Sasha Colby launched her “Stripped II” tour in Seattle on Sept. 16, becoming the first drag artist ever to headline with Live Nation. It’s a milestone that isn’t lost on her. Colby knows exactly how powerful it is to bring drag center stage with one of the biggest names in entertainment.
“My first concerts were Live Nation concerts,” Colby, who is slated to bring her tour to New York later this month, told Gay City News in a recent interview. “I remember seeing the logo on my tickets or the poster, and having that same logo on my poster now is pretty surreal. It shows how much drag has come for such a huge outlet like Live Nation.”
Her first “Stripped” tour in 2024 followed a narrative arc tracing her journey from a young queer kid to one of the world’s most celebrated drag artists. But for this go-around, Colby wanted to come from a more vulnerable place without as many “fancy schmancy things,” she said.
“We’re stripping down the productions and just getting back to a stripped-down performance, minimal props, some great choices of costumes, and just focusing on storytelling and allowing the audience to build this world with me [and] really tapping into a lot of fantasy this time,” Colby told Gay City News.
Amidst the constant vitriol that the LGBTQ and particularly the trans communities face, she hopes that “Stripped II” can provide at least a temporary haven for queer folks in search of comfort. To her, finding joy in this political moment is a “way of protest.”
“My intention for ‘Stripped II’ is to allow people to have a little bit of relief and a little fantasy, and feel charged up to go back out and fight the fight when we’re called to it,” she said.
In this performance, she touches on some more challenging subjects, like her previous addiction to crystal meth, because she wants her fans struggling with addiction to know they are not alone. She feels that by openly discussing the topic, she can help destigmatize it.
“Vulnerability really is strength…Sharing something that you might have been ashamed of before is something that really gives people hope who are going through that exact same thing,” she said.
When folks leave her show, Colby wants her audience to feel galvanized to “find their tribe” and “find their voice and not feel scared when it feels so lonely and like there’s really not a lot of hope.”
“When we join together and we practice community and creativity, those are the two things that have always helped us. Our call is now to come together, make community, make spaces where we can create, and create spaces where we can feel safe,” she said.
Tour dates and ticket information can be found here. Sasha Colby will be making her stop in New York City on Oct. 28 at The Town Hall in Midtown Manhattan.
