Well, it’s Valentine’s Day and I am bidding my love adieu and packing all my feathers and fringe into what seems like an exaggerated sized suitcase for only two days. I am anxiously waiting to head to the Dallas Burlesque Festival! Though I have performed in Dallas several times before, this is my first time performing in the festival and I'm tickled as pink as a sweetheart candy to be on my way.
The trip really has me feeling the Valentines love right from the start. First, the kind Southwest Airlines people waive the oversize luggage fee to check my fans, which of course are not collapsible and in a giant cardboard box. Then, as I’m waiting at my gate, wishing and praying to the burlesque gods that my fans will come out on the other side okay (which they do, luckily), I hear a saxophone in the terminal playing My Funny Valentine. How very romantic. And now that I’m all in the mood I am pleasantly surprised to hear that we get a free drink on Southwest for V-Day. This start is almost to good to be true!
When I arrive in Dallas I am picked up by the lovely Renee Holiday. She is the strong-lunged singer of the Ruby Revue and is just a sweetheart to take me to Angi B. Lovely‘s abode in the middle of the festival craziness.
I arrive at Angi’s house and am met by Gogo McGregor, Dahkter Sick, Eva Strangelove and Justin F. Credible. A regular house of variety vaudevillians and sideshow sexiness!
I have just enough time to change and head to the House of Blues. What an incredible venue! It is my first time at a HOB and the walls just ooze with swag and character. The room is packed and unfortunately I choose the spot that is right behind a giant pillar (of course), so end up ducking and dodging to see portions of the acts onstage throughout the evening.
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| Comedian Jade Esteban Estrada |
| Photo by BRENT KOSADNAR |
The show is a ruckus and the audience loves it. The show is full of entertainment, from the assel-twerking styles of Apathy Angel, to Iris le’Mour‘s self-made gorgeous costume, to the comedy emceeing of Jade Esteban Estrada and all the other incredible performers who dazzled the stage.
And then to cap it all off, Miss Perle Noire works that room, with a whole corner full of her family members. Perle always delivers power, strength, poise and class, and the crowd feels completely satisfied and ready to go home and really celebrate Valentine’s Day with their loved ones after watching her.
The after party is a bit of a blur, but somehow after drinks and dark rooms, all of us staying at Angi’s house cram clown car-style into their automobile and we all end up at the Velvet Taco for some late night eats and then head home. |
