Cybernetic Chanteuse Activated: SHE SINGS AGAIN!

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Camille

My new Cylon spine.

The first three months of 2013 were a living hell. What with the endless pain from my Guinness Book-size herniated disc and the spinal fusion surgery required to mend it, it’s just been a whirlwind of anguished screaming and pain medication. But now I’m able to perform again, better than ever, complete with funky fresh metal and cadaverous bionics! So many thanks to Mark Boquist for holding the band together while I was out on medical leave, and the thousands of people who lent their talents to the Juke Joint Revue in my absence– BROADWAY BRASSY, SHELLY WATSON, LAVINIA DRAPER, DRAE CAMPBELL, THE NEW YORK CITY BURLESQUE CHOIR, the Musicians, and all you beautiful burlesque queens, door goddesses and kittens—you know who you are. Thank you all for helping make the Juke Joint Revue such a special place and keeping the crowds happy!

So here’s what’s up for spring! The Juke Joint Revue at Parkside on April 22nd is my official comeback! Monday 8-10—come early, stay late, cheap drinks. $10 cover includes 2 hours of me belting out quality rock, roll, soul, feminist burlesque, go-go dancing, plus the Funk Fest Vinyl Swap in the front room! Pool table! Ms Pac Man! Photo Booth of Doom! I reclaim my place in front of my beautiful boys! Highlighted performances include original burlesque routines by Rosie Cheeks, Beezlebabe Siren of Sodom, Delysia La Chatte, with stage kitten Dottie Dynamo! And of course the world-renowned Lavinia Draper will be on hand to take the festivities just the right amount too far.

RSVP on Face book: https://www.facebook.com/events/507753635955435

We’ve got another Juke Joint in the works for May 13^th, and the May 27th extravaganza will be the 1^st Anniversary of the Juke Joint Revue! Not to be missed!

http://www.parksidelounge.net/parkside09.swf

http://www.empirebeatsnyc.com/

Plus we’re playing our usual two sets with dinner and drinks at Hill Country BBQ in Chelsea on Friday July 5th!

It’s a big room and a fun time. If you haven’t tried their brisket, you should! http://music.hillcountryny.com/event/238481-empire-beats-new-york

Empire Beats’ Revue Debut Review!

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Camille

Juke Joint Revue #2

The premiere of the Juke Joint Revue was such a resounding success that Parkside Lounge has requested a second event–Tuesday June 26 2012. Performers have been confirmed, Empire Beats is rehearsing and recording, and the hype machine is in hyper drive. Herewith, a multi-media overview of the May 29^th Juke Joint Revue debut.

Take East Houston all the way to the edge of town and there you will find the Parkside Lounge. Past the foosball and the photo booth, into the back room and 60 years into the past–the heart of the Juke Joint.

Jo Boob’s New York School of Burlesque opened the night with a fantasmagorical showcase of their professors [including Jezebel Express] complete with hula hoop lessons from La Pinkie Special, then Empire Beats took the stage. The cocktail waitress made her rounds, and the infamous Coco te Amo re-warmed the audience with her sexydancing.

Then Empire Beats took the stage and featured Camille Atkinson, something they do very, very well. These boys know how to throw down the tricky beats. Please note the sick chords of Nicolas Semrad and raunchy skins of bandleader Mark Boquist.

SKATE

Camille Atkinson has been known by many names in her years in the club scene, and tonight she premiered her burlesque persona, Bronze Bettina, hostess of the evening.

FEVER

Don't Touch My Girls!

Then the New York School of Burlesque students took the stage—Plucky Charms played the ukulele in little more than a bikini, Cholula Chuckles’ routine left her covered in ice cream, and CoCo te Amo returned to the stage for her amazing performance to Kim Carnes’ “Bettie Davis Eyes.”

Cholula Chuckles Shakes Her Stuff

Covered in mint ice cream

Miss Plucky Charms

The debut of Bronze Bettina

COCO te AMO

BeelzaBabe SirenofSodom got the crowd salivating with her flawless old school glamour.

The hat was passed for the girls, the money piled in, and Empire Beats returned to feature Camille yet again, in all her funky road house glory.

PULCHRITUDE

HOT SAUCE

It was a beautiful night, full of love and booze, hooting and pasties–good old fashioned fun—the American Way. If this is your idea of a good time, click one of the links at the top right to connect with Empire Beats, and DO NOT miss the next Juke Joint Revue, June 26, at the Parkside Lounge.

Your show of shows

Empire Beats’ Juke Joint Burlesque Revue

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Camille

Camille Atkinson and Mark Boquist present the debut of their Juke Joint Burlesque Revue at Parkside Lounge. A con-funk-tual extravaganza of old fashioned rockrollnsoul music and newfangled neo-burlesque, it will thrill your soul, and the May event will be the first of many. Let Camille and her coterie lure you down south to their honky tonk on the side of the road on the edge of town in their own little red light district. A raunchy variety show that will take you back and front and any way it can. Put your cash in their hat and remember—don’t touch the girls!

