Inside the Super Graphic Spectacular, Chappell Roan’s star-studded fundraiser for queer & trans youth
The Super Graphic Spectacular was an out-of-this-world experience where —at least for a few hours—everything was glimmering, gleeful and gay.
Mark
For the headlining set of her Super Graphic Spectacular fundraising show, Chappell Roan kicked things off with its namesake song, “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” which features the lyric, “we’re leaving the planet.”
And that’s fitting because, at least for a few hours this week, it felt like LA’s Shrine Auditorium had been magically transported to Planet Queer for an out-of-this-world experience where everything was glimmering, gleeful and gay.
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Since releasing her debut album in the fall of 2023, the “Midwest Princess” has been on an unstoppable rise, and even after she broke through to mainstream success the following year, Roan has made it clear she’s an artist of & for the queers.
And that continued with the two-night Super Graphic Spectacular event, which brought together an eclectic lineup of musicians, drag performers, comedians, and fans for a one-of-a-kind show, all to benefit Roan’s Midwest Princess Project, which raises critical funds to support programs serving trans youth & LGBTQ+ communities.
Of course, the main draw was the opportunity to see Roan in a setting that feels downright intimate compared to the massive festival stages she’s been playing of late (the Shrine holds upwards of 6,000 guests), and that’s a promise she delivered on while not diminishing her arena-sized star wattage in the slightest.
But the event was also about uplifting other artists, creators & community organizations, which was a big part of the pre-show Super Graphic Block Party outside the theater, where merch stands & photo ops stood alongside booths where attendees could learn more about non-profits like the Trans Mentor Project, Drag Story Hour, and the LA LGBT Center / Trans Wellness Center.
Queerty was there on night two, and when showtime drew near, the crowds excitedly filed in—a sea of sequins, makeup, and red wigs as attendees took it upon themselves to dutifully recreate Roan’s many, many many iconic looks. Energy was high, yet everyone was exceptionally sweet and courteous, taking the event’s messaging around social unity seriously.
In fact, everyone was so courteous that they all stayed seating for the opening acts of the show, so as not to block the view of the people behind them. Still, they couldn’t help but go up for aerialist Alisa Mae, who came out in a shrimp costume dancing along to Billie Eilish’s “Lunch” which evolved into a high-flying burlesque act before our very eyes. It was truly jaw-dropping, establishing quite the precedent for the magical night to come.
Then beloved comedian Caleb Hearon came out to officially welcome us to the Super Graphic Spectacular as our master of ceremonies. He had the crowd roaring with laughter as he riffed on being a Midwesterner like Roan and ripped out LA’s erstwhile mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt. But as promised, he kept the intro short & cute as he cued up the evening’s next few special guests.
The supernaturally talented Caroline Polachek opened with viral hit “So Hot Your Hurting My Feelings,” before bringing out Roan for a surprise duet to “Look At Me Now,” which gave us visible goosebumps. Then came drag king Sweaty Eddie, who gyrated along to Roy Orbison classic “Pretty Woman” while his arms somehow got longer and longer… and longer. And the fabulous Fantasia Royale Gaga gagged the girls with a lip-sync to Donna Summer anthem “MacArthur Park”; when she removed a sparkly coat to reveal her considerable “assets,” the audience audibly gasped—clearly many of them hadn’t had the full Fantasia Royale Gaga experience before!
Next up was Muna for a stripped-down acoustic set. You may have heard that, just a few days prior, their tour bus caught fire while traveling down the highway? Thankfully, they’re all safe, and the brush with fate made them all the more grateful to be amongst such a warm, loving crowd, preaching the power of queer liberation before launching into “I Know A Place.” Staying on theme (the theme being “gay”), they also led a singalong to their euphoric “Silk Chiffon,” convincing Hearon to come out to croon along to the Phoebe Bridgers verses.
Riding high from the performance, Hearon was then able to share the news that, across the two days of the Spectacular, a whopping $2 million was raised for charitable organization, whipping the crowd into a frenzy just in time for Chappell Roan herself to take the stage.
It’s remarkable that she’s only got one album to her name considering how robust the setlist felt—and how the audiences sang along with her every word. Nearly every track from The Rise And Fall of A Midwest Princess had its moment to shine, as did her stellar run of singles—from “Good Luck, Babe” to “The Giver” to “The Subway”—and even the rarely performed early cut “Love Me Anyway” (which she admitted she always forgets the lyrics to, even if the crowd definitely didn’t).
Among the night’s surprises were a guest spot from PinkPantheress performing the infectious “Tonight” (who Roan introduced by saying “She’s just so c*nt!”), and Lola Young joining Roan to turn the sexy slow-burn “Picture You” into a fabulous duet. And though Olivia Rodrigo was tied up with her own world tour, Roan was sure to shout her out before performing both of their verses on newly shared single “Expectations,” much to the delight of bisexuals everywhere.
And, of course, she brought it all home with “Pink Pony Club,” performing her breakout queer anthem with so much gusto you’d almost forget she’s been singing it for adoring masses nonstop for the past six years now! At the pre-chorus line “Won’t make my momma proud,” she gleefully boasted her mom & dad were watching it all from the balcony (no doubt proud, despite what the lyrics say). And as she reached the final ecstatic run of the chorus, cannons launched a flutter of pink confetti out onto the awe-struck crowd.
One big takeaway is that we’re definitely in a new era of pop stars coming together for a cause. Like Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields before it (which also feature Roan as performer), the Super Graphic Spectacular was a night of camaraderie, community, and giving back in an intentional, impactful way. And if Rodrigo & Roan are, indeed, the future of pop music, then we feel pretty confident in saying the future is in great hands.
These are dark times, but we’re grateful to out & proud artists like Chappell Roan for being shining beacons of hope for us all. She once infamously introduced herself by saying, “I’m gonna serve exactly what you are: cunt!,” but with the Super Graphic Spectacular she served exactly what we deserve: queer joy.
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