upcoming events

nyc events list

past events

Ongoing: Russian Banya Parties 12.31.13 - The Bootleggers' Ball 10.26.13 - Masquerade Macabre #5 08.09-11.13 - G&S 10th Anniversary (First-ever NYC Steampunk Weekend) 10.27.12 - Masquerade Macabre #4 12.31.12 - Black & White Masked Ball 08.11.12 - The Lost Circus 04.12.12 - The Drowned Ball 02.11.12 - Meet Me in Paris 12.31.11 - The Glitter Ball 10.31.11 - Speakeasy Dollhouse 10.29.11 - Masquerade Macabre #3 08.21.11 - Black & White & Red All Over Ball (Coilhouse Magazine BDay party) 07.16.11 - The Lost Circus 07.14.11 - Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing 2011 - Swing House 12.31.10 - The Bootleggers' Ball 10.30.10 - Masquerade Macabre #2 07.31.10 - The Lost Circus 04.24.10 - Swing House 2-Year Anniversary 03.07 & 21.10 - JaNk! 02.14.10 - The Vault of Golden Vapors 12.31.09 - The Bootleggers' Ball 10.31.09 - Masquerade Macabre 07.17.09 - Nouvelle Époque Cabaret-Salon 06.27.09 - Hobos & Mermaids on the High Seas 04.03-05.09 - Luminous Flux NYC - video art weekend 03.15.09 - Swing House 1-Year Anniversary 11.01.08 - Halloween Vintage Masquerade Ball 10.31.08 - Voodoo Culture Clash 2008 - Swing House vintage dance monthly 02.14.08 - Get Off...Line VI: Roaring 20th 08.18.07 - Radiate Fire! 10.31.06 - Halloween Parade Afterparty II: Devils n Dolls 10.31.05 - Halloween Parade Afterparty: Mardi Gras 06.21.05 - Exotica: Tiki Lounge Shindig 02.14.05 - Get Off...Line III: Say Cheese (and Chocolate) 02.14.04 - Get Off...Line II: Code Red

12.31.10: New Year's Eve: The Bootleggers' Ball

Irondale Performing Arts Center, 85 S Oxford St, Fort Greene, BK | Event on Facebook

Photo taken at our Halloween Masquerade Macabre event by Tsirkus Fotografika

The contraband has been ordered, authorities paid off, and performers lined up for a New Year's Eve speakeasy ball in a historical former church with soaring ceilings and wraparound balcony. Expect the intimacy of a daring cabaret mixed with the intrigue of a vintage costumed ball, expansiveness of a warehouse dance party, excitement of live brass, a splash of fine cocktails, and just a dash of illicit adventure and unpredictable moments. Delightful drinks by The House of St Eve and other treats. Custom buttons to VIPs/first 75 guests by Bad Buttons. Show kicks off at 9pm with enchanting and atmospheric silent shorts evoking a bygone era curated by Boston Underground Film Fest. We'll let the champagne flow free until 9pm.

Featuring:
  • Dixieland steamboat soul - Roosevelt Dime
  • Circus-gypsy parlor-jazz - The Drunkard's Wife
  • Oldtimey one-man-band - Spiff Wiegand
  • Saucy dance moves & sassy vocals - Zahra Hashemian
  • 20s-inspired bellydance - Renata and Irina Kom
  • Awesome aerial stunts - Dana Abrassart
  • Butoh meets burlesque - Kinetic Achitecture
  • Electro swing - Crooked Disco DJs
  • Vintage visuals - Sebastian Patane Masuelli
  • Silver film magic - Tsirkus Fotografika
  • Fabulous face painting - Painteresse Elysabeth
  • Tarot & 2011 numerology divination - Marcy Currier, Katelan Foisy
  • Hosted by steampunk dandy GD Falksen

More on our amazing entertainers, offerings and sponsors below.

Dress code: depression glamour, evening ball on the Titanic, hobo formal, desperation derring-do. Effort required / no entry without. Own cups optional, but welcome [empty cups, obviously - no BYOB].

VIP tix: we have a limited number of 4-6 person tables, 8pm-2am (dance party mode after, with tables moved aside). Each table comes with an excellent view of the stage, wait service, and a reservation card featuring a genuine turn-of-century liquor bottle label, yours to keep. Tickets can be bought separately, as long as all guests specify a consistent name for the group. If your party doesn't fit at one table, we'll seat you at two that are near each other. If your party is too small for one table, you'll be seated with others. Seats can *only* be reserved by buying tickets / no tables guranteed unless tickets purchased.


 

More on our artists:

Live musical acts!

