San Francisco area burlesque for February 10 to February 16, 2010

It's Valentine's Day week, and there appears to be a ton of burlesque-related events going on starting this week. Plenty of chances to take your sweetie out to a show!

Oh wow! I'd better warm up my fingers and start typing! This could take a while!

• Thursday, February 11: Swinging Chinatown: The Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs Opening Gala at The Old Mint in San Francisco, 88 5th Street. This rare exhibit features vintage photographs, costumes and memorabilia of the exciting and glamorous days of the Chinese American nightclub scene. The exhibit opens with a glittering cocktail celebration at the Old Mint. Bay Area author and personality Ben Fong-Torres will be the master of ceremonies for the evening that includes a performance by the “Grant Avenue Follies,” a troupe of former nightclub dancers. Trina Robbins, author of "Forbidden City: The Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs," will be present and signing copies of her book. President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, David Chiu, will also make opening remarks to commence the exhibit. Opening Night Gala, 6-8pm. Tickets to the Opening Night Gala are $85 per person for SFMHS and CHSA members, $100 for non-members. The exhibition will be open to the public February 12-15 and February 19-21 from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Admission is $5 for SFMHS and CHSA members, $10 for non-members, $3 for students.


• Also Thursday: Beerlesque at Paradise Lounge in SF, 1501 Folsom Street. Join the Hubba Hubba Revue and Schmaltz Brewing Company for a party celebrating the return of Coney Island Human Blockhead(TM) (Tough-As-Nails Strong Lager). And what's a party without burlesque? Featuring Sister Kate, Honey Lawless, Pin Key Lee, Room for Cream, Madam Chartreuse, Miss Balla Fire, Chi-Kitty & Courtney Crimson, Delilah, Zip the What-Is-It?! & Kingfish & Eddie! Plus special musical guests Renee de la Prade & Vagabondage! 8pm. $8.00 at 8:00, $10.00 at 10:00. 21+ w/ID.


• Also, also Thursday: Little Minsky's Burlesque at Club Deluxe in SF, 1511 Haight St. Little Minsky's is brought to you by Douglas Good (of Cabaret Verdalet), The Flying Fox (burlesque glamour girl), and a few shady characters (we dare not name). Featuring Kellita, Sugar la Vie, Lady Monster, and a veritable bevy of beauties and variety of entertainments! Doors at 9pm, show at 10. $5, 21+ w/ID.
  


• Friday, February 12: Red Hots Burlesque at El Rio in San Francisco, 3158 Mission Street. Celebrate the two year anniversary of Red Hots Burlesque! Join Dottie Lux and host Jukie Sunshine for a very special birthday party. With performances by Alotta Boutte, Dottie Lux, Ruby Vixen, Kentucky Fried Woman, and Sugarbush Lane. Show at 7:30pm. $5-10, sliding scale. 21+ w/ID.


• Also Friday: Lucha VaVOOM: From Lucha with Love at The Fillmore in SF, 1805 Geary Boulevard. Mexican Masked Wrestling + Burlesque + Comedy = Lucha VaVOOM. Lucha VaVOOM has come up with world’s most romantic Sexo y Violencia extravaganza yet! Starring burlesque performers Carolina Cerasola, Harvest Moon, Lux LaCroix, Lucy Fur, Ursulina, Karis, Roky Roulette, and wrestlers Hector Garza, Joey Ryan, Cassandro, Dirty Sanchez, L'il Chicken and Mini Kissing Bandit! With Tom Kenny in the commentator's booth! 9pm. $32.50, 18 and older.
  


• Also Friday and Saturday, February 13: Whipped: QTPOC Recipes for Love, Sex, & Disaster at La Pena in Berkeley, 3105 Shattuck Avenue. The second annual show about the miracles, dreams, and cream our hearts make. Mangos With Chili knows that queer and trans folks of color do love, sex, and total disaster like none other! In this special Valentine's Day weekend production QTPOC tell their true life stories of love through music, spoken word, theater, dance, burlesque, drag and video. With Cherry Galette, King TuffNStuff, Delicio Del Toro, Chan Dynasty, a film by Val Killmore, and more. 8pm, $10-15, sliding scale. 21+ w/ID.
  


• Saturday, February 13: Rio Carnaval 1940s Dinner, Dance, and Speakeasy (Sold out) at Dolce Hayes Mansion in San Jose, 200 Edenvale Avenue. Spend the Weekend at the Hayes Mansion with all of your friends and loved one on this Valentines weekend. Start off mingling over drinks in the Presidential Lounge at 3pm, followed by Dinner at 5:30pm, with burlesque from Vienna La Rouge, music by Sara Klotz de Aguilar & DJ Tom LG - with dancing. And an after hours speakeasy with DJ Vinyl music, pool & poker. $75 (Sold out), 21+ w/ID.


• Sunday, February 14: Thrillville's Valentine's Beach Party w/Donna Loren and Kitten on the Keys at Balboa Theater in SF, 3630 Balboa Street. See the classic "Beach Blanket Bingo" (1965). See one of the film's stars, Donna Loren, perform live! See and hear San Francisco's legendary Kitten on the Keys perform live, too! All this at the historic Balboa Theater. 7:30pm. $10.


