The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn

Winners of Subway Idol contest, The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn play old-time music from 1910 to the 1940's, just like your hip great-grandma's great collection of scratchy 78s.

Baby Soda Jazz Band

Baby Soda is on the cutting edge of a new movement loosely known as street jazz; with an eclectic set of influences ranging from New Orleans brass bands, jug music, southern gospel and hot jazz. The ensemble doesn't desire to recreate the past, rather they bring the concept and joy of the music to the present. Baby Soda is an adaptable and ever-changing group made up of New York's finest musicians; featuring trumpet, accordion, clarinet, washboard, banjo and one string bass. Accordionist Patrick Harison also does double duty as the band's vocalist, with a voice described as Tom Waits meets Rudy Vallee. Both Pediatrics and Geriatrics agree, Baby Soda is the sure cure for the aches and pains of the modern world!

Red Hook Ramblers

Red hot dixieland jazz, gutbucket blues, and tunes of 1920's Tin Pan Alley come barreling out of Brooklyn's very own Red Hook Ramblers. This rag-tag six-piece get the juke jumpin' with long-lost #1 hits, upbeat two-steps and sweet melodies galore. Indulge yourself in a gumbo of traditional jazz, New Orleans style.

Michael Arenella & his Dreamland Orchestra

An 11-pc ensemble steeped in the hot-dance band tradition of the Roaring Twenties, The Dreamland Orchestra is authentic. Arenella transcribes by hand their entire repertoire from period recordings. Their delivery, as well as their instruments, attire, and equipment - are faithfully accurate. Arenella's strong yet vulnerable baritone lacks pretense or sarcasm. He treasures each lyric, and has faith in the songs he sings. Even the most optimisic Tin Pan Alley tune has a disarming quality in his hands.

Special guest from New Orleans: Linnzi Zaorski

New Orleans Ninth Ward chanteuse Linnzi Zaorski is the kind of artist that you find standing in front of a 1940s style microphone, in a long flowing black gown, gardenia in her hair, and lit so gently as to only see a pair of fire-red lips belt out the tunes of Duke Ellington, George and Ira Gershwin, and Johnny Mercer to a smoke-filled cabaret. She is an exceptional torch singer that appears to be a cross between Cyndi Lauper and Betty Boop. Live, she turns a barroom into a speakeasy with a wink and a whisper. In the broad field of New Orleans Jazz artists she is an extreme breath of fresh air, a unique musical commodity. Sweet and a little spicy, Zaorski adds a kick to a familiar recipe.

Neon Swing X-perience

Walking into a Neon Swing show is like stepping back in time to an era when music was hot, martinis were strong, zoot suits were sharp, and romance was sparked on the dance floor. Since 1998, the band has been dedicated to preserving classic Americana through modernizing music rooted in jumpin' swing rhythms. By mixing rockabilly, blues, and jazz with its big band roots, NSX revives classic songs made famous by Glenn Miller, Louis Prima, Louis Armstrong and others while not compromising its commitment to progressing the swing genre through its own unique compositions. Critics have praised NSX for being "the only band bold enough to jump, jive, and rock" and preserving "swing with sting." The group has performed and sold out notable venues on both coasts, including The Derby (Hollywood), Central Park (NYC), PNC Park (Pittsburgh), and the Hard Rock Cafe (Pittsburgh) among many others.

Big Bang Big Band

In just two short years, The Big Bang Big Band has already been in residency at Greenwich Village's renowned jazz club, The Garage for more than a year, in addition to headlining at Manhattan's Sweet Rhythm, St. Peter's Church, the Central Park Swings Festival, Swing 46 and Connolly's. Their clean, exhilarating sound honors the classic jazz tradition while infusing it with a vibrant soulful twist; jazz aficionados and new listeners alike are drawn to it. Led by seasoned Dixieland, jazz, and big band saxophonist Tom Abbott, The Big Bang Big Band favors the music of Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson and other such classic swing from the 1930's and 40's.

