DR. SKETCHY'S ANTI-ART SCHOOL, TOKYO: JAPANESE BURLESQUE DANCER CHERRY TYPHOON. LIVE ALT MODELS FIGURE DRAWING, JAPAN.
Maoo maoo! How is your weekend? I’m still reeling from meeting Miyavi and seeing his electric live performance. Be sure to check this blog on Monday for a new giveaway contest and more Miyavi mania.
Several of my Tokyo spooks are involved with Dr. Sketchy’s Tokyo. What’s it all about? Naomi (of Horror High School fame) has the scoop:
On the fourth Wednesday of every month, Tokyo’s multi-national community of art-monkey saunters in to the Pink Cow in Shibuya for the city’s hottest life-drawing class: Dr. Sketchy’s Tokyo.
Dr. Sketchy’s is an event held in over 80 cities across four continents where artists of all skill-levels gather to drink and draw — using local burlesque dancers and performers as models. The Tokyo chapter is held in a warmly-lit bar with the sounds of DJ Dailight, and is hosted by Tokyo’s own international burlesque sensation Cherry Typhoon.
At the last Dr. Sketchy’s, the self-proclaimed “chubby-tiny-dynamo” Cherry Typhoon looked to themes of rain and candy (which are both pronounced “ame” in Japanese) to create a surprisingly sexy frog outfit, and a sweet pâtissier’s apron with cake-hat. She performed her trademark striptease, inspired by traditional Japanese fan-dance, and the crowd drew her voluptuous figure in action.
The event was also a launching point for Cherry Typhoon’s world tour. From June onward, the Typhoon will be making her way across America, Canada, Europe, and Asia — so make sure to follow her antics on her home page and Twitter. She might be coming to your town!
Tokyo friends, my cupcake battle frien-emy (friend-enemy) Cotton Bale is this month’s model! “A Southern belle with a severe case of gender dysphoria, Cotton Bale exposes gender for a glamorous hoax.” So bring your sketchpad and make your way to this month’s anti-art event to draw her sassy pout.
Dr. Sketchy’s Tokyo.
When: Weds, June 23rd, 19:00-22:00ish
Where: The Pink Cow, Shibuya
Price: ¥2000, including a free drink.
It was a treat to see Japanese nightlife/subculture photographer Qhoto again at the Osaka Black Veil 10th anniversary ball. Here are some of Qhoto’s photos from the event (my full report is here).
DJ Taiki emailed me, telling me he uploaded a video of Black Veil. Remember the debacle over YouTube arbitrarily removing my video? Well, Taiki’s video shows frontal nudity, fetish whipping: basically the same thing as mine. But YouTube hasn’t taken his down. Yet. Hmm…
Have you ever been to a Dr. Sketchy’s event? What did you think of the experience?
Japanese Word of the Day: Active = Kappatsu (na)
Song of the Day: KISS – I was made for loving you. (Been listening to this KISS playlist as I work. 1970s glam metal yeahhhhh!)
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ANTOINE DE CAUNES, FRENCH TV HOST OF EUROTRASH & CANAL PLUS DOCUMENTARY. ODAIBA DINNER BOAT CRUISE & KARAOKE, TOKYO BAY.
Mon dieu! C’est Antoine de Caunes, French TV presenter and all-around funny-man. Perhaps you know him from Eurotrash, the sensational British late-night show he co-hosted with Jean-Paul Gaultier.
As you know, I was in Tokyo to co-host a French documentary (for the station Canal Plus) about theme restaurants, subcultures and all that jazz. Antoine de Caunes flew in from Paris, and we kicked off our epic journey with a dinner boat cruise in Odaiba.
The TV crew boarded a quaint boat in Tokyo Bay…
Navy jacket: Alice and the Pirates, from Closet Child Harajuku
Turquoise Lolita dress: Carina e Arlequin, from Closet Child Harajuku
Yellow boots: John Fluevog
Takoyaki-chan plush toy: from an Osaka convenience store
Behold, the traditional Japanese dinner we feasted upon! Sashimi, tempura, edamame, chawanmushi (egg custard). And alcohol. Lots of it. Nama-biru, sake, umeshu (plum wine), shochu… my memory gets fuzzy from this point onward…
Sound director Steve and I show ’em how to pose like an Asian. (Remember my CNNGo dissertation on this serious subject?)
Apparently, the oysters were laced with LSD.
Monsieur de Caunes and I compared our new Canon cameras (I have a Powershot S90).
Once we were plenty juiced, I got the karaoke started. Driver Hiroshi and I did the Bon “shovel dance” together.
The TV crew was hand-picked from all over the globe, and everyone clicked from day one. By the end of the shoot, we had accumulated a Mount Fuji of funny memories.
Antoine didn’t partake in the sing-a-long. When the producer took over the microphone, he pretended to vomit and jump out of the boat!
Have you watched Eurotrash? Any French readers here who know of Antoine de Caunes? He’s as hilarious and nice as you’d expect…
Japanese Word of the Day: Biko = Nostril
Song of the Day: The Devils Blood – Christ Or Cocaine (Suggested by Akie. Satanic psychedelic rock and roll… soundtrack of our past lives.)
LA CARMINA
