She’s worked with Beyonce, Charlie XCX, New Kids on the Block1, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. If you don’t know who Big Freedia is, you’ve definitely heard her voice. New Orleans’ own ambassador of bounce has seen it fit to take the show on the road, and I am here to tell you – if Big Freedia is within 100 miles of your town, pack up your ass cheeks and get them over there.
Big Freedia landed in Pioneertown, California the night of the election and we all needed to shake our asses and be carried away as we awaited the results, and make no mistake, Pappy & Harriett’s was bouncing. Big Freedia’s music is a celebration of New Orleans, individuality, queerness, and most of all—shaking ass.
With Big Freedia, the real Queen Diva come The Divas, a set of dancers that will light your hair on fire. You want to see twerking and ass shaking like you’ve never seen before? How about synchronized splits, death drops, and more swag than you could ever dream of? Big Freedia’s stage presence doesn’t leave a lot of room for anyone else’s aura, but like the queen she is, she knows there’s enough attention to go around—and Team Freedia takes full advantage of it.
The crowd was one of the most diverse crowds I’ve ever seen at a live show. Big Freedia’s energy and positive message brought a massive crowd together where no one was worried about race, gender, sexual orientation, or each other’s fashion choices. You only need one trait to be welcome at a Big Freedia show and that is a willingness to “release ya wiggle.” Of course, Big Freedia would love it if you’d release a few other things, too:
Release ya anger, Release ya mind
Release ya job, release the time
Release ya trade, release the stress
Release the love, forget the rest
Big Freedia’s DJ, DJ Duane Jordan, opened the show to create the right vibe for Big Freedia to burst onto the stage at full tilt. That energy didn’t wane through the entire set, as she kept everyone in the crowd fully immersed in the bubble of bounce. At one point in the show, she invited volunteers from the crowd to come up and show what they got, pumping more energy, connectedness, and fun into the small indoor venue.
The only problem with a Big Freedia show is it is both not long enough (you want it to last forever) and entirely too long (you’re out of breath by the end of the first song). Fans were literally stretching on the dance floor before she hit the stage because if you know one thing about bounce, you know it is a high energy sport. There’s nothing that can prepare you for a Big Freedia show (though working on your cardio can’t hurt). The joy is immense, the energy takes over the room, and if you like ass shaking there is truly “Azz Everywhere.”
Big Freedia and her Diva dancers at Pappy & Harriett’s Nov. 3 / Photo by RA Pickup
It’s impossible to capture the pure high voltage energy that shoots through the entirety of Big Freedia’s set and every member of the crowd. Something this transcendent really needs to be experienced to be understood, and you really want to understand it. Trust me. If you’ve ever shaken your ass or yearned for joy, get your ass to a Big Freedia show. You won’t regret it, even if you’re sore the next day. It’s a marathon and a sprint, but worth every bead of sweat.
- And Kesha, Sia, Boyz II Men, Sophie, and, and, and, and… ↩︎