• Also Sunday: Sixxteen! A RockNRoll Niteclub with Lady Satan and Ruby White at Cat Club in SF, 1190 Folsom Street. Valentine's Day bash with DJs, dancing, and burlesque from Lady Satan and Ruby White. Doors at 9pm, show at 10. $7, 21+ w/ID.
  


• Monday, February 15: Uptown Hubba Hubba at the Uptown in Oakland, 1928 Telegraph Avenue. It's a post V-Day show, and it's Bombshell Betty's Burlesqueteer Night! Starring Bombshell Betty, Red Velvet, Lezzie McFaggerson, Brandi She's a Fine Girl, Tastey Temptress, Vicious Veronica Voom, Sultra Violet, Cherry Chapstick, Fina Fatale, and MJ Paul! With your MCs, Randy & Patina! Live Music by Fromagique! Doors at 9pm, show at 10:15ish. $5, 21+ w/ID.


• Tuesday, February 16: In the Name of Love: Haiti Benefit & Mardi Gras Extravaganza at Red Devil Lounge in SF, 1695 Polk Street. You can raise money for Haiti and celebrate Fat Tuesday in the City by the Bay at the same time! Who dat? Why, it's the Hot Pink Feathers, the HPF All-Star Band, and Eggplant Casino! Oh yeah! This show is part of the "In the Name of Love" series at the Red Devil Lounge. Doors at 8pm, show at 9:30. $10-$20, advanced tickets available at www.reddevillounge.com. 21+ w/ID.
  
  

As always, for more information, please check the calendar above. Also, you may want to check back during the week to see if there are and late additions to this schedule. And if you have a burlesque show or information about a show you would like to add to the calendar, please email me at sfbr AT gmx DOT com.

Swinging Chinatown: The Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs' Opening Gala is Thursday, February 11, 2010

I always love learning about the history of things, and burlesque is no different. So when I received word that there would be an exhibit about Chinese nightclubs in San Francisco in days of yore, I couldn't resist posting about it!

For the next two weekends, you can learn about Noel Toy Young, the "Chinese Sally Rand." Or Paul Wing, the "Chinese Fred Astaire." You'll also be able to view photographs, costumes, and other items.

The exhibit is open on the weekends of February 12 and 19, and it will be at the Old Mint. Here are all of the details:

Swinging Chinatown Exhibit
Friday February 12 to Monday, February 15, 2010
Friday February 19 to Sunday, February 21, 2010
12 Noon to 5 PM
The Old Mint
88 Fifth Street
San Francisco

Presented in collaboration with the Chinese Historical Society of America.

From the late 1930s to the early 1960s, Chinese nightclubs flourished in San Francisco's Chinatown. Clubs like the Chinese Skyroom, the Shangri-La, and the Forbidden City, were the first - and in those days the only - venues for talented Asian performers.

Swinging Chinatown brings back to life a long-neglected slice of Asian-American history. The exhibit will feature over 100 vintage photographs, dancer Ellen Chin's costumes and gold dancing shoes, Tony Wing's tap shoes, and menus, napkins and other mementos from several famous nightclubs. Immerse yourself in a bygone era, when celebrities and visitors of all stripes were entertained by Larry Ching, "the Chinese Frank Sinatra;" Noel Toy Young, "the Chinese Sally Rand;" and Paul Wing, the "Chinese Fred Astaire." The exhibit will feature vintage photographs, costumes, dancing shoes, menus, napkins and other mementos from famous nightclubs. Swinging Chinatown is co-curated by SFMHS associate curator Kristin Morris and historian Trina Robbins, author of Forbidden City: The Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs.

Tickets: $5 SFMHS and CHSA members, $10 non-members, $3 for students

On Thursday, February 11, there will be an opening night gala event at the Old Mint. Ben Fong-Torres the rock journalist will emcee, and a troupe of former nightclub dancers, the Grant Avenue Follies, will perform. Information about the gala and some repeat information about the exhibit is below:

The San Francisco Museum and Historical Society (SFMHS) in collaboration with the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) presents Swinging Chinatown: The Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs.

This rare exhibit features vintage photographs, costumes and memorabilia of the exciting and glamorous days of the Chinese American nightclub scene.

The exhibit opens with a glittering cocktail celebration at the Old Mint. Bay Area author and personality Ben Fong-Torres will be the master of ceremonies for the evening that includes a performance by the “Grant Avenue Follies,” a troupe of former nightclub dancers. Trina Robbins, author of Forbidden City: The Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs, will be present and signing copies of her book. President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, David Chiu, will also make opening remarks to commence the exhibit.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

The exhibition will be open to the public February 12-15 and February 19-21 from 12:00pm to 5:00pm

Admission is $5 for SFMHS and CHSA members, $10 for non-members, $3 for students

The Opening Night Gala and Exhibit are part of the Asian Art Museum’s Shanghai Celebration (http://www.shanghaicelebration.com).


TICKETS

Tickets to the Opening Night Gala are $85 per person for SFMHS and CHSA members, $100 for non-members

Proceeds will benefit the exhibition and the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.sfhistory.org or call 415.537.1105 x100