Note: This feature first appeared on the now defunct WHIP! magazine.
Rubber Cult
The Alice, London, 7th October, 2017
You know it’s October when everything starts to get a little strange: inanimate objects move around the room on their own accord, simple acts become entwined with something out of the twilight zone, witches gather in the skies above, spirits creep about in the cracks in the ether. These rhythms are natural so I think it’s best to embrace them. Which is apt because Rubber Cult is loaded with strange rhythms! It’s a pertinent thing. And pert, too! Especially with all the pert rubber bottoms on display.
In fact Rubber Cult had a huge amount of pert rubber bottoms on display. But without further ado, it’s time to swim deep in its ocean of kinky and rubbery treasures.
Firstly the acts, performances and fashion show…
Charlie Bouquett: strangely I hadn’t seen Charlie Bouquett before, which is a bit of sin let’s be honest. Tall and even talllllllller in those heels, she’s a very fun and commanding lady. And the balloon tricks! ha ha how wonderfully rude and cheeky.
Betty Machete: not only is she gorgeous, but this performance was also very clever. And I fucking love clever. There’s something very sexy about a clever person with tons of ingenuity. My point being here, Betty Machete turning the implements in her outfit into a ball gag and pony girl get up. Very cool, and also a really free performance. The whole thing started contained, then went totally outward and free and explorative (I’m just making up words now), but while being outward she became physically restrained. Contained – outward – explorative – restrained. Really interesting. Shit, I could analyse this all night. Must write a piece about her next year.
Exxess Latex fashion show: Now this was totally fucking mad … and I do mean MAD! I enjoyed seeing a fashion show that was totally bonkers! Hopefully they’ll be a video released at some point because it was far more than a fashion show, it was a story, an adventure, an expedition and ultimately, an explosion of fetish surrealness, which personally I fucking love. I really enjoy the art that flows through fetishism and its fashions. It’s a really great tool for the imagination to run wild.
Speaking of running wild, what about the fun and games in the background…
There’s a vac bed buzzing away in the corner with a pair of glorious vac bed hosts caressing their vacuum packed exhibits. There’s also a rubber bed, a couples sleep sack, a vac cube, a latex nurse, and a latex straitjacket. Oh, and the benches and crosses populated by whipping and spanking couples. It’s good to have games in the background as it keeps the wicked and good natured fury going and it gives someone like myself a whole world of things to explore and take in.
I can’t tell if I’m turning into fetish Jacques Cousteau or fetish Steve Zissou here so…
What took my fancy amongst the outfits:
Riding outfit: I have to say I fucking love riding outfits anyway, but a latex riding outfit is just one of sexiest things. It’s perfect. The boots, the jodhpurs, the jacket and especially … the latex lady of the manor look. The whole thing just screams dominance, mystery and indulgence. You really want to be gathered up and spirited away to a mansion in the country for a weekend (or longer) of fun and games. Marvellous.
Run along to the Rubber Cult gallery and you can see what I’m talking about with the outfits.
I think some other musings…
Something I love, adore, would never ever change about Rubber Cult is the amount of beautiful and gorgeous women over forty. You all look so good, so well turned out, so striking and so powerful. It’s a wonderful thing to behold. You should be proud because you really look fantastic.
The other thing I would never change is the age range … it must be something like 20+ up to 70+. How fucking cool is that? Two to three generations all wrapped up in rubber having a glorious time at the same event. That is a special kind of unity. Especially when you walk past someone and you get stuck to them!
(squeak-wobble-wobble-blurp-sorry…)
Oh, and so many hoods on display, what a pleasure. Anything from eyes and mouth only to dotted eyes and mouth only to … gas masks … and then onto other forms of creatures, and some people really are creatures – I mean that as a compliment; otherworldliness is charming and alluring.
And to prove I was actually there and not just scanning through the photo gallery…[and to also prove I’m a man-tart (I am)]
As for the free fortune cookie … I have one of that as well:
“We cannot change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails…”
I wrote the opening piece on witches while sitting on a particularly dull and clanky train journey. I love how the fortune cookie fits with the opening [not a euphemism]…
So I’m pretty cool with that…
I’m already booked and ready to go for next event on 17th February 2018. Personally I can’t fucking wait!
XX
H
Mardi Gras Magazine 