Review: Tracks at Subway Cowgate

Since the closure and subsequent demolition of Espionage, the Cowgate area of Edinburgh has been deprived of drag. However, this is changing with the increasingly popular nightclub Subway coming to the aid of drag fans. Tracks, which features every Monday in the old town club is a welcome addition to the drag scene. Hosted by queens Havana Meltdown and Chanel O’Conor you’re instantly hooked with their witty humour and fabulous looks.

Havana Meltdown (left) and Chanel O'Conor (right) hosting Tracks

One of the first noticeable differences to Tracks, compared to what is perceived to be drag, is the female representation. Unlike what RuPaul’s drag race says, women do drag at a high level, it is not just for men. Havana Meltdown, female drag queen and co-host, started the show. Her performance whilst funny, as drag often is, focused heavily on body image. It was an empowering routine with a positive message for everyone, coupled with some very good lip syncing.

Glasgow based queen, Frans Gender, was next up. As well as providing great looks, her routine focused on humour. She taunted the audience by looping the beginning of Dolly Parton’s 9 till 5 for what seemed forever, coming up with a different gag every time just as you though she was away to start the lip sync, she eventually did! Another Glasgow queen, Clare Successfully, provided a stunning dance and lip sync routine. Her unique style of drag, featuring a beard, really made her stand out.

Throughout the show, hosts Chanel and Havana provided high levels of entertainment. Their constant back and forth and quick humour towards each other shows they clearly have a strong bond, and really focus on the quality and smooth flow of the night.

One of the shows biggest highlights came from Birmingham’s Amber Cadaverous. Amber, as well as providing an entertaining show, she really wanted to emphasise a message. Being a female drag queen too, she wanted to stick two fingers up to RuPaul, who still refuses to have female queens on Drag Race and stick up for trans and female drag queens who, as she emphasised, do exist.

Tracks ended with a game for the queens. With no rehearsal they had to lip sync to a random song without any prior practice. All the queens did spectacularly and seemed to be unphased by such a task. Once ended, the club remains open for everyone to dance until you (death) drop.

Overall, Tracks is an extremely fun night and is a must visit for anyone interested in Edinburgh’s drag scene. It is a show with a difference, taking you away from what is perceived to be mainstream drag, and focusing more on the issues that mainstream drag has created. The message throughout the show was one of inclusion which is what drag and the LGBTQ+ community should be about. The feeling of welcomes no matter who you are, plus the reasonable price of drinks, makes it a wonderful show. Please remember to tip the queens!

For more information about Tracks, click here