Remembering the 2014 The Alternative and Burlesque Fair
For several years this was the website for the Alternative & Burlesque Fair promoted by Heresy n Heelz Productions Ltd.
Content is from the site's 2012-2014 archived pages.
The Alternative and Burlesque Fair
Preview by Ailsa Mullins | 28 Mar 2014
For the first time, The Ultimate Alternative Shopping and Entertainment Experience stops off in Glasgow on its UK-wide tour. With up to 1,000 monthly guests, The Experience offers a variety of clothing, accessories and some naughty for those who enjoy the burlesque, vintage, rockabilly, fetish, adult lifestyle, gothic, alternative, steampunk and neo-Victorian scenes.
On Saturday the 12 April, Glasgow's Queen Margaret Union will play host to this spectacular (and alternative) event, spoiling you for choice with over 35 stalls, with names like Tatty Bon, Kinky Pink and Madame Pinups in attendance. This event is for the risky, naughty and indulgent – definitely not for the faint hearted! Satisfying all senses, a visual feast will be provided through an array of burlesque and aerial shows throughout the day, headlined by the fabulous, and arguably one of the most iconic British Burlesqueperformers of the last decade, Kittie Klaw.
For those not only looking to shop, social areas will be dotted between bars and catering, allowing you to rest your weary feet and get chatting to fellow enthusiasts. The party animals and night owls will be pleased to hear that Asylum, Glasgow’s top alternative night club, will hold The Experience’s special after party.
It all kicks off from midday and runs until 6pm. Entry is £5, £4 for NUS cardholders paid on the door. It’s over 18s only, and for the lucky baby-faced among us, ID may be required. For any more information, or about the other stops on The Ultimate Alternative Shopping & Entertainment Experience tour, check out www.thealternativeandburlesquefair.com/next-glasgow-event
Queen Margaret Union, 22 University Gardens, Glasgow, £5 on the door Strictly over 18s only (ID may be required). NUS £4 (entitlement card must be shown) @Heresy_n_Heelz www.thealternativeandburlesquefair.com/next-glasgow-event
"In the United States, this wonderful, inclusive, consciousness raising event was viewed quite differently than in the UK. A Google search for "The Alternative & Burlesque Fair" showed a page one results that associated the event with pornography and sexual deviance, a far cry from the actual. While this probably did not deter the local audiences from attending, it probably influenced the perception of the entertainment in quite negative ways. It is a well documented fact that Google often creates false impressions via their search results, often harming businesses and individuals through inappropriate associations that would otherwise not have existed, were it not for a basic flaw in their algorithm. While we detest this occurrence, there is nothing anyone can do without spending large sums to forcibly alter the results via search engine optimization. And so we are forced to put up with this nonsense and hope that the search giant eventually gets its act together. Until then, ignore Google, and enjoy the show!" Ridley Punjab
2014 Events Schedule
The Alternative & Burlesque Fair is currently held regularly in Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Bristol & new for 2014 Glasgow
Event Diary
It is not unually necessary to book tickets in advance as The Alternative & Burlesque Fair is 'pay on door'. Events with advance tickets available will have online ticket link.
Please note that all our events are strictly 18+ only & ID will be requested on entry, to anyone lucky enough to appear around or below this age.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DERBY 1ST NOVEMBER & LEICESTER 13TH DECEMBER EVENT HAVE BEEN CANCELLED.
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Sat July 5th - Sheffield Alternative & Burlesque Fair
NEW VENUE - FOUNDRY & FUSION @ SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY STUDENTS UNION
Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG
12 noon - 6pm
Admission : £5 pay on door
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Sat July 26th - Manchester Alternative & Burlesque Fair
@ Sound Control
1 New Wakefield Street (off Oxford Rd) M1 5WH
11am - 5pm
Admission : £5 pay on door
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Sat August 9th - Glasgow Alternative & Burlesque Fair
@ QMU
122 University Gardens, G12 8QN
12 nnon - 6pm
Admission : £5 pay on door
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Sat August 30th - Manchester Alternative & Burlesque Fair
@ Sound Control
1 New Wakefield Street (off Oxford Rd) M1 5WH
11am - 5pm
Admission : £5 pay on door
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Sat September 6th - Birmingham Alternative & Burlesque Fair
@ NEW VENUE 'THE INSTITUTE'
78 Digbeth High Street, B5 6DY
12 noon - 6pm
Admission : £5 pay on door or tickets available in advance
Sheffield Alternative & Burlesque Fair
Sat 5th July, 2014 12noon - 6pm
Entertainment »
Heresy n Heelz present a full programme of entertainment, with shows every 45 minutes featuring:
• Liberty Pink : Your hostess for the day is a slutlry jazz singer with a difference!
