COURT OF LAZARUS :: tanna

When NYC goth icon Baron Misuraca invited me to participate in this gig, my first question was "What exactly is the Court of Lazarus?"    As it turns out, the Court is a Metropolitan Vampire Society, and Baron was to be one of the featured performers at their May Masquerade, to be held at the (in)famous Slipper Room.  I freely admit to feeling a little intimidated.  Not only was this a group of people whose customs and tastes were completely unknown to me, I was also stymied by the "gothic formal dress required" stipulation.   Baron's reassurances that I could "just wear black" did little to calm me.   Exhibiting appropriate dress and appropriate behavior is very important to me, probably because my formative years were spent in Catholic school.

As is often the case, (thank goodness!) my pre-show anxieties were totally for naught.  This was one of the most interesting, welcoming and totally fun crowds of people I have ever danced for.  Really, it was like being in some sort of surreal European film.   I won't even attempt to describe the cast of characters - there were just too many of them, all mingling in the tawdry yet charming glamour of the burlesque-oriented Slipper Room.   Baron was performing as a soloist, and he threw a few surprises into his set.  While changing in the dressing room after my second number I could not believe my ears when Baron launched into a very faithful rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way.   Talk about surreal!   And the crowd ate it up!

It truly was with many regrets that I had to play Cinderella and leave at the stroke of midnight.  Otherwise, I would most certainly have stayed to party all night long with these excellent goth citizens!