Any time Joey Arias – veteran performance
art / cabaret legend, toast of Mondo New York and all-round fabulous creature –
breezes into London, attendance is freaking obligatory! So, a big gang of us assembled
to see his gig last night (Arias is doing a residency at Brasserie Zédel inSoho 11-14 February 2017).
Arias’ speciality is his evocation of doomed
jazz diva Billie Holiday in all her earthy, ravaged foul-mouthed hedonistic glory.
This isn’t a conventional “tribute act”, though – Arias is freakier, raunchier
and far more original than that. And the Art Deco opulence of Brasserie Zédel provided
the perfect backdrop, creating a sense of mid-century café society.
Arias himself was a compelling spectacle in
fetish-y black Frederick's of Hollywood-style lingerie and full Vampira make-up.
His voice is a soulful smoky, scratchy rasp alternately lewd and awash with
heartbreak (my friend Louise admitted afterwards she cried several times during
Arias’ set). As well as samplings from the Billie Holiday songbook ("You’ve
Changed", "God Bless the Child"), Arias also answered the musical question: what
would unlikely other songs by the likes of Cream or Bob Dylan sound like given
the Holiday torch song treatment (with added Yma Sumac-like bird noises and
punctuated by deep stripper squats)? The answer – hilarious, dramatic and
exquisite!
Between songs, Arias gave a swear-y but elegant
masterclass in audience participation, shuttling between seduction and
aggression just because it amused him. Mingling through the crowd, flirting outrageously,
he stopped and asked a woman’s name. “Ann-Marie? That’s a whore’s name.” He
implored two (platonic) female friends at another table to kiss on the lips.
When they hesitated, Arias snapped, “I’m not saying eat her pussy! Just kiss
her on the lips! It’s love!” More pointedly, he turned his full laser beams on a
rude heterosexual couple who arrived late then proceed to check their mobile
phones and talk amongst themselves. “Sarah! Look at me!” Joey hissed. “Focus!”
(Who were those two and what were they doing there?)
For the night’s emotional high-point, Arias
demanded all the venue’s lights be extinguished (even the neon sign behind the
bar) so that he was illuminated by just a single blue spotlight. Then he
crooned an eerie, spine-tingling “I Cover the Waterfront”, transforming the
jazz standard into an anguished prostitute’s lament. Devastating!
/ Afterwards we ambushed Arias in the lobby for an impromptu red-hot camera session! L-R: (back row) Chris and Pal. Front: Louise, Joey Arias, Nell and me /
/ Above: (Back) Chris, Joey, Nell and Pal. (Front) Louise and Alex /
Further reading:
See the full set of photos from Joey Arias at Brasserie Zédel here
See my photos of Joey Arias performing at London's Institute of Contemporary Art in 2014 here
Read my account of seeing Arias perform in 2013 here
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