I don't care if your name sounds exotic

In the last week or so I’ve realised that I hate burlesque dancing. I just suddenly clicked into my head that i think it's annoying. I don't want to offend any burlesque dancers because I actually know one or two but I do want to talk about why I think it's annoying.

My main gripe with burlesque is that it won't admit what it is. Essentially it's stripping dressed up as art and it's not even good stripping. It's the channel 5 porn of stripping but censored, like watching the red show diaries where the women keep their bras on.

I just wish it would admit that's its stripping and a really really weedy form of stripping where you get to see hardly any flesh. I don't frequent strip clubs but if I did I’d like to see naked woman not fat girls stuffed into corsets who dance with feathers and nipple tassels whilst a crowd of punks with neck tattoos dressed in top shop suits watch on in faux admiration in the hope that one day one of the dancers might just might have sex with them. In return they're generally greeted with a look which says this "I will rip your dick off"

In other news the Hockley hustle was wonderful. Two shows in one day and both very different. I really enjoyed the homemade show playing outside fully acoustic with extra strings. It was fun despite the cold. The Broadway show went even better, and it was completely rammed full of drunken dancers which for me is the perfect crowd for us to play to. Other highlights from the festival were Royal Gala, Dick Venom and the Terrortones, Ali Powers, and Manieres.

Last Saturday which did our first Saturday busking trip to Leeds which is one of the friendliest places on Earth, Richard joined us on Violin making it a 6 piece and we did very well. I find busking a bit strange these days, sometimes I really really enjoy it and other days i feel like a total bozo. Saturdays trip to Leeds was the former...I loved it despite my completely ruined hands and a hangover (fought off by sipping wine in a coffee cup) i think we definitely made some new fans, it's a shame that Nottingham our home City is a bit weird about busking, having said that a chav walking up to Mark and asking him:

"Excuse me are you a Twat? Well you fucking look like one"

Pretty much made me laugh out loud.
Not sure if we'll do another full tour again like we did to promote the Terrorist but I’d certainly like to do a couple of hours in the places we're playing in the evening on the tour tour next year.

Next show is a biggie at Proud Galleries in Camden this Friday.
This is one of the best venues in London and we're excited. We'll be on at 9:15 and we'll bringing a mega mix off strings again. Can't wait.
Hopefully no burlesque dancers or punks in suits will have read this and picket the gig with placards stating things like:

"Burlesque is ART"

Or

"WE are not STRIPPERS. We are ARTISTS"



haha...that would probably make my day..



See you Friday,

Ad