Alice a steampunk concert fantasy took place on January 12th 2016 At the Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas.
In order to understand how far this show has come we need to explore where it all started - with a simple children’s book.
That book was the first book a young 7 year old Anne Martinez read and from that point on it was, and still is, her favorite book. Fast forward some years. Anne earned her master’s degree in show creations. She would later use this degree along with her favorite childhood fantasy, to help create a show. One day, in the early 2000’s Anne was exposed to a new movement called Steampunk.
It wasn’t long after that Anne started to think how she could use the look and feel of steampunk with her passion as a singer/entertainer and turn that into something amazing. Anne took her concept to her friend and dancer, choreographer and musician Ryan Kelsey. With her communication of a framework and a dramatic line to follow, he and Anne began to create the show. The show then needed music. For that they reached out to the man they knew could make it happen; David Perrico who has a long list of credentials such as music director/arranger/trumpet player. David worked with Ryan and Anne to get their vision, and then he added his own incredible spin on the music. David began to chart all the music for his powerhouse band to bring it to life. Starting with a small production of only 4 dancers and 2 singers the show has now grown to consist of 7 dancers and 2 singers in two years.
The venue “Brooklyn Bowl” in itself has an ambiance of a New York bar meets a Vegas showroom, meets a glow in the dark modern bowling alley. As I entered the room I could see the giant dance floor and stage that is so well known around Vegas, but something was different for sure. That something was theater style seating. The stage known for being used by famous bands and DJs, now had a theater type feel and look to it. I could tell we were in for a show, not just a concert. As others began to fill the room you could hear and feel the excitement. Some people really got into the “THEME” and dressed in their steam punk outfits. One gentlemen in particular who was dressed from head to toe was Las Vegas’s Very Own famous Historian, Actor, TV star, president and founder of The Steampunk Imaginarium, my good friend Doc Phineas
As the room went dark and music began to play we were treated to a 30 minutes pre show. First up were two separate dance performances, which were choreographed to heart pounding music. Both acts involved dancing down the isles in some cases using the bodies of audience members to lean on or to add emotion to their moves. Suddenly the lights on the stage came on to reveal large rings hanging from the ceiling and as the live music started 2 beautiful acrobats, began to spin and contort their bodies in rhythm to the music. At one point they both used the same ring and gave us a spectacle of limbs stretching and body parts extending giving us a vision, almost like a chandelier that constantly changes shape. Once again the rooms light went dark. A spotlight lit up just a small section of the stage and a man dressed in steampunk garb stepped into the light and began to tell a story, a story about Alice. For the next 75 minutes we are taken on a journey of lights, vocal, dance, theatrics, acrobatics, and emotional steampunk fantasy.
In the humble opinion of this writer, if you are want to experience a show unlike anything you have ever seen, then this is a must see show for you. I would easily add, it will not only be a huge success here in Las Vegas but worldwide, perhaps even in New York on Broadway
