The opportunity to review the Hellfire club has popped up a few times over the past few months and each time I have considered it, but never taken the brave step of actually saying yes. Conjuring up images of walking into a dark club and emerging with a butt that looked like it had been sitting on a wicker chair for too long had held me back, but this time when the opportunity presented itself it came so with a deliciously interesting finger snappin bonus and I had to say yes.
I dare say Frank Sinatra never expected his music to be performed in a tiny dark club, by the multi-Aria nominee, smooth talking, tuxedo-clad lounge lizard, Frank Bennett to a sea of black PVC and heaving flesh. But after being almost rejected for not sticking to the dress code, we nervously descended into the livid mass of PVC and into the smooth crooning of Rat Pack heaven, Sammy, Dino and Frank.
Lounge music and leather, who ever thought? But rest assured after a few tunes from this glamour puss Frank and you would never look back. In true Bennett style he even finished off his set with a rendition of Radiohead’s Creep, he didn’t miss a beat.
After midnight when Frank had swaggered off the stage, the lights were lowered and Mandy Rollins, Lanny K and Miss Yeti hit the decks to whip the crowd into a dancing frenzy. It wasn’t the only whipping to be had, with bright young things in hot red panties feeling the heat of Mistress Ultra’s fury. After dancing around for a while I even found myself realising that the evening was like any other clubbing night out…...just in fancy dress.
So did my fears go unfounded? Absolutely. So there was the odd bit of flesh here and there and a few articles of clothing that looked much closer to something found in a bicycle shop, but it felt like it could have been any night out clubbing in Sydney. The drinks were cheap and the music was pumping. I might have been even a little disappointed that I emerged out of Club 77 and into the rain with little more damage to me than an elbow in the ribs at the bar from a disgruntled leather clad lounge lizard.
