Sharon Needles at Pier 26

Aaron Coady was born in Newton, Iowa, and as an adult moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to work as a female impersonator, Sharon Needles. Needles found national fame when she competed and was crowned "America's Next Drag Superstar" on television's RuPaul's Drag Race in 2012. Later that year, a ghostly Needles began hosting Logo TV’s weekly horror series FEARce! She played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show in San Antonio, Texas, and was the lead actress in Silence of the Trans in San Francisco, California. Needles released a debut album, PG-13,  in 2013.

Performing tonight at the New York City Pride Rally at Pier 26, Needles downplayed her former dance club style and gave her macabre songs like "This Club Is a Haunted House", "Dead Girls Never Say No" and "Dressed to Kill" a gothic rock turn. She closed with a punk rock version of Judy Garland's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." She may be a novelty, but she played it live like a true rock star.

Visit Sharon Needles at www.sharonneedles.com.