Dixieland steamboat soul: Roosevelt Dime

Imagine yourself relaxing on a steamboat as it lazily floats down the Mississippi River all the way to The Big Easy. Suddenly, the band strikes up a tune, music fills the air, and everyone is on their feet, clapping, dancing and singing along. Welcome to the world of Roosevelt Dime, a five-piece, Brooklyn-based band that blends elements of acoustic jug-band blues, classic Motown soul and modern alt-country to create an original sound best described as King's County Steamboat Soul. The band's nontraditional lineup - consisting of banjo, electric or washtub bass, percussion, trumpet/cornet and woodwinds - and seamless mixture of musical genres has caught the eye of many publications, including The New York Times. Now, the group is poised for a breakthrough with its new album, Steamboat Soul, due early 2011.

Circus-gypsy parlor-jazz: The Drunkard's Wife

Featuring not one, but two, TWO(!) accordions for your delight, circus-gypsy parlor-jazz band The Drunkard's Wife will play from their repertoire of foxtrots, two steps and waltzes - in a variety of slavic, germanic, and english languages, and sometimes something that sounds a little like French.

One-man band: Spiff Wiegand

Spiff Wiegand is, in a word, eclectic. He plays over 20 instruments and composes in genres as diverse as Hard Rock, Classic Country, Jug Band, and Pop. He has been compared to artists like Hank Williams, The Mountain Goats, Buddy Holly, Hot Hot Heat, Devo, and Josh Ritter. While Spiff often performs with a backing band, he is perhaps best known for his one-man-band concerts. Juggling up to seven instruments simultaneously without loops or technological trickery, he creates complete textures that are as unexpectedly musical as they are visually impressive. Spiff is also part of The Whistling Wolves, New York City's premier American roots band.

Wondrous entertainments!

Saucy dance moves & sassy vocals: Zahra Hashemian

Zahra Hashemian is a dancer, actor, and vocalist living in New York City. She had the privilege to perform at Lincoln Center as the lead solo dancer for the Metropolitan Opera production of Thais, during the 2008-09 season. She is a member of the Desert Sin Dance company. Zahra has performed at such venues as the Merce Cunningham Theater, Webster Hall, club Element, The Knitting Factory, Club Sol, FIT Theater, The Zipper Factory Theater, Producer's Club, Shanghai Mermaids, Theatre de Menilmontant (Paris, France), and the 2008 Whitney Biennial. Her dance training includes Bellydance (emphasis on Tribal Fusion style), Swing dance, Modern, Jazz, Tango and some Flamenco.

1920s-inspired bellydance: Irina Kom

Irina is a belly dancer strongly influenced by tribal fusion style. She grew up in Russia, travelled various parts of the world, and now lives and dances in NYC. Inspired by many forms of artistic expression, she is in constant pursuit of experiences that enrich her practice, performance, and teaching of dance. In the past several years, she traveled to Russia and Ukraine, bringing tribal fusion belly dance style to those parts of the world. Irina performs as a soloist, in duet with Dhyana, and as a member of Alchemy Dance Theater (NYC). She is also an alumni-member of Fire in the Belly Dance Company (Charlottesville, VA). Irina teaches regular belly dance classes in Sol Dance Center in Astoria.

1920s-inspired bellydance: Renata

Renata is a multi-faceted performer in singing, dancing, percussion, acting and even stilt walking! Dancing for over 15 years, she's studied with numerous world-renown teachers, performed with several dance companies, part of which included a 6 month stint in Egypt. Three years ago, she relocated to NYC from CA to find "unknown opportunity." She is currently a member of two NY based dance companies: Desert Sin and Alchemy Dance Theater. Her other life is as documentary filmmaker and photographer.

Butoh meets burlesque: Kinetic Architecture

Butoh & Burlesque have baby! Faux Pas, founder of KineticArchitecture, is a former member of the Seán Curran Company. Notable credits/venues: NY Fringe, Philly Fringe, DNA, Galapagos Art Space, NY Burlesque Festival, The Kitchen, Justin Bond's House of Whimsey and Ballet Preljocaj. "Whether it was his perky black tutu or nipple rings, Davidson's plumage did the trick" - NY Times. "A mixture of dance, gravity-defying gymnastics, yoga and S&M" - TimeOut NY.

Awesome aerial stunts: Dana Abrassart

Reveling in all things above the ground, Dana Abrassart is a stilt walker and aerialist in NYC. She found the flying world on a whim, but quickly fell in love with the athletic, creative, and performance aspects of aerial and all things circus. She has performed in several private and public venues around NYC including the Dance Parade, Mermaid Parade, Rubulad, The House of Yes, and even a recent stint with the Cambodian Circus. With a garter flask strapped on and lips rouged, Dana looks forward to ushering all the swingers into 2011 with high flying strength and grace.