Bill Carney's Jug Addicts

NYC's most powerful jug band, the Jug Addicts were formed in 1997 out of the ashes of two prior jug bands, the Metropolecats and Pork Chop. Having started by blending NYC's top two jug bands, the Jug Addicts continue the twinning principle by having two of every instrument...almost. The sound is raucous but with unexpectedly elegant touches, and it makes you want to move your body. The Jug Addicts recording, "Cynthia's Kitchen" was recorded in a kitchen in NYC's east village and produced by the somewhat legendary Strokes' Sensei and Guru, JP Bowersock.

Strung Out String Band

The Strung Out String Band plays energetic dance music from several traditions and epochs. As dedicated interpreters of the "Old Time Southern" and "Wallachian and Moldavan Judeo-Gypsy Wedding" music, they aim to blast audiences into a frenzied dimension of ecstatic boogieing only using fiddle, banjo, guitar, accordion and upright bass. SOSB has built up its repetoire by huddling around 1930's Hillbilly recordings, learning from their friends in New York's oldtime music community and from studying with Lautari (Professional Gypsy musicians) in Iasi, Szászcsávás and Bucharest, Romania.

Jo "Boobs" Weldon

Headmistress of NYC's famous School of Burlesque, Jo Weldon is the judging co-ordinator for the Miss Exotic World Pageant and has been producing at Coney Island's Burlesque at the Beach for five years. She's been voted "Best Teacher" (Village Voice "Best Of New York" 2007), "Best Burlesque Teacher and Mentor" (New York Burlesque Festival 2006), and "Best Bump N Grinder" (NYBF 2005). She was recently a featured performer in Margaret Cho's variety show, the Sensuous Woman, and served as coach and consultant on the "Victor Victrola" episode of Gossip Girl. In the early 90s she was a feature dancer, traveling across the country with trunks full of props and costumes to headline at strip joints across the US and Canada; she performed her first fan dance in 1991.

The Maine Attraction

Burlesque dancer, samba dancer, belly dancer, African dancer, hip hop dancer, modern dancer, fire dancer, specialty dancer, go-go dancer, pole dancer, showgirl, walkabout host, contortionist, voiceover and singer, Maine forges a link between live instrumentation, DJs, multimedia, spoken word and the art of dance. She has worked for and alongside such artists as Pharell Williams, Jessica Simpson, James Brown, Meshell N'degeocello, Matthew Barney, DJ Tiesto, DJ Carl Cox, DJ Johnathan Peters, and fashion designers Patricia Field and Marc Jacobs. In June 2007, GO Magazine honored Maine in their annual "100 Women We Love" issue. With her powerful and uninhibited movement, sexuality, rhythm, and sense of humor, Maine is a ball of fire that lights up any stage.

The Peach Tartes

The Peach Tartes, New York City's juiciest burlesque troupe, are Veruca Honeyscotch, Rita Menweep, Scarlet O'Gasm, Madame Rosebud, and Penny Dreadfulz--a band of show women committed to challenging what you think about burlesque, what you know about women and what you expect from entertainment. They collaboratively shake, shimmy and twirl together choreography, storytelling, comedy, emotion, darkness and fire to create innovative and unforgettable events. The ladies will titillate and tantilize you with numbers from their 1920s prohibition-themed show "Peel for Repeal!"

Molly Crabapple

The lovely Molly Crabapple wears many hats (only some of which come with giant plumes). She's an illustrator for fine places like Marvel Comics, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Playgirl; creator of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School, a cabaret-life-drawing class with nearly 50 branches around the world, and its companion book, "Dr. Sketchy's Official Rainy Day Colouring Book"; and artist for "Backstage," a murder mystery webcomic set in the burlesque halls of old New York. Oh yeah, she's also a burlesque dancer.

Amelia Danger

This winsome, witty coquette is a crowd favorite on the NYC cabaret and burlesque circuit. Coney Island crowned her Miss Coney Island Pin-Up 2007 Runner Up, and Go Magazine has named her "a must see, a bouquet of beauty." Classically trained from the age of 7 at the School of American Ballet, she went on to become a Corps member of the New York City Ballet. In addition to performing at some of New York's most reknowned opera houses, she's been cast in Broadway, Off-Broadway and everything in between. She is one of the regular fetching cigarette girls on TLC's "Fashionably Late with Stacy London," and has appeared on IFC (2007 Western "Shroud") and MTV Europe (starring in Modjo's video "Lady").

