Thursday 3 April 2014

Weekend report: Drag Me To HEL + Orimattila

Omg, what a weekend it was! It has taken me some time to write about it because I was starting to get a bit sick last Thursday and I haven't really gotten much rest after it, so I've been a bit under the weather. Nevertheless, it was definitely worth it! <3

On Friday I had the honour and pleasure of sharing the stage with some absolutely mindblowing Drag Queens and burlesque performers, and I can only say that I want MORE! Besides our own Finnish artists (such as Lola Vanilla, who's new number I loved, or my gal Gigi Praline with her crazy St. Lucia/Leather Daddy act <3) we had a few international performers, and two of them really blew my mind! The first one of them, Lou Safire, I had already had the pleasure of seeing live (and sharing the stage with) in the Stockholm Burlesque Festival last October, but this time I also got to see him perform a sideshow act! And I must confess that one of the things I most enjoyed about his performace was his exquisite sense of musicallity, sublime! The second performer who blew my mind was the fabulously glamurous Meth. Her acts were creative, and her stage presence powerful! Always such a pleasure to see people with so much experience and talent rock the stage <3

Gigi, Meth, Lou and me, and Abortia
kneeling down
(all pictures stolen from Gigi!)

The night also counted with the crazy presenter duo Abortia Clinique and Regina Squirts (the latter was having her debut, we hope to see more of her in the future!), who did a great job at keeping the audience entertained throught the night! 

The event would already have been mindblowing if it would have ended here, but Abortia had a surprised hidden up her sleeve! So after the curtain call, when all the performers (including the organizer Lola Vanilla) were gathered on stage, she proposed to Lola on the day of their 5th anniversary! Let me tell you that Abortia and Lola (or Jac and Jari) are one of the cutest and sweetest couples I know, and I think all of us who were at Dubrovnik that night felt very special to be able to share such a magic moment with them. Congratulations and all the best for you both! <3

Abortia Clinique and Lola Vanilla, aka
Jac and Jari <3

After a night full of emotions and fun, Gigi and me headed to her place in the countryside. Gigi lives in a gorgeous farm in the countryside some 45mins away from Helsinki, and we were to perform at a venue in her neightbourhood the following evening. The event was a fundraiser (I can't remember what for), and we were the "surprise act" (a real surprise act, since we weren't even presented the first time we came on stage :-D). Just so that you get an idea, the rest of the performers were: a folk dance group, a couple of bands playing folk music, a very respected Finnish composer called Kaj Chydenius with the singer who usually sings his compositions, and a comic act that Gigi's husband does with some of his family and friends. Plus people at the venue were on average 55+ and most had never even seen burlesque before! There was 3 seconds of ackward silence after we finished our first act, after which (luckily) the crowd started to cheer and clap! 

Ready to go shock some people! :-D

Our first act had been a rather classic and relaxed feather fan dance, but for our second act we chose our Crazy Kitties act. I love performing this one! It's terribly silly and I get to play the stupid cat, plus puke a hairball on stage! ;-D (stay tuned, there might be a video coming in the near future)
Luckily the audience also seemed to like this one, and we got a lot of nice compliments afterwards, even from Kaj Chydenius himself! A weekend to remember <3

Kitty time with my gal Gigi! <3

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