So life got in the way yesterday and alas I didn’t make NYNot? at the Glasgow Art Club. Rage.
Still, I can now bring you the first real-time report from a GCF show! I am at the Bumble Tree Children’s Cabaret show at the Rio Café RIGHT NOW! Amazing.
Lots of fun from children and adults alike taking to the stage. I’ll post up a couple of photos now and then my next blog should be on And The Devil May Drag You Under – which is on tonight but will probably be reported on tomorrow…!
And another night of the festival is over… Blimey this is just whizzing past!
Three – count ‘em! – events were running simultaneously and alas I couldn’t go to them all. I tried all sorts of time-travel experiments (mostly watching the Back To The Future trilogy for tips) but alas I just couldn’t make it work.
What I could make work though, was running the stage at Mama San Supper Club Cabaret Doodah Fancy Food and Drink and Chat and Cool Performance Night. That might not have been its official name to be honest…
I digress… (again). Mr Rufus T Fahrenheit started the evening by singing and nattering to the audience before Cat Aclysmic took to the stage performing her lovely Geisha act. Swooshing about with fans and looking lovely as usual, she had the audience mesmerised.
A difficult act to follow, so what was needed was some wee lassie in a sparkly dress to belt out a tune or two. Luckily we had one of those waiting in the wings and she was Lucille Burn-shaped!
After Lucille’s marvellous song-and-banter combo (it’s a winning formula!) we were treated to Beatrix Von Bourbon roaming the crowd and performing her fun Voodoo Restaurant routine throughout the restaurant. You can’t beat a girl stripping to pasties and pants when enjoying your dinner!
Lucille once again took to the stage for some more singing before we took advantage of our “Book One Geisha, Get One Free” offer – and Vendetta Vain performed her Geisha routine. Very different from but equally as mesmerising as Cat’s, Vendetta tottered around in crazy-shoes, which never fails to impress me. You’ll have to take my word for it, ’cause I don’t have photos. I am shit at this backstage blogging lark, aren’t I? No photos of silly shoes, I ask ya! You just cannae get the staff these days.
The second half of the show kicked off with me, Lucille and Rufus assisting the magician for the evening – who had been entertaining the crowd with some close-up magic throughout the evening. I’m never happier than when chasing someone off a stage with a huge samurai sword in my hand so it’s lucky that the opportunity arose tonight!
Now you may notice this entry is somewhat lacking in videos and photos. Well Stage Managing involves a lot of running up and down stairs, shouting at people to hurry up and get ready and setting up props/picking up pants. This leaves little time for filming and photographing. However, I did get to film Cat Aclysmic’s second act, a very glamorous powder puff routine with an amusing twist. I thought I should live up to my (entirely made up in my own head) reputation as the World’s Best Burlesque Stage Manager and go above and beyond the call of knicker-lifting duty.
Vendetta came back for a balloon pop – looks great AND leaves the whole room covered in glitter! PRETTY!! And talking of pretty, Miss BVB returned for a lovely wee fan dance.
Some more music and chat from Rufus & Lucille all built up to… the setting up of a keyboard on stage!!
But wait! That’s not all! It wasn’t any old keyboard… it was a keyboard to be used by FRISKY & MANNISH! *cue much cheering and whooping*
The devilish duo once again brought tears of laughter to the eyes of everyone in their room with another cracking set drawing the evening to a close.
My camera didn’t get used quite as much as it has done on other nights but I do have a small selection of photos for your perusing pleasure below. I also can’t resist putting up another F&M video for you, ’cause they’re so darn great – it’ll go on the YouTube page real soon, kids!
And for the record, I heard from my spies that both the Ivor Cutler tribute at Oran Mor and Miss Dolly Tartan’s Panoptican fundraiser show at Art de Caf were rip-roaring successes too! Marvellous!
