A Liverpool student has said his drag persona and the venue he performs at allows him to feel “part of a family.”
Jake Jervo, otherwise known as Jackie Jervo, first started doing drag at the age of 18 when he first went to Stanley Street gay club, Superstar Boudiour. There, the John Moores University student said he felt like he was at “gay Disneyland” and after getting to know other performers, he questioned if they could, why couldn’t he?
However, it wasn’t until the 24-year-old began attending Sonic Yootha, a so-called 'queer disco' which caters for 'homos, heteros, drag shows and don’t knows’, Jake felt he could finally be himself, so much so, he explained it feels part of his DNA now.
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The fashion communication student told the ECHO : “I decided that I wanted to go out as Jackie J officially and the place would be Sonic Yootha. I went in full mode as Jackie and it was truly magical and an honour. I have been with Sonic Yootha ever since. It is a queer family. It’s the place I call my spiritual home.
“A place to be unapologetic, express yourself, dance and be anything you want to be, exploring your highest self, a place I feel part of a family once a month. Not one of those dysfunctional ones you get brought up with. A functional one that you choose and chooses you for being you. Yootha isn't just a place, it's an identity, a family and a movement. No judgement, no ego, just love, It's truly everything.”
Two of the club night's co-founders, Ian Usher and Shaun Duggan, decided to launch the 'queer night' after the pair felt like Liverpool didn't offer anywhere they could go which played the type of music they enjoyed. Shaun previously told the ECHO : "We started it because we felt like we didn't have anywhere to go. Especially on the gay scene in Liverpool there was nowhere that played the kind of music that we liked. We are not music snobs at all, we are all really open minded, we love a good pop tune. So we do play everything - Kylie, The Pet Shop Boys, Patti Smith... everything.“
It's not just the music which differs from other clubs as the event founders said they wanted to offer somewhere that didn't have restricted door policies they've encountered in the past. Sonic Yootha avoid this entirely by stating everyone is welcome to come to their club night - whatever their gender or sexual orientation, something which Jake loves about the event.
After the first time going out in drag to the event, things for Jackie began to take off. She was asked to be part of Sonic Yootha’s pride event in 2018, worked alongside the prestigious Gay Times Magazine and even appeared as the cover girl on Merseyside's music and creative culture magazine, Bido Lido. More recently, Jackie has featured in the Museum of Liverpool as part of their Wondrous Place gallery, which recognises Liverpool's own talent across music, sport, cinema and TV.
Jake explained Jackie was much more than just a job for him as the persona allowed him to work on his identity and kick started his journey of becoming a “spiritual soul.”
He said: “I feel free doing Jackie J. She is a way of expressing myself and feeling totally free. I feel like I can transcend to different realms from the physical world when in Jackie J mode too. I went through years of bullying for being gay when at school but now I always feel a spirit is looking after me when I'm Jackie. My experience has been very transformative through my identity as both Jake and Jackie.”
Jake, who describes his persona as “a cosmic out of this world drag artist (who) raises the energy of the room and the collective,” offers Sonic Yootha attendee’s a eccentric soul and alternative aesthetic as he continues to “not follow the rules of drag.”
Moving forward, Jake hopes to expand Jackie into the world of theatre and dance and is currently focusing on creating his own “queer circle” in partnership with Comic Youth’s ‘Safe Spaces Reclaiming Community Spaces Project.’ However, for now, Jackie can be found every month “dancing and bringing the energy” at 24 Kitchen Street.
