‘Tis The Season To Be Sleazy
It's officially the season. Bows and bells, lights and sparkles, gifting and getting. And sure, the population at large is counting down to the 25th, but the cool kids (um, and me) are stoked for Andrew Jamieson's Sleazy Christmas Volume 2.
It's fair to say that I've been looking forward to this since the first one. Anyone who knows me knows this is not hyperbole. I am genuinely excitable, and when I find a thing I like, I'm openly giddy. Andrew's been throwing Christmas parties for 10 years now, but last year's OG Sleazy Christmas was the first I attended. It was a literal introduction into his world, an evening of handshakes and hugs prefaced with “this is who I was telling you about”. Thus, this year's event is not only a super show and party, but a time marker after a beautiful whirlwind of a year.
This time last year, Andrew and I weren't even thinking about running Forget The Box, which came as a momentous change in both of our lives. It's wild to consider how far we've come both individually, and as a project. As such, Andrew has been generous enough to use this party as a fundraiser for Forget The Box. Usually, after paying artists, the proceeds go to his personal art projects, and his selfless choice this time round speaks to how much both Forget The Box and the local Arts scene means to him.
What’s Sleazy Christmas going to be like? Lemmie tell you! The theme of this year's party is amazingly specific: The year is 1984. You're attending Xmas at your freshly divorced father's house, where he lives with his stripper girlfriend Crystal. The talent is top tier (some of them are also top tier dirtbags, and I say that with love). I managed to catch up with these Lovelies for a few words, which was in fact like herding cats, but I like cats, so it's cool. As they say in the biz, let's take it from the top!
If you don't know Big Daddy Queen Power by name, you would probably recognize her as the guitarist gal who plays St. Laurent during street fairs. She's a mainstay there, at the corner of St. Cuthbert, with her silky voice and heart shaped pink guitar. She's a community organizer with big goals in line with the FTB vibe, and we’re super stoked for her to be joining this Sleazy-ass party. “I’m excited to perform at a Sleazy Christmas! It’s always nice to connect with community during a festive time - to laugh, share space and unleash our creative passion!”
It's hard to believe that we didn't know Abby Stonehouse this time last year. She came into our magazine (and our lives) this spring, and honestly, I feel like I've known her forever. She's the kind of gal you feel comfortable saying uncomfortable things to (uh, or that might just be a bad habit I have). She's an invaluable asset to Forget The Box, and does the dirty work in the community at large to create more accessible arts for the hearing impaired. Andrew and I were thrilled to bits attending the first live recording of her podcast House Of Stone, by summer we were lifting our drinks to her at JFL, and most recently she had Andrew on as her first non-comedian pod guest. Not only is she performing in this show, she's also part of the party committee. She wears all the hats, all at once, and looks fabulous in them. I asked her what she expects and hopes for her first Sleazy Christmas, and she was right on the money. “I expect/want this show to be exciting, dynamic and of course, a bit slutty.”
Tara McGowan-Ross holds the record for performing at more Andrew Jamieson events than anyone else. She also holds the record for the most Andrew Jamieson Christmas events, making her kind of like Mariah Carey (but not in an annoying way). In fact, she co-hosted the first Andrew Jamieson holiday show ten years ago, called Holy Spirit. She does words like they're her job, because they genuinely are. She's an author, a multidisciplinary artist, and the host of Drawn & Quarterly’s Indigenous Literatures Book Club. She and Andrew have an illustrious history (he's even a main character in one of her books), so it's no surprise that he's what we talked about. “I met Andrew on a night that felt more like a dream than something hard and firm and real. It’s funny, now, to read about artists who spent their lives inspiring each other — there’s always this initial pang of desire, the sense of something missing from me, until I remember I’ve already had all of it, because I -- Andrew and I -- already happened. Are already happening. An Andrew Jamieson event feels like something unstuck in time. It’s 1960s counter-culture. It’s bohemian extravagance. It’s the decadent squalor at the edge of the world. It‘s where I’m always headed, where I have been heading, the promise Wilde gave us when he named all of this a gutter and pointed out where some of us are looking. There’s an urgency relieved in me, at this particular stage in my life. The work Andrew does makes me feel like I can do anything, like I don’t have to do anything for work because I only do things for fun, like I felt in the mirror, On The Boulevard, half a decade ago and half a decade into the nights like this already, looking at my reflection and thinking about how I’d already become everything I ever wanted to be as a child and it was time to find another dream.”
I met Avery Jane at last year's Sleazy. She was managing the venue, and acting as Queen of Cocktails (she mixes a great drink). While I didn't get to speak with her much that night, I did get the sneaking suspicion that there was more lurking behind her calm smile than met the eye. This year, she released her first EP, and I finally did get to sit down to chat with her (right here). The last time I saw her, she was singing her heart out, centre stage at a crowded loft party marking her debut. “Honestly, it’s very nice to go from manager to performer! I loved being able to make space for art and community but I’m very confident now that I’ve made the right choice in leaving that job to focus on myself and my music.”