• Beau Rocks : Glaswegian born Beau is reminiscent of a Vargas pin-up girl with a cute sass, flirty smile and an unmistakably naughty sparkle in her eye. Her stage persona combines glamour with a heart-warming pinch of girl next door calamity… but don’t let her angelic features fool you as she has been known to make both men and women blush with a well-timed wink and bump of her hip!
• Movers & Shakers : Our regular new talent slot presented jointly by HnH & Ministry of Burlesque, featuring Ruby Derriere
• Blush Dance Studios : Performers from Manchester's premier pole school will take your breath away with gravity defying aerial performances
• DJ Paul DoMaster : Our resident DJ will be providing cracking tunes throughout including Electro Swing. House, Techno & Retro Burlesque
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Guest Information »
Venue Address : All Saints Street, Bristol BS1 2NA
Location : Town centre just off Charter Row, easy walking distance of City Centre & Hallam University campus
Directions : City Centre opposite Nelson Street NCP multi storey car park, near Broadmeads & Castle Park
Parking : Nelson Street NCP
Public Transport : Bristol Temple Meads Station 1 mile, easy reach city centre buses
Admission : £5 on the door - Strictly over 18's only (ID may be required)
Cloakroom : Available on ground floor
Cash Machine : Numerous within easy walking distance
Disabled Access : All main ground floor stalls but there are 2 short flights of steps to enter venue
Dress Code : None, but feel free to look FABULOUS whatever your style. Provocative or revealing outfits are fine, but please keep your attire & behavior appropriate for a mixed genre event, and no nudity allowed.
Photography : Whilst we tolerate our guests using cameraphones & compact devices for personal use, use of SLR & similar full size cameras is strictly controlled. Press passes will only be issued to HnH Official Photographers, those working on behalf of recognised media publications, and freelance journalists/bloggers who are compiling reviews. If you would like a media press pass please email jules@heresynheelz.co.uk. No flash photography is allowed during any stage shows.
Press passes can only be used under our strict terms & conditions, and anyone found breaching them or taking unauthorised pictures, will be asked to leave the event & delete all such pictures.
We are delighted to support The Sophie Lancaster Foundation as our nominated charity. S.O.P.H.I.E. campaign to stamp out hate prejudice against minority groups, and have a complimentary stall selling Sophie wristbands and other merchandise.
We ask you to give genrously to this very worthy cause.
Press Reviews
We regularly receive fantastic press reviews, here is a selection of the most recent.
If you are an editor, staff or freelance writer, or blogger who would like to attend & review our events, please contact us to arange a press pass.
Nikki Bordeaux
20th January 2014
http://nikkibordeaux.blogspot.co.uk
Review : Nikki Bordeaux (Burlesque/Alt Blogger)
Pictures : Elizabeth McDonald
"...Every person has their vice; be that shopping for new clothes, good food, watching a lovingly crafted dance routine, a warm and welcoming atmosphere or a latex clad lady selling a wide array of dildos in all the colours of the rainbow. For me, you can check all of the above. Now, finding somewhere that encompasses all my vices in one place would seem an impossible task, which has been accomplished by the absolutely incredible Manchester Alternative and Burlesque Fair..."
"...The Alternative and Burlesque Fairs are a hard thing for me to summarise… So I’ll just say this: There are few places I can feel truly comfortable with being myself, the Alternative and Burlesque Fairs are one of them..."
Forge Today
Ocotober 17th 2013
http://forgetoday.com/lifestyle/more-teeze-than-sleeze-the-heresy-n-heelz-alternative-and-burlesque-fair/
Review : Ellie McCaldin (staff writer)
"...Altogether, the most enjoyable aspect of the day is the closeness and good will that seems to simmer effortlessly between those involved in running the event, performers and perhaps most importantly, the local community..."
Twisted Edge Magazine
Issue 3 December 2013
http://glossi.com/thetwistedagency/62867-twisted-edge-issue-3
Review : Craig Palethorpe (Editor)
Pictures : Tony Smith & Anthony Didsbury
"...So in all the day itself was a revelation, the traders fantastic, the performances amazing, and the atmosphere fantastic. This will not be my last visit to the Heresy n Heelz Alternative & Burlesque Fair, but without question the start of many more to come. From someone going to a fair with no expectation, to leaving with a fulfilled enlightenment from the day, I can't recommend the event any higher than definitely one of the best I have ever been too..."
Modified Dolls
October 31st 2013
http://tmdukchapter.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=9865e0a415d8e216
Review : Tineke Dubois Fleet
Pictures : Caterine Fairbrother
"...One of the very first things I noticed when I went in was how genuinely friendly everyone was. It was amazing to feel so comfortable in a room full of complete strangers..."
