Tonight is the night ~ DARK ENERGY presents THE 2nd ANNUAL VAMPIRE’S BALL ~ featuring THE PIRATE TWINS (SCARY LADY SARAH & WILLIAM FAITH), GRANT MAYLAND, ANGELICA OTTAVIA, DJ MERCURY, HyperKarma, DEVATA DAUN, performances by ANGELA HIGGINS, JOY COY, MARCEL MICHELLE-MOBAMA, and hosted by LEA REED.
We put together a who’s-who, a little guide to the Vampire Ball for you:
“Dark Energy is a collective of DJ’s and musicians dedicated to promoting and playing the best in the darker side of dance music, past and present. Expect lots of new wave, dark wave, cold wave, EBM, industrial, Detroit influenced techno/house/electro, goth classics, and much more.”
Multi-talented artist Rachel Girard will have a pop-up booth. On her “My Story” page she states: “…Doll making combines every skill I developed both in and out of school as well as my career in cosmetology. This store is all about sharing a part of my collection beyond the doors of my studio while I attend to the continuous work in progress.” You can check out Rachel’s dolls and miscellaneous art pieces via her website.
A Conspiracy of Strange Girls is a creative collective of art. “Our collective is open to all women, femme-identifying, non-binary, and genderqueer people who create art dealing with the unusual, the queer, the unfamiliar, or the mysterious. With over sixty members across a diverse spectrum of gender and ethnicity, we believe in building community, uplifting marginalized voices, and showcasing all types of creative work, especially practices that have been traditionally overlooked in patriarchal society.” The group aims to embrace all forms of creativity and to promote “strangeness” within women. There will be a booth with three members’ art, merch, and a fortune teller booth!
Grimm Bebop will be providing prizes for the Vampire Costume Contest. “Grimm Bebop is a different retail experience designed around, not in-spite of, community. We are the brain child of a husband and wife team, quite literally a mom and pop local business. We strive to give you all of the efficiency and customer service you might expect at a big box store with all of the love and individuality you can only find shopping small. We have a passion for self-expression, catharsis and all things spooky which is why we call ourselves the first art and horror themed music and pipe shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota.” The retail store also has a blog for more information!
The Wild Hare Salon will be providing free makeovers from 8-9 p.m. The salon is based in Minneapolis. On the business’s Facebook page they state: “Our salon focuses on multidimensional colors, hair extensions, haircuts, and dreadlocks. We’ve been in the industry for over 18 years. Let us do your hair!”
FEATURED PERFORMERS:
DJ Grant Mayland is Dark Energy and one of the headlining performers.
Represented by American Gothic Productions, The Pirate Twins are a duo comprised of Scary Lady Sarah and William Faith. From their First Ave bio, “Scary Lady Sarah is best known for her event NOCTURNA, an 18+ dark alternative dance night held regularly in Chicago, now in its 29th year. She has also DJ’d all over North America and Europe, being a staple of Whitby Gothic Weekend in the UK, Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Germany and many others as well. William Faith, perhaps best known as half of the seminal dark alternative group Faith And The Muse, has spun all over the U.S., Europe and South America, bringing an eclectic blend of genres together into a mix that is both unique and exciting.” Follow both Scary Lady Sarah and William Faith on social media!
Devata Daun is the co-owner of Pytch Records, her debut release on Pytch Records is called “look”. It’s a subversive insight to an intellectual phenomenon currently believed to be more than just captured government transmissions, lost shortwave beacons or military Muzak. Through a series of silent meetings, c.Kostra was employed by Devata Daun to help break a variety of intriguing codes. These ‘songs’ are compilations of their findings arranged in harmony.” Fun fact: Devata is fluent in 17 undocumented languages, an amazing photographic memory, and semi-telepathic ability.
Angelica Ottavia is a DJ reigning from Los Angeles. She is a regular at Dark Energy events at the Kitty Cat Klub. Her DJ sets are a combination of techno, Goth, industrial, house, and experimental. Angelica’s first gig was booked at the First Avenue Record Room for the event “Too Much Love.”
Joy Coy is a burlesque performer, cosplayer, and member of the Vigilantease Collective – Minnesota’s radical crew of fiercely independent queer artivists. A recent transplant to the Twin Cities, Joy got her start in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she founded Unicorn Productions and the Unicorn School of Burlesque and Magic. Joy is also working on a new blog for her site as well!
Marcel Michelle-Mobama is a GNC/Queer/Trans Artist of Color with a multidisciplinary background interested in subverting conventional notions of eroticism. She is a founding member of Carnivale Revolver, St. Cloud’s premier vaudeville revue. She is also a cast member of Dykes do Drag, Hot Dish Cabaret, and Visions of Sugarplums – The Burlesque Nutcracker. Her work has been featured in Queertopia, Patrick’s Cabaret, and the Minneapolis Burlesque Festival. Check out her Instagram!
Blog by Kelly Murray (Intern)
