It seems I have a predilection for the Solstice (I had the unveiling of Crossroads of Curiosity on the Summer Solstice of 2015, and presently I am preparing for the opening of the Institute of Crazyology on this upcoming solstice) .
This is a handbill I made almost 30 years ago while living in Los Angeles. Actually, I was a resident of the venue L.A.C.E. (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions) which is still around, but now in Hollywood, and no longer providing live-work space as it did in those days. This show was organized by my neighbors Tim Hayes and Kevin Bourque (the latter went on to produce “Cirque Berzerk”, a Los Angeles based Circus) and featured my good friends, “The Imperial Butt Wizards”, who were one of the wilder acts on the LA scene at the time with raucous absurdist performances featuring pyrotechnics, costumery, and typically loads of stuffed animals that were sent flying around the room, exploded, set on fire, etc.
La Fete Sauvage also featured one of the all-time bad ideas: “Jell-O Pit”. Jell-O does not set and get firm if it isn’t refrigerated, and so a Jell-O pit is just a big syrupy sticky mess. Nothing enticing or erotic about it whatsoever. No one in their right mind wants to wallow sensually in a Jell-O pit. I had learned this the hard way a few years before when I tried the “Jell-O pit” idea at my “Circus of Mysteries” in 1989, and it was really a disaster that made a huge mess at the venue. I believe that I advised against the Jell-O pit for La Fete Sauvage, but the organizers went ahead with it anyway, and had me put it on the bill.
A kiddy pool was set up outside in front of the stage in the back lot where the bands were playing, and I recall that when the Butt Wizards played, an eccentric Japanese photographer who hung around back then (a nice and friendly person that spoke English poorly, took a lot of photos, and always wore flamboyant designer clothing that looked expensive) was seized with a sudden irrepressible frenzy. He jumped into the Jell-O pit and began to dance wildly, sloshing the sticky red liquid in all directions. Everyone in range was getting splashed with Jell-O including the band. No one was really expecting this to happen, but then again I’m not sure what anyone was actually expecting.
I can’t recollect much else about the show. I think there was a lot of fuss about the Jell-O pit and the Butt Wizards after the show. That’s all!