THANK YOU Milwaukee
Thank you again to everyone in Milwaukee who came out on Saturday night. The show was an all-time great, and we loved having fun with you. Great chatter online and Twitter blew up with MONDO LUCHA! fever and hype all weekend long. Pretty great to see.
Thank you again, ….and we’ll see you next time.
MONDO LUCHA! Sep. 11th in Milwaukee!
The term “freak show” might normally carry a negative connotation, but the masterminds behind the Mondo Lucha unapologetically embrace it. Dreamed up by two longtime wrestling fanatics, Andy Gorzalski and Jay Gilkay, Mondo Lucha is an amalgam of Mexican wrestling, sexy burlesque performances, sideshow carnival acts, and rock ‘n’ roll. It’s the kind of wacked-out extravaganza that once only existed in the twisted films of Russ Meyer. Saturday’s latest installment features a typically weird combination of performers at Turner Hall Ballroom, including Milwaukee expatriate Pezzettino, who returns to town to celebrate the release of the new Lub Dub, a collaboration with LMNtlyst.
OnMilwaukee.com Gig Round up: MONDO LUCHA! & Pezzettino
Pezzettino made instant fans of us when we first heard her debut a few years ago and she honored us by gracing our third “OMCD” compilation of local music with a track from the then-forthcoming “Lion” disc.
She stayed on our radar by bringing us baked goodies and by blogging for us from the road. And, of course, by continuing to make some of the freshest, most vibrant music to emerge from Milwaukee in recent years.
When Pezzettino — aka Margaret Stutt — recorded her latest, “Lub Dub,” with LMNTylst, and promptly split for Brooklyn, we were eager to hear this potentially winning collaboration.
Milwaukee Film Festival 2010
She sent us a preview and we were instantly won over by the girl group shoo bops on “Replay,” the Slits / Tom Tom Club-esque “Cold Chick,” the spacey “Intermezzo I” and “II,” the reggae of the title track and the acoustic piano- and guitar-driven slo-jam that is “For You and Your Headaches.”
I even ponied up a very token sum via Kickstarter to help get the record made.
Now that it’s ready, you should go to the release party with Mondo Lucha at Turner Hall on Saturday, Sept. 11. You, too, will be smitted by the fun, smart, sassy, musical journey that is “Lub Dub.”
Oh, did I mention that OnMilwaukee.com’s Jason McDowell designed the sweeeet “Lub Dub” sleeve?
Showtime is 8 p.m. and tickets are $18.
MILWAUKEE SHOW ANNOUNCED FOR SEPTEMBER 2010 !
…..This is it Brew City ! MONDO LUCHA! RETURNS TO MILWAUKEE !
SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2010 AT THE HISTORIC TURNER HALL BALLROOM
CINCO DE MONDO …was spectacular!
Such a great show last night in Chicago at the Congress Theater for our CINCO DE MONDO! Spectacular. Thanks again to Max, and the staff of the Congress as well as all our lovely Burlesque ladies, The Del Morroccos, The Suspirios, The always awe-inspiring Luchadors, and our top notch MONDO LUCHA! production staff.
…..and last but not least THANK YOU to all our new pals in Chicago, great to meet a new audience in a new town for us. We hope you had as much fun as we did. We’ll be back Chicago!
As TimeOut Chicago commented after last night,
“What happens when a Mexican holiday meets vaudevillesque modern entertainment at the venerable Congress?
Good, weird, times. Featuring masked luchadores, titillating burlesque acts, music from The Del Morroccos and a variety of freaky surprises, Mondo was a must for anyone with a strong taste for odd entertainment.”
TimeOut Chicago CINCO DE MONDO PHOTO GALLERY, click HERE.
Crispin Glover predicts the future of entertainment
Third Coast Digest recently spent a mind-bending night with Crispin Glover who touched on the comeback of live vaudeville-style variety shows as the future of entertainment.
“Glover explained the reading as a nod to Vaudeville, speculating that with the increased quality of home theaters, live Vaudeville-style variety shows could make a comeback (and based on the rising popularity of variety shows like Milwaukee’s own MONDO LUCHA!, I’d say the theory has merit).”
MAY 5TH, 2010 CONGRESS THEATER CHICAGO!
