, music was one of the ways Samtheband connected with the community. They began performing their original songs and cover songs at bars downtown and later, local festivals.

Tendai Mudunge made the rock his home back in 2012 when he came to study at Memorial University. Since then he continues to grow from strength to strength through his exploits and countless positive contributions in dance. Since 2016 he has been promoting, teaching, showcasing, performing and sharing his knowledge of Latin and African dance across the rock. His greatest strength is his charming personality and nothing makes him happier than seeing all the smiles on the dance floor.

Lynn Panting Dance ignites creativity and nurtures self-confidence through classes, collaborations, and performances. Our Company dancers are dedicated alumni. This performance features Isabel Acevedo, Jayne Batstone, Jazmin Castro, Hannah Kirby, Olivia Quinn, Aoife Strand, and Elizabeth Stevens, with choreography by artistic director, Lynn Panting.

Craig Francis Power (he/him) is a visual artist and the award-winning author of three novels. Total Party Kill, his first collection of poetry forthcoming from Breakwater Books in Fall 2024,  is an exploration of addiction and sobriety through the vernacular, imagery, and lore of Dungeons & Dragons, the Fantasy-themed table-top role-playing game. He lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland (Ktaqmkuk) with his partner, daughter, dog, and cat. 

Madame Daddy is your favourite genderbending, flamboyant, fancy little creature! The unofficial father figure of St. John’s drag, they have been active in the St. John’s scene for 6 years as a drag performer, host, producer, and choreographer. They originate from the primordial ooze that is The Phlegm Fatales, St. John’s’ premiere trans/nonbinary drag collective. Their performance style combines a healthy dose of camp, comedy, theatrics, burlesque, and unmatched dancing skills – you may have caught them in TaDa! Events’ Rocky Horror Show and Kinky Boots (2023) or Return to Planet Phlegm (2023). Their work has been featured in conjunction with various festivals and organizations about town such as HOLD FAST Festival, Eastern Edge, St. John’s International CircusFest, St. John’s Status of Women’s Council, and Palestine Action YYT. They are all about bringing community together, celebrating trans/queer joy, and just having fun on the stage in their heels – it’s where they belong!

XIA-3, an instrumental fusion trio based in Newfoundland, seamlessly blends traditional Chinese elements with Western post-rock sensibilities. Established in 2022, the band is led by guzheng virtuoso Dr. Jing Xia, supported by the seasoned St. John’s punk rockers Ritche Perez on baritone guitar and Brian Downton on drums. With an eclectic repertoire, XIA-3 has performed at diverse musical events, including the Newfoundland Folk Festival (NL), SappyFest (NB) and DuneFest (St. Pierre and Miquelon). Their dynamic performances have earned them recognition, such as the 2023 MusicNL Awards “Rising Star of the Year” and “Instrumental Artist/Group of the Year.”

This event is made possible by Celebrate NL, Year of the Arts, Canadian Arts Presentation Fund, and MusicNL.

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