Big ups for "Big Top"Finally, a publication is recognizing the recent(ish) explosion of independent circus art as a movement in its own right (rather than a bastardization of “real” circus or an extension of Burning Man culture). Yup, that’s right. I’m talking about Best of the Bay winner Big Top, the online mag dedicated to highlighting, promoting, and supporting indie circus culture. (For the record, we did talk about the trend in early 2007 – we just haven’t devoted a whole damn magazine to it.)
So why am I talking about Big Top so soon after we featured ‘em in last week’s issue – and hung with ‘em at our badass Best of the Bay party on Thursday? Because they’re awesome. And because they hosted their own incidiary event the next night at Fat City.
Fat City headliners Fou Fou Ha! Photo from Big Top Magazine.
The lineup read like a who’s-who of local cirque: Vau de Vire Society, Fou Fou Ha!, and the infamous Gooferman included. But my favorite part was an act called Dueling Fire, which pitted two Mad Max-looking guys outfitted in mechanized flame-throwing vests against two fire-breathing klowns – all to the tune of “Dueling Banjoes.” (The two biggest surprises: 1. The breathers’ fire balls kicked the throwers’ asses – though I’m still in love with the combination of fire, metal, and gas; and 2. Those fire balls didn’t melt the aerial rigging right off the ceiling.)
Good show, Big Top, online and in life.
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