Dirty Coast Fashion Show

Spring has sprung, festivals are under way and it's almost time for the annual Dirty Coast Fashion Show.

Dirty Coast Fashion Show 2009 from The Canary Collective on Vimeo.

Last Year's show featured Sophie Nuke 'Em, Ibeatya Amber, and Wit Vicious.

Ibeatya throws a deadly look to the crowd

Ibeatya and Sophie scrap it out for the beauty queen title

Sophie and Wit race around the stage

This year's show promises to be bigger and better, featuring a wonderful sample of "only in New Orleans" entertainment. Plus, as a thank you for your continual loyalty and support, Dirty Coast is giving away a weekend pass to New Orleans Jazz Festival.

The show takes place Saturday, April 3rd at 9 PM at One Eyed Jacks located in the French Quarter at 615 Toulouse Street. $10.

Featuring:

All new Dirty Coast designs, Defend New Orleans, Shultzilla and House of Lounge Lingerie
w/Big Freedia and DJ Rusty Lazer and MC Chris Lane.

Performances by Fleur de Tease Burlesque, Black and Gold Super Fans, and of course, THE BIG EASY ROLLERGIRLS!

Thanks to Zack Smith for last year's fashion show pics. VIEW MORE HERE!

Season Opener!

It's The Big Easy Rollergirls' first bout of the year!

The season opens with a double-header beginning at 6pm on March 6th, 2010 at UNO's HPC Center located at the corner of Elysian Fields and Leon C. Simon Drive. The HPC offers nearly 15,550 square feet of playing surface, telescopic bleacher seating for up to 1,200 fans, concessions booths, and a balcony area for aerial viewing.

The Crescent Wenches start the action at 6PM with a new roster of our toughest rookies. Watch all the action as they host the Dixie Derby Girls of Huntsville, Alabama.

At 7pm, the Big Easy All Stars take on the Northwest Arkansas Killbillies of Fayetteville.

Enjoy the bout, and a Nola Brew, the official beer of the Big Easy Rollergirls.

Doors open at 5 pm. $12 ADVANCE TICKETS, $15 at the door, $6 for kids 5 and up.

Enjoy a whole season of derby for only $75. Individual tickets to the eight bouts this season would cost would $96 - that's a $21 savings for all the derby you can handle!

BERG is proud to partner with our charity of the month, the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization. We will be holding a 50/50 raffle.

The Pussyfooters cheer squad, Rolling Elvi and Dr. DJ Gumbo will be on hand to entertain.

Enjoy halftime revelry by The 610 Stompers - Ordinary Men. Extraordinary Moves.

Afterward, please join us at Chickie Wah Wah, at 2828 Canal Street, for a rockin’ afterparty celebration.

BERG takes on Mississippi Rollergirls

The Big Easy Rollergirls take on The Mississippi Rollergirls this Saturday, February 27th at Harrison County Skate Park in Gulfport, MS located on 269 Debuys Road.



This is BERG's first bout of the year, and thus far Mississippi is undefeated this season. Which team will take home the goods after some Roller Derby Take-Out?

The Big Easy Rollergirls

The Mississippi Rollergirls

The doors are at 6PM. The bout starts at 7PM.

Tickets are available at the door. Adults are $10 and kids 12 and under are free.

Half-time entertainment by The Cowboy Killers

Afterparty at Venues Ultra Lounge located at 100 Caillavet St in Biloxi (across from Beau Rivage).

Also, this will be the virgin bout for some of our newbies who have now been escalated (through hip checks, shoulder slams and body knockdowns) to rookie status.

Come and cheer on Anne goLA, Megumi Nasty, Tchoup'er, and Rogue Roulet as they make their official bout debut. Way to go, ladies!

Congratulations to Cougar!

Congratulations to our very own Joan Cougar Menstrualcramp, who was awarded

One of the top-ten roller derby nicknames in the U.S.!

A fierce competitor specializing in big-cat attacks on the rink,

and a loyal and kind friend off the rink.

A helluva woman, and a helluva skater.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Tryouts Recap

In January, The Big Easy Rollergirls held tryouts for spots in our league.

Over 50 girls came out to see if they had what it takes to strap on skates and become a rollergirl.

Rookies and Vets ran The Fresh Meat through some drills: basic skating, time trials, stops and falls. All of the women performed amazingly well! There were even some standout stars!

Membership manager Deb U Taunt stated, "We saw a lot of great talent and potential and can't wait to get started training with the fresh meat. Fans watch out, we have some new rollerstars on our hands!"


Congratulations to all Fresh Meat; we hope to see you out on the rink soon!

