Lets see y’alls maneuver this big bobble head at the end of the night. Yeah I don’t care, love being a bit of a ham. Life is about fun.
These are going backward it’s the only way I can save my sanity and get through covering the madness of this event.
RSSR looked at this picture and was like, “Why?” it blew my mind he didn’t know why? “WHY!?” It’s all red matching omfg is WHY!”
The last room where anything was happening at the end of the night, meaning, the only dance party WITH A BAR OPEN. Can you smell the desperation? (Mine?) Lol.
This was a weird conversation and I don’t remember any of it.
That’s my hand. Awkward. This is the smoking area of Theatre Bizarre.
Do you know why masks are creepy? I read somewhere it’s because they are lifelike, but not and we start to engage with the mask, knowing altruistically it’s false human contact and barriered but we’re drawn to it still. Whatever!
Roxi D’lite killed it. She’s phenomenal. A great friend of my great friends. So great!
Lizzy’s awesome bangle.
One of my favourite costumes.
He’s asking if he can pick me up and balance me I’m like no chance bro I have been on a horse before I know how this ends. Maybe if we were in a pool together. Maybe.
That chick rubbed her foot on my shoulder as he was talking to me and now it’s like my favourite thing in the world. Have you ever had a bare foot tap you on the shoulder before? Go ask someone to do it to you but make sure their foot is covered in gymnast chalk first.
I asked if he was uncle Fester? By way of, “Addam’s Family, that guy?” Whatever I said I was wrong and I don’t remember the answer and it’s a girl beneath this cloak which befuddled me cos I am sexist like that. Befuddled!
What’s my mask count at now?
Roxi the renowned burlesque dancer is reason enough to brag here but the top hat guy is Theatre Bizarre creator, man behind the curtains and oh so umble about it blabbitry blah. I guess it’s like patient Zero for Burning Man. Those who know, know, basically. Nobody really applauds anyone for anything in Toronto so I don’t mind fangirling artists, my muses. My blog is basically my diary anyway (and sponsored by Bud Light).
A moment. Yes yes. Raymbo’s always gotta be in there eh.
What am I talking about? Probably nothing at all, which is the way to charm people who “are important”. It has taken me 32 years to figure this out.
My friend told me yesterday I was getting better looking with age and that it was weird. HAHAH Thanks buddy.
If you say you are from Canada you can do anything you want. Hall Pass! Do the mashed potato in the middle of someone’s conversation… lick a girl’s face as seen above. Anything and it’s yours.
I see, I see. This is the lanyard of someone who is scary as well as breathtakingly smart and makes taxidermy animal installations. Lots of prodigies milling about the grounds of the Masonic Temple.
Like this guy. So much went into this party. Sorry you missed it?
It’s very Tim Burton. My fav.
Year of the goat, bro. Plus another mask.
@destroyxbeauty is my Detroit photographer fyi in case that wasn’t clear. When a collab clicks you squeeze all you can out of that shit.
Pumpkin man is my fav.
As you can see we went down to the green room a lot. Lots of equipment gear and other nonsense down there.
More goat. Roxi came in riding that. It was amazing.
Oh hello there Mad Maxine. I’m scared and I like it.
Well hello there.
You know I love to strike a good pose.
Or, two.
Love it. Lizzy got to help volunteer the night before and deck out the Temple. Everybody pitches in. No divas. All equal. The only person who tried to get all things free was from Toronto. Of course. SMH. Sounds a lot like me though to be honest LOL.
Another picture from my travels but not particular to Theatre Bizarre but why not.
Me and David Bowie. I’m striking a Labyrinth pose myself and turned out to twin him, no? YES!
On our way out.
Thanks to the power of hashtags I have found all of these people in my photos for the most part. Ya hear that? Hashtags work.
An idea came to me in the shower.
Zombo is the mascot of Theatre Bizarre. Hail Zombo! That’s what you say when you see him. Lizzy yelled it out. So much weird going on at all times and I had a backstage pass to it.
6’7 kevin and I. He’s a famous Detroit instagrammer. He said VICE interviewed him the day before. I wasn’t jealous at all. Nope. Not me.
