We have to admit we were warned. The chatter around Mo Wave’s main venue, Chop Suey, was awash with promises of filth and butt-holes from Headliner, Christeene. Hailing from Austin, Texas, Christeene is equal parts musician and performance artist with a penchant for mixing precise choreography with sloppy raunch. Even before Christeene was paraded onstage draped over the shoulders of her masked back-up dancers, the stage set-up (consisting of 6 tiny water bottles and toilet paper rolls) was a fairly accurate indication that shit was gonna get filthy.
And while photos of Christeene display a striking trans woman with long black locks matted together with sweat, smeared mascara, and a random application of lipstick across her lips and chin, it didn’t quite prepare us for our first sight of the artist: ass-first, with a cluster of helium balloons tied to a butt plug graciously wedged in her asshole.
Think Bambibot meets Bloody Betty plus more butt-holes than the House of Commons.
Sad Mag had a chance to sit down with Christeene before the show (and before—in what seemed to be a moment of sincere connection between performer and audience member—bitch spat in our face).
Where are you from, and how long have you been playing together?
WE FRUM AUSTIN TEXAS AN WE BEEN KICKIN DIZ NAY NAY ALL OVER DA WORLD FER 4 YEARZ NOW.
What draws you to ‘Mo-Wave?
MO WAVE IS UH MAJIIKAL FUGGIN LIVIN ROOM DAT CALLED TO US. JODI ECKLUND DUG US UP WHEN SHE WUZ IN AUSTIN FER SXSW AN WE BEEN TRYIN TOO GIT IT TOO IT EVER SINCE. DIZ WURLD NEEDS MO MO WAVE.
What do you think can be done to make more stages for queer artists?
IZ GUNNA TAKE DA QUEER ARTISTS AN COMMUNITIES CUMMIN TOGETHER TOO MAKE SOUNDING BOARDS OFF OF EACH OTHER SO DAT OUR SOUND GITS FUGGIN LOUDER AN LOUDER AN WE ALLLL KEEP EACH OTHER INFORMED UH DEEZ STAGES AN WHERE DEY ARE. WE NEED MESSENGER PIGEONS TOOO.
Christeene will be performing on April 26th in Austin,TX as part of the FUSEBOX FESTIVAL. You can read more about Christeene Vale here: http://christeenemusic.com/