Mondays can be painful, but Haute & Freddy had Boston dancing that pain away on their “Big Disgrace” tour.
Recently crowned as your favorite artist, Lady Gaga’s favorite artist, it was no surprise that the band’s Royal Court, a name that Michelle Buzz (Haute) and Lance Shipp (Freddy) have affectionately given their fans, filled a sold-out room at The Sinclair, from the floor to the mezzanine.
As the impeccably dressed Royal Court awaited the synth-pop-fueled theatricality to come, The Rubin Brothers entertained. Wearing their Cambridge, MA hometown pride on their sleeves, AJ and Colescott performed from atop a unicycle and behind a cello, singing about lactose intolerance and an unapologetic attraction to redheads. As third-generation Boston artists, the duo also made sure to shout out the city’s thriving arts scene, even acknowledging their middle school music teacher and circus mentor, who watched proudly from the audience.
After some improvised songs about reggae cats and bossa nova telescopes, the crowd let out a wave of disappointed sighs when the brothers announced their final song. That disappointment quickly turned to cheers, though, when the brothers reminded the room that Haute & Freddy would be up shortly.
Often, theatrical sets are reserved for bigger venues, but Haute & Freddy went all out for their “Runaway Circus.” Two gilded caravans sat downstage, immediately setting the scene, transforming the room into something far bigger than its 500 person capacity.
Raising an invisible glass to the crowd on the first night of Pride Month, the band kicked off their set with “Anti-Superstar” and worked through their debut album Big Disgrace, including “Show Girl at Heart” and “Freaks.” The duo paired their hit “Dance the Pain Away” with a rendition of David Bowie’s “Dance,” a performance that felt both like a tribute and a natural extension of their sound.
Other highlights included an audience-cast performance of “Scantily Clad,” as well as improvised songs based on audience birthdays and favorite things, with Buzz joking that “somehow the improv makes me sweat more” than the choreography.
As much as there was humor, there was also genuine gratitude. Sitting at the piano for the final song of the night, “Shy Girl,” Buzz told the sold-out room, “You have truly changed our lives, so we are just your humble jesters.”
The Royal Court danced until the very last note, cheering as Haute & Freddy with Fou York, the New York City-based troupe and branch of the performance collective Fou Fou Ha!, and The Rubin Brothers took their bows.
The tour may be called “Big Disgrace,” but the only real disgrace is that more people don’t know about Haute & Freddy.
Get your ticket to the “Big Disgrace” tour here!
Amelia Cordischi, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Juice Box Press, is an accomplished digital marketing professional with over a decade of experience in media and communications. Her work has been featured in notable publications, including The Boston Globe. A communications graduate of Simmons University in Boston, Amelia served as manager of Simmons College Radio (“The Shark”), where she also launched and co-hosted her radio show, The Find.
In addition to her editorial work, Amelia is an established freelance photographer, with bylines in Blended Magazine and CelebMix, capturing artists and cultural moments across the music and media landscape. Her career began at WCVB-TV’s Chronicle, the ABC affiliate in Boston, where she gained firsthand experience in broadcast journalism and storytelling.
When she’s not taking photos from the photo pit, interviewing emerging artists, or crafting the next Juice Box Press feature, Amelia can be found thrifting and exploring the world of sustainable fashion.