An 'unforgettable' night to take place at Nat Ballroom May 31

Performances by The Whiskey Makin' Mommas burlesque group and Pickled Punk Sideshow to accompany two live bands

By: Rachel Nelson
http://www.amarilloscene.com/

Burlesque performances are an American past time dating back to the mid-1800s. Although burlesque can be a number of different things depending on the artists who create it, it is far more than dress-up for grown-ups. Burlesque is commonly recognized as a style of live production that blends performance, satire and adult entertainment. This usually involves acts by under-dressed women.

The popularity of burlesque saw a decline in the early twentieth century, but according to Nancy Fields, founder of local burlesque group The Whiskey Makin' Mommas, a burlesque revival is taking place.

"It's something I've always been interested in. There's been a resurgence in burlesque, and I knew the only way I'd be able to participate in burlesque here is if I started it."

Fields believes there is a variety of expression that can be achieved through burlesque and sees it as a way for women to feel fun, edgy and sassy all at once. It also gives girls like Jamie Beckley an opportunity to come out of their shells.

"In my private life I'm very much reserved and conservative, and there's something about getting on stage that brings out the beast in me," Beckley said. "I can take off my clothes and feel okay and comfortable."

"It's a positive thing," Fields said. "You can make burlesque whatever you want. I think that's what I like about it... there's really no rules."

The Whiskey Makin' Mommas' next appearance will be May 31 at the Nat Ballroom. The show will be accented with a summer theme.

Along with the burlesque show will be performances by the Pickled Punk Sideshow, garage/punk band Mosquito Bandito and a Michigan rockabilly band.

Fields formed The Whiskey Makin' Mommas in August 2005 when Canadian band Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz was scheduled to play a gig in Fort Worth. The band intertwines burlesque with their musical performances, and they were looking for opening acts for their Texas show. Fields contacted the band via e-mail and told them about the not-yet-formed Whiskey Makin' Mommas. The group was scheduled for its first gig before it even existed.

From there, Fields scrambled to find girls that she thought would be interested in performing burlesque. She was successful, and they had one month to prepare for the show.

"We put together a nice, tight 30-minute set," Fields said. "It went really well. We practiced non-stop."

Since then, The Whiskey Makin' Mommas have performed several shows. Fields' favorite burlesque memory is the group's local performance at the August 2006 Femme art show.

"It was the first time a large Amarillo audience saw us, and the response was amazing," she said. "We got a lot of feedback, so that was really thrilling to me that Amarillo was interested in burlesque."

Leta Roberson has been involved with the Whiskey Makin' Mommas for more than a year.

"Honestly, it's just as entertaining for me as it is for everyone else," she said. Roberson said she performs with the group to kick up her femininity.

"When you're a single mom you don't really get time for yourself so it's something that I really do for myself."

The Whiskey Makin' Mommas strive to make each show fresh for the audience.

"Expect the unexpected because you never know what we're going to come up with," Roberson said. "We really try to keep it new. We don't like to do the same thing over and over, so every show is different."

Beckley said those who attend should come expecting to be entertained.

"They're going to be very pleased with what they see," she said.

Fields also is one half of the two-piece Pickled Punk Sideshow, which performs a variety of acts including lying on beds of nails, running on broken glass, setting off mouse traps on the human tongue, playing with fire, body puncturing and much more. This is the first time The Whiskey Makin' Mommas will do a conjoined event with the sideshow.

"It's an unforgettable night," Fields said. "It's going to be awesome."

The official time and cover charge of the event are to be announced. Keep checking http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm15c3BhY2UuY29tL3doaXNrZXltYWtpbm1vbW1hcw== to find out more.

FYI: In burlesque, performers, usually female, often create elaborate sets with lush, colorful costumes, mood-appropriate music, and dramatic lighting, and may even include novelty acts, such as fire-breathing or demonstrations of unusual flexibility, to enhance the impact of their performance.

source: www.wikipedia.org