**** NOTE: My November 2012 posts have been lost due to system issues. They are: Good Guys Show, Nostalgia Drags and my Day of the Dead shoot...hoping to recover them. Sorry if you came here to specifically see those posts.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Presenting: Sexo y Violencia........



 LUCHA Va VOOM
The Cinco De Mayan Show
May 5th 2011


(Note: Only point and shoot cameras were allowed at this event. I had to utilize a 10 year old 3MP Kodak.)

 For those not familiar with the wildly fun spectacle that is,
Lucha Va Voom, I'll sum it up as a rockin' bawdy circus of Mexican wrestling, striptease and comedy. It takes place on the west coast (also in Chicago) in downtown Los Angeles at the beautiful-gaudy Mayan Theater. This 80+year old theater is the perfect venue for LVV---you'd think it was built specifically for it.
The Theater is a as much a character in the LVV show as one of the wrestlers and more legendary. The Mexican & Mayan themes were designed by a Mexican artist/archaeologist. The ceiling design is based on the Mayan Calendar and looks like something that would be featured in an Indiana Jones 2012 summer blockbuster where he battles Mayan demigods to prevent the end of the world. I'd see that movie.
Legend has it that Marilyn Monroe once stripped at the Mayan. It's a known fact that "flesh flicks" were filmed there and for years it was a run-down venue for pornography. Now a couple times a year when it's not used as a nightclub it is the home of "Sexo y Violencia". 
Perfecto!
The pre-show begins outside the theater where the Vavoomers (my term) are chauffeured to the entrance by cool Kustom/traditional cars for their grand entrances. Naturally, I had to see and photograph this.




The car club handling the chauffeur duties was the Crusaders C.C. of Long Beach. They were also at the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend event just a week prior (See previous 3 posts), however, I was told by one guy that he only remembers the ride home.


Me and my little point-&-shoot camera were treated kindly by the Vavoomers. I was able to sit in on a Spanish (language) TV interview.
And the gang was happy to pose for some photos. 



Here's some more ride shots...








These two were not part of the show but like a handful of fans proudly donned their Lucha costumes.
The show was sold out but it was comfortable in the seating area and it didn't take long at the bar to grab another round of beers and tequila.

Here's a blurry wrestling  "violencia" shot....they just wouldn't keep still enough for my little Kodak.

After the show I hustled to the stage area to get some photos. This is Lux LaCroix, she was the second act. She burst out on to the stage packing a machine gun and brought on the "sexo" full tilt. She rocked, stripped and teased the place to a frenzy.

This is Leigh Acosta an amazing pole dancer. She's not some stripper from the corner topless bar, this lady is an artist! Incredible strength, rhythm, control and sensuality (sexo). She was the last act and wowed the theater. It was an amazing performance. I'm sure she can be found on YouTube doing her magic.
Here we have a pretty lady and Blaine Capatch, the very funny comedian/announcer. He had Tom Kenny, the voice of Sponge Bob, as his sidekick. It was oddly funny hearing Spongey curse. That's Drew Carry to the right. He was just there for the show. Capatch and Kenny kept the laughs coming with their play-by-play and intermittent shouts out of "LUCHA!!!" To which the crowd shouted back "VA VOOM!!!"

 There was sooooo much more wrestling, dancing, stripping and teasing I just could not capture. I found this video, which though not the same show, captures the essence of Lucha Va Voom!





Here's a link to the Lucha Va Voom website. Their next show at the Mayan is in August. I hope to be there.
http://luchavavoom.com//
Hasta la vista!







 

Thursday, May 19, 2011

2011 Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Car Show -- Part 3




 PART 3





Here's it is, the last in the trilogy of 
the 2011 Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Car Show.
(There will be another in a couple of weeks....see final words at bottom.)
Another angle of one of my favorite cars. More shots in the VLV Galleries.

The Bachelor Pad crew.
"Low Down Kustoms" of the High Desert...see more details of these rides in the VLV galleries.
A Caddy for on the town...
Caddy camping Viva Las Vegas style!
A Caddy for the ranch.
A Kustom art pinstriper bust.


Pink...Pink...Pink...Pink!

One bad-ass flaked green hot rod.
Tiki tough.
Tough swirl. How about that pinstriping?



Latina Lovelies...
Lowbrow Uglies... (Gotta love that cigar smokin' baby!)
Perfect '58 & '60 Chevys...more views in the VLV Galleries

Some rearview dangling Day of the Dead art...I love this stuff!

A burlesque touch.

Kickin' it out the window.

Great scallops!!





Yeah, doll, I'll have another PBR tallboy, thank you!
One of the baddest Kustom Buicks around.

In wrapping up I am supplying a link to a road trip journal worthy of a documentary film for the Kool Kustom Network on Road Trip Week! I'm talking about the journey for this '60 Ford Wagon and it's owner Larry Davidson from Justin, Texas ("Toptinman" on the H.A.M.B.) and his buddy Stevan. He journaled their trip from his home in Texas to Viva Las Vegas #14 via Route 66. He reported from the road daily with stories and photographs of classic Americana along the route with his posts to the H.A.M.B.
I hope some day I'm fortunate enough to take a trip like his; his story is an inspiration to hit the road!
With Larry's enthusiastic permission, here is the link to his great story:
VLV via Route 66 by Toptinman on the H.A.M.B.
Unfortunately, I got to the HAMB after VLV, so I was not aware of his trip journal as it was happening. I did, however, come across his nice wagon and took a photo! 
(in closing, final important words....below this photo)
FINAL NOTE...Okay, maybe you've seen all three of my VLV #14 posts and are thinking "Does he not like trucks and bikes? Where's the photos?"....I like them muy mucho and will do a post with both the bad-ass trucks and bikes of VLV #14 very soon. I think it's time to take a break from VLV for some other recent events  that are very Kustom-Cool. Also, as promised, the 2011 Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Car Show galleries are up!! Hundreds of photos worth checking out (trucks and bikes will have their own folders after the post). I'm excited to report that the date for VLV #15 has been set for the first weekend in April 2012!!
Thank you, thank you very much!