I WOKE UP LIKE THIS.
Planking. Peace til next time. There’s more. Which requires downloading uploading etc xo rlw
The captured moment I did the jazz splits on a huge pile of pumpkins and made “a happening” and a hot sexy bondage Nun prayed for my sins, to me while a very happy female Where’s Waldo watched on. Time of my liiiife! Be friends with filmmakers, here’s why.
Ready to see and hear things you’ve not before? Theatre Bizarre is a huge 2 day affair masquerade ball gala (Friday night) and then it is open to the general public Saturday night where you do it all again. Saturday night’s theme was Year of The Goat. You HAD to wear a mask for Friday night otherwise no entry. It was nice to be VIPlease as usual and also have green room access. The Masonic Temple is a maze (actually world’s largest Masonic Temple in the world) and having a home base for all your junk really helps make the night if you’re an insufferable diva. This is the director of costumes and I. I made sure she liked me and this is how the deal was sealed.
This post is overwhelming me. I’m under the gun and there is just so much to say and share as well as process, reflect. I’ve been a bit of a fuck and chucker. Do it, dont blog it. I blog more and have in the past because I felt largely unfilled (bored) by real life and now I’m fulfilled, I do not blog. I tweet and facebook share a lot but I am so behind. I wish I was a brooklyn vegan type blogger. I did actually do a Big Raymi Toronto post before I came to Detroit however. There’s that. I just do a lot of shit, etc. This will be a two part post and that’s that.
After seeing the movie eyes wide shut and being a lifelong hedonistic waste of space, this sort of affair was just my flavour. I saw sacrificial sex shows, altairs, girls being all kinds of thinged on a pedestal with guys in monk robes sitting in thrones silently watching it was super arousing and the best time ever. Frenzied, gorgeous, have you been to a kinky seedy swingers club before? Well it is 500% better and classier than that. When I met my friends they told me Theatre Bizarre was on the horizon and I was like yeah I have heard of Burning Man before I get it bla blah. It’s nice to be a lover and not a hater all I am saying and you heard it here first just you wait. Next year it’s going to be a double weekend affair. You sleep in the asylum if you need to and you don’t have to leave this insane circus game of thrones sex castle bubble.
Lizzy and I prepare for night one. I’ll upload pics from my phone when I am back in Canada. An instagram celeb named good signman Kevin was en route to say howdy pre-TB and drove us there with Terry. They are amazing hippies. omg I have friends in Detroit you guys!
A need to see back shot for my Lizzy and that’s the Kevin guy as previously mentioned he is 6’7 Kevin it rhymes.
That masquerade ball line-up tho. It gave me goosebumps.
Fire performers. I got chills. Remember the scene in Batman when Nicholson Joker shows up and they’re at that ball you could feel the crazy in the air the excitment the pop colour. Lizzy says Theatre Bizarre is like being on a film set and it is because there are actors there. The tickets are not cheap. It’s a luxurious affair.
Something is going on at all times at every minute in every amazing room.
This is a main hall when we first arrived I was clicking pictures like mad because I knew I’d eventually be unable to do so and have my camera down below etc etc etc get them now bro. Go with your heart bro it is always worth it because you notice things you could not while in the throes of it. Wear flats btw as you know I did. You will be on foot quite a bit.
I was basically a victorian Satan. I had many mask changes through the night. Lizzy was her Mad Max Romanian Witch self. We matched as an oddball couple the second night.
Still in the main hall.
For masquerade ball night it was open bar. We met these light up hat chicks later on in the ladies room. L and I were singing a florence and the machine song like ding dongs while fixing ourselves in the mirror.
This one is mostly about the painting behind me FYI.
I’ll clean this post up proper later on.
Redge the ledge.
This became a vestibule of the most colourful characters throughout the night. Hitler Mickey Mouse, Zombo the clown (Theatre Bizarre mascot #hailzombo) and anyway I gotta split and hang with my Detroit Fam one more time before the train so tootle-ooh see you soon 416.
Hello guys its been awhile. Been busy. I’m going to do a massive blog spread here tomorrow I frigging promise.
