Epoxy & Iddy Prepare 4 Battle
Get ready to sashay into the captivating universe of Windsor's drag scene with Epoxy and Iddy Oats. In this exclusive interview, they reveal the secrets behind Battle of the Babes and their journey as dynamic drag duo.
DRAG MAG: Could you start by telling the readers a bit about yourselves?
Epoxy: We are husbands in real life, but our drag personas are what we refer to as sister-wives. We moved back from Montreal a handful of years ago to start our business Interrobang Vintage.
Iddy: In Montreal we weren’t doing drag yet I guess, but we were dressing in our weirdest looks and hitting the streets. Epoxy was working in vintage and designing graphics for Urban Outfitters, I was working in all sorts of bougie restaurants.
Epoxy: But, we were both originally from Windsor, so moving back here to start the business just made sense. We sold lots of cool people vintage, and we even did costuming for tv shows including Stranger Things season 4. And then over covid Epoxy and Iddy Oats were officially born.
DM: Can you give us a brief overview of Battle of the Babes?
E: Battle of the Babes started as a show that would allow new, novice or under-booked performers a way to showcase their talents. It’s not your typical show, the kings and queens have to collect points throughout the show. We’ve had lipsync battles, talent shows, mini-challenges, and all sorts of gags and goops. Every show is a bit different. But overall we have 5 or 6 performers who battle it out for a cash prize and crown. Iddy, do you want to tell them why we co-host?
I: Because we’re sister-wives! Before doing drag, Epoxy was hosting pop-ups, parties and events for the University of Windsor… and we’ve been there working together on everything this whole time. Epoxy just decided to finally share the damn spotlight!
DM: Could you share some background on the past battles?
E: BOTB, the original show, took place at Villains back in August 2023. It didn’t have a theme, and our very first winner was B.Martini.
I: BOTB2 was in October so obviously it was Halloween theme at Meteor. It was a landslide win for Remedy. It was her first show ever but she slayed the house down boots.
E: BOTB3 was called Love Sick as it was around Valentine’s Day. All the songs were breakup and single girl anthems. It was a packed venue at Walkerville Brewery, with over 130 tickets sold. Our winner was Venom VonSnaps. Battle of the Babes 4 is May 3 at Meteor again, and this one is called Babes in Space.
I: Think 1960s sci-fi b-movie with homemade sets and weird music. It’s going to be a fun one. But most exciting is ALL STARS. We are bringing back the past winners and some fan-favs to have our first ‘battle of the legends’! If we continue with more BOTB shows, we might even do an All Stars 2.
DM: How do you choose the themes for the events?
E: We always brainstorm ideas. Or I will think of an idea and Iddy helps me expand on it, and helps me follow through. We have a whole roster of event titles and ideas just waiting to happen. We don’t want our themes to be tacky or feeling like a high school semi-formal. We’re serving production value on a dime, and people are gobbling it up honey.
DM: What can attendees expect from the upcoming events in the BOTB series?
I: May 3, Meteor Babes in Space. June 8, Walkerville Brewery, All-Stars.
DM: Are there any surprises or special guest appearances planned for these upcoming events?
E: If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise now would it sweetie.
DM: How do you determine the winners of the battles?
E: It all depends on their C.U.N.T. of course. We give them points for their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent, based on their lipsyncs, talent show numbers, etc. And after the top 2 are chosen, the most exciting part… the audience votes by ballot for the winner!
DM: Have you seen any notable trends or evolutions in the performances over the course of the series?
E: Each show has gotten bigger and better. All Stars is going to be amazing. The queens and kings are really coming in blazing and giving it their all. Giving the Babes the opportunity to perform in a quality show in front of a full-house has made it all a lot of fun.
DM: Tell us about the format of the show. How do you structure each event to keep the audience engaged and entertained throughout the night?
I: Epoxy’s hosting is a big part of it. She’s quick as hell and really engages with the audience. We both do weird lipsyncs, and really give ‘em a show they’ll remember. I always try to be over the top and give people something they’re not expecting from a Windsor drag show.
E: We also try to read the room. If people are getting bored for even a minute we change gears and switch up the vibes. Iddy and I have been event organizers and business owners for over a decade, and I guess you could just say we’re naturals.
DM: The all-stars finale sounds like a spectacular culmination of the series. How did you go about selecting the all-stars cast, and what can fans expect from this grand finale?
E: It was hard choosing our cast. We didn’t want to exclude people, but we only had so many spots. We’re bringing back our winners, so B.Martini, Remedy, Venom, and whoever wins Babes in Space. Plus some of our ‘fan-favs’ who did really well in the rankings during their show. We have Mina Gorgina who came in 2nd at Love Sick, Daisy with a Y who dazzled us with her angelic voice in BOTB1, and also our first lipsync assassin Hudson Bae.
DM: Looking ahead, do you have plans for another season of BOTB after the finale in June?
E: I might have run out of Babes, but we’ll see! I’ve always wanted to do a Y2K themed one, or maybe another Halloween one. But I might also move on to new horizons instead.
DM: Are there any other upcoming projects or events that our readers should keep an eye out for from Epoxy and Iddy Oats?
I: May 31 at Craftheads were doing an indie/goth/emo type of night called Dolls and Demons. We’ve got our hottest queens in town and we’re going to be shaking our padded booties all night to some lipsyncs, and live dj’s. We also have Summer of ‘69 at the Walkerville Brewery which will be kind of like an improve dinner theater. Lots of other stuff in the works too.
E: I may or may not be hosting a show at the Capitol Theatre this summer. I can’t say more yet, but there’s more info about that coming soon.
DM: How do you balance your involvement in BOTB with other creative endeavors?
E: Just barely! We both work hard, I am a graphic designer and also sell vintage online and at Sidecar Collective on Ottawa St. Iddy has a dad job and works an office job full time. Unless we get a grant, our shows are fully funded by ticket sales and fully put together by Iddy and myself. Our shows are totally grass-roots and DIY, but we’ve been creatives and entrepreneurs for so long that it all comes naturally. I have my Bachelors of Fine Arts from UWindsor, and school taught me a lot about curation and how to make a lot with only a little.
DM: Finally, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers about BOTB, your journey as drag artists, or anything else that's on your minds?
E: I would like to say that we are so pleased to be featured in your publication. Keep doing what you do, and keep featuring our local talent! There are so many performers who deserve a spotlight. We can’t wait to see the evolution of this magazine.
DM: Are there any messages or words of encouragement you'd like to give to aspiring drag performers in the community?
E: I just want to take this opportunity to enlighten your readers about some Windsor history. We have had drag performers working here for over 150 years! Walkerville was a haven for vaudeville acts traveling between Montreal, Detroit, Chicago and New York. People often act like Windsor’s drag scene is small or unimportant, but we’re actually part of a rich history of queer and gender-bending performers. Don’t listen to these people who say that we don’t belong. Queer people, non-binary people, trans people and all 2S-LGBTQIA+ people have been here for centuries, and they just can’t handle how amazing we all are. Get out there and keep slaying!
BOTB - Babes In Space
Friday, May 3, 2024
At Meteor in Windsor, Ontario
BOTB - All Stars
Saturday, June 8, 2024
At Walkerville Brewery in Windsor, Ontario