Review by Steve Desroches

Let’s get one thing out of the way, right away. Disco. Does. Not. Suck. Those fools at Chicago’s Comisky Park at Disco Demolition Night in 1979 that caused a riot, partly based in racism and homophobia, were tasteless chumps. Music historians and critics can write about the merits of the musical genre, but in her new show Qya Cristal explains why disco endures because when you’re feeling down and defeated disco uplifts, induces joy, and makes you feel powerful. And that’s at the core of Qya Cristal’s Intergalactic Disco, an hour-long concert starring the vocal powerhouse that fills the spirit, elicits smiles, and whips the audience into a disco inferno (though the room is comfortably air-conditioned).

The conceit of the show is that Cristal brings us to the “distant, distant future” on Earth where we now have contact with life throughout the universe, where since its big-bang moment in the 1970s the disco beats have reverberated to distant galaxies where its inhabitants send messages for requests for their favorite dance music jams. This narrative device gives the show a sweet comedic nudge for what is ultimately a thunderous vocal presentation of hits from the disco era mixed with songs from today that evolved out of the genre. Cristal’s voice and performance style is perfectly suited for disco, and she has the experience and discipline to know when restraint is called for and when it is necessary to reach into outer space for a dramatic note. Performed in an intimate theater-in-the-round setting in the Wave Bar, the rollicking show receives another shot of adrenaline via Cristal’s several outfit changes, which grow more spectacular throughout the evening. And while it might be there to cool Cristal down as she tears into each song, the floor fan on the stage adds a dramatic flair as it continually whips Cristal’s hair into a frenzy as if she’s floating through the cosmos. Even the functional is fabulous in this show.

Qya Cristal’s Intergalactic Disco is more evidence of Cristal’s wide-ranging talents as she devours the opportunities Provincetown’s rich entertainment scene can offer. Cristal also performs in Diva!, an all-live singing drag revue also starring Roxy Pops and Delta Miles also at the Crown and Anchor, as well as over at The Club where she performs jazz with the Bart Weisman Trio every Tuesday. Cristal is also a featured guest performer in a variety of concerts, special events, and musical shows throughout town. But Qya Cristal’s Intergalactic Disco is an indicator of Cristal’s strength and ability to command a room on her own. In keeping with the theme of the show, it’s a clear presentation that Cristal has enormous star power. And Qya Cristal’s Intergalactic Disco is a guaranteed good time.

Qya Cristal’s Intergalactic Disco runs every Friday at 8 p.m. now through September 15 at the Crown and Anchor, 247 Commercial St., Provincetown. Tickets ($35/$45) are available at the box office and online at onlyatthecrown.com. For more information call 508.487.1430