Big Willie’s Burlesque Reggae Revue

Willie's Big Tease

It’s a bit of a sweaty trek out to Café de Paris on the edge of the Fuji Rock site, but then Big Willie’s Burlesque has ever been a place to work up a sweat of varying kinds over the past 10 years they’ve been playing Fuji Rock. With Willie and his band opting this year for a reggae twist on their show, one wondered how sunny reggae beats would combine with the sultry art of the slow strip.

The band played a few reggae inspired tracks throughout the set giving shouts out to Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me”, and a cover of UK band Asward’s “Warrior Charge”. To up the tempo and get the crowd boogying, the band also brought in plenty of classic ska some Jump With Joey tunes, and a nod to Colombia’s Caribbean-tinged Cumbia style, with vocal duties taken on by saxophonist “Sweetbread”.

Big Willie’s is not just about the band but also the burlesque, and dancers Baby Seal and Honey Badger worked their magic in a string of outfits ranging from bedazzling and bling-a-licious corsets, to the more noir-ish raincoat and dark glasses. As the girls teased the audience, drummer and frontman Willie acted the part of a charmingly besotted and bamboozled dope.

Overall the show came off as reggae ska with a slick casino vibe and was an entertaining start to the weekend.