"...if you want to have an amazing afternoon out, I would recommend this. The acts are wonderful, the people are friendly and the stalls are plentiful and all unique..."
Deep Down & Kinky
September 30th 2013
http://www.deepdownandkinky.com/2013/09/the-heresy-n-heelz-alternative-burlesque-fair/
Review - Freya Bentos + Kidfos
Pictures : Number von Son
"...Whether you’re a fetish fanatic, simply fancy a good flogging once in a while, or entirely new to it all – Heresy ‘n’ Heelz provides everything from cupcakes to clit clamps, all infused with a slightest touch of tongue in cheek humour..."
"...I didn’t get as shy as I thought I would. I didn’t feel daft or out of place, or as if I was looking at things I shouldn’t have been looking at. It didn’t seem as if anyone was judging each other, or laughing or taking the piss. I suppose that’s what the Heresy ‘n’ Heelz events are best at. As they say themselves, ‘Tease not sleaze'..."
Intravenous Magazine
October 2nd 2013
http://www.intravenousmag.co.uk/2013/10/heresy-n-heelz-birmingham-alternative.html
Review - NearMiss DiZaster
Pictures : Dokka Chapman
"...combines jaw dropping performances from some fabulous artists, with a shopping environment like no other, it has quickly grown into one of the most successful markets of its kind in the UK..."
Steampunk Journal
September 25th 2013
http://steampunkjournal.org/2013/09/25/images-from-the-alternative-burlesque-fair-sheffield
Matt Grayson - Blogger & Photographer
"...I had a wonderful time and if you’re a steampunk or someone that takes an interest in the rubbery side of life, then The Alternative & Burlesque Fair is a lovely place to go..."
Twisted Edge Magazine
Issue 2 September 2013
http://glossi.com/thetwistedagency/23886-twisted-edge-issue-2
Staff Writer
"...All in all, there is something ‘positively right’ about these events, and with further expansion planned in 2014, they may well be coming to a city near you. Our advice...go and see what all the fuss is about..."
Twisted Edge is available as an online e-zine direct from their website.
Culture Bomb Magazine
Issue 14 Jan 2013
http://issuu.com/culturebomb
Michelle Butterworth
...'Congratulations to the Heresy n Heelz team for holding such a ground breaking event, and thank you to all the stall holders for being so welcoming and truly opening our eyes to what is lurking in the underworld'.....
...'One thing all the stalls have in common that completely differentiates this fair from any mainstream shopping experience, is that you can walk up to any stall-holder and speak to them openly about their products, where their inspiration comes from, and where they source their materials'
Culture Bomb is available as an online e-zine direct from their website.
Rebelicious Magazine
Issue 9 Autumn/Winter 2012
www.rebeliciousmagazine.com
Staff Writer
..."Heresy n Heelz once again welcomed us into a bold celebration of all things latex at Manchester's Alternative & Burlesque Fair. Filled with every entertainment from cupcakes to acrobatics, the day built up through wirlwind preparation to a stunning catwalk cresendo. Modelled by beauties who are no strangers to our pages, innovative designer Eustratia showed pieces from the CHIMERA, & newly released OPULENCE collections"...
Rebelicious Magazine is available as an online e-zine direct from their website.
‘More teeze than sleeze’: The Heresy n’ Heelz alternative and burlesque fair
October 17, 2013
by Ellie McCaldin
As a third year veteran of the University of Sheffield, my brain-box can easily supply many a tale of Corp shenanigans; whether through personal experience or hearsay you’ve probably heard a dozen vom stories, several accounts of public sex and much more besides. However, for those of you who feel you’ve seen all that the Corporation venue has to offer, a visit to the Heresy n’ Heelz alternative and burlesque fair will prove you to be wildly incorrect.
The alternative and burlesque fair, brainchild of the events management, production and promotion company Heresy N’ Heelz, tours around Sheffield, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Glasgow visiting every location once every three to four months. The fair ran from 12-6pm, with performances throughout the day interspersed with free time in which the audience members were encouraged to shop for fetish bargains (“22.50 off harnesses today!”) in the pop-up market which had materialised as if by magic in an adjoining outbuilding.
Considering Corporation’s reputation, it was hard not to feel a twinge of irony when I first saw Heresy N Heelz’s slogan ‘More teeze than sleeze’ serving as the backdrop for the events of the day. Any temporary reservations I had were quickly dispelled however, by the bewitchingly dark glamour of Sheffield local and burlesque performer Raven Noir. Sporting a huge feathered and bedazzled headdress and regally removing her garments to the tune of Cliff Richard’s ‘Devil Woman’, this performance oozed empowerment, an aspect of burlesque commented upon by almost everyone I spoke to at the fair.
