Real Luck Cafe Valentines Day Benefit Show February 12 1995

VHS

01:07:41

M4V

VC Productions

Vanessa

Real Luck Cafe Valentines Day Benefit Show February 12 1995

Drag—Benefit shows

This video contains footage of a Valentine’s Day Benefit Show on February 12, 1995 in support of the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force. The benefit took place at Real Luck Cafe (aka Lucky’s), a gay and lesbian bar at 1519 Penn Ave. in the Strip District. The show was hosted by Alan Lech and Claudia Recchio, who announced raffle winners throughout the show and also performed the first song of the evening, “Always,” by Atlantic Star, (00:03:05). The show featured performances by reigning Miss Pegasus Tasha Kahn (00:12:47), reigning Miss New Kensington Cinnamon Cane (00:18:30), and reigning Miss Donny’s Jazmine, who performed her second song, “Hero” by Mariah Carey, in honor of her late drag mother Denise Darshell, (00:49:23). Before Vanna closed the show with a performance of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler, Real Luck Cafe owner Nancy Pribbich delivered a speech about the importance of AIDS fundraisers and the significance of the work donated by all of the performers, (00:55:15). MC Claudia then gave her thanks to the other contributors, including DJ Jimmy Lewis, bartenders Bobby Evans and John, doorman Keith, videographer Vanessa, and photographer Cecilia, advertising that videotapes of the night would be for sale and proclaiming that “these things will be in the archives, and we will all be exposed,” (00:56:57).

The video ends with additional footage from “Mind’s Eye,” by Miramax and rolling credits which note that the video was published by VC Productions set to the audio of Alan and Claudia’s earlier performance of “Always,” (01:04:21).

The following performers names are noted in the footage:
Alan Lech (MC)
Claudia Recchio (MC)
Vanna aka Michael Obusek (Miss Pittsburgh 1994)
Tasha Kahn aka Brandon (Miss Pegasus 1994)
Cinnamon Cane (Miss New Kensington 1994)
Jazmine (Miss Donny’s 1994)
Brown Sugar
CoCo Chanel
Fefe D’Opulence
Jazmine
Lucky Linda

The following songs are performed:

“Always,” Atlantic Star, Alan Lech and Claudia Recchio, 00:03:05
“I’m The Only One,” Melissa Etheridge, Vanna (Reigning Miss Pittsburgh 1994), 00:07:10
“I’m Every Woman,” Whitney Houston, Tasha Kahn aka Brandon (Reigning Miss Pegasus 1994), 00:12:47
“Movin’ On Up,” M People, Cinnamon Cane, (Reigning Miss New Kensington 1994) 00:18:30
“Cold-Hearted Snake,” Paula Abdul, Jazmine (Reigning Miss Donny’s 1994), 00:22:20
“One Moment In Time,” Whitney Houston, Brown Sugar, 00:29:19
“Various Melody,” Robin S, CoCo Chanel, 00:34:37
“Venus,” Bannarama, Fefe D’Opulence (with backup dancers), 00:41:35
“Pussy Cat Pussy Cat,” Unknown Artist, Lucky Linda, 00:46:35
“Hero,” Mariah Carey, Jazmine (dedicated to Denise Darshell), 00:49:23
“Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Bonnie Tyler, Vanna (Reigning Miss Pittsburgh 1994), 00:58:24

Michael Obusek (Vanna) – donor

12 February 1995

Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC 3.0 US)

These materials may be shared and adapted for non-commercial purposes, but the materials must be attributed to the Pittsburgh Queer History Project. Please see the Creative Commons license website for details.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

MPEG (M4V)

English

Moving Image

Real Luck Cafe (Lucky’s)

Accession 2017-01