Charli XCX is no stranger to raging in the tropics. Rewind to 2013, when the then-20-year-old British singer took the stage in Miami for the first time before a crowd of about 100 people at the now-defunct the Garret at Grand Central. Five short years later, her meteoric rise to fame catapulted her to an opening slot on Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour alongside Miami's very own Camila Cabello. The show, dubbed by New Times as one of South Florida's biggest summer concerts, is set to stop at Hard Rock Stadium this Saturday, August 18. But we're here to let you in on a little secret. The real fun will happen post-concert at Femmebot Fantasy, an afterparty at 1306 presented by Charli XCX, Dorian Electra, This Free Life, and Internet Friends. It'll present drag queens, local DJs, and other queer performers.
Femmebot Fantasy — organized by electronic pop singer, songwriter, and filmmaker Dorian Electra, who is also featured on the stand-out track "Femmebot" on Charli XCX's latest mixtape, Pop 2 — originated in Chicago after Charli opened for Swift at Soldier Field this past June. The afterparty's wild success led organizers to create a series of Femmebot Fantasy stops on the tour in Atlanta, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Houston.
"Charli loves to do these big shows but then also loves to do something more intimate with the fans, where she can really party with them, get to hang out, take pictures, have a lot more of a real, intimate connection," Electra explains.
Electra set out to collaborate with friends and drag performers across the nation to help bring Femmebot Fantasy to life in each city. They relied on insider knowledge to help find venues that were also "femme-friendly and queer-friendly." Electra says, "The cool thing too about these parties is we can take any venue, honestly... Charli fans that would come out would be so inclusive and open and diverse that we could make any venue, really, into an inclusive environment."
Electra enlisted Internet Friends' founder Gami and cofounder Keanu Orange alongside This Free Life's Miami and Fort Lauderdale market manager William Evans, better known as Miss Toto, to curate the local lineup and help organize the party at 1306. This Free Life is self-described as "a campaign that works to prevent and reduce tobacco use among young adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)." Internet Friends is self-described as an "ultra femme/trans collective."
The stacked lineup includes Dorian Electra, Banoffee, and Ceci G alongside locals Miss Toto, Queef Latina, Jupiter Velvet, and Kat Wildernesses, with DJ sets by Gami, Keanu Orange, Loka, Souls Departed, and Sel 6.
"Charli's whole project right now is kind of like pushing the boundaries of pop music," Electra explains. "And she likes to use the phrase 'the future of pop' a lot, and she likes to support and lift up other artists who she thinks are really pushing the boundaries... in all these different cities that are not New York and L.A. and really actively participate in this underground community and queer community."
Miss Toto says a
"I actually am looking forward to the looks, seeing the people come out in these
But don't expect Miss Toto to perform a Charli XCX song during the party that evening. "It is fitting of the theme
Miss Toto also shares that Charli XCX will appear at an all-ages meet-and-greet and sell merch at Gramps from 12:30 to 2 p.m. before Femmebot Fantasy begins. Purchase of Charli XCX albums No. 1 Angel and Pop 2 via techniquerecords.com or in person at the Technique Records pop-up on site guarantees the chance to meet the pop star. Be sure to come hungry — Milly's Empanada Factory will serve Venezuelan comfort food.
Femmebot Fantasy. With Charli XCX and Dorian Electra. 10 p.m. Saturday, August 18, at 1306, 1306 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-377-2277; 1306miami.com. Tickets are sold out.
