Voodoo Jamboree @ The Bakery,21/02/09

Tue 24th Feb, 2009 in Gig Reviews

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Featuring a rainbow of wickedly vaudeville acts,Voodoo Jamboree, a launch pad for Rocket to Memphis’ Hip Shakin’ Voodoo , drew a kaleidoscopic mishmash of multi-generational cats. A salient deluge of deft 50’s revivalists jived their way through the evening sheathed in corsets, black-rimmed spectacles, quiffs and greaser ensembles, balanced by top hat-clad gentlemen, voodoo-themed punters and smatterings of anomalous bourgeoisie. This inundation of zoot suits and retro ink reveal a thriving 50’s subculture existing in Perth, a teeming society of contemporary Buddy Hollys who eschew neoteric pastimes for such blithe nostalgia.

The theme was initially set by a retro stream of musical tracks and film projections and strategically-placed voodoo totems and table centrepieces. With the headline festivities about to begin, a hush descended upon the crowd. The lights dimmed and bathed a spotlight upon the night’s emcee, Diggy Bones. Hailed by a Facebook user as “possibly the coolest person we have in Perth”, the buck-toothed, fur-clad personality worked the already excitable crowd into a near-frenzy. His charismatically irreverent banter served as comedic relief between acts, which were charmingly structured like an authentic old-school variety show— theatrically chopped up and slotted together, vaudeville-style.

The fusillade of live music opened with The Vipers Calypso Trio, a scrumptious fusion of languid island jangles, voodoo flavours and classic 50’s blues. Singer Razor Jack ’s Jamaicanesque vocals were buoyed by the leisurely jabber of the accompanying ukulele and voodoo bass. The trio delighted the crowd with songs penned exclusively for the Jamboree, jokingly warbling in stanza that they were “only the opening act, and it gets a lot better than that”.

Rusty Pinto ’s rockin’ blues unquestionably incited some serious hip-shakin’ if the previous act somehow failed to enthuse. Leaving his two separate rockabilly bands at home, Pinto utilised their signature bluesy style, owing influence to Hank Williams and exhibiting a vaguely Elvis-y zest. The strong, Dustbowl-influenced tunes were dispatched only through his guitar and stellar pedigree; once sharing a stage with Chris Isaak. Making a number of appearances throughout the night, the potency of Pinto’s voice empowered him to grasp the crowd in his palm every time.

The Sugar Blue Burlesque troupe featured heavily at the Jamboree, italicised through individual stripteases, cabaret skits and dancing alongside musical acts. Highlights included Sapphire Demure performing an Egyptian-themed mummy striptease, which was met with whooping yells from the excited audience. The dance was punctuated by the sensual revelation of nipple tassels, which heralded a zenith in whistling and dog-howling from the crowd. A’dora Derrière performed the tantalising banana dance, a flapperish prance kicked off behind a screen to tease the audience with a writhing silhouette. Later on, Mia Bella ’s version of the Charleston proved somewhat disturbing, possessed with a 1920’s spirit and cackling maniacally to the backing track. Waving their pert derrières at the crowd and snuffing fire-twirlers in their mouths, the Sugar Blue girls’ moves were worthy of a bonafide speak easy.

Bedecking the stage in their Oakie vests and suspenders, the boys of the Voodoo Brass Ensemble turned the meagre space conferred by the Bakery into a 1930’s jumping jazz hall. The timeless sounds of New Orleans saxophone and slide trombone, coupled with some crafty percussion, brought down the house, most notably with a lively rendition of When The Saints Go Marching In . Meanwhile, Cal Peck and his offsider Dave, a member of his band The Tramps, used his deep, emotive voice to convey a polished blend of blues, country and rock’n’roll. Complete with sideburns and a meticulously Brylcreemed quiff, the foot-tapping nature of the night was bolstered by Peck’s contribution to the Jamboree.

Following a 30-minute intermission, the night came to a head with a rousing introduction to Rocket to Memphis. The group adorned the stage sporting leopard-print garb, the vixens flaunting raven tresses whilst guitarist Razor Jack Memphis worked a greaser-style coiffure. Fronted by the vampish Betty Bombshell, Rocket to Memphis paraded a sort of sexy rockabilly Flintstones vibe, promulgated by high-energy tunes such as Shake Your Hips and She’s My Witch . The theatrical Voodoo Twist was accompanied by voodoo maracas and vigorous burlesque dancers; a kitsch and sensually bewitching extravaganza. The swampy jungle-style numbers prompted some unrestrained swing-dancing from the crowd as the voodoo guitar twangs of Bad Girl harmonised with breathy vocals and the tincture of claret backlight.

Voodoo Jamboree churned up all the golden era revivalists and voodoo fetishists of Perth to present one killer night of vaudeville eccentricity. The Bakery kicked it on the second last Saturday of summer to impart a sense of wistfulness for music’s golden era. How refreshing to step out of the mainstream and sample the wares of a delightful, if somewhat arcane subculture!

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