Before you read another word, please remember that these shows need to be seen in person. As much as I love video, it will never capture the intensity or entirety of an event. The experience is immeasurable and necessary.

The night started off with a performance by the local cabaret and dance group The Risqué Renegades. The group is composed of about 10 dancers and is based in Bellingham. The women danced to various songs and remixes, and the dances were comprised of burlesque and cabaret-style routines and outfits, usually with some humor or attitude to add to the thrills. Almost immediately, dollar bills were balled up and thrown at the stage as the audience applauded and screamed. Several routines later, the Renegades thanked the crowd and left the stage amidst a wall of screams and whistles. A short set, but certainly a fun start to the night.

Whitney Peyton, a rock-tinged rapper from the Philadelphia area, was the main support for the tour and took to the stage next. Peyton is a rapper and she’s also an engaging performer, often in the crowd, hanging from the ceiling, standing on the venue bar, or even having the crowd boost her into the air atop a folding chair. Peyton also brought a crowd member up onto the stage to freestyle a verse during one of her – it was great to see. Peyton’s songs and set move at a steady and rapid pace, with Peyton smiling through most of it and hyping the crowd up for the rest. She has a very driven DIY attitude and delivers an entertaining set – If the night started off on a sexy, fun, and light note, Peyton stepped up the attitude and the intensity.  

Little Miss Nasty’s (LMN) sets are great for a lot of reasons, but one of the most prominent reasons is that they elicit such a strong reaction from the fans; not sexually, but energetically.  LMN are burlesque artists that embrace and utilize a strong attitude and work ethic which rivals and supersedes that of many bands. First-time attendees are shocked by how good the sets are and returning fans yearn for more, raving about how good the new sets are. 

https://youtu.be/Z2g1TMMcOjs

LMN blazed onto the stage with an intro that includes Rob Zombie’s “Mars Needs Women” and was unrelenting through the night. High energy and intensity pushed their well-choreographed routines through songs from Nine Inch Nails, 3Teeth, In This Moment, Mimi Barks, Korn and others, including some original songs from LMN’s debut album, “Weapon of Choice”. With each routine, the dancers began to interact with the crowd more and more, inevitably leading to some interactions with the crowd (me included) that drives the crowd over the edge.  The cheering became louder than the music itself at parts.

LMN included a variety of styles in their set, including some contortion work, aerial elements, chair work, as well as a little aerial-type work, in addition to the metal framework that they use in most of their routines. Their physical dance work has evolved to include more subtle and sophisticated gestures and movements, and by the end of the set, the crowd was nearly a wave crashing onto the stage.

The dancers were visibly moved by the crowd’s reaction to a powerful night of attitude, empowerment, and skill.

Learn more at: https://www.littlemissnastyofficial.com/

Learn more at: https://www.risquerenegades.com

Learn more at: https://whitneypeyton.com/

C.ELL ARTS & MEDIA