07.26.08: Swing House: A dazzling vintage dance monthly
"Gatsby-era fun with a twist of new school-vibe" (Village Voice)
Bootleggers and speakeasies...wild dancers and smart mouths...art that sizzles and music that roars... With live swingin' dance sounds of the early 20th century, re-bopin' DJs remixing and reinventing vintage grooves, awesome aerial artistry, dazzling dance numbers, blazing burlesque and performance art to make you swoon. The Jazz Age never ended, it just got funky. Dress accordingly!
This month's music theme: big band swing.
With:
Live big band swing all night, featuring: Pittsburgh's finest swing band, The Neon Swing X-Perience, here for one weekend only; and New York's party swing masters, Big Bang Big Band, in their full 10-piece glory
Blazing burlesque by Jo Boobs, the inimitable mistress of NYC School of Burlesque, and The Maine Attraction, scorching hot Josephine-Baker-reincarnated-as-club-dancer
Awesome aerial stunts by Chicktryx, just back from entertaining royalty in Dubai
Live swing remix performance by Freebass*BK on bass and laptop
Re-bopin' jazz swingin' beats by renown mix master DJ Shakey
FREE swing dance class before the event
FREE premium chocolate treats by sweetriot
Plus fire performers, cigarette girls and other unpredictable surprises...
...such as riding a one-of-a-kind winged Art Deco Roman chariot pedicab
See below for detailed info on all performers and special offerings of the evening.
Full club event at Public Assembly, 70 N 6th St, Williamsburg, BK
A bit of Big Bang Big Band swingin' set (by tomphonic)
We've been working on an art pedicab with George Bliss, father of the pedicab movement in NYC, and Quill Hyde, theatrical engineer and the artist behind A Cavallo, a carousel/ship art car with six rideable fire-shooting horses. Like the A Cavallo horses, the pedicab body is made of waterjet-cut and folded metal, and the end result is something like a winged Art Deco Roman chariot. It's completely handmade, one of a kind, and yes, YOU can ride it--for one night only here in NYC before it goes off to Burning Man, to serve as a free taxi to festival goers. Upon its return, the pedicab will participate in art parades, parties, family events, after-school programs, and other community activities, courtesy of Queensbridge Theater (our next big secret project--more on that at the end of summer). We hope it will attract attention not only as a beautiful piece of art, but as a viable means of transportation.
Walking into a Neon Swing show is like stepping back in time to an era when music was hot, martinis were strong, zoot suits were sharp, and romance was sparked on the dance floor. Since 1998, the band has been dedicated to preserving classic Americana through modernizing music rooted in jumpin' swing rhythms. By mixing rockabilly, blues, and jazz with its big band roots, NSX revives classic songs made famous by Glenn Miller, Louis Prima, Louis Armstrong and others while not compromising its commitment to progressing the swing genre through its own unique compositions. Critics have praised NSX for being "the only band bold enough to jump, jive, and rock" and preserving "swing with sting." The group has performed and sold out notable venues on both coasts, including The Derby (Hollywood), Central Park (NYC), PNC Park (Pittsburgh), and the Hard Rock Cafe (Pittsburgh) among many others.
In just two short years, The Big Bang Big Band has already been in residency at Greenwich Village's renowned jazz club, The Garage for more than a year, in addition to headlining at Manhattan's Sweet Rhythm, St. Peter's Church, the Central Park Swings Festival, Swing 46 and Connolly's. Their clean, exhilarating sound honors the classic jazz tradition while infusing it with a vibrant soulful twist; jazz aficionados and new listeners alike are drawn to it. Led by seasoned Dixieland, jazz, and big band saxophonist Tom Abbott, The Big Bang Big Band favors the music of Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson and other such classic swing from the 1930's and 40's.
Headmistress of NYC's famous School of Burlesque, Jo Weldon is the judging co-ordinator for the Miss Exotic World Pageant and has been producing at Coney Island's Burlesque at the Beach for five years. She's been voted "Best Teacher" (Village Voice "Best Of New York" 2007), "Best Burlesque Teacher and Mentor" (New York Burlesque Festival 2006), and "Best Bump N Grinder" (NYBF 2005). She was recently a featured performer in Margaret Cho's variety show, the Sensuous Woman, and served as coach and consultant on the "Victor Victrola" episode of Gossip Girl. In the early 90s she was a feature dancer, traveling across the country with trunks full of props and costumes to headline at strip joints across the US and Canada; she performed her first fan dance in 1991.
Burlesque dancer, samba dancer, belly dancer, African dancer, hip hop dancer, modern dancer, fire dancer, specialty dancer, go-go dancer, pole dancer, showgirl, walkabout host, contortionist, class instructor, voiceover, singer, and mc, Maine forges a link between live instrumentation, DJs, multimedia, spoken word and the art of dance. She has worked for and alongside such artists as Pharell Williams, Jessica Simpson, James Brown, Meshell N'degeocello, Matthew Barney, DJ Tiesto, DJ Carl Cox, DJ Johnathan Peters, and fashion designers Patricia Field and Marc Jacobs. In June 2007, GO Magazine honored Maine in their annual "100 Women We Love" issue. With her powerful and uninhibited movement, sexuality, rhythm, and sense of humor, Maine is a ball of fire that lights up any stage.
After a month of Arabian Nights, New York's own Chicktryx returns to the US for a wild night with their favorite party divas, Scorpio and Gemini! Whether gliding through the air or breathing fire on the ground, these ladies possess a sultry spicy style that lives and breathes beneath electrifying smiles. Together they've performed on three continents, for clients that include Disney, Macy's, Spiegel World, South Street Seaport and the royalty of Dubai. Their combined gymnastic and dance background informs their work, enticing audiences with a magic that leads from sweet to sexy with the flick of a leg or the roll of a hip.
"Mind-boggling artistry and athleticism! All the wow-factor & star quality one would expect from a headline draw!" - Fringe Review. "Truly impressive balletic acrobats scaling, twisting & somersaulting around a silk curtain" - The Stage
Feats of fire
We bring back the mesmerizing fire breathers, spinners & hoopers from parties past.
A swingin' collaboration between beat producer and celebrated maven of the underground Miss DJ Shakey and hep cat of the four strings Aaroneous, FreeBass has been making the denizens of the groove from Atlantic City to Reno shake what their mommas gave them with their blend of snazzy beats and vintage basses. Produced on the spot by Shakey on her array of space age effects and electronic doodads with Aaroneous on live upright and acoustic basses from across the known galaxy, a FreeBass performance strides the tightrope-taught line between the future and past, electronic and organic, exotic and familiar. For Swing House, Freebass will be doing a special all-jazz set, mixing vintage samples with live bass lines.
Julie has been a professional nightclub / mobile disc jockey / wedding dj for over 14 years. She is also a record collector, music consultant, and veteran of the music video industry. She specializes in diverse music, music in media, dance parties, and special concepts. Her music collection includes over 9000 vinyl recordings and cds. She is a party co-ordinator, promoter, experienced host, and has performed on radio, internet, and television broadcasts.
And extra special FREE treats
Lindy-licious dance class:
The lovely Akemi returns to teach you swing moves!
sweetriot is human, globally responsible, irreverent and built for a new generation, only using premium, high quality and all-natural ingredients for its much-lauded (TimeOut: "Chocoholics, meet your new addiction") dark chocolate "peaces." They source their cacao directly in Latin America and use recyclable, reusable packaging which features emerging artists...creating a sweet movement to fix the world.
Ride a one-of-a-kind winged Art Deco Roman chariot!