Tomorrow should be NYNot? at the Art Club, I shall report back for that providing something drastic hasn’t happened like a large piece of furniture falling on my head or being kidnapped and held for ransom by a rival Cabaret Festival somewhere else in the world. Um, if there was a rival Cabaret Festival on right now somewhere else in the world…
Don’t forget to get your tickets for The Missy & Leyla Show at the ABC on Saturday by the way! - http://tinyurl.com/missyleyla
AND Rockaburley on Friday (which you’ll get in to for only 6 squid if you take your ticket for any other Cabaret Fest shows!).
I’d tell you to book tickets for Desmond O’Connor’s And The Devil May Drag You Under at the Tron on Friday… but yer too late! It’s sold oot! (this is a good thing!).
By the way, you may have noticed I’m reporting on events the night after they happen… I do actually write these on the night of the events, but a combination of technical issues and an urgent need to get to my bed for sleep mean I don’t upload them until the next morning. I say morning, but I mean afternoon (I’m not an early riser).
But I write this blog mostly as my personal account and record of the festival so really it shouldn’t matter, should it?! I don’t even know if anyone reads it, but I also don’t really care ’cause it’s my blog! I’m being so incredibly generous by sharing my pearls of wisdom with you all, you know.
What? Stop looking at me like that…
I saw Dusty Limits tonight at the Art Club.
I really can’t do the show justice in this blog – mostly because it’s 2am and I’ve had a few too many sodas and lime.
I should also add that Dusty was accompanied on the piano by the rather talented Michael Rouston and introduced by the beautiful Beatrix Von Bourbon who started the night off with a fun routine and then kicked off the second half with a breath-taking fan dance.
Dusty was very much on form and a good night was had by all. There was a plan to head across the road to the Festival Bar, Mama San after the show, but alas it was closed (we went somewhere else instead though).
So much for Mama San being open ‘til 3am though! Their advert* says so and that’s a filthy great lie.
I can’t do tonight’s show justice in this blog so I shall have to let the videos and photographs do the talking. As usual, more can be found at the GCF YouTube and Flickr pages.
Tomorrow night is Mama San Supper Club for me! It’s Dolly Tartan’s burlesque show at Art de Caf for others and For The Love of Cutler! at Oran Mor for some other others. But alas I can only be in one place at a time so you’ll get the backstage report from Mama San. It’s also my first working gig of the Festival so far so the report might consist of, “ARRRRRRRGH! WHY ISN’T ANYTHING STRAIGHTFORWARD??” and the like. Good.
* I say advert, I mean Louise and Vendetta Vain arsing about with my camera.
AHHHHHHHHH! So I have surfaced from my pit finally in order to keep you all updated on last night’s festival shenanigans. Dinnae say I’m no good to you!
Spangled Cabaret kicked off the festival in chaotic style last night and I have to say, it was a good ‘un! Possibly the best Spangled so far, if I may be so bold to say so.
The Rio Café on Hyndland Street was packed as we watched Spangled regulars Miss Leggy Pee and the Creative Martyrs, Marquee de Saw & Bert Finkle (videos below) as well as wee Dolly Tartan (making her Spangled Cabaret debut). We were also treated to Festival Director Louise “Over-achiever” Oliver (Hi Lou! x) being frankly bullied into going onstage to say a few words about the festival. She was utterly charming and fabulous of course… and yes she’s my boss so I have to say that. But I mean it too. Comes from the heart, y’know?
ANYWAY, back to the show. This Spangled Cabaret introduced me to Das Kaputte Kabarett who performed some alternative versions of ‘Cabaret’, ‘Wilkomen’ and ‘There’s A Light’ (from Rocky Horror). Oh and ‘Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight)’ by ABBA. Here’s a wee video of the latter:
My personal highlight and the act which brought the whole place to its feet was Frisky & Mannish. I have never seen them live before but I am thrilled to say I’ll get to see them a bit more this week because they are nothing short of cabaret genius! With their clever re-workings of well-known songs scattered with popular culture references, they had everyone in hysterics. An absolute hoot, I could watch them for days!