Alo Azimov is everywhere! I’d heard the name a million times by the time I finally met them at this year's Ladyfest. Producer of Tales of Gender Affirmation, co-producer of QT Shop Talk Show and The Poly Mic, creator of The Queer Mitzvah, and FTB contributor, Alo’s got a heart as big as her laugh. Community focused and kind souled, we’re stoked for them to be bringing jokes to the Sleazy Stage this season. “Forget The Box means a lot to me as the coverage of art on the ground level puts a community spotlight on some of the freshest emerging artists and art scenes in the city. I like that contributors add their own personal touch, writing with a genuine interest and attention to detail I don’t read so often elsewhere. I cherish when they’ve covered an event I’ve done because it feels like the contributors really care, they understand, because they’re all part of the art scene, the community, that they’re writing about.”
Mina Minou is a firecracker, and occasional (small) fire starter. (Catch her wax routine!) I met her at the first Sleazy Christmas, and before this buxom beauty busted her burlesque moves, I was smitten by her smile. Her burlesque is stunning, her acts are creative, and her giggle is great. She's community focused, an awesome human, and you won't forget her performance anytime soon. How does she feel about Andrew, and being a returning Sleazy guest? She's stoked, yo! “I am SO excited to be joining the cast for Sleazy Christmas again this year. Andrew is a great organizer who takes care of his performers and always puts on a great, funny, and thought provoking show with people who genuinely enjoy being around each other, a rare and beautiful treat. Forget The Box is such a cool project and watching it navigate our current media hellscape has been really fun and honestly inspiring to see how people can pivot in their work to keep it going no matter what life throws at you. This year was a real doozy but the Forget the Box team was still able to highlight a lot of amazing community and arts events and political situations while still bringing some humor and lightheartedness to the world.”
Morgan O’Shea’s got jokes. Probably in his pocket, I don't know where he keeps them. When we met over cigs at Sleazy last year, I had no idea who he was, so when he made his way to the stage shortly after, I thought it was a pretty baller move. But no, this is what he does, and he does it like a boss. My buddy and I held each other, oscillating between that silent gasping for breath laugh, and the ever popular (but wholly unattractive) snort. Since then, Andrew and I have made a point to catch him every chance we can. He's a consistent killer, and he loves FTB right back. “FTB means so much to me because it makes me realize that I’m on the same level as all these talented artists.”
Naghmeh’s known Andrew for ages, and she was contributing to Forget The Box before I ever met her. When I finally did meet her, it was you know, as a human and contributor, and I had no idea that she was full of songs! After watching her perform this summer, I simply had to sit down and talk with her (check that out here). Her range is wild: yes, she can go soft and acoustic, yes, she can be a pop-punk princess. Wherever the inspiration takes her, it's always a perfect journey. “Forget The Box represents an opportunity to get to know brilliant underground events and to expand my awareness of what my community is up to. We’re not really concerned about featuring click-baity pieces - we just want people to know about our favourite happenings. I think it’s precisely what we need in this city: to find out more about the indie productions, and to help them be sustainable. Forget the Box encourages its writers to get in touch with the community organizers and curators to ask some questions about their motivation and their story. As one of the contributors, I love being given this opportunity to get to find out the backstory of what makes my city special and vibrant.”
Walter Lyng is a local comedy legend, lover of hot dogs, and producer of the NDG Comedy Fest. The first time I saw him live was on Abby’s first live House of Stone podcast (here), and that makes this whole thing a perfect circle. Much like learning a new word, once I saw him, I noticed him everywhere! In fact, I was already listening to his podcast Go Plug Yourself, but hadn't connected the dots! He's done Fringe Fest, Zoofest, and JFL, to name just a few, and performing at Sleazy Christmas is the perfect feather for his hat. “I think I secretly love Christmas, but I also love being a degenerate lunatic, so the prospect of combining those two passions in one evening greatly excites me.”
This party is on the second floor of Biftek (yes, really!), and doors open at 8 PM. The show starts at 8:30 PM, continuing pretty well non-stop throughout the night over THREE STAGES, so you can pop in at any time to join the fun! Plus, there will be locally donated gifts and prizes, and a Christmas photo booth so you can make memories (even if you only remember them in the morning).
This event and venue are cash only, and it is a fundraiser, so bring all that random cash from your car console and couch cushions too. You can get tickets e-style here, or pay at the door. (If you’re not in town for the event, consider purchasing a ticket to support the amazing performers on the lineup!) While you don't have to be a degenerate to enjoy this evening, please know that your trashiest self truly is welcome, so fly your freak flag!
See you there!!
