Last night I attended Punk Rock Burlesque: Sunny Parker’s Birthday Show, at Nighthawks.
The Punk Rock Burlesque show is a biannual event, one you’ll have another opportunity to enjoy again, or for the first time, later this Fall. Sunny Parker turning 24 only happens once though.
Most of the burlesque performers and the bands are friends of Miss Parker, some for many years. Miss Parker had been celebrating her birthday and promoting the show weeks beforehand.
Part of that birthday celebration/reflection, and anticipation for the show, included her posting warm and heartfelt testimonials to the bands and performers on various social media platforms.
Many of those bands, performers and others posted similar testimonials for her. The warm and fuzzies were flowing fast and furious and many of those who read became misty eyed, some down right blubbered. I’m not going to name names though. I mean it, no names, we do have something called the 5th Amendment.
Anyway, the end result of all the freely flowing love was the equivalent of backstage all access passes BEFORE the show! That access made a warm and inviting show all the warmer.
The only negative on the evening was that some of the audience arrived late.
Whether that was the long standing Riverside tradition of not arriving to anything on time, or just guys skipping the music and going straight for the ladies is anyone’s guess.
I will say that music and ladies go hand in hand. You can’t dance without music. You can’t live without music. Maybe some of y’all could, not me. Guys who skip music probably skip foreplay too, so don’t dance with them.
Speaking of music
Snailmate
Hails from Phoenix, Arizona and is currently touring with Community Center.
The duo of Kalen Lander and Ariel Monet has been on tour since early 2015 and has no plans of stopping, ever.
This is the Synth Punk Hip Hop band Jacksonville has been “waiting” for. Snailmate is a cornucopia of sound and energy. If you missed them you should have “unplugged your TV” and came out for your “prescription” of “scooby snacks”. If our city has the good fortune of a return visit, don’t keep them waiting.
Kitty & The Purrfections
This is a one woman act and yet the name is spot on. Kitty aka Kitty Stitches aka DJ Pizza Galore is a singer, poet, DJ, a seamstress and probably a bunch of other things I’m not in the know on yet. Yes, she sings, spins and sews! She also plays the drums. She gave all in attendance “Fever” and treated us right.
You can catch DJ Pizza Galore most Fridays from 9 PM – 1 AM at Rain Dogs for Full Plate Fridays.
Dead Bugs
Is a local Jax band; Lacey on guitar and vocals, Steve on drums and backup vocals. They profess to be grunge garage punk but they came in wearing pastels and smiles plus they smelled good so I didn’t know what to expect.
Their music bites, but in a good way. They’re fun, upbeat and there’s something refreshing about a woman singing (admitting?) “I won’t let go” If you get the chance to see them, don’t “Overthink” it, become a Bug lover and you’ll never feel alone.
Community Center
A touring band that makes you feel right at home. You can’t help but smile when they play. They play with such joy and passion a deaf person would be smiling right along with you, and them.
I could go on and on about Community Center, and I will, in a separate article.
Look for that here, soon.
As for Community Center, look for them Monday night, 9 PM at Shantytown Pub.
The Txlips
The Txlips are an all female rock band from Atlanta.
They claim, on their facebook page, “to bring energy and bring you some bad ass music.” They were not exaggerating, if anything, they were understating their abilities.
They have a solid sound, a Breeders meet Nirvana feel with a strong 90’s vibe coupled with lyrics forged in the new millennium. Their lyrics carry a message of inclusion, of hope, and of power.
Their music isn’t their only power. They are proud black women, big on diversity and equality, as we all should be.
The Txlips latest EP, Queens of The New Age is now streaming on Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, and Google Play.
Their next performance is at the Food-A-Rama Music Fest in Atlanta on April 7, 2018.
Gabriella Logan -Lead Guitar and Vocals, Monique Williams- Drums, Dara Carter– Keys, Joela Saintil– Bass.
Black Calla aka Lilly.