All Photos by Koch Photography

BERG to roll in Muses!

The Big Easy Rollergirls are rolling again in THE KREWE OF MUSES on Thursday, February 11th at 6:30 PM.

We are thrilled that once again, Muses is extending their parade route!

The parade will start at Magazine and Jefferson, and will proceed down Magazine to Napoleon, where we will fall in behind Babylon and Chaos and pick up the traditional route. Babylon and Chaos will start as usual on Napoleon.

And once again, The Big Easy Rollergirls will have special throws, beads, and if you're lucky, one-of-a-kind decorated wheels!

Come out and cheer us on as we take a break from training for our March 6th bout to join in on the Mardi Gras Madness!

Mystic Knights of Adonis

The Big Easy Rollergirls are rolling in the Mystic Knights of Adonis this Saturday, February 6th at 10:45 AM on the Westbank.

They will be debuting their own ADONIS DOUBLOON, and a Captain’s Doubloon.

They have as their Grand Marshal, David Bologna, direct from Broadway, just completing his role as Michael in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot the Musical. We will also be joined by 15 bands and marching groups, and the LA Rough Riders.

Come out and share in the magic of Mardi Gras!

WELCOME!

Last year, The Big Easy Rollergirls were fortunate to welcome two veteran skaters from other leagues: Bang Crosby and Peaches Rodriquez, as well as a new referee Johnny Crash.

Bang, Johnny & Peaches

Bang moved here from Austin, Texas in October. She started skating in March of 2008 with the Texas Rollergirls Rec-n-Rollerderby. In September 2008, she tried out for The Texas Rollergirls and was drafted by the Hotrod Honeys. The Hotrods, two-time Texas Rollergirls Champs, are renowned for their teamwork and hardcore training. Bang learned to play derby with some of the best skaters in the country, including Rice Rocket, Cat Tastrophe, Vicious Van GoGo, Lucille Brawl and Crackerjack. She also learned a lot of the business of running a derby league as an assistant to Rice Rocket and Electra Blu, the Chief Operating Officers, and later as Program Coordinator of the Rec-n-Rollerderby and the Texas Rollergirls Junior League.

The Hotrods only lost one game in the season Bang played with them, and it was against the Oly Rollers Cosa Nostra Donnas (Current WFTDA Champs).

My scariest and favorite moment on the track was lining up against D-Bomb and coming out of it alive. My first bout was against the Nashville Rollergirls All-Stars. I was nervous and excited and the crowd of 1200 people booed us and we won 156-40. It was a great night. I learned so much and had so many wonderful experiences with the Hotrods, but I'm definitely still learning my place on the track.

Bang usually plays Blocker 2 or 3, and hopes to play pivot and jammer as well, with Big Easy. Currently, Bang serves on The Training Committe and Interleague Committee.



My goal for our league is to really come together, skate hard, and make it to Regionals.


Peaches transferred from Tucson Roller Derby/TRD in Tucson, AZ. TRD is the Third oldest Roller-Derby League in the World. She started skating for TRD during it's 2005/2006 Season and was placed on it's flagship Team the Furious Truckstop Waitresses as well as their Travel Team the Tucson Saddletramps. At the end of the 2008/2009 Season, Peaches received the "FTW Best Jammer", "FTW Best Pivot" and "FTW MVP" Awards.

Following a total of eight months off of skates, Peaches transferred to BERG and returned to Roller-Derby.



I am very excited about playing for BERG and the Southern Region. I would very much like to see the Southern Region become as competitive and fierce as it's Western and Eastern counterparts and want to help BERG however possible to smash it's way to the top of the Southern Rankings. I and am very grateful to have been given the chance to be a skating representative of the great City of New Orleans and fully intend to give BERG and NOLA everything and anything I am physically able.

Aside from her expertise, Peaches also brought along her husband Johnny Crash.

Johnny was TRD's Head Ref for over 2 Years. He is one of only five Level 4 WFTDA Certified Referees in the country! In 2005, Johnny officiated at the very First Dust Devil in Tucson, AZ (Roller-Derby's very first National Tournament), as well as the Second Dust Devil in 2006. He Reffed at WFTDA Nationals, the Texas Shoot-Out in Austin TX. in 2007 and the WFTDA Nationals, the Northwest Knockdown held in Portland, Or. in 2008. Johnny has also Reffed at least 7 Regional Tournaments across the country and truly is one of the most experienced Roller-Derby refs in the world.
Johnny's first trip to New Orleans, LA was for the WFTDA Rules Conference in 2007 (NO-CON).



