In 1996 the audience’s conception of Hollywood was given a royal mind-fuck by the film From Dusk Til Dawn. This film was directed by 28 year-old horror buff Robert Rodriquez and written by an equally youthful Quentin Tarantino who was cinema’s anti-hegemonic wunderkind after the mainstream success of Pulp Fiction (1994).
Even now in 2013, the film still presents itself as an exhilarating thrill ride as it mutates from ‘road movie’ into a ‘horror flick’ with the location for this alteration the fictional bar of Titty Twister. In the film Titty Twister is ostensibly a strip club but when the sun goes down it is the lair of blood thirsty vampires who feed upon the unsuspecting punters – who in the movie are characters played by George Clooney, Juliette Lewis and Harvey Keitel.
This Friday night Titty Twister for Melbourne has its opening night that will feature psych-mariachi rockers Mesa Cosa and cabaret performing vampires Sina King, Sparkarella, Skopalova, L’amour, Miss Filly, Ell Bella, Nancy Dancer and host James Grim (Brothers Grimm Band),
Titty Twister visionary Chris Mitchell explains the essence of this project: “Myself and Gareth having done events mostly on south-side saw this event as a chance to really push the limits and perceptions of the bar / nightclub experience in Melbourne.”
Mitchell is a film-maker and Garrath Holt a stage producer with the pair having collaborated for the last 3 and ½ years at Red Bennies – a Prahran venue renowned for innovating burlesque and theatre into the bar and nightclub setting.
“With Red Bennies having recently changed hands it has freed up Garrath and myself to focus on other projects. We have always wanted to do something on the north side so when this space on Smith Street became available with a late license [4am] we saw the perfect opportunity to do something of this scale,” explains Mitchell who was hard to get hold of for this interview because he is wrapping up production on an indie film called Start Options Exit that features Ron Jeremy and Chopper Reid.
Still on the topic of the new project and Red Bennies, Mitchell is quick to state that Holt and he will continue guiding Red Bennies down its merry and theatrical path of entertainment.
Mitchell’s instinct that Melbourne’s north was ready for a concept like this was confirmed when in only a couple of weeks, Titty Twister’s Facebook page garnered close to three and a half thousand ‘likes’.
Melbourne indie darlings, seven piece Mesa Cosa are the house band for what will be an exhilarating four week run in the old nightclub that was formerly a theatre. Mitchell discusses the appropriateness of the band and the location, “We’re keeping it trashy and we’re keeping it rock’n’roll. It’s very different to the stylised vintage aesthetic of Red Bennies jazz club feel. The decor is inspired from the decor of Titty Twister with flame machines and the band is raised up in the corner. But everything has our own bizarre spin on it. We’re not trying to create a themed restaurant,” laughs Mitchell before adding, “Mesa Cosa are just the perfect band for it because of their trashy and thrashy take on garage rock and that their lead singer Pablo Andres is of Mexican descent!”
Those familiar with film From Dusk Til Dawn will remember Titty Twister’s simmering seductress and head vampire, Santanico Pandemonium played by Salma Hayek. Well this version of Titty Twister has its very own queen vampire, none other than Miss Burlesque Australia 2011.
“Our headline act Sina King will be doing a stirring transformation and burlesque performance and in addition to the performers we also have a mechanical bull that will be ridden by our performers but there will also be opportunities for the general public to have a go. You know, we will do competitions involving tequila shots!”
Additionally on the night, and again in dedication to the film, James Grim from The Brothers Grimm, is taking on the role of Razor Charlie which will be awesome as this bearded fellow cuts quite a figure (pun implied).
Finally, Mitchell attempts to wrap up what else will be happening at Titty Twister’s opening night and throughout its four week run, “On the opening night, singer Nancy Dancer will be performing with each week a different guest vocalist, real icons from the carnie, blues rock world like Duke Baritone. Pony legend Leopardhead is our DJ, and Sparkarella, a burlesque performer from back in the day, is doing this amazing angle grinder sort of thing. Miss Fili is one of Australia’s pole dancers and she is riding a motorbike through the venue. Also we have a chainsaw and machete juggler and that’s just to name a few!”
BY DENVER MAXX