Awesome aerial stunts: Oiseaux, featuring Jordann Baker and Anya Sapozhnikova of Lady Circus

Oiseaux (wah-zoh) is a high-flying spectacle of class, wonder and funk. Tantalizing audiences with feats of danger and raw athleticism, Jordann Baker and Anya Sapozhnikova have been gracing the ceilings of NYC speakeasies since 1920.

Awesome aerial stunts: Chicktryx

After a month of Arabian Nights, New York's own Chicktryx returns to the US for a wild night with their favorite party divas, Scorpio and Gemini! Whether gliding through the air or breathing fire on the ground, these ladies possess a sultry spicy style that lives and breathes beneath electrifying smiles. Together they've performed on three continents, for clients that include Disney, Macy's, Spiegel World, South Street Seaport and the royalty of Dubai. Their combined gymnastic and dance background informs their work, enticing audiences with a magic that leads from sweet to sexy with the flick of a leg or the roll of a hip. "Mind-boggling artistry and athleticism! All the wow-factor & star quality one would expect from a headline draw!" - Fringe Review. "Truly impressive balletic acrobats scaling, twisting & somersaulting around a silk curtain" - The Stage

Masterful magic: Jeff Grow aka Amazing Amazini

The rich simplicity and direct nature of Jeff's performance makes it accessible to a wide scope of audiences from Fortune 500 companies to arts festivals. His work has been included in events for such notables as: Chrysler Corporation, Jive Records, Computer Associates and the NFL. Jeff's sleight of hand has been featured in award-winning films as well as national and international commercials. His original theatre work includes: Magicians, Wise Fools and Ordinary Magic (Center Stage NYC); A Story About Magic (numerous venues in NYC/Prague); Transfix (Madison Square Garden); City of Bells (HERE Arts Center). "Delightful" - NYTheatre.com; "A riot" - The Post.

Dazzling dance numbers: Angela Harriell's The Love Show

Angela Harriell's narrative choreography is both autobiographical and universal, witty and sexy. The Love Show performances have been named "pick of the week" by L Magazine and the Village Voice and have been seen at venues all over the city, most recently at Theater For The New City with their second sold out run of Nutcracker: Rated R, Harriell's twisted take on the children's classic ballet. Collectively, The Love Show dancers all haveimpressive resumes, performing with such companies as The Rockettes, Ballet X, Randy James Danceworks, Brooklyn Ballet, Jerboa Dance, Buglisi/ForemanDanceCo., Pearl Lang Dance Theater, Lydia Johnson Dance, and the LizGerringDance Company. "It was The Love Show that really turned on the crowd" - Ortgeist.com. "Harriell's visual witticisms are wonderful" - OffOffOnline.com. "It sure isn't your New York City Ballet Nutcracker, but it's a hell of a lot more fun" - BackStage.com

Dazzling dance: Lindy Hop All Stars founder Paolo Lanna & partner Emily Vanston

Paolo "Keep Punchin" Lanna has been specializing in swing partner dances since 1995. He has toured with Wynton Marsalis and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, "Swing Dance America" and "Forever Swing," The Big Band Musical Revue. He has appeared on numerous TV programs from CNBC's Great Stuff to The David Letterman Show. He's won First Place at the New York Lindy Hop Open Swing championships and American Swing Dance Championship with Janice Wilson. Paolo founded the renown dance group Lindy Hop All Stars in 2000, comprising of award winning dancers, acclaimed instructors and professional performers.

Sweetheart of the sideshow: The Lady Aye

The Lady Aye keeps herself busy on stage as a fire eater, sword swallower, and emcee; and off stage as a noted burlesque producer and writer. Her hybrid variety creations include "Bump 'n' Grindhouse: B-Movie Burlesque", "The Naked City: Burlesque Noir", and "Blue Suede Jews." Named by the Village Voice 2006 Best of New York issue an "up and coming burlesque babe", she has also appeared on "Gossip Girl", performs with The Pyrate Sisters all-girl sideshow, Lady Circus, and holds the unique distinction of being the world's only Jewish female sword swallower.