Welcome Bang, Peaches and Johnny. We are so happy to have you part of The Big Easy Rollergirl family.

The Pussyfooters' 2nd Annual Blush Ball

Kick off the Carnival Season with The Pussyfooter's 2nd Annual Blush Ball!

Friday, January 15, 2010 from 8 pm to Midnight at the old Mardi Gras World on the Westbank at 233 Newton Street.

Featuring Big Sam's Funky Nation, DJ Soul Sister, Mardi Gras Indians, and the 610 Stompers!



Tickets are on sale now via your favorite Pussyfooter, 610 Stompers, Miss Claudia's on 4204 Magazine St., or though PayPal

TIckets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.

This event is a fundraiser for Metro Center for Women and Children, whose mission is to break the cycle of domestic violence and aid survivors of sexual assault through advocacy, intervention, empowerment and transformation.

Live on Air

3^rd Anniversary Celebration of the LA Smoke-Free Air Act

Come out and celebrate 3 years of smoke-free air in Louisiana with prizes, a new Howlin’ Wolf food menu, and guest hosts The Big Easy Rollergirls

Wednesday, January 13^th, 2009

Howlin’ Wolf New Orleans

Doors at 9pm

Smoke-free show featuring

Rebirth Brass Band

with special guests

Kirk Joseph & Big Sam

Live music, good times, and clean air

$10 - Buy your tickets now, or at the door. Ages 18 and up

For more information, please visit Let's Be Totally Clear

Hosted by The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living and The Greater New Orleans Cancer and Tobacco Control Coalition.

Rollergirl Tryouts

Do you have what it takes to put on the skates?

It's a tough, rough, exhilarating job, but someone's gotta do it.

And that someone could be you!

The Big Easy Rollergirls are having tryouts on Thursday, January 14th at The Westbank Skate Country on 1100 Terry Parkway in Gretna.

From 6:00 to 8:30PM the rollergirls will teach you some of the basic skills of roller derby.

No skating experience necessary.

Drive and determination are the key factors.

If you don't have skates you can rent them at the rink. Rollergirls will let you use their gear, but please bring your own mouth guard.

Contact us to reserve your spot for the tryouts at: Membership@bigeasyrollergirls.com

Lastly, if this doesn't sound like your cup of tea, consider volunteering! It is a great way to be involved and become part of the BERG family.

Krewe of Rolling Elvi Birthday Bash

Join the Krewe of the Rolling Elvi to celebrate the King's 75th Birthday!

This Saturday, January 9th at 9PM at the Kingpin located at 1307 Lyons Street.

There will be live music by Clockwork Elvis and a motor cavalcade by The Rolling Elvi.

Help the Elvi take care of business with drinking, dancing and music while they celebrate another year of the King!

Filthy Rich Grand Opening

Come to the glamourous grand opening of Filthy Rich, hosted by its owner, equally glamourous ref, S'aint No Lady.

This glittering event will occur on Saturday, January 9th from 7:00 to 9:30PM at 330 Chartres Street in the French Quarter.

Sip on pink champagne, swing out to the tunes of Johnny Angel and the Swingin' Demons, sample the chocolate fountain and indulge in cupcakes from The Kupcake Factory.

They will also have door prizes, a raffle to benefit NO/AIDs, and a special appearance by the Big Easy Rollergirls.

Filthy Rich has world famous celebrity jewelry with The Hollywood Collection, Jacqueline Kennedy Collection, Museum Collection (including a Smithsonian line and Salvador Dali line) and a Contemporary Collection inspired by today's celebrities.

Grab your favorite guy or gal and celebrate this night in style.

The beautiful hostess!

Who Dat in the Oaks?

Come celebrate the holiday season and The New Orleans' Saints (the city's second-favorite team next to The Big Easy Rollergirls) at Celebration in the Oaks in City Park.

On Saturday, December 19th, cheer The Saints on to their next victory against the Dallas Cowboys. Stroll through the 23rd annual Celebration in the Oaks and then watch the big game at 7PM on two big screen TVs at The Holiday Cafe and Celebration Cafe. Those dressed in Black & Gold get $1 off the $7 admission.

Celebration in the Oaks includes the fabled Carousel and the train, which will take patrons on an enchanted journey highlighted by an electrifying light display along City Park Avenue, and the Botanical Garden decked out in its holiday glory.

New favorites will include exhibits such as the Musical Light Harps, Cone, and Venusian Swamp Lily in the Botanical Garden and the Himalaya in the amusement park.

Open nightly through December 30 Friday and Saturday 6pm-11pm

Sunday-Thursday 6pm-10pm
Closed December 24 and 25

$7 per person, children under 3 and Friends of City Park enter free.

