|
The Tender Trap was a cabaret nightclub that ran in Sydney, Australia from December 1994 to January 2000. It was one of the most successful Sydney clubs of the 1990s. The Tender Trap club pre-dated the mid 90s lounge culture phenomenon, but as the phenomenon grew, so too did the popularity of the club. == Background == The Tender Trap operated on Sunday nights, in the theatre-restaurant room of the legendary Les Girls building in Sydney's infamous Kings Cross, New South Wales. The Les Girls Building stood prominently on the corner of Darlinghurst Road and Roslyn Street, in the heart of the Cross, an area popularly known as "the Golden Mile". The original Les Girls review, featuring gorgeous "drag queens" including the leading lady Carlotta, had performed in the building since 1963, but in the early 1990s the review decided to go on the road inspired by the film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, leaving the building unused. The Les Girls building carried some intense history; it was owned by Sydney identity Abe Saffron; Kings Cross activist Juanita Nielsen was last seen here; various ghosts were rumoured to call it home. But in 1994 the building was still remarkably intact, a piece of living history. Seeing an opportunity, Sydney filmmaker and DJ Sean O'Brien approached the management, and procured the use of the cabaret room for Sunday nights. Sean named the Sunday night cabaret club after the Frank Sinatra song, and the Tender Trap first opened its doors on 11 December 1994, at the cocktail hour of 7pm. The performer on the opening night was singer Stuart Grant with his jazz combo. Stuart had previously been in the infamous 1980s post punk band the Primitive Calculators. The Tender Trap arrived in a vibrant period for eclectic contemporary clubs in Sydney, including Spicy Friday, Jamie and Vanessa's, The Sunset Club, Madd Club, Club Kooky, and the bohemian Rat Parties. But from the beginning, The Tender Trap was aiming to recapture the vibe of swinging sixties Sydney in the perfect venue, "a celebration of cocktail culture at its most sophisticated and savage". The Tender Trap referenced legendary Sydney clubs of an earlier era such as Chequers, The Latin Quarter, the Silver Spade Room, and Tabou. The essential mix was live cabaret entertainment, together with DJs playing their cherished vinyl LP collections featuring lounge music, jazz, Latin, funk, soul, and the incredibly strange. The original fixtures of the room were embraced and enhanced, including red cloth-covered tables, candles, chandeliers, velvet flock wallpaper, and the central focus – the cabaret stage. The effect was remarkably like stepping back in time. Every Sunday the running order was fixed – from 7pm cocktails, laid back music, and sophisticated discussion; then the live act at 10.30 pm; and then the wild dancing commenced. == Creative team and acts == During the first several months of operation and experimentation, Sean O'Brien gathered together the core Tender Trap team that would carry the club to the heights of success. The team were all from creative backgrounds, but new to the nightclub world. Filmmaker Sean O'Brien was the manager and creative director. Fellow filmmaker Dr. Robert Herbert was the art director and "late night" DJ; renowned film editor Nick Meyers was the lighting designer, and in later years architect Rory Toomey the lighting operator; filmmakers Catherine Lowing and Sophie Jackson (aka "Schatzi") were the glamorous door girls; and other regular DJs included musician Andy Travers, jetsetter "King" Dom Harding, "special international guest" Mark Wells, and legendary Sydney DJ Trevor "el chino" Parkee. Some of the most popular acts that performed at the club were drawn from Sydney's diverse ethnic community, and included Chinese plate spinner Miss Jerry Liu, Yao Zu Fu – the Monkey Man!, the Pearls of Polynesia, Voodoo Queen Desiree, and an array of exotic belly dancers such as the mysterious Zena. Bands included the Andy 500, Les Gastronomes, and The Kaempfert Zone. Other performers, such as Kay Armstrong and Paul Cordeiro, have gone on to become successful choreographers in the Australian contemporary dance scene. All were kept safe by handsome doorman, Murray. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Tender Trap (club)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|