At the end of the first night of Theatre Bizarre. No wait this is second night cos it’s my second look. Anyway, we was fongry. This is Duly’s diner in Detroit. It is interesting to note that the entire place seems to have cleared out upon our arrival.
Once a ding dong always one.
I’m actually quite looking forward to blogging about my Theatre Bizarre experiences and the lovely people that I met. I am grateful and fortunate it’s still a relatively underground party before the whole world really knows about this amazing experience. Enough already do know about it. It’s over 15 years old just like this blog. Kismet.
Like how I did my leg paint? Yes me too. Last minute addition. Lizzy has this neon paint compact it’s killer and we put a dent in it. This medieval bodice is also hers and just arrived in the mail. Great taste boo.
Calf muscle you betcha.
What would you even call this costume? Mad Max Madhatter blade runner? Nokay?
A motley crew we are, that.
Artists making art.
I woke up like this. Shoulda seen Lizzy, oh man, black paint everywhere.
The greatest thinker of your time.
I even cleaned the sink myself easy peazy. Okay peace for meow.
Oh me oh my, hello there little ding dongs of the world are you happy? Are you sad? Do you want to talk about it? You know I’m always here right, like, always. Like fifteen years always. You get that by now though, right?
Okay lets look at a bunch of pictures of me and stuff pertaining also, to me until I run out of gas and need to check out gawker or make dinner or something (I wrote this last night obviously then gave up). Oh thank goodness I just remembered my champagne was in the freezer before the bottle exploded, phewf.
Hi it’s Friday now. I have been struggling to blog all morning. Since ten. I think I might try ADD medication. A friend I know takes it and she is super productive and organized so like, get me some of that. The less you blog, or write, the more you think and the more you think, the crazier you become. The more you do and the less balance there is just makes everything seem like a mess. To me it’s organized chaos. I don’t owe anyone anything. I don’t have to explain all of the time. Blog, essentially. Although I feel guilty about it. About not being a writer when I’m a writer. I’m in that creative lull. I’m being creative elsewhere. My TO DO list overwhelms me.
What I’m trying to say is, when I was in Detroit smoking in the window looking at the brick building next door, listening to the wind blowing the trees, to my music, to the sounds of the sign factory workers and the pang felt from the noise of passing trains, the haunt of the locomotive whistle and my impending departure.
I just want to write more about those moments, the minutiae. Honour all of it. I don’t want to be a tortured writer anymore who is like, “I am writing a book.” I don’t even know what I want. I know I want to live in LA, waste a month on a beach in Bali, basically do nothing and everything for my entire life and be terribly dramatic! I think a lot of creatives feel like they are never creating enough. The ideas we have far outweigh completing them unless you are Warhol. I need more bodies.
I am happy to be in a space where I can genuinely, safely, wholeheartedly say that I do not give one iota of a fuck anymore. About who I am. Making excuses for it. Worrying about the outcomes of things. It’s pretty obvious that my life is “moving on”. So much change this summer. I’m not afraid of saying “yes” anymore. I am proactive. I am blazing trails and I do not answer to anybody. If someone disagrees with the “edgy” I go ahead and do it anyway and receive the response I knew that I would. For someone who has always made waves why so surprised when I continue to do so?
Detroit is the new black existed for awhile. Was copied. I saw a Toronto vs Everybody shirt yesterday in liberty village on some guy. Also stolen from Detroit’s label Detroit vs everybody. Safe to say Detroit is hot right now. Taking the train to Windsor then driving over the border is so super easy. Quicker than to NYC. You can’t not flood Detroit now, knowing this.
I was glad to get a break from the train though. At least for one way. The Detroit ding dongs came in to hang while I bartended The Old Laurel then we drove the next day. I do like to eat and drink and be waited on while I travel though. FYI working at The Old Laurel tonight. Read between the lines, you do not want to miss out.
Jesus. As big as my head. We hit Taco Bell a few stops later HAHA.
Samy and I. No idea how to spell it but it 100% rhymes with Raymi. He is awesome. Our door guy. Can’t wait to see what he is wearing tonight.
