In just over a week, Loverboy will be stomping the streets, rolling in glitter, fan firmly in hand, celebrating Barcleona’s Pride festival. As part of the week’s celebrations, the city’s chic-est new queer event, ICONIQA will be hosting their second edition in Razzmatazz on Sunday 16th July.
ICONIQA is the fabulous creation of The Queer Indigo himself, Barry Brandon. Originally US-based, Barry now travels the globe, focusing on building safe spaces for all humans to express themselves fully. Barry’s been coming to the Catalan capital since 2015 but it wasn’t until earlier this year he launched Iconiqa with his Barcelona familia.
The first event saw Loverboy covergirl, Violet Chachki no less, jet in for a performance and the July party will see the Most Expensive Body on Earth, Amanda Lepore and make-up artiste supreme, Hungry, take to the stage for the Pussy Pink edition. Performing alongside them will be some of the city’s most exciting queers and there will also be a Lewk & Runway contest where you could win tickets to see Pabllo Vittar perform next month and more.
Barry speaks to Loverboy about his work within the community, why he started ICONIQA and the night’s upcoming magazine…
Hey Barry, now we know you are a person who travels a lot, so before we go any further please tell us exactly where you are?
HIIIIIEEEE!!! I do travel a lot. Hahaha. I was actually just in Madrid this past weekend for Pride but now I am back in Barcelona, my home, for a few weeks before heading off to Berlin. I spent years travelling and exploring the world to find a space and place that felt like home and I wanted to be intentional about where I signed a lease. Barcelona is that space (for now).
How did you come to reside here in Barcelona?
I travelled to Barcelona for about a week in 2015 but I must admit that I didn’t love it. It wasn’t until I travelled again in 2021 that I started to fall in love. I came back three or four times and spent a few weeks or months with each trip to really make sure she was the place I wanted to be. Each trip I made I met amazing people that felt like home. It was for that reason, combined with the ever present sunshine, and the fact that there is a robust queer community here, that I chose to live here.
What do you make of the LGBT scene here and how does it compare in terms of progression with other cities you have visited?
Let’s just say that I align more with the QIA+ letters that weren’t listed above. I am QUEER as fuck and this city offers me the ability to feel free in my expression. To be perfectly honest, I don’t typically go to gay events. I am a more queer oriented person who tries, quite intentionally, to seek queer centered events and spaces. They feel more like fam.
You are behind the new night ICONIQA. Tell us how the idea started. How did the name come and who else is involved?
I used to curate and produce an event called ICON in the states. I ran it in a few cities. The idea of the night came from an event I attended in Berlin. The concept there was a night of music and drag performances all themed to a specific artist. I expanded on that concept and worked with talent of all mediums at ICON meaning not just drag but burlesque, dance, vogue, trapeze and drag.
The truth is I had essentially ‘retired’ from nightlife. COVID halted the ability to be present in at events and experiences and during that time I had pivoted to digital so I didn’t have a specific intention of returning. But when I arrived in Barcelona, after meeting many artists and seeing that there was space to position a night of queer excellence, I opted to return. So, I tweaked my previous concept to add further curation and production based on the abilities of Razzmatazz. And then ICONIQA was born.
The name of the event in Barcelona was going to be ICONIQUE. In fact, in working with Diogo (designer) on the branding, we were all set and ready to go but then I came across a queer party in San Francisco with the name so we tweaked it again. I was toying with the idea of calling the party SUPREME but it wasn’t feeling correct. I was in NYC visiting my best friend, explaining everything and he just said ‘How about ICONIQA?’ and I said ‘THAT’S IT!’ It just makes sense for Spain, don’t you think??
The first event featured Loverboy covergirl Violet Chachki no less. How was the first event?
The first event was ICONIQAAAAAAA. The lewks were insane. The performances were spectacular and everyone served. SERVED!
The July event has Amanda Lepore and Hungry coming! How major. What can we expect from the two of them?
You can expect ICONIQA. They are both already iconic, so just imagine the live experience onstage.
Having lived here seven years I feel I can say this fairly safely but there are not many places in LGBT Barcelona where people turn a look. It’s nice to have somewhere this is encouraged! But I imagine it’s a tricky balance not to alienate people. Tell us about dress codes/no dress codes with Iconiqa.
We keep the themes loose. For example, the first theme was open. As in, come and turn a lewk. This month’s theme is PUSSY PINK, but really it’s all shades of pink. Remember that the theme isn’t mandatory as we won’t turn people away, we just hope people either have, can crate and make, borrow or make something work from what they have acces to. The magic of the QUEER community is that we always just find a way.
Which local acts do we need to be aware of who are performing on the night?
I always pack and pad events with the he’s, she’s and they’s of the city because though of course bringing international headlining talent is fun and fab, the heartbeat of the city is in the magic of the local community. The lineup of hosts, performers and gogo’s is CRAY! Alex Marteen, Ash, Beltran, Calo, Cherry Bishhh, Jayce, Jay Jay Revlon, Luise, Lupe, Missla Blank, Ponyboy Milan, Romich and Victoria Banks. It’s best to go to the ICONIQA IG and see everyone tagged.
What’s the thing that you are most proud of achieving as the Queer Indigo?
Bring in a place that is able to funnel money into the pockets of queer people.
Oh and there is an ICONIQA magazine coming later this year right?
YES! It will be available October 29th coinciding with the next ICONIQA event. One of the covers will be posted to our website and IG on August 1st with pre-sales starting then.
Finally we are named after the biggest selling single of 2001 so we always ask what is your favourite Mariah song and why?
OOOOOHHHHHH fav ever???? THAT IS FUCKING HARDDDDDDDDD BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY….. I can’t know my FAVOURITE but I LOVE ‘Forever’, ‘We Belong Together, and ‘My All.’
The next Iconiqa at Razzmatazz, Barcelona is 16th July.
For tickets, info and lewk inspo see Iconiqa’s site.
