Latest news with #Velour
San Francisco Chronicle
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Sasha Velour's ‘Big Reveal' redraws the boundaries of drag and theater
Other performers might dread glitches during shows. Sasha Velour makes them her co-stars. Her 'The Big Reveal Live Show!' offers no straightforward lip sync. Phone rings, TV static and vertical colored bars, smashed dishes, recording skips, computer viruses and flickering lights constantly interrupt her drag numbers, video art, autobiographical anecdotes and mini lectures on drag history and theory. But if these on-purpose mistakes rip the fabric of the mostly solo show, which opened Wednesday, June 4, at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the 'RuPaul's Drag Race' champion, author and Berkeley native widens them into wormholes and crawls inside to do battle with them. As she tries to claw back control of her bit, she might wind up on the floor in tears, but she's the winner all the same. It's partly a clown show: the garish makeup, the padded body parts, the nightmarish facial expressions, the wordless physical theater fight against absurdist forces too large to understand. But in all those gaffes, larger ideas are also at work. Imperfection is key to understanding drag and camp more generally, Velour says at one point. The art form doesn't work if you don't have self-awareness — if you don't understand your flaws but 'press on' anyway. (The implied corollary: Someone like Trump couldn't do camp even if he wanted to.) In a tough time for theater locally and nationwide, with companies scaling back or closing as funding sources dwindle, 'The Big Reveal Live Show!' suggests that institutional theater programming more drag might be one way forward. Audience members certainly showed up on Wednesday, some even glammed up in drag as opposed to the standard Berkeley Rep audience uniform of earth tones and sensible shoes. And Velour's show itself is more daring, artistic and intellectual than a lot of straight plays. Some of her patter — 'After so many years of backlash,' 'Drag serves as a mirror,' 'We are here, and we are not going away' — is boilerplate; the points might be more effectively made without didacticism. But other bits of monologue evince the scholarly yet frisky understanding of drag that undergirds her book, also called 'The Big Reveal,' with the subtitle 'An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag.' 'Queerness isn't shocking or groundbreaking at all,' she says in the show. 'It's normal. It's boring.' Cultures throughout history have had some kind of drag performance, she points out — even the American military in World War II. It only becomes threatening, she says, when it's no longer performed by straight men. Her costumes — by Diego Montoya Studio, Pierretta Viktori, Jazzmint Dash, Gloria Swansong and Casey Caldwell — are celestial wonders. One skirt hem resembles the orbit of the sometime-planet Pluto, both elliptical and noncoplanar, forming part of an outfit that looks like a bottle of pink Champagne frozen right in the moment of exploding. Another piece blurs the boundary between human and furniture. In one heart-stopping moment, she lines herself up with an outline of a human form projected on a large screen behind her. Without any perceptible change in lighting, she seems to change color, blazing in the gold of a desert sunset. Graffiti gets written on her, and ropes wrap around her; body parts metamorphose and enlarge. Your eyes search for signs as to what's projected and what's tangible. She dissolves in flames. By the end, you half expect her to be able to step through the screen and get swallowed whole, the wormholes covering their tracks like magic. As Velour finds the deviant in the familiar — talk shows, Disney princesses having animal friends, audio montages of iconic phone calls in film, the pixelated desktop of 1990s-era Windows — she makes the case that drag is available to everyone, no matter how weird or normie you are. That thing that tickles you? That you find yourself returning to again and again? Drag is a way you can talk about it, and it belongs on every stage and in every sitting room in America.
