Carnival of Souls at Fazeley Studios
This really was an awesome treat; travelling through the Birmingham rush hour in the heavy rain, heading to Fazeley Studios for the Carnival of Souls; a Macabre carnival; Victorian freak show party. Tucked away quietly amongst the warehouses and side streets just on the edge of the city is the beautiful Fazeley studios. This really was an opportunity for them to show off a venue so perfect for a party that we had to, well…….party!
At a door on the side road we were greeted by witches and suddenly I was in a creepy yet decadent world of Halloween; booze, costumes, sweeties, cigars and music! The building itself is stunning inside with high ceilings, beams and church style windows which were all perfect for the theme. Modern bars, a huge stage and a beautiful courtyard were all at our disposal. Organised by JDB events I was truly impressed at how they filled such an elaborate setting to perfection. We were given bags of sweets, candy and enough alcohol to quench the flames of hell. 550 of Birmingham’s creative spirits were invited and spoilt. The live band drove the crowd in to a rip roaring frenzy and there was a DJ set by Capital FM’s Dan Kelly. Magic tricks and a real effort with regards to costumes kept the atmosphere alive and jolly. All the guests had really tapped in to their inner Tim Burton!
I was a guest of my best friend (James McMillan) and a couple of his colleagues. Suitably I was an old mystic or fortune teller (Wolski The Great). It is a shame I hadn’t predicted walking home in my costume, well via a bar….haha! I did sketch out a carnival style poster and have it finished off by my bestie just so that people had an idea of what I was. Amazingly the ceramic gold skull that I took out as a prop came back in one piece and even had a couple of quid in it- result!
There really was something for everyone. The entertainment was truly the heart of the night, beating away in front of us at every turn. A burlesque show kept the guys under control and the legs of the kilt wearing band were enough for the ladies I think! I sadly did not win the best costume, however who would have thought it was so easy to hex 550 people! We danced the night away and a wonderful time was had by all; devilish decadence would be the best way to describe it. This place must be seen and used. I could have never imagined that such a place was hiding away there, but they usually are the best.
