'Fetish Prom' a contrast to Scottsdale scene

Michael Ferraresi
The Arizona Republic
May. 25, 2007 12:10 PM

SCOTTSDALE - What is a "Fetish Prom," anyway?

The Third annual Arizona Fetish Prom, scheduled Saturday at the Venue of Scottsdale, marks one of the largest gatherings of the year for Arizona's fetish crowd - a subculture known for its wild costumes, heavy Goth music, body piercings and bondage gear.

Event planners said 1,100 tickets have been sold for the event at the Venue, 7117 E. Third Ave., formerly known as the Cajun House. The fetish party is one of the racier shows there, compared to the Venue's rock bands, or to the comedians who perform at the Comedy Spot next door.

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The people who attend these events say they often feel misunderstood by the general public. The party is the antithesis of Scottsdale's mainstream nightclub scene, with its chic, techno-pop ambiance and upscale cocktail bars.

"I've been to Scottsdale clubs where you're immediately judged three minutes after you walk in the door," said Mitch Palmer, a spokesman for Horns and Halos Productions, the group that plans the Fetish Prom and similar parties in Arizona.

"The reality is, we have a huge Goth community, a huge alternative community, here (in the Valley)," Palmer said. "We give them a home for a night. We don't judge them. We don't tell them what they should believe in. We just give them an opportunity to express themselves in a positive setting."

Horns and Halos began planning big Arizona fetish parties in 2005. It hosts several annually, including Tucson's Fetish Heat at the Hotel Congress, the "Spank Me I'm Irish" party for St. Patrick's Day, and a Zombie Ball on Easter weekend - alternative holidays, as many see it.

"These people do not go to the boat on Memorial Day weekend," said Palmer, adding that people come from across the nation to Arizona events.

Promoters run similar events in other major U.S. cities.

Arizona State University student Erika Vogt-Nilsen, 20, said she has been to a few fetish parties and always has fun. She said that for most artists its about the performances, rather than the sexual undertones of the fetish scene.

"There's always a lot of intensity," said Vogt-Nilsen, a sculpture major and local graphic artist. "Going into it, you have to tell yourself you're going to see things you might never see again, and that it's something you won't do every weekend."

Perhaps the most intense is the flesh-hook suspension show, where performers are pierced several times and hung by shark hooks, an experience some consider either an erotic rush or artistic freedom.

"The first time I saw it I thought it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," said Vogt-Nilsen, who lives in Ahwatukee.

Despite the sexual undertone of fetish events, nudity and simulated sex acts are not allowed. Horns and Halos said it abides by Arizona liquor laws and other regulations.