Choose your side, vampire or slayer, at the Phantom Fest Vampire vs. Slayer Ball. Come dressed as your favorite vampire or vampire slayer, be it Edward Cullen, Blade, Guillermo from What We Do in The Shadows, or any other creature of the night, but make sure you come ready to party. We'll have live music, a special vampire photo installation, celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie and 25th anniversary of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show, and have signature props on hand to get you in the mood, so stake the date now.
There will be prizes for best vampire and slayer costumes, special photo installations, limited edition Phantom Fest-inspired shirts designed by Brad Bond, Halloween pop-ups and performances from Caleb De Casper and The Jigglewatts.
From the horror cabaret and glam rock of his past to his current dark synth pop sound, Austin performer Caleb De Casper always brings a stunning in-your-face theatricality to his music and live shows. The classically trained pianist and vocalist stalks the stage in evening gowns, bondage wear, Victorian collars and the ever-present fishnets and heels, confidently declaring that masculinity comes in many different forms. The performance art aspect of this “Rocky Horror-esque piano dramatist and vocal contortionist” (Austin Chronicle) is the bleeding heart of De Casper’s music, which has been performed all over the US, since being invited out to the Live Music Capital by ATX punk band XETAS, who were mesmerized by his work when they were billed together in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.
In Austin, De Casper found the space to flourish as a queer artist that he never found in North Carolina and immediately set to work proving wrong the former NC piano teacher who once told him, "As a gay songwriter, the world will never accept your voice or point of view". That voice and point of view was warmly received with 2019’s De Casper, which brought a glam rock feel (think Hedwig And The Angry Inch meets The Dresden Dolls with guitars) and the single “Good Boy” was named one of OVRLD’s top 25 songs of the year, was a featured Studio 1A performance at KUTX and was a favorite Tiny Desk performance of 2018.
Wanting to explore new territory on his forthcoming debut LP Femme Boy, the album is an eclectic journey, often dark and brooding but contrasted by high energy and that aforementioned theatricality. Standout track “Too Many Boys” is an explosive and passionate narrative of what it is to be a gay man in 2021, complete with searing guitars. Whereas the delicate and graceful “Dreamer” is a poppy heartstring-tugger and features vocals from Sabrina Ellis (A Giant Dog, Sweet Spirit, Heart Bones). The album’s roots lie not just on the dance floor, but also the theatre stage as well as with the glam and decay of old Hollywood. Femme Boy comes out this winter and the stunning and provocative “Too Many Boys” video is out now.
THE JIGGLEWATTS BURLESQUE REVUE
Once upon a time…
Our story begins in the spring of 2006. The founding members of The Jigglewatts met on the set of a zombie movie (hey, this is Austin!) and one day discovered they all had the same dreams of performing burlesque-- in fact, they had all been following its revival for several years. A brilliant, crazy idea was born and they got to work on costumes and choreography. The Jigglewatts opened their first show that summer at The Velvet Spade to a sold out house and haven't stopped since. Now stronger than ever and with over 25 titles collectively, this resplendent troupe is the most awarded in the world.
The show…
All of our dance numbers are intensely character-driven, giving a revealing glimpse into the personas we’ve created. More than just adopting cutesy stage names, each dancer has a captivating presence with which she infuses all actions. Perhaps the strongest element of a Jigglewatts performance, however, is the attention to detail. From the music selection and editing to the precisely timed lift of an eyebrow, the balance of choreography to improvisation, the lighting design (where available), and let's not forget the dazzling, custom-made costumes... each plays a vital role in the creation of The Jigglewatts world.