Your dapper MC: G.D. Falksen

G. D. Falksen is an author, lecturer, public speaker and MC. While his repertoire spans a range of topics, he is currently most noted for his steampunk work and is one of the most recognizable figures in the steampunk literary genre and the related subculture. His fiction includes "The Strange Case of Mr. Salad Monday", and the serials "An Unfortunate Engagement" and "The Mask of Tezcatlipoca", among others. He has made appearances as a guest at various events, including Dragoncon and the World Steam Expo, and has appeared in "The New York Times", "The San Francisco Chronicle", the Hartford Courant, Marie Claire Italia, Time Out New York, New York Magazine, and Bizarre Magazine. He has also appeared on MTV, NHK and VBS.tv. He is a regular MC at the monthly Dorian's Parlor event in Philadelphia.

Swingin' beats, reimagined & remixed!

Vintage sweet sweet jazz [8pm-9:30pm]: DJ Jason Blackkat

Jason Blackkat's first show was with a Dixieland combo when he was 15. He cut his musical teeth performing and studying all forms of jazz, and he has toured America and Europe numerous times as a bass player in a variety of bands and combos. For The Bootleggers' Ball, Jason will be digging though his piles of vinyl for the most vintage cuts outlining the roots and beginnings of NYC speakeasy sounds, from Jelly Roll Morton to the Duke.

Electro Swing [2am-close]: Crooked Disco

Crooked Disco is a Bi-Weekly party built by Morsy (Nana Chill), Kestar, and FreeNYC. The goal is to create a diverse, one room celebration of the many sounds of dance music. On any one night, you're likely to hear live and DJ sets of disco, electro, uptempo hip hop, breakbeat, Baltmore Club, and even good old New York House. Each night is varied and unique as we aim to celebrate a love for all forms of dance music rather than one specific genre.

Exciting diversions!

Silver film magic: Tsirkus Fotografika

RA Friedman's Tsirkus Fotografika is art, fantasy, time travel and alchemical wizardry. Tsirkus reinvents the modern portrait invoking the spirit of the itinerant tintype artists of old while mixing in retro-futurism a la Jules Verne and a bit of Dr. Caligari-esque mystery. It's instant art made on real silver film, an experience of collaborative creation, an encounter with the dark and perilous science of photography, and a chance to swim in the fiery waters of mad genius! All this is topped off by a sitting fee that belongs in the 19th century. "Steampunk Photography!" - Egophobia Magazine, Romania. "Friedman's frozen photos have the look of splashy oxidation - sometimes sexy and wasted, sometimes gloriously wretched, always stately." - Philadelphia City Paper

Fantastical face painting: Painteresse Elyzabeth

Painteresse Elyzabeth will be offering her exquisite freehand Face & Body Artistry. From small sexy embellishments to ornate masks, from tribal to victorian, in black and white or vivid color, with glittery tattoos and special long-lasting phosphorescent Glowing makeup. Dare to become Illuminated! (You can reach the fabulous Elyzabeth at Painteresse*at*yahoo)

Tarot & 2011 numerology divination: Marcy Currier

Irrepressible mystic and visionary, Marcy Currier is an intuitive healer skilled in the metaphysical arts. Unphased by the impossible and guided by the Unknown, Marcy's mission is to engage as many people as possible in celebrating life as an endless series of experiments in Truth and adventures in Love. This New Year's Eve, join Marcy in exploring the emerging energies of 2010, and delve into the possibilities of your most vibrant, creative self.

Tarot: Katelan Foisy

Katelan V. Foisy is a visual artist, pin-up model, writer, and tarot reader living in NYC. Her fine art pieces have been displayed at The Worcester Art Museum, Ohio History Museum, Mae West Fest, MODA, Museum of Contemporary Art DC, as well as the A&D gallery in London. Her illustrations have graced the pages of the Grammy Awards, Scholastic Books, as well as appearing on the stage of Ensemble Studio Theater. She is the art director for Constellation, an astrology-based arts magazine, and released her memoir Blood and Pudding earlier this year.

Silent shorts: Boston Underground Film Festival

The Boston Underground Film Festival is eight days of mind blowing entertainment lovingly curated by cineastes whose mission from the gods is to bring rarely seen gems to the big screen and our hungry minions. They are now entering their thirteenth year with screenings at the Kendall Square Cinema and parties nearby where the bourbon flows like wine and festival guests (which have in the past included George Kuchar, Mink Stole, Frank Henenlotter and Lloyd Kaufman among others) are near at hand to do a shot or two with ticket holders. Join the BUFF Cinema Defense Force to find out about year round events in the Boston area.

Our fabulous sponsors!

Small shiny objects: BadButtons

BadButtons is a two-person labor of love, crafting small shiny objects. Choose one of our existing snappy designs (art/culture/politics/feminism/queer) or promote your project with covetable custom buttons, magnets, mirrors and bottle openers, all handmade in Brooklyn.


 

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