Confusion Is Sex: The Two Year Itch

For the second birthday party of Confusion is Sex, Gamma Ray Dali has lined up a science fiction special that hopes to transform the Bongo Club into an otherworldly palace of carnal delight. And while Gamma is the name and the poster star of Confusion, a dedicated team bring her visions to life. “We’ve got Creative Electric, who are going to be creating some theatre installations around the club: the Lynch Mob are going to be creating a space environment upstairs and in the hallway and the main room,” she enthuses. “ We’ve also got some graffiti artists coming down and I’ll bring some sparkles and random mannequins to decorate the club.”

To celebrate this anniversary, CiS has gathered together old supporters, while developing new acts. “We had to have Dolby Anol: he started with us, and I am really loving the new releases,” she says. “And his tranny glitch electro beat style is perfect for the science fiction theme.” Although the club has grown in vision and prestige over the two years, Gamma refuses to forget those who helped define its early outing. “I really wanted to have all the gang who have been there from the beginning to celebrate two years of CiS. And we are welcoming Impressive Johnson back with his fabulous Darth Vader comedy striptease. I haven’t booked him for a while, so it will be great to have him back.”

Gamma has always taken a particular interest in matching the music to the overall atmosphere: “The Glitch – Frequent Flyers, Pop Secure and Anarkid – are going to be starting it off in the main room.” Gamma even had a hand in bringing this collective together under one name. “I named them The Glitch for Confusion to reflect their style.”

Gamma’s enthusiasm extends to the development of the Freaky Brides: strange hostesses wedded to rock’n’roll and the key to CiS’s identity. “I am lucky to have had this idea grow and have people interested in being part of a live art group: the girls bring a lot of life to The Brides with their suggestions and passions.” To mark the graduation of the Brides into a company, they are plotting a new act. “We're just deciding now which Bride is going to be which hot sci-fi babe and we're going to take it from there and turn it into a feminist, but slightly cheeky, burlesque strip: and then getting a bit of gore and blood into it.”

The magpie imagination of CiS is reflected in the addition of Cuff Keys, a bondage act and the Kamikaze Girls, who, Gamma explains “will be doing a Weird Science burlesque act and pole-dancing throughout the night: when all the acts are finished, we’ll have the pole on the stage, creating that David Lynch atmosphere.” This atmosphere frequently extends well beyond the arranged acts.

“The audience are an important part: we started doing best dressed, and it is hard to tell who is a performer and who is part of the audience. It becomes a massive freaky family. I love that people are starting to get CiS and make an effort to think about it, and make an effort with their costumes. We are creating a whole vibe, and you are either with it, or you are getting naked.”