This is a medley post. A blend. It’s like awesome wine and crappy wine. Got my hair did finally to the collective sighs of relief from every single hair stylist who ever looks at me. You’re mean and catty and you do not at all hurt my feelings. You benefit from the fruits of my labours of growing that ratty ass shit out like a weed. Mi gone mi dun with you. Joking. See you next week.
There will always be that skidly jokey tomboy side to me. Always. It’s the time of transgender so yeah. #justifications #always.
Then I do this look.
I am getting sick of talking about myself right now, believe it or not. Why do I have to write my own fan club copy this is bullshit. Speaking of how hilarious I am, I am building a stand-up set in my dreams. Maybe I should do it in Detroit! Yep I’m gunna. Make goals then destroy them.
This was treated to look more messed up than I was. But yeah we definitely gaver the night before not gonna lie. People on ello were like, Get well soon. LOLLLLLLL
Speaking of ELLO! If you’re ever in a bind jonesing for something to do, check out my ello! https://ello.co/raymitheminx/ I’m almost at 8k followers so I think I know what I am doing over there.
We are going to do another video for Konqistador‘s new song. I have to be darker in it. Less Planter’s peanut mascot. I was just doodling around and apparently “not listening” “to direction”. We still got something good tho bro. They’re big in Istanbul. You what that means? I am big in Istanbul. (My future fantasies tell me so).
That’s Jim Diamond’s diamond. I met him. He’s a producer. He did the White Stripes first two albums. That’s amazing! I saw the WS when I was 19 at the Warehouse. I don’t think it was Koolhaus yet. I just moved to Toronto. It was the first time I rode my bike from Little Italy down there to the venue. Great times.
I love playing dress-up and have been searching for people like these two my entire life to collaborate with I don’t know why this didn’t happen sooner but it is so happening.
Lizzy did great makeup. I could pull an all nighter and she would make me look like Cinderella. Oh wait I did pull an all nighter. I looked like Cinderhella. Compromise. Correct.
The night we got into town we went to Doc’s for drinks and watched a flick. I have never met anyone as passionate about the movie The Professional as myself before and we talked for an hour about it rewinding scenes over and over again and had a photoshoot or two. Drank Absinthe. It was killer. I forgot about my penchant for marionette puppetry. Doc’s place is a wonderland of eccentricities, studio props, outfits. He has a lot of candy. Mini donuts. Sour candies. Ate so much garbage on Saturday it was great and out of control.
Totally.
The next night we did this.
They’re putting in streetcars. I was like, why?? Cool I guess. Because there is no public transportation in Detroit.
Slowly accepting fall. Don’t even get me started on the ding dong standing next to me here.
We strolled to Whole Foods to get Champagne after brunch, Lizzy and I. It was a nice day.
We posed our way there.
Sometimes I get an LL Cool J complex. Yes he is kinda cheesy. But sexy. Just please ignore what I am saying from this part forward thank you.
All joking aside, vegan restaurants have killer food. Plus champagne. Amazing patio and people to watch. Dreamy. That’s a pesto pizza sandwich. The other plate i just poured directly into my mouth.
I killed two wasps. The first death was a loud slam bam on the table and this cute girl goes, did you get it when I looked at her and I felt like such a boss. My fav person on the patio was this Tim Burtonesque goth chick in the corner she was totally goths at the beach. Best. Do not ever think that I am a hater. I am a lover and an appreciator. Amen sistah. I also liked when the kitchen guy came out and gave the wasp girl a potato that he wrote YOU SUCK on and she goes are you serious, “you suck?” Happy as hell. Vegans! Am I right??
Embracing bit of my excellent high shoes lately. Tall like a giraffe or a gazelle.
I feel like Austin when I wear this top hat. Heart him. #BB174EVR.
It’s his Judas hat. He has a degree in romantic..something, plus he’s a wrestler covered in a tattoo that is essentially just tree roots on acid are you kidding me!!!? I’d climb him like a tree.
Another cowgirl one. There’s a lot of material to work with/share.
I’m an Aries. Aries is a Ram. Did you know that? I am not an astrology headcase so don’t get me going.
Adios! T G I F.
Remind me to tell you about this place. It’s called Northern Lights Lounge. Diana Ross did her makeup in the bathroom there. I have more pics. Til next time.
