Review: Give Them an Amen!

By Michael Block

The world is filled with talented people. But sometimes those talented people don't get "discovered." All it takes is one tweet that can pave the way to future stardom. The girls of Siren made a music video of RuPaul's "Sissy That Walk" to pay tribute to the icon. Mama Ru tweeted out a response that is now their pull-quote pride and joy. And from there, Siren was on the map. Drag Race queens gave them some Twitter love. They even got invited by the stars themselves to play and open for them. I "discovered" them after they stole the show at Mimi Imfurst's Britney Spears Tribute show. And that rightly lead to a headlining gig at the Laurie Beechman called Can We Get An Amen: The RuMixes.

photo by Michael Block

An homage to the queens and the moments that make RuPaul's Drag Race special, Can We Get An Amen: the RuMixes is a showcase that celebrates the dazzling musicality and imagination of Siren. Comprised of Colleen Harris, Lindsay Morgan, and Shanna Sharp, Siren reimagines pop tunes through a country lens. Whether country is your cup of tea, what makes these girls special is their astonishing artistry, powerhouse vocals, and ability to arrange the music in a way that, often, made the song better. With a Drag Race centric night of music, the girls shared stories of their favorite moments and queens that directly tied into the songs. The set list didn't entirely comprise of RuPaul and contestant songs. If you wondered how numbers from the likes of Katy Perry and Ariana Grande made the night, they were loving Ru-demptions for Alyssa Edwards and Tatiana in their abysmal showings in their respective Snatch Games. But if you came for the Ru and girls songs, they weren't in short supply. With covers including hits by Jinkx Monsoon, Courtney Act, and Adore Delano, plus spoof hits like “Chow Down (at Chik-fil-a)” made famous by Willam, Detox, and Vicky Vox, it was the brightly poppy reimagining of Alaska's "Your Make Up is Terrible" (which sounded eerily similar to “Everything is Awesome”, which is awesome) and the Andrew Sisters inspired "Purse First" by Bob the Drag Queen that got the crowd gagging. These two numbers also highlighted just how ridiculously silly some club hits are. I'm looking at you Ms. the Drag Queen! Keeping the night in near chronological order from the birth of RuPaul through the history of the seasons, capping it off with a Lady Gaga season 9 tribute, Siren knew how to put on a complete show. If you looked over toward the side of the stage, you noticed a shrine to Ru. It would have been nice to incorporate it into the night a bit. If it's there, acknowledge it. Beyond their ability to belt the house down with their three-part harmony, they each have a personality that is magnetic. This isn't Destiny's Child. There's no hierarchy. They are a trio of equals.
If you missed Can We Get An Amen: The RuMixes, you missed out. The moral of the story is, come for the tunes, stay for the pipes. You best get to a Siren gig before they snatch their ticket to stardom and you miss your chance.