Dita Von Teese Teases San Francisco Crowd

in SF Concert Reviews by

The queen of burlesque Dita Von Teese sashayed into town last night to perform a string of sold-out shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco. The princess of seduction brought her show entitled “The Art of Teese,” which was nothing short of fantabulous as she sent her audience back into an era where sexiness didn’t mean sluttiness, or being trashy, but rather when seduction was considered an art form.

Von Teese’s brand of burlesque is a cross of vaudeville variety show but with more sexual undertones. It took years for her to perfect the act, which is most famous for its Martini performance. For it, a giant glass martini is set on the stage where Von Teese strips her costume to twirl and splash inside the glass with an olive sponge. Along for the ride, last night was a cast full of gorgeous female burlesque superstars that she managed to snag along the way, but also a male cast member to please the gay men in the audience.

The show was split up into multiple acts with elaborate stage sets and costumes, each with their own theme that ranged from femme fatale detective to seductive cowgirl. The host for the evening kept the evening at a steady pace with plenty of humor but it was really Dita that radiated each time she made her way onto the stage.

This is a show that is not to be missed. It keeps you entertained from beginning to end, introducing you to a world of sexual entertainment that’s sadly been cheapened, packaged and sold in strip clubs all across the country. Burlesque has so many more nuances than what you’ll find in those seedy establishments. It’s charming, seductive, yet tongue-and-cheek in its delivery, requiring so much more talent and personality than simply sliding down a pole with your underwear off.

Having released albums under Digital Nations, a label founded by Steve Vai, music critic Louis Raphael has remained deeply connected to the pulse of the San Francisco music scene. Following his tenure as the San Francisco Music Examiner for Examiner.com and AXS.com, he embarked on creating Music in SF® to authentically highlight the vibrant offerings of the city's music scene.