By Jonathan Williams

When the Last Dance performed at Dragon*Con in 2007, the band was joined onstage by burlesque vixen Diamond Ice for an added visual presence thanks to her fan dance. Though that performance  would indeed prove to be her final frolic with the Last Dance, this year she changes her exterior to join the goth rock favorite for a Friday night/Saturday morning performance as the Chameleon Queen. Having also performed in the first two Dragon*Con Cabaret’s as a member of Big City Burlesque, Diamond Ice graced Dragon*Con stages in various ways before her continued transformations. While finishing up her costume and painting her nails in preparation for Friday’s show, the enigmatic Queen takes a moment to talk to Wrestling with Pop Culture.

Diamond Ice performs with the Last Dance at Dragon*Con in 2007. Photo by Moonbird Design

 

Following Diamond Ice’s performance with the Last Dance at 2007’s Dragon*Con, how did the Chameleon Queen get invovled with this year’s show?

I saw that the boys were playing and I sent Jeff [Diehm], the singer, a text message that said, “Hey. I’m really excited you guys are playing. Can’t wait to see you.” The response back was, “So you’re dancing with us again, right?” It was that easy.

Have you danced with them anywhere outside of Dragon*Con?

No, not at all.

What do you have in store for this year’s show?

They asked me to do one song with them, so I have a costume that’s being worked on. It will be kind of a surprise and something a little different from what I usually do.

Which song will you be performing with the band?

Jeff told me to choose between two songs I picked “Distantly”. The other was about a girl losing it and that would have been a little more performance art and a little crazy. I figured the guys would like something a little prettier instead of something a little crazy. Essentially, I didn’t want to scare them.

The Chameleon Queen as Evangeline the Scream Queen at the recent Black Metal Burlesque show. Photo by Derek Jackson Photography

And you’ll be appearing at their table the rest of the weekend?

Yes, I will be booth babing it for them, hawking their merch.

You tend to stay busy with shows outside of Dragon*Con. What else do you have scheduled in the near future?

I’m doing Mon Cherie‘s Rockabilly Lounge on Sept. 10. That’s the outer space show. The next week, on Sept. 14, I’ll be singing a song with Spaceseed and dancing with Gunslinger at the Masquerade. That Friday, I’m doing Rockmageddon with Andrew Adler and Mon Cherie at Smith’s Olde Bar. On Saturday, early evening, several of us from Musée du Cœur will be on the Imperial Opa stage for the East Atlanta Strut. Then we’ll be winging it over to do a show at Trilogy Bookstore at 9 o’clock that night.

The Last Dance. $30-$120. 1:30 a.m. Sept. 4. Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Centennial II-III. 265 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, Ga. 770-909-0115, www.dragoncon.org.