Vintage ventriloquism: Carla Rhodes

Carla Rhodes is a rock 'n' roll ventriloquist & comedienne. Carla caught the ventriloquial bug at the age of 8 while growing up in Kentucky. She started performing regularly by the age of 13, and as a teenager was mentored by her biggest influence, Shari Lewis. With a Mass Communications degree under one arm, and a puppet under the other, Carla escaped to New York City. She performs regularly around town, and has appeared on FUSE, The Learning Channel and the Late Show With David Letterman. Described in THE PULSE as a "corkscrew-haired waif with painted red lips and spitfire moxie," Carla Rhodes is bringing ventriloquism screaming into the 21st century.

Sword-swallowing and other stunts: Jellyboy the Clown of The Hydrogen Jukebox

Jellyboy the living cartoon is a trickster who risks death to entertain. Witness a fire-breathing clown, chain-smoking as a human ashtray. Behold brain surgery with a running drill, inserting a drinking straw up the nose and through the hollows of the skull. Cringe as a sharpened blade chops vegetables on an unslit wrist. Imagine push-ups with a sword down the hatch and a flame thrower in the handle, and that is what you will see before your wondering eyes. This strange clown has performed at Fright Fest sideshow at Six Flags, the Baltimore Tattoo Convention with the Enigma's Electric Acid Theater, The Palace of Wonders in DC, the NY Tattoo Convention and the Coney Island Rockabilly festival, as well as hosting a monthly show in Philly called the Carnivolution.

Sword-swallowing and other stunts: Betty Bloomers of The Hydrogen Jukebox

Betty Bloomers is the creation of a voodoo alien serpent mother and a sadisticly silly clown father. She is a bellydancer with the snakish contortion of her beguiling mother, a sword dancer and swallower. A taste for both the sacred and the profane keep her well occupied and hungry for thrills, with the dark curiousity and innocence of her clown father, she pulls metal hangers deep into her belly and bends them using the strength of her serpentine insides, while hula hooping! Betty loves to dance, and play gross games with things threaded in and out of her head, like fish tubes. Betty performs with Carnivolution, and Calvacade of the Odd, constantly looking for new ways to explore the wonderous ancient art of sideshow.

Resident DJ: DJ Dhundee

DJ Dhundee is known for his eclectic and soulful sets that fuse delicious 1920s-30s jazz and broken beats. From his extensive music collection filled to the brim with classic gems, popular songs, and rare finds, he serves up the sounds with his signature style and seamless flow. Performing throughout New York, with appearances from LA to London, Dhundee also curates the legendary party "Brooklyn Bounce" alongside DJ partner Stimulus of The Real Live Show. He has spun at private parties for Comedy Central, Istar Financial, Spike TV 2006 US Tour, Straight No Chaser Magazine, Good Magazine, HOME Magazine, Wired Magazine, David Torres Productions, and Danny Simmons Gallery. Winner of four gold International Promax/BDA Awards for its music compositions for Comedy Central and MTV, Sugarcuts, Dhundee's boutique music production company, also supplies such top TV networks as Showtime, Nickelodeon, VH1, FUSE, Spike TV, and many more.

Live swing remix: FreeBass

A swingin' collaboration between beat producer and celebrated maven of the underground Miss DJ Shakey and hep cat of the four strings Aaroneous, FreeBass has been making the denizens of the groove from Atlantic City to Reno shake what their mommas gave them with their blend of snazzy beats and vintage basses. Produced on the spot by Shakey on her array of space age effects and electronic doodads with Aaroneous on live upright and acoustic basses from across the known galaxy, a FreeBass performance strides the tightrope-taught line between the future and past, electronic and organic, exotic and familiar. For Swing House, FreeBass will be doing a special all-jazz set, mixing vintage samples with live bass lines.

Beats wizard: DJ Shakey

Julie has been a professional nightclub / mobile disc jockey / wedding dj for over 14 years. She is also a record collector, music consultant, and veteran of the music video industry. She specializes in diverse music, music in media, dance parties, and special concepts. Her music collection includes over 9000 vinyl recordings and cds. She is a party co-ordinator, promoter, experienced host, and has performed on radio, internet, and television broadcasts.

