Club Makeup’s Cleopatra Party April 7, 2001 Hollywood, CA—Wilshire Boulevard is not usually the spot one finds God. But last Saturday night proved to be the exception to that rule. Overflowing the El Rey theatre, clad in glittering gowns, beaded headdresses, gold tunics, or nothing at all, gods and goddesses galore descended from the heavens, along with princes, kings, and lots and lots of glorious queens to celebrate the release of Cleopatra on DVD and indulge in the hedonistic pleasures of ancient Egypt. In association with club promoters Joseph Brooks and Jason Lavitt, Twentieth Century Fox took over Club Makeup and turned it into a garden of earthly and otherworldly delights. The stage was set with Egyptian artifacts—regal Egyptian cats, gold-encrusted mummy cases, and the ominous seeing eye—while the room was set with living treasures bumping and grinding, groovin’ and gropin’. East-inspired performers and dancers—on stage and off—proved as decadent as the setting, coming as King Tut, Isis, Osirius, and of course Cleopatra. And djs Joseph Brooks and Jason Lavitt kept all of the pantheon and the glam music pumping until midnight when the extravagant stage show began. Hosted by the fabulous beaded Trojan-for-the-eveing, Alexis Arquette, the show featured the Gutter Gangster All Stars and a pageant of resplendent royalty worthy of worship. The line-up included Jack Atlantis, Mz. Alanna, Caryn, Constance, Kendall, Varla Jean Merman, and Momma, backed by extraordinary house band of the night: Phil Cunningham (Marion/Tailgunner), Paul Ill (Kaviar), Eric Mayron (BrutalDLX), Ravi (Club Suc), Daniel Schulman (Garbage), Dave Schultz (Goo Goo Dolls), Ted (Hedwig), and Xristian (The Newly Deads), and led by musical director Xander Smith. More than a lavish drag show, the performances were off the hook with each diva outdoing the next in both style and showmanship. Outstanding songs included "Walk Like an Egyptian," "So Alive," "When Doves Cry," and an ensemble finale of "Kashmir" that brought down the house. The most dramatic entrance was a glittering caravan featuring g-string-sporting slave boys carrying club icon Jack Atlantis, followed by a painted serpent dancer-girl, that came in from the front of the club and wound through the crowd to the stage. Wearing nothing but blue paint the girl writhed around Atlantis as he sang, while the slave boys took to the speakers and gyrated the crowd into a frenzy. Now that’s showbiz, folks! Though each performer was only allowed one song, they maximized their stage time with belly dancers, back-up singers, and personal harems and delivered a satiating, salacious show. Liz Taylor would’ve been proud! On-hand for the spectacle were Elis and Johnny of Teen Machine, Rodney Bingenheimer (a.k.a. Rodney on the Roq), our favorite photographer/dj Apollo Starr, and our very own LA and SF CoolGrrrls, Kastle and Kiki. Club Makeup takes place the first Saturday night of the month at the El Rey, with such hip upcoming themes as Factory Night (Andy Warhol’s Factory celebration) on May 5, 2001, and Marilyn Monroe. If you’re in the LA area and want to experience a fabulous fete or just need an excuse to sport falsies and fishnets, be sure to hit Makeup. To get more information about the venue and upcoming events or to experience it vicariously by viewing its live video, check out www.clubmakeup.net. Thanks all for a sinfully delicious time—may decadence reign eternal! --d-grrrl photos by frank