Geek Night: Video Game Burlesque with Members of Nitzer Ebb at Bordello

View more photos in the “Video Game Girls Burlesque @ Bordello” slideshow.

It was geek night at Bordello last Saturday when burlesque troupe Devil's Playground hosted its first Video Game Girls event. Combining arcade-inspired tunes and performances from gamer heroines, the show was grown-up fun for those who spent the bulk of fourth grade figuring out the shortcuts to Super Mario Bros.

Jason Payne and Bon Harris if Nitzer Ebb turned classic video game themes into electronica lounge songs; Credit: Erin Broadley

Opening the night was a performance from Nitzer Ebb members Bon Harris and Jason Payne. With Harris in a sweater vest, Payne in a propeller beanie and both in taped-up, thick frame glasses, the EBM stalwarts played a set of reconstructed video game music. Samples from Donkey Kong and other beloved games were twisted into beat-heavy jams fit for a night at the industrial club as the duo moved in a stiff, robotic fashion that resembled the Tri-Lambs homecoming prize winning routine.

The dancers arrived armed and outfitted for an arcade battle combining old school games with newer fare. Who gets to tap their name into the list of top players? Check out our rankings below.

Courtney Cruz as Metroid's Samus Aran; Credit: Erin Broadley

Character

Samus Aran

Game Series

Metroid

Costume

An abbreviated Varia Suit consisting of a helmet, mega shoulder pads, a golden colored corset, matching boots with a serious platform heel and, of course, an arm piece that shoots beams.

Skills used

Shooting beams across the club.

Execution

Samus Aran may not have curled into a ball on the Bordello stage, but shooting beams across the club while dancing out of a Varia Suit was more than enough to impress this crowd.

Score

4

Gia Rose as Street Fighter's Chun-Li; Credit: Erin Broadley

Character

Chun-Li

Game Series

Street Fighter

Costume

Straight up Street Fighter II style with a short, blue cheongsam, spiked wrist cuffs, white boots and hair worn in two buns tied with white fabric.

Skills used

Kicks and lots of them.

Execution

When Chun-Li crouches in the middle of the stage, watch out. She will jump up, lean back and unleash a flurry of kicks, spin and kick some more and turn her hair sashes into lethal weapons. If M. Bison were on stage, he would be a dead man.

Score

3.5

Lucy Fur as The Legend of Zelda's Link and Princess Zelda; Credit: Erin Broadley

Characters

Link and Princess Zelda

Game Series

The Legend of Zelda

Costume

For Link: Elf green dress and cap, slingshot. For Zelda: Gold crown, gold cap sleeves, white skirt. For both: Pointy ears, sword, shield.

Skills used

Sword fighting, slingshots

Execution

It's the hero's journey, a young boy enters with a slingshot, sword and shield preparing for his quest to locate the hidden shards of the Triforce and save the princess. But, before he can even start his mission, he morphs into Princess Zelda. Props to dancer Lucy Fur for segueing between gender roles seamlessly.

Score

3.5

Audrey Deluxe as Super Mario Bros. Princess Peach; Credit: Erin Broadley

Character

Princess Peach

Game Series

Super Mario Bros.

Costume

Peachy pink ball gown, crown, cupcakes.

Skills used

None, really.

Execution

She's cute. She's regal. She's everything you would expect from the fairest damsel in the Mario Bros. world. But, she could really benefit from a power parasol. You never know when King Koopa will try to kidnap the princess again.

Score

3

Eliza Bane as BloodRayne's Rayne; Credit: Erin Broadley

Character

Rayne

Game Series

BloodRayne

Costume

Black and red PVC corset, stiletto-heeled boots, oversized blades.

Skills used

Weaponry

Execution

BloodRayne's half-vampire protagonist is a rage-filled killer, but outside of some blade-spinning, this performance played up the 1930s cabaret aspect of the game more than the copious bloodletting. A little fake blood and some stiletto heel wielding would intensified the action here.

Score

3

Missed out on Video Game Girls? Devil's Playground will be repeating the show on June 3 at Bordello during the E3 video game convention.

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