Lucky for those of you reading this who weren’t there, I filmed their set. It’s fuzzy and dark but you mostly need to hear them to appreciate them. There’s more on the Glasgow Cabaret Festival YouTube account but to get you started, here’s their take on lovesongs:
Hilarity over, our booth – consisting of Team GCF Chris Gorman, Frodo McDaniel, Louise Oliver, Dolly Tartan, Parma Violet (an honorary member as she’s more Team Candy Box) and myself – got back to the important business of posing for ludicrous photographs. The fruits of our labour can be seen below.
The next blog will be on The Picture of Dusty Limits (limited tickets still available folks!) which I’m looking forward to tonight.
‘Til tomorrow…!
Mama San VIP launch party
So here it is… where the Glasgow Cabaret Festival 2009 finally all kicks off!
That’s kicks off as begins, not as in a big fight or anything. That would be Festival fail.
ANYWAY, having turned up fashionably late to the beautiful Saint Judes hotel for the Festival launch party, I found I’d missed the delightful Missy Malone perform. I did however, come in on the always-fabulous Dusty Limits singing his heart out amongst the glitter and popped balloons from Missy’s champagne balloon pop act.
I can never get enough of Dusty anyway and had seen him perform the night before (at a non-GCF event which will go unnamed in case the powers-that-be come and stab me in my sleep. I’m looking at you, Rufus and Lucille! I jest of course… It was High Tease at the Old Fruitmarket and a jolly good night was had by all!). I’m delighted to say I’ll see him do his one-man show at the Art Club on Tuesday – I’ll obviously report back on that after the event.
Back to the launch party though. Dusty was followed by the heartbreaker herself, Miss Leyla Rose. Ah a party’s not a party until a girl gets up and takes off all her clothes gradually.
Leyla does her thing at the GCF launch party
Creative Martyrs were next, looking as creative and martyr-ish as usual. The had the honour of being the first act of the evening I filmed – hoorah! For your deliberation, I present to you, War Whore (and other songs) by The Creative Martyrs:
That ended the show and much mingling and chatting with those and such as those ensued. Firstly, I gave Missy Malone boob envy:
Then I met a pocket-sized princess (Miss Dolly Tartan) and a Creative Martyr:
And then I got to chum up with my favourite wife, Miss Rose:
But that’s not all! Ohhh no! Just when we least expected it (mostly because he was about an hour late), Mr. Desmond O’Connor appeared for an inpromtu performance to showcase And The Devil May Drag You Under (Friday).
And that was it! The bar closed and we retired to our homes (well some of us did) to rest and earn beauty sleep for a busy week ahead!
More photos at http://flickr.com/photos/glasgowcabaretfestival and videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/glasgowcabaretfes
Next up… Spangled Cabaret tomorrow – the first show of the Festival! Hurrah!
Phew! I’m pleased to say Daiquiri Dusk and myself have finally returned from our road trip to Leeds!
We popped down for The Wet Spot – Daiquiri was performing, I was watching and whooping supportively – and a great night was had by all, it has to be said. Kudos to Wet Spot organiser Ryvita Von Cheese for putting together a fantastic show. What a line-up! I was thrilled to be entertained by Ivy Wilde, Diva Hollywood, Missy Malone, Anna Fur Laxis, Miss Leggy Pee and Vicky Butterfly as well as Daiquiri and Ryvita herself. Videos of some of the acts will be going online soon.
Daiquiri and I set out on Saturday afternoon, looking terribly glamorous… Thelma & Louise have nothing on us!
Upon arrival in Leeds, I met up with my Big Sis Saffron (aka Parma Violet) and we got ready to rock at the Wet Spot. We took the obligatory self-portrait photo with trout pouts and then after having our socks positively rocked by the gals on stage, we gathered for much hugging, kissing, squealing and general catching-up with our favourite burlesque ladies.
On the way back home, Daiquiri and I stopped off in Hull because she had a photoshoot to do (with Dita Von Teese’s webmaster no less!) and it was really cool watching her strike many poses for what I’m certain will be fantastic shots. I now feel well and truly warmed up for all things GCF! I’ve had a serious burlesque fix over the past week and got to spend some time catching up with some of the fabulous laydees who will be performing!