Tue May 29 | Parkside Lounge | 317 E. Houston | 9:30pm | Tip Us

Jo Boob’s New York School of Burlesque Showcase @ 8, and the debut of Empire Beats’ Juke Joint Burlesque@9:30. Camille Atkinson belts it out and the feminists strut their stuff! Cocktail service, two drink minimum. http://www.schoolofburlesque.com | http://www.parksidelounge.net/parkside09.swf

FEATURING

Plucky Charms https://www.facebook.com/plucky.charms.9

Cholula Chuckles https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003859246116

CoCo Te Amo https://www.facebook.com/coco.teamo.1

BeelzaBabe SirenofSodom https://www.facebook.com/beelzebabe.burlesque

invite yourself on facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/149356198530528/

~MORE SHOWS~

Thu June 7 | The Trash Bar | 256 Grand St | 10pm | $7

Brooklyn’s legendary Trash Bar presents Bergo 45, Daddy, Empire Beats, Melange, and Faulkner Detectives. Arrive between 8 and 9 to get hammered at the open bar—just another opportunity to show how well you tip! http://www.thetrashbar.com/thursday-060712-menage-daddy-empire-beats-faulkner-detectives-bergo-45/

Fri June 8 | Rockwood Music Hall | 196 Allen St | midnight | Tips Plz

The crowd at Rockwood knows how to have a good time and tonight they welcome Javier Dunn, My Glorious Mess, Macc Scibilla, Gabriel Ross, Empire Beats, and Beck Burger. Doors open at 7 and it’s not a school night. http://rockwoodmusichall.com

Thu Jun 21 | Make Music NY | Matthews Palmer Playground | 46th& 9th | 8pm

Empire Beats takes part in this day-long celebration of music in public places throughout NYC and around the world. The first day of summer is the perfect night to party out of doors. http://makemusicny.org/about/overview

Sat June 28 | Rockwood Music Hall | 196 Allen St | 12m | Tips, Baby

TBA but there’s no cover and Empire Beats is playing so just come over late. http://rockwoodmusichall.com/

Fri June 29 | Otto’s Shrunken Head | 538 E. 14^th Street | 12m | $5 /if

Camille and the boys lay their smooth funky soul down at Real Gone’s monthly retro music review. This tiki bar specializes in Flaming Volcanoes and Frozen Mango Daquiris—please don’t forget to have dinner before you come—doors open at 10. http://www.ottosshrunkenhead.com

Fri July 6 |Knitting Factory | 361 Metropolitan Av, BK | 10pm | $8

CGGB is putting on a 4-day Music Festival. all over NYC, and Empire Beats is thrilled to be part of it. Seminars, bands, movies and general celebration. Check out their website for more info.

http://cbgb.com/festival/music | http://bk.knittingfactory.com/

Get your meal ticket, fill your tray with ribs and beer, and head downstairs to the Boot Bar for three sets of funky funky soul music with Camille and the boys. http://www.hillcountryny.com

Empire Beats Plays Lakeside Lounge One Final Time before it CLOSES

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Camille

Lakeside Lounge

Sadly I must report that Lakeside Lounge is closing at the end of April. Empire Beats featuring Camille Atkinson will play the final date of our residency in the Aloha Lounge this coming Tuesday April 17th at 9:30. If you’ve never been, this is one of your last chances–162 Avenue B at 10th Street. No admission, cheap drinks, last chance.

This great article really sums up the situation with Lakeside and NY real estate in general:

http://newyorkmusicdaily.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/lakeside/

“,,,There won’t be any closing party, but the bands on the club calendar will be playing their scheduled shows. Ambel plays the final show at 9 on the 30th. Before then, stop in and say goodbye to a quintessential New York treasure.”

So sad to have to say goodbye to another great venue. Here’s a some dark, shaky, sexy footage of Empire Beats playing at Lakeside earlier this year. Peace.

What I’ve Been Singing Lately

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Camille

Congratulations–you have reached my official website! Make your self comfortable and enjoy the music right there in the sidebar–I’m singing rock and roll and soul all over NYC with Empire Beats. The band is funky and tight, we play classics and originals, and are available for gay weddings, rooftop parties, bar-be-ques, and straight divorces. Check out the Tour Dates button up top for more on our upcoming gigs at Rockwood Music Hall, Trash Bar, and Lakeside Lounge. If you enjoy the tunes, please take a moment to click the widgets to the right and like us on Facebook and Reverb Nation.

2011 was an amazing year for me musically.

I spent the first half of the year singing lead for The Solid Set, playing esoteric soul tunes from times past at Huckleberry Bar, Lakeside Lounge, R-Bar, the Bushwick Open Studio Music Festival, and soul events Let’s Boogaloo, Real Gone, and Dig Deeper at Southpaw in Park Slope. Dig Deeper was declared Best Soul Party by TimeOutNY, and we had the honor of playing there a number of times in 2011, backing soul legends like Lenis Guess and Young Jessie, and opening for Lou Pride at the Dig Deeper 3rd Anniversary party in June. I will continue to try to put into words everything I learned working with these unsung heroes of soul. Please support them by attending Dig Deeper. http://www.facebook.com/digdeepernyc
The single “Good to the Last Drop” was released in October. I sing a very sexy back up–click and see for yourself. http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_6971473
I also sing back-up vocals for Anna Banana, the children’s punk band, recently performing at Mamapalooza in Riverside Park, the Brooklyn Public Library, and Union Square Summer in the Square. Entertaining children is wonderful in a whole other way.
In November 2011, Mark Boquist and I formed Empire Beats, and we’ve been playing rock and roll and soul at venues like Arlene’s Grocery and Lakeside Lounge on a regular basis ever since. http://www.empirebeatsnyc.com
2011 ended with a bang–in December I had the thrill of playing Loser’s Lounge at Joe’s Pub. It was a tribute to Diana Ross and the Supremes, and I got to sing “I’m Coming Out.” I can’t wait to see what 2012 will bring! Please stay tuned!

Camille B. Atkinson

Serving Vocals

Tag Archives: mark boquist