Rip-roaring surf rockers wearing Mexican wrestling masks, dancing girls clad in brocade-trimmed panties, and a Glaswegian comedian doing the twist; such an unholy union can only mean one thing. It’s time to haul out the holly. Come celebrate the Yuletide at the Christmas Pageant 2005.
This annual tour tradition dates back to 2002, when Grammy-nominated quartet Los Straitjackets dropped their holiday CD, ‘Tis the Season for… Los Straitjackets, a set of 11 beloved carols and two originals. In some regards, the Straitjackets set was an homage to the 1965 classic The Ventures’ Christmas Album.
“That album was truly an inspiration for us to do one of our own,” admits guitarist Danny Amis. Their arrangement of “Sleigh Ride,” he adds, is almost a note-for-note copy of the Ventures’ rendition. Elsewhere, the similarities are subtler, as in their use of “La Bamba” as a preface to “Feliz Navidad.” “We were always a fan of the way the Ventures did that: Take a classic intro, and then surprise audiences with what came next.”
But the ’60s surf-rock titans never augmented their holiday cheer by taking a group of choreographed cuties out on the road. New York burlesque trio the World Famous Pontani Sisters—Angie, Tara, and Helen—have been Los Straitjackets’ colleagues in spreading holiday cheer since the pageant’s inception.
Although this is the first time the show has graced Seattle, the program is updated annually; for 2005, a couple new twist ditties—written, warbled, and danced by Kaiser George—have been added. Fans can also look forward to the Pontanis’ latest costumes, including oversized gold Christmas-tree headdresses—complete with twinkling lights—and fur-trimmed, red-velvet bikinis, à la the Rockettes after budget cuts.
The choreography also owes a modest debt to those famous Radio City high-steppers. “This show has a lot of kick lines,” says Angie. So if you’re coming from the office Christmas party, don’t stand too close to the front. “We’re not responsible for any injuries.”