Guest DJ: Qool Marv

Intertwining many styles for many faces from many places, Qool DJ Marv captivates you with his blend. The effortless flow & continuously ascending momentum of his wide ranging sets is inviting, hypnotic & breathtaking. An inventive pioneer, Qool DJ Marv deliberately defies categorization to great effect. An evening of Qool DJ Marv may include mind boggling array of selections spanning many eras and decades of music including Rhythm & Blues, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Latin, House, Jazz, Funk, Rock and Soul classics, and Eclectic beats from around the world.

Guest DJ: Miss Bliss

Miss Bliss has performed for crowds of 1000+ on four continents over the last eight years, touring Europe, Asia and South America three times each. She has performed in 19 countries, 22 US States, and at over 150 venues worldwide. In 2006, Miss Bliss decided to hang up the headphones and dedicate herself to environmental conservation and international development. Since then, she has spent over 20 months living in developing countries including Tanzania, Nepal and Costa Rica, including 10 months in Zanzibar as a Fulbright scholar studying community-based marine conservation. Now back in New York, Miss Bliss is returning to DJing again -- only this time look out for her in the speakeasys and cabarets because she's DJing jazz and swing!

Special guest DJs from London: The Broken Hearts

Combining eclectic DJ sets with a flair for costumes and spectacle, the girls provide a sensational visual and aural experience. Influenced as much by Weimar Berlin as circus sideshows, they are an extravaganza of Technicolor that has landed them in the pages of British Vogue, The Observer and Time Out. In June, they begin 'Broken Hearts Mystery Hour,' their own national UK radio show, which promises to take listeners on a journey to a land of swing-time hits and eccentric curiosities that is the Broken Hearts world.
 
"A Hollywood musical on hallucinogenics" - The Independent. "This act is full of the style and panache that will leave onlookers gawping enviously from the sidelines" - Artrocker.

Guest DJ: Punching' Paolo

Paolo focuses on those recordings that have big sound and a real swingin' groove; the Hammond B3 is one instrument you'll definitely hear during his sets. Paolo started building his collection of jazz and swing 25 years ago. He's a solid music provider for the New York Lindy crowd, showcasing both solid standards and a unique collection that spans 70 years in his usual sets at Swing 46. Paolo has been in DJ rotation at the New York Swing Dance Society (Irving Plaza) since the late 1990's and had been featured at: Bill Cameron's New Year's Extravaganza 2006, Swingin' New England 2006, Rock That Swing Munich Germany, ULX Utah Lindy Exchange 2006, Summer Jamboree Dance Camp Italy, Frim Fram Club 412 NYC, Connolly's NYC, MidSummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center and countless other events

VJs: Glass Bead Collective

GBC brings together individuals from diverse academic and professional backgrounds including video art, film, theater, architecture, photography, music, mathematics, fine arts and philosophy to create works which re-contextualize culture and the world in which we find ourselves today. GBC was founded in 2002 with a multimedia theatrical performance of Jean Paul Sartre's No Exit. They have since produced various live art events and films experimenting with a multi-disciplinary approach to contemporary issues (mixing visual and literary narratives in real time) as well as created live visuals for groups such as Billionaires for Bush, The War Resisters, Brooklyn Media Lab, GRACE (Global Resource Action Center for the Environment) at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival among others.

Exciting diversions!

FREE dance class: Akemi Kinukawa

Since Akemi fell in love with Lindy Hop in Washington, D.C. over 10 years ago, she has been an avid social dancer who performs, competes and teaches Lindy Hop. She has performed with New York based dance team, Lindy Hop All Stars as well as Big Apple Lindy Hoppers, at several major events including the Midsummer Night Swing Opening Night at Lincoln Center. Most importantly though, she held the Guinness World Record for Dance Marathon by dancing for 52 hours! She currently teaches swing dancing classes at Dardo Galletto Studios near Times Square every Wednesday.

Premium chocolate treats: sweetriot

sweetriot is human, globally responsible, irreverent and built for a new generation, only using premium, high quality and all-natural ingredients for its much-lauded (TimeOut: "Chocoholics, meet your new addiction") dark chocolate "peaces." They source their cacao directly in Latin America and use recyclable, reusable packaging which features emerging artists...creating a sweet movement to fix the world.