Poet, singer, musician, dancer, she wears many hats and she wears them all well. She gifted us with a beautiful song and dance as well as an impromptu bar top dance earlier in the night. See what you miss when you arrive late, boys. No, you didn’t get to see.
Jack Ringca, percussionists, guitarist, singer, master of the yo-yo and the telescoping baton with which he will beat you senseless if you touch any of the performers. But seriously, you would have to be senseless to think it was okay to touch them to begin with.
Jack and Lilly shared Master/ Mistress of Ceremonies duties and Lilly didn’t and doesn’t need a telescoping baton to beat your ass. For the record, Jack doesn’t either, he could do it with the yo-yo.
Anita Nightcap started the burlesque show. Anita is a veteran of Dr. Sketchy’s and The Glitterbomb Show. The first time I had the pleasure of viewing one of our performances she was tap dancing to “If I knew You Were Coming I’d Bake a Cake”
That was six or seven years ago, she has yet to miss a step. Last night was a sweet dance with dazzling dips and tantalizing twirls, leading up to a birthday cake, and Anita was the head baker.
Chlora De Formme made her burlesque debut with a homage to the history of her art by dancing a Burlesque Classic, the Balloon Pop Dance. She was sweet, fun, energetic, and naughty, with just the right amount of spiciness. I expected nothing less from a woman with a childhood fondness for eating onions as you would an apple.
Lyla Jay Blu had previous performed at Messy Kitty Gear Presents; Kitty Purrlesque, where she was indeed, the cat’s meow.
Last night she took the stage wearing boots that would have made Nancy Sinatra both proud and envious.
If Nancy had sung a song about the skirt Lyla was wearing she would have had another Billboard Hot 100, number one hit.
Lyla answered the door in those boots, sans skirt, making the Pizza Guy’s dreams come true. Alas she closed the door on him and made her own special delivery to a lucky lady in the audience. That lady followed Lyla back to the stage for a slice.
Meanwhile, for some reason, everyone was wondering. How many days until Pizza Fest 5?
Then it was time for the main event, the headliner.
Jack Ringca bared his belly for all to see.
Wait a minute, I should have typed “Jack Ringa bared his belly for all to see.” and then…
“Then it was time for the main event, the headliner.” Alas, I have a deadline, no time for edits, where was I?
The main event.
Miss Parker
Bartender, Promoter, Photographer , Midnight Baker, and The Birthday Girl, added another title to her resume; Burlesque Performer.
She strutted to the stage in a seductive cloud of smoke. She was also smoking a cigarette.
She had on platform boots, nylons, and a cartridge belt. She wore, a D.R.I. T-shirt, and a leather jacket with a flannel shirt tied around her waist. She was the dream date of every man, and more than a few women, on the west-side, as well as the east-side, north side, south-side, and middle earth.
She showed all in attendance just why she graduated magna cum laude at twerking school.
Since she is a bartender, she took a bottle of Jack in one hand, the audience’s hearts in the other, and served up a drink that left everyone, especially more than a few ladies, blowing double digits on the breathalyzer.
Then it was time for birthday cake and birthday butts and birthday butts in birthday cake. There was cake flying through the air and women licking cake off each other and all sorts of great things that if you went, you know all about, and if you didn’t go, you should have.
As I mentioned at the beginning, The Punk Rock Burlesque show is a biannual event, one you’ll have another opportunity to enjoy again, or for the first time, later this Fall.
Punk Rock Burlesque was sponsored by Sunday Mourning Press and Grease Rags Clothing Co.
Sunday Mourning Press is a local DIY, second generation screen printing business. A sister company to their father’s 2nd Chance T’s. Offering a variety of service in the field.
Grease Rags Clothing Co. is your home for retro-inspired clothing and shoes and is owned by Cindy Platt one of our Neighbors to Know.
Jess A. Bell was in attendance, selling; pasties, corsets, jewelry and hair accessories.
Pictures will be posted just soon as soon as Comcast fixes the internet service at the Jax Examiner offices.
