White Mischief - Journey To The Centre Of The Earth May 23, 2009

White Mischief – the extravaganza of astounding live music and jaw-dropping vaudeville - returns to 1900s former art nouveau cinema Scala in King’s Cross for a night of interactive dressup fun and incomparably outrageous stage and aerial performances. Opening its doors at 9pm sharp on Bank Holiday Saturday 23rd May, White Mischief is curated by “tribal pop” band Tough Love and features multiple themed, decorated rooms where performance and music explode out of every hidden corner.

Having earned the reputation as one of London’s key alternative nights, White Mischief draws upon a decadent fashion sense embracing the aesthetic known as steampunk, where revellers in neo-Victorian outfits evoke the romantic ideals of Jules Verne and the industrial age. (Dressing up is always encouraged but by no means compulsory!)

‘Journey To The Centre Of The Earth’ is the theme for the night's event and a sense of industrious exploration will be built into every act – aerial performances from Ilumi, chainsaw juggling by the Covent Garden Chainsaw Juggler, a death-defying bullet catch involving a member of the audience from Victorian-themed magician The Irrepressible Mr Flay plus interactive art from Amundsen and Slade’s Sonic Sideshow and a radio adventure show broadcast live from the past by The Fitzrovia Radio Hour.

The evening will be compered by acerbic ukulele-wielding vaudeville artist Desmond O’Connor (not to be confused with 80s TV celeb Des O’Connor) with live music from hosts Tough Love, hip hop meets jazz age swing from festival favourites The Correspondents, steampunk comedy from The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, and tap dancing fun from Top Shelf Jazz. Vintage jazz, blues and swing DJs include Johnny Vercoutre (Modern Times, Zeppelin, Blitz) and DJ $uave among others.

White Mischief nights are never just about what’s happening on stage, so expect to encounter bands and walkabout performers in corridors and stairwells. Thanks to White Mischief’s team of art directors (who have worked in film, theatre and on productions including Punchdrunk) rooms will be dressed to fit the steampunk sci-fi theme.

LIVE MUSIC ARTISTS

Tough Love
Co-founders and hosts of White Mischief are six-piece band Tough Love blend tribal drums and percussion with quirky English lyrics. Described by The Guardian as “the afrobeat Scissor Sisters”, their dressed-up live shows are a riot of chanting backing vocals, face paint and Victorian-inspired finery. Music Week called the group “brilliant – packed with pop hits and charisma.”
toughloveband.com

The Correspondents
London based hip hop swing duo, The Correspondents are far from your usual hip hop band as they play their own breed of swing hop. Their take on music loops unique Noel Coward style vocals and witty lyrics about a number of bizarre topics. Lyrically they are up to very high standards, using a wide range of vocabulary and creating lots of excellent stories. Fronted by ex-Etonian MC Mr Bruce – who dresses like a rather fine English Man - and DJ/Producer Mr Chuckles, they splice swing samples with squelchy synths over dusty drum loops. Get your brogues on the dance floor!

The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing
The band are putting the “punk back into steampunk”. Having graced the cover of gentleman’s magazine Chap recently, The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing incorporate risqué comedy into their live act.

Top Shelf Jazz
Top Shelf Jazz – fine purveyors of filthy swing – will be playing two sets in between The Fitzrovia Radio Hour’s Show. The five-piece band play music from the 1920's and 1930's and write all their own songs in a 1920's style. Jazz as it used to be! They also feature a tap dancer, Josephine Shaker. Expect some toe-tapping ditties from Top Shelf Jazz.
topshelfjazz.co.uk

VISUALLY STUNNING VAUDEVILLE ACTS

Desmond O’Connor
Compere of the night Desmond O’Connor is a cabaret artist who has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Other credits include his performance in ‘The Devil May Drag You Under’. Expect comedy and demented songs.

Illumi
Illumi literally light up! These aerial artists perform in complete darkness and can only be seen under ultra-violet lights while suspended above the audience. A spectacular jaw dropping performance is guaranteed.

Covent Garden Chainsaw Juggler
True to his name the Covent Garden Chainsaw Juggler is (thankfully) highly talented in the art of throwing chainsaws high into the air and catching them again.

The Irrepressible Mr Flay
Professional escape artist and man of action TIMF performs a nerve-wracking bullet catch - the only one currently available on the UK cabaret circuit – where he recruits an unplanted audience volunteer to pull the trigger! Witness an astounding bullet-catch from The Irrepressible Mr Flay.
mrflay.com

Lulu and Lush presents Circa Burlesque
Lulu and Lush – the Spitafields corset boutique - present Circa Burlesque, featuring classically-trained concert pianist Chrys Columbine.
myspace.com/circaburlesque

INTERACTIVE ART AND THEATRE

Amundsen And Slade's Sonic Sideshow
A Victorian side show where the performing artists wear steampunk suits in which members of the audience can interact by sampling and then looping sounds before battling with one another by touching different parts of the body.

The Fitzrovia Radio Hour
Broadcasting live from the past, actors will perform good fashioned drama using old fashioned mics (think the dawn of the BBC) complete with sound effect boxes, their own music and adverts to give it that authenticity of a real radio show.
fitzroviaradio.com

There will also be spontaneous musical performances around the building courtesy of the Bohemianauts. The artists will be performing intimate ad hoc shows to unsuspecting guests. In addition to this, expect to find a old fashioned Victorian peep show.

DJs
Johnny Vercoutre
Curator of The Modern Times, The Zeppelin Club and Shoreditch’s Time For Tea, Johnny lives a complete 1940’s lifestyle from the clothes he wears to the furniture in his home and all the strands in between. Expect to hear jazz from the 20’s – 40’s.

DJ $uave from London Burlesque Social Club will also be on hand to provide the music in addition to many more DJs and performers who are still to be announced.

Finally, Prangsta are offering all White Mischief customers a 30% discount on any outfits hired from their sumptuous costumier.
prangsta.co.uk

Editors Notes
Name: White Mischief
Date: Saturday 23rd May 2009
Venue: Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, King´s Cross, London N1 9NL
Information: 020 7833 2022
Doors: 9pm – 4am
Price: £17.50. Limited VIP tickets £22.50
Ticket Outlets: www.ticketweb.co.uk / 08700 600 100
VIP tickets give access to air-conditioned room with seating and view over main stage from whitemischief.info
Transport: King’s Cross (tube), buses, 10, 17, 30, 45, 73, 46, 63, 91, 214, 205 259.

whitemischief.info
scala-london.co.uk

Official Website: http://www.whitemischief.info