Boom-Boom

Writer/performer Pleasant Gehman has been documenting L.A.’s underbelly for longer than we can remember (she’s one of the originators of the Weekly’s LA Dee Da column, a precursor to Nightranger). Also known as Princess Farhana, Plez is just as well known for her burlesque and belly dancing, and last week she threw a rip-roarin’ wiggle fest at El Cid for the latest ish of Shimmy magazine and the release of her new instructional DVD, Boom Boom: Hot Burlesque Moves for Cool Chicks. San Fran’s zany Kitten on the Keys hosted the show, opening with a steamy tune called “Hot Nuts” while vivacious vamps of all shapes and sizes including Eva Von Slut and Rene La Rue shook their tail feathers and more for the crowd, which included plenty of red-lipsticked retro mamas and a group of graying shutter-happy gents who admitted to being burlesque-babe groupies (kinda like the girl-band nerds of the ’80s who used to attend every show, camera in hand, that had a female in it). Gehman’s quite the busy betty; her written work can be seen in this year’s edition of The Underground Guide to Los Angeles, which she edits with gal pal Iris Berry (and which yours truly contributed to). A release party/reading will take place at Skylight Books on September 24.

Working the Room

Another seasoned scenester marked a milestone last week, as party planner Bryan Rabin threw a bash in the Chateau Marmont’s penthouse to celebrate five years of fabulous fetes with his partner, David Rodgers. Rabin/Rodgers events always have a certain decadence — like the old Club Cherry, whose mixed mash of glam, dance, rock, gay and straight was probably the closest thing to Studio 54 L.A. ever had. We’re still waiting for a Cherry reprise, though it kinda felt like one at this party, with former club regulars Pauley Perrette (now on CBS’s Navy NCIS) and androgynous chanteuse Constance in the house. Also seen wishing the golden boys well: Zooey Deschanel, Michael and Pamela Des Barres, Marilyn Manson and Dita Von Teese, Kelly Osbourne, sk8ter Tony Alva, designer Allison Burns,andsocial scribe James St. James .?.?. Later that night we popped into a decidedly less swanky setting for BPMmagazine’s 10-year anniversary party at the Avalon. The mag has definitely evolved over the years, and the lineup reflected this, with spin-meisters Marques Wyatt, Junior Sanchez and Stretch Armstrong shaking the dance floor and live sets from Junkie XL and Mickey Avalon (whose backup dancers brushed each other’s hair on a bed .?.?. uh, sexy). Amused attendees included Jenna Jameson and current BPM coverboy Danny Masterson — who donned an oh-so-ironic mustache and came with his bearded dad. Too hip!

Vroom-Vroom

What better way to cap off a week of nostalgic naughtiness than with a band we luved back in the ’80s? Motorcycle Boy reunited after a five-year hiatus last Thursday at Spaceland, and the group, led by former Retail Slut stud Francois, proved they can still pop a wheelie: With covers of the Stones’ “Off the Hook” and a finale of their classic “I Hate the Sunset Strip,” the group’s Cramps-meets-N.Y. Dolls grinds are as revving and rockin’ as ever. See for yourself when they play Safari Sam’s on August 24.

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