Last Friday, a reader mentioned a show I did at
Vain a few years ago. He was referring to the Paradise Hotel party, in 2003. It was a promotional party, put on by the people at the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. There was a typical DJ/dance/drinks thing happening in the salon space proper, but on the floors above the salon is a very old hotel, long since fallen to ruin and boarded up. This concept of this party was that it would feature a bunch of intimate performance art pieces, one in each of the various small rooms along the hallways, and people could wander through all various rooms at their own pace. It was my understanding that the pieces would all be erotic in theme. Hence the name "Paradise Hotel".
Now, the SG&LFF is a very good event. However, this party was not a trip to heaven for me.
The Stranger wasn't impressed with it, and now that the statute of limitations has run out on good-performer-etiquette, I can say it too: it wasn't a very good show. The producers meant well and had an interesting vision, but it just didn't come together well. That happens sometimes.
My biggest complaint was that that most of the people wandering through the little performance rooms were mildly-to-extremely drunk. And doing BDSM in front of drunk vanilla people is about the most annoying thing in the world. The crowd was tilted towards queer rather than straight, which helped, but there were enough heterosexual-frat-boy types making stupid comments to produce some serious eye-rolling from me and my crew. The Paradise Hotel party was the last straw as far as me doing public shows - for free, anyway. Yes, I got sweet-talked into doing that show gratis, it was a good cause and all. But never again. You want me to perform where there is alcohol? Sure. But it will cost you plenty. No, no, don't talk to me about
good publicity. Show me the
money.
However, I went back through the photos that my pal Malixe took, and I did find some good ones. They've not seen the light of day before, because I didn't have a blog in 2003. So, without further ado: scenes from the Paradise Hotel party.
I miss this guy and his sweetie, who have moved too far away from here...
I did take some volunteers from the audience. This guy was great fun!
Here's Jane Duvall watching people do their thing.
I love what Jae lets me do to her.
This one's a tiny bit blurry, and the camera flash washes out the violet wand's purple glow. But I love the expression on Jae's face.
I believe this is a shot where someone in the crowd had just said something extremely stupid to me, like "C'mon, hit her harder!" My answer to those remarks is usually something like, "Drop
your pants, bad-ass, and we'll see if you're as tough as she is." No one ever takes me up on that invitation, funnily enough.
I do love Jae. And she loves me. Which is lucky, since she could bloody well have me arrested for some of the stuff I've done to her over the years.
A little after-scene comparing of marks. Always a good chance to cop a feel, heh heh...