A slightly peturbed Natalie Reed, modelling the disney villain collar
photo: Ellie McCaldin
My two accomplices and I, having opted for jeans and t shirts, were fairly obvious newbies. If anything though this worked to our advantage when searching through the marketplace; every stall owner, audience member or performer we met was eager to deal out the tips and tricks of the alternative realm. Our first nugget of wisdom came from Jess Shutt, Sheffield based designer of fabulous PVC dresses at English Voodoo Designs: “always use talcum powder when getting into clothing made with latex, but never when you’re wearing a transparent piece”. Powdery plastic covered bodies are, apparently, a total faux pas.
Perhaps the best tip of the day came when a stall owner (also dressed from head to toe in skin tight latex) smiled wickedly at us and said “if you have to ask what it is, you don’t want to know”.
But ask we did. Items ranged from the strangely adorable (miniature mushroom shaped vibrators with smiley faces on them), to the oddly beautiful (one stall owner wears an intricate model of a pirate ship as a hat) and the downright scary (plenty of gas masks, recovered from military surplus adorn the shelves of stores such as Latex 101). The thing that linked all these stores together however, was the obvious delight each salesperson had in dealing with their wares, all extremely involved in the production process if not personally responsible for manufacturing their products.
Performance wise, the highlights of the day were delivered by Blush Dance Studio’s pole dancing set and burlesque dancer Sukki Singapora.
Dancers Amy Carfoot and Bex Campey cracked out some truly astounding feats of core strength throughout both performances, set to the tunes of Paloma Faith’s ‘Upside Down’ and the classic ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’. The ease with which Bex held herself in a horizontal position, using only her thigh muscles, whilst simultaneously winking and saluting was both endearing and hugely impressive. We managed to grab Bex for a chat after her performance and she told us that “the most rewarding thing about teaching people how to pole dance is getting people to do things that they didn’t think they could…it’s all about empowerment”.
Bex Campey making it look easy
Photo: Catherine Fairbrother
Sukki Singapora, known to her fans as The Ambassador of Burlesque, was a first-time arrival to Sheffield on the day of the performance, but if she was nervous you’d never have known. However, this was possibly due to the fact that her week had been filled with altogether more intimidating things; a few days prior to the fair, Sukki became the first ever burlesque performer to be invited to high tea at Buckingham Palace, earning her invitation not only through her work as an artist but also because of her political efforts which focus on supporting women as they venture into the arts.
Sukki’s New Orleans’ bump n’ grind style performance was set to the tune of ‘Mr Jailer’, from the soundtrack of the Johnny Depp film ‘Cry-Baby’, a song which she encountered whilst receiving an education on Western film culture, having grown up on Bollywood classics. Sukki told us of the moment she first heard the song: “you know a song is right for your performance when you can mentally visualise where to place every limb…the song spoke for itself”.
In person Sukki is warm, effervescent and obviously extremely humble. All these qualities translated totally in her stage performance in which the barrier between performer crowd was paper thin; her playful looks, feigned struggles to remove gorgeous gloves or her sequinned corset and constant efforts to interact fully with the crowd rendered the performance totally engaging.
During our conversation, the only question which stumped Sukki even momentarily is what runs through her head as she performs. After a slight pause she told me that mainly she is just buzzing from the energy of the audience, “the more they give the more I do, I love playing off reactions”.
The advice she offers for performers getting into the scene is “not to be afraid of making mistakes, throw yourself into it and discover burlesque through your own identity”, going onto say that the most important thing is not being overly concerned with trying to emulate things you’ve seen other performers do.
Altogether, the most enjoyable aspect of the day was the closeness and good will that simmered effortlessly between those involved in running the event, performers and perhaps most importantly, the local community. Jules Evans, managing director of Heresy n’ Heelz, told me that one of the most important aspect of the fair is that it encourages new local talent, acting as “a stepping stone for performers who feel that they may want to begin performing professionally but need experience of dancing in front of larger audiences”.
Sukki gives it her all on the Alternative and Burlesque fair stage
Photo: Catherine Fairbrother
He was also quick to voice his opinion on those that may disagree with aspects of the fair such as pole dancing, saying that the only thing that the Blush Studio dancers have in common with dancers at “gentleman’s clubs” is that “both use a pole”. Dancers involved in the Alternative and Burlesque fair are “all about body confidence. Is it sexy? Well yes, some could think that. But is that really a problem? If people have a problem with that then this is not the place for them”.
For those who have not yet seen the fun side of terrifying looking sex toys, gas masks and a whole lot of latex, a day out to the Alternative Fair will quickly dispel any prejudices you may have been harbouring. Get yourself down to the next instalment of the fair which takes place on Nov February 1 if you’re yet to be convinced.