An Invocation of Void and Flame
Flesh Rituals & Siren Songs Sydney wrap!
The first Flesh Rituals & Siren Songs has been and gone, and it was a frenzied blur of wild magics, raw artistry and sublime moments.
The freshly renovated Vanguard Hotel stood in velvet clad splendor, with sensuous dark wood surfaces and mysterious antiquities littered throughout. Truly, it felt like a place where deep magics would happen in hedonistic extravagance, and a fitting place for this ritual to open.
From the opening moments of dimly lit emergent invocation till the last snarling stabs of glittering noise in the shadow of the sweat soaked dance floor, the night was filled with potency and connective energy.
ENRYKA + INFERNAL DESIRE MACHINE
The casting of the first circle with Enryka and Infernal Desire Machine has been a long time coming. A slow, dark raising of primal energy and unmasked emotions, the undulating dance between ropes and musics, plant life, flesh and spirit took hold of the Vanguard and those who bore witness to this deeply connected and heartfelt collaboration between three soul bound by the Work.
CHEAP COFFINS
Cheap Coffins filled the stage with their presence, hurling bottles of grief and wonder into the void with abandon and revelling in the shattering of self and sound. A hanging noose haunting the darkened corner of the stage as Troy threw themselves across physical and sonic landscapes, till the poignant end of the set where on the floor of the venue, they met with Eve X and in pregnant silence broken only by the heavy breath and humming of this unscripted deep catharsis.
PRECIPICE
Precipice and their cat masked rope bunny blew through a series of airborne shapes and contortions. The speed and control of Precipice’s ropework is always a delight to behold, the constant communication between rigger and rope bunny an open connection dancing along the edges.
ZCLUSTER + MISTRESS TOKYO
There’s been a sense of anticipation and excitement around the conjunction of souls who dance deep in the shadow realms as ZCluster and Mistress Toyko began their shared invocation. When you dance with the one known as “Australia’s Bondage Mistress” you make a certain kind of deal… Walking the path of Ordeal, the slow constriction and restriction of ropes throwing Sai into inversions, contortions and pushing body, heart and mind to the edges while the words and breath escaped their lungs. No room for doubt, rational thought or hesitation, no energy left for any semblance of masking while surviving this trial.
BUZZ KULL
From the opening blows of the machine driven sounds wrapped around a void filled soul, Buzz Kull drove an unrelenting set of explorations into the shadowed heart. There was not a corner of the venue that was left unfilled by the fullness of sound and energy driven from the stage, no body left unmoved. The dancefloor filled with writhing shadowed forms, Eve X sliding amongst them to weave serpentine flesh into the darkness at Buzz Kull’s behest. Marc’s twitching, elongated physicality flowing through every inch of the stage and filling the vessel they were given till the very last beat was then met with the chants of the crowd demanding one more song, and they fittingly threw their anthemic “Into the Void” as their final verse into the night.
Masked, dancing through the crowd and weaving the threads cast into an entwined rope thick with magics, the enigmatic Eve X littered the evening with ineffable moments and subtle works…. bringing all things together with a deft subtlety and polishing the edges of the chaos brought by Sai Jaiden Lillith in the construction of this evening.
We’re deeply, infinitely grateful for all who chose to donate their time, energy and attention to our Underground, all those who choose to step further into this cavern and find, sometimes to their surprise, a depth of connection and pure heart amongst the wailing, sound and fury. To all of you who bore witness, we thank you from the very depths of our hearts.
The staff at the Vanguard are always professional, warm and nurturing. We thank them deeply for their continuing support of this chaos.
Last but definitely not least, a shout out and loving embrace to all the performers and artists, Buzz Kull, Enryka, Cheap Coffins, Mistress Tokyo, Precipice, Infernal Desire Machine, Eve X and ZCluster. And yes, BonnieQueans, our visual scribe who captures the ephemeral and ethereal, one of the best photographers we’ve ever had the good fortune to work with; as well as [REDACTED] from I Love it Live who stepped in at the last minute to fill in the videographer duties. We’re utterly blessed to have found and hung onto such a tight crew of like minded pagan miscreants - not just wonderful folk but immensely professional and talented.
Our gatherings in the green room have always felt like beloved family reunions, and Marc (BuzzKull) walked right in as though they had always belonged there. One of the loveliest people we’ve had the good fortune to meet, talented and full of heart! Welcome to the fold. <3
It’s just 12 days until the Melbourne edition of Flesh Rituals & Siren Songs, and we’re carrying what we have invoked here in Sydney back for you… Prepare yourselves for beautiful, profane and transcendent chaos at Stay Gold in Brunswick on the 20th of December.
From the depths of our hearts once more, till the end of all nights.
With Love
(More photos / videos will be uploaded to this substack and to the various socials very soon!)