Cocktails for K9s and Felines

Please support The Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) in their annual fundraiser. ARNO is an organization created and dedicated to the rescue and aid of abandoned and homeless animals in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi, including responding to the immediate needs of those animals in need of medical care, or who have been neglected, abused and deprived of love. ARNO promotes the foster, adoption and reunion of pets with caretakers, as well as spaying/neutering of all companion animals.

This Friday, December 18th from 6 to 9PM they are hosting a Cocktails for K9s and Felines at the Creole Gardens Guest House located at 1415 Prytania.

Tickets are $20 at the door and they include some wonderful edibles, one free drink, a chance at a grand prize, and music by Jumpin' Johnny Sansone.

There will also be a raffle for many fabulous prizes, and a cash bar. All of the proceeds will benefit ARNO.

For more information, please call 504-289-2777

Roller Derby Clinic & Tryouts!

SO YOU WANT TO BE A ROLLERGIRL?

It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it and that someone could be you!

We are offering a skating clinic December 10th at The Westbank Skate Country located at 1100 Terry Parkway from 6:00 to 8:30pm. This clinic will help you get started on the basic skills of derby: falling, stopping, crossovers, maneuvering around objects, and, of course, skating! The cost is only $15.



Our rollergirls will let you use their skates, pads, but please provide your own mouth guard. We will teach you how to skate, you just need to bring your drive and determination.

We are holding our next league tryouts on January 14th from 6:00 - 8:30pm at Skate Country.

So, if you can commit to regular skating practices, monthly participation in bouts, pay dues and get your own gear... Then contact us to reserve your spot for the clinic and tryouts!

That next rock-star on the rink could be you!

Please email: Membership@bigeasyrollergirls.com

Canal Street Krewe of Kringle Parade

Come out for The Canal Street Krewe of Kringle Parade on Saturday, December 5th.

The parade rolls at 11AM from the Convention Center Blvd up Canal Street and past the Roosevelt Hotel Grand Reviewing Stands at Baronne Street.



Aside from your favorite rollergirls on skates, the parade will also include sky-high, stilt walking candy canes, marching bands, mascots from the Hornets, Saints, and Zephyrs, the Honeybees and the pint-sized Stingers, the Rolling Elvi, pageant queens, Muff-A-Lottas, and of course, the most venerable Canal Street character of all, Mr. Bingle!

The outdoor holiday concert will begin at approximately 12:00 noon, directly following the parade.

Jeremy Davenport of the Davenport Lounge at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Tim Laughlin of the Roosevelt Hotel will be joined by local female vocalists as well as the gospel music group Shades of Praise.

Kermit Ruffins will also make a special guest appearance!

HAMP FEST!

HAMP FEST is a revolutionary new NOLA music festival geared at raising awareness and funding to help fight HIV in New Orleans.

This first annual benefit music festival will be donating all profits to NOLA HIV agencies.

Regular tickets are $15 online at The Howling Wolf or $20 at the door, VIP tickets are $75 and include free drinks and food on NOLA Brewing, Firefly Vodka, and Maya's restaurant.

The Big Easy Rollergirls will be there with special appearances by KRE of the Rolling Elvi, The Pussyfooters, Zulu, Phat Phat and All That, and Fleur De Tease.

Fashion Show Presented by Rocbottom Clothing and featuring many of The Big Easy Rollergirls!

Raffle and Silent Auction with many fine pieces of artwork from NOLA community artists. Free onsite HIV testing by NO/AIDS Task Force.

Main Stage Schedule - Presented by "NOSIDA" sponsored by Canon Hospice and St. Johns

Hosted by - Two Cent
6:00-6:50 Wisebird
7:00-8:00 Kermit Ruffins
8:05-8:45 Jeff & Vida
8:55-10:00 Rebirth Brass Band
10:05-10:20 Rocbottom Fashion Show
10:20-11:20 Trombone Shorty
11:20-11:25 Raffle Drawings
11:25-11:40 Fleur De Tease
11:45-12:45 Soul Rebels
12:40-1:10 Dee-1
1:15-1:40 5th Ward Weebie
1:45-2:10 The Show

Acoustic Stage Schedule - Presented by "The Rusty Nail"

7:00-8:00 Luke Benson/Maya Soueidi
8:00-9:00 Jon Roniger
9:00-10:00 Mike Wadsworth
10:00-11:00 HG Breland with HG Meyers
11:00-12:00 Jon Hebert and Terrina Russell
12:00-1:00 Adam Hammock

Support a community festival to help fight HIV in New Orleans!