Associated Press
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
New Music Alert Blooming Strings from the multi-talented Velour
Track Title: Blooming Strings Genre: Pop / World / Trance Launch Date: Out Now! ISRC Code: QZWFT2458002 ALASKA, AK, UNITED STATES, March 28, 2025 / / -- Velour is a singer, musician, artist, professional ballroom dancer and a designer from Jacksonville, Florida. Blending vibrant colors, fashion, art and dance in her Live Music Entertainment, Velour gives her audience a holistic artistic experience. Velour composes, sings and writes lyrics to her own music. She makes visual paintings to every song she sings. Velour wants her audience to feel the artistic connections between different mediums through multiple sensory organs. And a picture is worth a 1000 words. The idea is to have a visual 2-D art to every audio song she creates. Blooming Strings collection stems from one such song from her album. Blooming Strings is not only a painting sold on her website, it is also the title of her new underwater dance music video on YouTube. Velour explores a beautiful springs in Florida, where after practicing several breath holding techniques, with the help of a lifeguard nearby, she swims to the floor bed of the water body and combines dancing, art and music. David Wiltsher Radio Pluggers Legal Disclaimer:
Associated Press
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Velour Medical Celebrates Opening of its First Flagship for Unparalleled Aesthetic Medicine
Velour Medical Celebrates Opening of its First Flagship for Unparalleled Aesthetic Medicine NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, March 21, 2025 / / -- Velour Medical Hosts a Grand Soirée to celebrate its First Flagship in NYC — Redefining Luxury Aesthetic Medicine Through Matchmaking Last night, Velour Medical marked a significant milestone with a spectacular grand soirée to celebrate the opening of its highly anticipated New York City flagship. The 12,000-square-foot space is a fusion of cutting-edge aesthetic medicine and redefined luxury, providing the perfect backdrop to an incredibly action packed night with cocktails, bites, and curated experiences. Notable attendees include Luann de Lesseps, Kelly Bensimon, Karina Bik, Erica Choi, Melissa Vale, Rachel Liverman, and more. A Night of Aesthetics, Indulgence, and Innovation The flagship launch event transformed the space into a vibrant, immersive experience, featuring artwork from NYC-based artists Sarah Dixon, Lara Atalie Hoff Smith, and Brittany Worthy. Guests were treated to a lively night of bespoke cocktails, gourmet bites, and interactive activations designed to reflect Velour's signature ethos – where aesthetic medicine is not just a service, but an elevated lifestyle. The night was set to soundtracks curated by DJs Memphy, Beau Cruz and Va$htie, keeping the energy high as guests toasted to Velour's new chapter. The evening also unfolded with a series of interactive rooms for guests to explore, each offering a unique experience: Mezcal Rosaluna tastings, personalized Haikus by Parker Voss, live art by Aerosyn-lex Mestrovic, and personalized sketches, among other activities. With cocktails flowing and bites circulating, the event celebrated beauty, luxury, and the artistry of aesthetic innovation. The event drew a dynamic crowd of industry leaders, influencers, and media – all commemorating Velour Medical's vision of redefining the aesthetic medicine experience. About Velour Medical Velour Medical, a leader in luxury aesthetic medicine, is revolutionizing the industry with the launch of its highly anticipated first flagship location in Manhattan. Unlike traditional med spas or clinics, Velour introduces a first-of-its-kind platform that empowers the nation's top aesthetic providers with unparalleled resources in an opulent setting. Designed to blend the sophistication of a private club with state-of-the-art medical technology, the flagship sets a new benchmark for luxury and innovation in aesthetic medicine. Spanning 12,000 square feet, the flagship is a masterclass in design and luxury, featuring 14 treatment suites, a fully equipped kitchen, a full-service bar, and lounges for both clients and providers. Inspired by Art Deco elegance, the space was brought to life by Spiezle Architecture and interior designer Ashley Wendell, with the vision of Dr. Michael Kennis, Zach Goldstein, and Steve Leone. Every detail reflects Velour's commitment to delivering a luxurious yet clinically advanced experience. Images from the event can be found here. (Photo Credit: Brendon Cook) Images of the flagship's interior can be found here. (Photo Credit: Gabby Jones) Media Contact: Osmund Allenberg Osmund Allenberg OC Consulting Legal Disclaimer:
