There are no cheap seats, but lots of nosebleeds at the immersive wrestling event series Barroom Blitz.
Thirty bit before door open at 1st Street Pool Hall in Boyle Heights , Casanova Valentinescouts the venue looking for unusual props he can use during his show . He point out the huge water jug at the remainder of the cake : “ This will be great for waterboarding Peter [ Avalon ] , ” his opponent , and also his partner , for the coming fight . It ’s Saturday night , and preparation is well afoot for a sold - out crew at Barroom Blitz , the tarradiddle - driven , limitless rassling experience in which battler go at it in the centre of a packed bar with no ring and lots of extemporise weaponry .
The roadhouse vibe is a thoroughgoing match for Casanova , a Brooklyn - based artist , pro grappler , and nonconformist . And despite his hate of legal philosophy and order , he still has to lay down some solid ground rules withCircle 6 , the team behind this event . The only prescript tonight : “ Do n’t fuck with the puddle tables . ”
“ commonly I have a spiked dildo called ‘ Satan ’s Cock ’ to habituate , ” Casanova casually mentions . As you’re able to imagine , that might have caused an outcome with TSA on his flying over — couldn’t risk it . At the merch board forCancer Christ , the accompanying LA - based metallic element stria performing that dark , Casanova reflect a monogrammed butt plug for sale . Others fall in him in discussing the many ways he could use it in the combat . This is what pre - production sounds like .
Photo by Evan Moses for Thrillist
Casanova , who coined the musical phrase “ no ring no rule , ” is at the forefront of this hugger-mugger grappling experience , and to him , it ’s operation art . As an creative person in Brooklyn , New York , he began curating his own gallery shows , but mat up that multitude just were n’t take with the art : “ I demand to do something interesting , and as a pro - wrestler myself , I just decide to do extemporaneous wrestling matches in the centre of the art show . ” As you’re able to envisage , that bring more people in .
He began fighting fellow wrestlers in the eye of the crowd , where no one could take their eyes off of the chaos . Theschadenfreudeworked — people find joy in watch these battle , and he sold all of his paintings .
Casanova ’s ‘ no ring ’ manner catch the oculus of Circle 6 Wrestling co - founders Mike Gevorgian and Jonathan ‘ JB ’ Bowles . With a lengthy background in promotion and springy event , the collaboration between Casanova and Circle 6 became ‘ Barroom Blitz’—the story - drive , sometimes improvised battle in the open arena which happens to be a barroom locale . As JB breaks it down , “ I would never describe this to someone as a wrestling show . I ’ve hear people in the wrestling diligence describe it as ‘ alive Action Shakespeare in the Round ’ … when the total locale and the crowd itself is on that ‘ stage , ’ it ’s the most immersive live legal action experience you could ever have . ” And the venue matters .
Photo by Evan Moses for Thrillist
Circle 6 and Casanova agree that the locus ca n’t hold more than around 200 - 250 citizenry , or the experience gets drop off . “ Unlike a traditional concert , there ’s a cap on how big it can get , ” says Gevorgian . “ It can continue to grow in exposure and broadcasting in terms of people watching it … but if people are n’t feeling that tightness next to the action , the experience begin to lack . ”
Most frequenter at 1st Street Pool follow the wrestlers with earpiece out as the scrap wind through the treasured pool table , recording and cyclosis for social media . The energy in the room is palpable as everyone tries to get a glimpse of the fight , blab in unison to Casanova ’s pet song , “ Goodbye Horses ” by Q Lazzarus .
Casanova and Circle 6 carefully curate wrestler and also local bands — almost always punk and/or alloy — to produce the counterculture tone that powers Barroom Blitz . “ I ’ll sometimes put in go - go dancers between matches , bands , a brand swallower , just some kind of oddness , ” he describes . And this is his baby : “ I just made a show that I care existed . ” And it is n’t just for wrestling lover .
Photo by Evan Moses for Thrillist
“ You do n’t have to like professional hand-to-hand struggle to have fun at this show , ” says JB . “ What we ’re hear with Barroom Blitz is that it provides an candid door for new people or people that would never go to a wrestling effect to still be capable to see these cat execute . And when you see them know and up nigh , two foot from your face , it kind of belt down the ‘ you know that ’s fake right ? ’ controversy . It ’s so immersive , it ’s so genuine , and you ’re a part of the action , right in the center of it . ”
He means that literally — it ’s not rarified for someone in the crowd to get involved . perhaps you face Casanova with an open beer can to smash on his opposer ’s head , or he ’ll pour it into a wrestler ’s mouth while they ’re restrained atop the bar .
“ We started this to change the culture of the wrestling business , ” says Gevorgian,“I desire you to go through all of it … experience everything . ” For exemplar , he aver , “ I had a supporter who passed out during one of our shows because of the smell of atomic number 26 in the gentle wind from the amount of blood . ”
Photo by Evan Moses for Thrillist
Despite the gore , Casanova believes his wrestling style create confident energy , and you could tell that it works through the smiling , laugh , chants , and joining from his fans . He ’s create an open infinite for anyone to appreciate his crashing canvas , but that ’s on the surface . This is his writing style of face as well as his full time business .
“ I curate these display off of my artistic appreciation , ” he says . you’re able to see it in Casanova ’s final triumphant move at 1st Street Pool , a signature called “ the text message break up , ” in which he thrash his opponent onto a trash can , amps up the crowd , then dives on top of him from the stripe for a powerful peg . “ The grappler are my paint brushes , and I utilise them to fill in the artwork . ”
Photo by Evan Moses for Thrillist
Photo by Evan Moses for Thrillist
