willie It’s that bloke from Big Willie’s Burlesque. He’s at the Crystal Palace every year – as far as I know, the only live act to play every year. This year he’s also at Cabaret Fiesta.
A couple of hours earlier I watched Rustic Pans at the Fiesta and they tore the place to pieces. Willie has more trouble. He keeps asking if anyone would like to dance, but it takes half the set before anyone does. It’s partly because it’s pelting with rain and half his audience is here for shelter (which becomes painfully obvious as soon as the rain stops). But it’s also because William sets the bar for dancing way too high with his scantily clad ladies that wiggle their bottoms and boobs. I must say at this point that I disapprove of the exploitation of women for sexual thrills. Ha, just kidding, it’s fine. Linda comes out and wiggles everything she has, and there was probably some music playing but I didn’t much notice. She’s dancing in stilletos, which I think is a breach of health and safety in the workplace regulations. Then Linda leaves, Willie asks for a round of applause and gets a cacophonous clapping. He then asks for the same for the singer/timbales guy, Luka, and he gets a noticeably more muted clapping. It’s clear that this crowd love boobs more than top-grade Cuban jazz.
When the ladies are off, we can hear the music again, and it’s tight as tight could be. If this were a jazz club, we’d all be on our feet. But somehow it’s the wrong place and wrong time of day for this music, and the most Willie ever manages is four members of the crowd on their feet. For anyone that saw the Rustic Pans gig earlier, the contrast is stunning. I’m pretty sure William and co will fare better at the Palace later this weekend.

Cuban ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Dancing (onstage) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Dancing (offstage) ★