The Return of Rococo!

Photo by Michelle Gross

Photo By Michelle Gross

Photo by Michelle Gross

Photo by Michelle Gross

Photo by Michelle Gross

Wigging Out Rococo Style; A Night of Rock and Revelry

This past Saturday I stepped back in time, nearly 300 years to be more precise (and less than 100 steps from my humble east village abode) to indulge in a night of pure unadulterated Baroque Rococo revelry. For those unaware of what exactly that means, a very brief history lesson is in order; Rococo describes a movement in early 18th century France, born from the Baroque era during the Age of Enlightenment, and is arguably the most sumptuously grandiose periods in European history. Hence the reason why it is out of sheer sine qua non that the tradition be carried on today, and right in the backyard of one of the most eclectic neighborhoods in the heart of the modern world. The East Village!

In its 8^th and possibly final installment, Return of Rococo can best be described as ‘The extravagance of 1770 rococo Paris meets the eclecticism of 2010 underground New York nightlife,’ according to creator Matt Logan. And extravagant it was indeed.

On every other night, Teneleven http://nymag.com/listings/bar/teneleven/ (Ave C between 10^th & 11^th) is a known neighborhood hang-out, reputable for their inimitable drink specials and jello shots. Perhaps at first glance, when happening by this diminutive and dark Alphabet locale, one might wonder how it would be possible to fit an evening of burlesque, fire-dancing, sword play, magic, performance art, and baroque rock music into such an intimate space. Alas! Tonight, was Rococo night, dedicated to celebrating the rich decadence of an 18^th century era that oozed abstract ornamentation at its very core.

Following the magical feats of Adam “The First Real Man," came the first and perhaps most viscerally striking performances of the night,  in the form of a baroque strip tease performed ever so elegantly by Adam Schultz, who metamorphosed before our eyes from 18^th century nobility into 1980’s bikini clad skivvies, all the while leaving little to the imagination.

As the night progressed, the revelry continued to vacillate between the players and their audience. Masks and candelabras adorned the tables and walls creating a setting akin to that of grandiose Baroque style. The ambiance, a sexy amalgamation of Amadeus meets Eyes Wide Shut, was further enhanced by the powdered faces, pinched rouge lips, and piles of white coiffed curls crowning the heads of a progressively burgeoning audience.  The women in attendance were complete with tautly strung corsets and crinoline embellished with lace, volants and frills, not to mention the pearls; oh the pearls, dripping from head to toe so ornate it would have made even the likes of my own personal deity Audrey Hepburn go weak at the knees.

Of course, we can’t discount les messieurs, who were equally impressive in lacy frilled canions, ruffled petticoats and breeches.

The highlight performances of the night had to have been the fire dancing, compliments of Anna Leah, who executed a stellar interpretive dance while practically being engulfed in flames. Following Leah was electronic baroque rock troupe Colorform http://colorform.virb.com/ featuring the impressive vocals of Kate Logan and Snazz Mammoth, both of whom put on a truly leg shaking, head bopping - I don’t really know what I’m listening to but I like it - kind of performance. And I mean that in a good way.

As it turned out, Return of Rococo, would amount to be the perfect post Halloween fete, gratis of treats and cheap chicanery, with one exception; $2 PBR’s were the featured Saturday Night Rococo special, which seemed, given the circumstances, the equivalent of putting whipped cream on a hot-dog, but hey, it was all in good fun.. And so it goes-long live of rococo!