There are a lot of things in the Doberman that you might not expect to see in an Arts District cocktail bar: antique chandeliers, cases of dead butterflies, taxidermized deer heads ... a bathtub.
“The moody decor makes it the perfect vibe. There’s literally dark corners everywhere where you might get caught kissing. It’s kind of naughty and just screamed burlesque. The place really makes you feel like you go back in time,” says burlesque producer and dancer Raquel Reed.
The creator of the annual Sin City Burlesque Festival and wildly successful burlesque variety show The Jiggle Room launched Tub Club in January. The new monthly production is a departure from choreographed acts, instead emphasizing the kind of improvisation you might see in scenes like New Orleans or New York.
Tub Club
“I started my career in New York winging it to a live band. ... When I got into cabaret, I was in set routines and ended up in Vegas. But I really missed that aspect of free-flowing burlesque. That’s honestly what burlesque was in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. Classic burlesque has no choreography, just pure feeling,” Reed says. “I wanted to make something where everyone can come in. I can change up the cast with a lot of big names coming through town. It’s something people can have fun with and live their best classic life.”
Pure feeling was on full display at the January installment of Tub Club, where Reed and Ginger Watson individually worked Doberman’s cavernous yet cozy space. In between singer Coco Lamar’s intoxicating renditions of “I Put a Spell on You” and “Killing Me Softly,” the dancers disrobed from their glamorous costumes while moving through two separate rooms—bumping and grinding on the occasional unsuspecting onlooker along the way. At the end of each number, the dancers slipped into a vintage claw-foot tub, reveling in confetti, dollar bills, hoots and hollers.
The cast changes each month. On the February 23 lineup is singer Mimi Meow and LA-based burlesque dancer Moxie Gold. Reservations are required and come with a two-drink minimum. Reed says her ultimate goal is to provide a space for performers to break away from structure and have an intimate, riotous time with the audience.
“I want to inspire people to get in the tub at the end. Take some pictures. Make it a thing,” Reed says.
TUB CLUB February 23, 8 p.m., reservations required. Doberman, dobermandtlv.com.
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