CINCO DE MONDO is Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 @ The Congress Theater, CHICAGO
Cinco de Mondo is a Mexican holiday feast of vaudevillian-style entertainment, featuring a variety show of all-star attractions to excite the senses. Masked luchadores from parts unknown will display great courage and athleticism in epic acrobatic battles in the wrestling ring. The world’s most beautiful burlesque acts will tease, titillate and amaze with seductive and artistic performances. You’ll rock your socks off to hippest swinging bands the whole night through. Plus, a wide assortment of freaks, fools and other surprises will hit you with a machine gun of laughs that will last for weeks.
Wednesday, May 5th @ The Congress Theater. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS & INFO!
Front Row Reserved Seating: $35
Reserved Seating: $25
General Admission: $15 or 2 for $25
MONDO LUCHA’S Heavyweight Champion signs with ROH
MONDO LUCHA! Heavyweight Champion, Skullcrusher Brown, signs with Ring of Honor Wrestling.
“Rasche Brown, during his short time here in ROH, has proven to be quite an unstoppable force. With devastating power and an uncanny agility for a man of his size, Brown has asserted himself upon any opponent with whom he has stepped into the ring. From his debut at “A Cut Above” to his dominance on HDNet, and even in situations where he has to contend with multiple opponents, Rasche has shown that he has all the tools to compete at the highest level here in Ring of Honor. Ring of Honor officials are excited to report that Brown will now be competing inside the ROH ring for some time to come.”
Many congratulations to SkullCrusher. He’s one of the nicest guys in the business, and everyone here at MONDO LUCHA! is excited to see the champ get a push with ROH.
MONDO LUCHA Holiday Special Photo Gallery
The homies at The Milwaukee Scene documented many great moments of the MONDO LUCHA HOLIDAY SPECIAL.
Check out gallery HERE.
Many thanks again to The Milwaukee Scene
“…focused on fun.” -ConcertLiveWire.com
“It’s the antidote of the anti-climactic. The entire show is a cavalcade of younger folks fully schooled on how to entertain. That’s what I was initially struck with, that every element of the night, be it wrestlers, burlesque dancers, the creepy Elvis Clown hybrid, Maritime… all of the nights performers were focused on fun. It seemed like none of them were demanding us to except what they do as art. Though it’d be hard to deny the level of “craft” in these forms.”
MONDO LUCHA! Best in Milwaukee!
“…And last, but certainly not the least in quirk factor, make sure to pencil in the twice-annual MONDO LUCHA, a variety show featuring Mexican Lucha Libre wrestlers, burlesque dancers, live music, and appearances by Milwaukee’s roller derby team, the Brewcity Bruisers.’
The Mondo Lucha Holiday Special 2009
“……Mondo Lucha… an unlikely holiday classic for its devoted fan base.”
MONDO LUCHA’s eclectic musical guests
Our pals at Fan-Belt.com talk with MONDO LUCHA musical guest, The Scarring Party about playing the legendary, variety show.
Review of the MONDO LUCHA! Holiday Special
Read here at the Shepherd Express.
The Odd Couple: Maritime & MONDO LUCHA!
Fan-Belt.com speaks with MONDO LUCHA! special musical guest, Maritime.
“…we really liked MONDO LUCHA! because they approached it like they were going to showcase what Milwaukee has to offer. More of a blend of a lot of things instead of a lot of specific things. Who wouldn’t want to be part of such an extravaganza as this, with how well they organized it and scripted it? “
Check out more from our pals MARITIME, HERE.
Bruises, Babes, and Burlesque
Read An interview previewing the 2nd MONDO LUCHA! show with The Leader.
“…a fun wink and nod back to the history of seedy, old-time culture tied to “Da Crusher” and old AWA wrestling,”
The Onion’s A.V. Club checks in with the minds behind the twisted variety show
The Onion’s A.V. Club recently caught up with Gorzalski and Gilkay and asked them to elaborate on the artistic appeal of the “gonzo variety show” that is Mondo Lucha.
“…Mondo Lucha is an amalgam of Mexican wrestling, sexy burlesque performances, sideshow carnival acts, and rock ‘n’ roll. It’s the kind of wacked-out extravaganza that once only existed in the twisted films of Russ Meyer.”
LINK to interview.
“…Many of the performers got standing ovations.” – Shepherd Express
“…Mondo Lucha Variety Show transformed the Turner Hall Ballroom into a B-movie flick, a wild carnival ride that featured luchador wrestling, sideshow acts and burlesque, all tied together with the switchblade-brandishing tunes of the Uptown Savages, Milwaukee’s seven-piece rockabilly band.”
Read the Shepherd Express review, HERE.
“….Many of the performers got standing ovations.”
