Fort Lauderdale is best-known for its swimmable beaches, year-round sunshine, and a spring break that's well-attended by douchebags. But over the past year, Black Friday has attempted to add a much darker element to that list.
The weekly goth party brings the vamps, freaks, fetishists, and buxom beauties of burlesque to the Green Room. Regularly, Black Friday features morbid but fun nights. They've asked attendees to dress up as their favorite dead celebs, had masquerade parties, hosted a NIN tribute evening with Lavola, and even gotten some people tattooed on Friday the 13th (check out photos from that night here).
Resident Back Friday DJ Mike Lindersmash admits, "We're only the front door to the underground." This may be true, but it's definitely a pretty big, black, and sort of creepy portal to another vinyl-clad universe. With tonight's one-year anniversary party just hours away, Lindersmash took us on a trip down a cobweb-filled memory lane with Black Friday's most memorable moments.
5. The Hanging Beaver
How can we, or anyone else, for that matter, forget the suspended furry on Black Friday's inaugural night? "Skin Mechanics Suspension brought their show," Linder reminisces. "One of their performers was in a beaver mascot head, dangling from the ceiling for a half hour dancing... In the air." While Linder says he could easily make a joke about beavers, he points out, "It's just too easy!"
How can we, or anyone else, for that matter, forget the suspended furry on Black Friday's inaugural night? "Skin Mechanics Suspension brought their show," Linder reminisces. "One of their performers was in a beaver mascot head, dangling from the ceiling for a half hour dancing... In the air." While Linder says he could easily make a joke about beavers, he points out, "It's just too easy!"
4. Rocky Horror Mash-up
"Rocky Horror has been showing for 25-plus years," Linder notes, "so putting a new twist on it was a challenge." While the Christmastime drag performance of this classic was limited to the film's greatest hits, a full cast participated. "I call him my secret weapon," the DJ says of Black Friday MC Matt Havoc, who went all out for his rendition of Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
"Rocky Horror has been showing for 25-plus years," Linder notes, "so putting a new twist on it was a challenge." While the Christmastime drag performance of this classic was limited to the film's greatest hits, a full cast participated. "I call him my secret weapon," the DJ says of Black Friday MC Matt Havoc, who went all out for his rendition of Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
3. The Human Piñata
One full-grown man wearing a beaver costume hanging from giant hooks above the dance floor not enough weird for you? We may not have a photo of this gem, but we can assure you that when the Skin Mechanics were invited back to Green Room, according to Linder, "Frontman Joe Amato was chased around the stage and the rafters by bat-wielding candy fiends, eager to bust him open."
2. May the Fourth Be With You
International Star Wars Day is no joke in the world of cosplay. To mark the yearly occasion, Black Friday hosted an epic party with costume contests and prizes. A sexy and female Darth Vader burlesque act and yet another suspension performance featuring a light saber duel hit the stage. Linder remembers, "Seeing a dance floor filled with light sabers moving to the music made my geek heart grow ten sizes that night."
International Star Wars Day is no joke in the world of cosplay. To mark the yearly occasion, Black Friday hosted an epic party with costume contests and prizes. A sexy and female Darth Vader burlesque act and yet another suspension performance featuring a light saber duel hit the stage. Linder remembers, "Seeing a dance floor filled with light sabers moving to the music made my geek heart grow ten sizes that night."
1. Zombie Invasion
No one expected more than 1,200 bloodthirsty and shitfaced zombie fanatics to turn out to the first Fort Lauderdale Zombie Walk last October. "We had modest expectations," Linder remembers. "We thought 150, 200," but by 10 o'clock, the zombie apocalypse was in full effect. "Beyond a doubt, this was our biggest and the best night in Green Room history," Lindersmash insists. "Next year's is already set to be bigger and better. Alert the CDC, and hide the bath salts!"
Black Friday's One-Year Anniversary at Green Room, tonight, July 27, at Green Room, 109 SW Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale. It's 21 and older with an open bar from 10 to 11 p.m. D
Js include Lindersmash, Kaos, Essential 6, and KC Killjoy. There will be live burlesque performances by Val Vampyre, Lisa Ann, Jezebel Red.
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