Michelle Carr + Pleasant Gehman + Kristian Hoffman

Coco De Mer is proud to Present:

Velvet Hammer Burlesque Salon Book Reading and Costume Exhibition
Thursday, March 27th. From 7.00- 9pm FREE!

Michelle Carr and her vision kick started the current era of Neo-Burlesque and caused a furor on stages worldwide. Michelle Carr, Pleasant Gehman and Kristian Hoffman will be reading the unedited text from the brand new book 'Velvet Hammer Burlesque' and signing books after wards. On display will be 10 of the most elaborately designed and intricately constructed handmade costumes featured in the Velvet Hammer Burlesque created by the performers. This beautiful coffee table book presents photographs of the group's voluptuous ensemble of dancers and performers from their savvy on-stage performances to an intimate glimpse behind the curtain. Vivacious women of all shapes and sizes (the Velvet Hammer troupe welcomed organic individuality) radiated an authentic, raw energy in their routines that mesmerized the audience until (almost) the last shred of clothing was stripped away! Burlesque Hall of Fame Donation! 10% of the sales from this event will be donated to the Exotic World Museum, which is the only museum in the world dedicated to preserving the art and artifacts from the golden age of burlesque! www.burlesquehall.com

SPACE IS VERY LIMITED SO PLEASE CALL 1 310 652 0311 TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE AT THIS WONDERFUL EVENT!

Coco De Mer is located on 8618 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, Ca. 90069

Based in Los Angeles and founded in 1995 by Michelle Carr, the infamous troupe’s shows were a potent cocktail that mixed elements from traditional American Burlesque revues with a post-feminist punk attitude. Their intricately choreographed and elaborately costumed extravaganzas had much more in common with the theatricality and humor of Vaudeville than with the sleazy pole dancers of today. The Velvet Hammer’s ever changing crew of male and female performers, acrobats, dancers, comedians and musicians included a wide range of talent including entertainer extraordinaire Ann Magnuson, "Will and Grace" producer and comedian Laura Kightlinger, comedian/actress Mary Lynn Rajskob, comedian Craig Anton, chanteuse Rebecca Del Rio of “Mulholland Drive” fame, musical director The Millionaire of Combustible Edison, writer, poet, belly-dancer and LA punkrock queen Pleasant Gehman, performer and “Beat The Geeks” host Blaine Capatch, the prolific Dr. Vaginal Davis, Selene Luna, performance artists Kerri French, Ron Athey and many others. Pioneering legends Tura Satana, Mamie Van Doren, and Kitten Natavidad also performed with the troupe. “The Velvet Hammer Burlesque” book presents photographs of the group’s voluptuous ensemble of dancers and performers – from their savvy on-stage performances to an intimate glimpse behind the curtain. Vivacious women of all shapes and sizes (the Velvet Hammer troupe welcomed organic individuality) radiated an authentic, raw energy in their routines that mesmerized the audience until (almost) the last shred of clothing was stripped away. Every page of “The Velvet Hammer Burlesque” serves up true rebellious American beauty fueled by a passion for the wilder side of life.

“The Velvet Hammer Burlesque:” Published by Die Gestalten Verlag, Germany, 144 pages, hardcover, $60.00, ISBN: 978-3-89955-202-7. Publisher contact: http://www.die-gestalten.de

MICHELLE CARR'S BIO

Michelle Carr's fertile imagination has garnered a career in the arts and entertainment industry for over 17 years. At the very young age of 20, Michelle Carr along with her partner Gary Dent created Jabberjaw, the main location for underground music in Los Angeles between 1989-1997. For many new bands and fans Jabberjaw would become a kind of headquarters for the young open-minded and experimentally inclined. Carr's studied attention to rare "high" kitsch and eccentric style in decor (which would eventually land her on the cover of the L.A. Weekly's Design Issue) provided a cozy home away from home favored by many traveling bands. Jabberjaw was a launching pad for revolutionary underground bands as well as a place already famous acts would play out of appreciation for the venue, such as Nirvana, Beck, Sonic Youth, The Beastie Boys, Weezer and Elliott Smith. Free to invent its own program from scratch, Jabberjaw released two critically acclaimed compilation albums, "Good To The Last Drop" and "Pure Sweet Hell" and joined forces with legendary silkscreen rock poster artists Kozik, Coop, Lindsey Kuhn, Pablo and The Pizz, thus contributing to the rebirth of the classic rock poster.

Currently Michelle Carr is compiling an anthology about Jabberjaw, "Los Angeles is Like Nowhere and Everyone is Lost" published by Kill Your Idols featuring stories and essays by Jabberjaw regulars and enthusiasts including Drew Barrymore, Rick Ruben and Iggy Pop. In 1995 during the height of Jabberjaw1s success, Carr brought her personal obsession for Burlesque culture to life, creating multi-media extravaganza; "The Velvet Hammer Burlesque". This was to be an ambitious feat, not only collaborating with a stellar team of graphic designers, artists, photographers and costume designers but also producing and directing a cast and crew of thirty talented performers of every stripe. Thus, arguably sparking what is now known as the "Neo-burlesque movement".

Carr's profound loving attention to detail and aesthetics grabbed the attention of savvy promoters across the country. The Velvet Hammer Burlesque enjoyed a regular engagement at the historical El Rey Theater in Los Angeles and naturally went on to perform sold out theaters in San Francisco, Las Vegas, New Orleans and New York City. Three documentaries were made about the Velvet Hammer Burlesque, "Welcome Sinners3, "The Velvet Hammer Story" and "Striptease", which was produced by the Franco/German cultural television channel Arte. Gaining the attention of an enthusiastic European audience, Carr moved to Berlin in 2005 and currently performs, lectures and teaches workshops on the art of Burlesque in Madrid, Paris, Zurich and Istanbul.

Over the last twelve years The Velvet Hammer Burlesque has attracted guest appearances by entertainer extraordinaire Ann Magnuson, "Will and Grace" producer and comedian Laura Kightlinger, comedian/actress Mary Lynn Rajskob, performance artist Ron Athey and chanteuse Rebecca Del Rio of 'Mulholland Drive' fame.

Slated for release January 2008 by Berlin's Die Gestalten Verlag, is a book of photography covering a glittering decade of the Velvet Hammer Burlesque by Michelle Carr. Die Gestalten Verlag specializes in developing content for aficionados of cutting-edge visual culture worldwide. Carr's eccentric and provocative theatricality has been high in demand and commissioned for private events by like-minded movers and shakers such as Agent Provocateur's Los Angeles Boutique grand opening as well as the launch of their signature perfume in London, the grand opening party of the Downtown Standard Hotel, Floral designer Eric Butterbaugh's birthday gala and French author Michel Houellebecq's book reading at the Armand Hammer Museum in Westwood. If that is not enough, Carr co-created, produced and directed the wildly popular Mexican wrestling and striptease hybrid "Lucha Vavoom3. Michelle Carr possesses the uncanny ability to attract and meld together an unlikely ensemble of characters into one audience that ranges from the most cutting edge underground artists like Bruce La Bruce and Joe Coleman to pop culture icons like Peter Falk, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Elton John; even Sarah Ferguson, the Dutchess of York.