A couple of photos of the trip are below – videos are coming soon!
Tags: burlesque, daiquiri dusk, Leeds, road trip, Wet Spot
Well things are gearing up nicely for the Glasgow Cabaret Festival and everyone at GCF HQ is busy, busy, busy!
As a bit of a warm-up, Rufus T Fahrenheit and Lucille Burn hosted Electric Soup Cabaret at Sloans last Thursday. I got to be busy Stage Manager Extraordinaire and am pleased to say the show ran pretty smoothly and was generally a great success.
The line-up was fantastic and it was a joy to work with everyone – from old friends Vendetta Vain, Miss Leggy Pee and Miss Dolly Tartan to performers I hadn’t seen before The Kitsch Kats and Markus Makavellian. Not to mention A Creative Martyr (there’s usually two but one wasn’t well).
I have video and photos from the show which will go online somewhere at some point. But for this blog, rather than a long review of all the acts and action shots, I thought I’d just bring you some backstage snaps.
Tags: cabaret, Creative Martyrs, Dolly Tartan, Electric Soup, festival, Leggy Pee, Lucille Burn, Rufus T Fahrenheit, Sloans Glasgow, Vendetta Vain
This morning I receieved an email from the delightful Miss Cat Aclysmic – burlesque starlet and co-founder of rockin’ Glasgow burlesque night Rockaburley!
Turns out, there’s a special ticket off on for the Cabaret Festival Rockaburley! on July 10th! Details are below…
Rockaburley rolls out the red carpet for the first ever Glasgow Cabaret Festival with a no holds barred celebration of singing, dancing, rock and roll mayhem! Featuring an all star cast of showgirls, chanteuses, and burlesque beauties mixed with a classic soundtrack by All Tore Up’s guide to the golden age of rock and roll – DJ Aaron! And as a special Glasgow Cabaret Festival offer, anyone with a valid ticket to another Cabaret Festival event will get in to Rockaburley for only £6!*
The Glasgow Cabaret Festival Rockaburley will showcase the inimitable showgirl stylings of Viva Misadventure, Rockaburley co creator and glamour incarnate Daiquiri Dusk, resident performer and renowned beauty Miss Hell’s Belle, Scotland’s own answer to the question “what’s better than Brad Pitt covered in chocolate?” Impressive Johnson, a brand spanking new fire show by the incendiary Cat Aclysmic and at least one surprise guest to keep you on your toes! The hostess with the mostest Lucille Burn will hold court over the chaos and everyone will receive free entry into the Classic Grand club night afterwards, open till 3.
Rockaburley Details:
Friday July 10th
The Classic Grand, Jamaica Street, Glasgow
Doors at 8, Show at 9
Non promotional tickets are £8 in advance from www.classicgrand.com or www.tickets-scotland.com and £10 on the door.
*Ticket Offer: To receive a £6 special entry price another Glasgow Cabaret Event ticket must be presented on July 10th at the door of The Classic Grand for verification at time of purchase. For list of ticketed events of Glasgow Cabaret Festival please go to www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com. Any questions regarding this offer please contact us at rockaburley@yahoo.co.uk.
Tags: cat aclysmic, daiquiri dusk, rockaburley
Hello everyone!
Miss Carrie here, reporting for GCF duty.
I’ve decided that as the Glasgow Cabaret Festival is such an exciting event, a record of all the exciting updates and happenings should be kept. And as I have the honour of being the GCF Online Queen* I feel it’s my duty to keep that record. Hence this blog.
In the run-up to the festival (just three and half weeks away – arrrgh!) I’ll mostly be posting about confirmed shows and developments and doing some plugging. But during the festival I plan to bring you show reviews, backstage photos, videos and any other fun and frolics I stumble across during the seven days.
First up, though, posters for The Missy & Leyla Show and Does This Piano Make My Ass Look Big?
* Yeah… I gave myself that title.
Tags: Kitten on the Keys, Missy & Leyla, new shows
