11th Annual Elvis' Birthday Fight Club Returns with In-Person Performances, a New Book and More!

Seven rounds of flimflam fisticuffs are the centerpiece of the action, and in between, bouts of burlesque performances offer a sexy reprieve from cartoon-esque violence.

By: Jun. 14, 2022
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After sitting out nearly two-and-a-half years due to the pandemic, Astro Pop Events is excited to announce the return of one of DC and Baltimore's most bizarre and exciting traditions. The 11th Annual Elvis' Birthday Fight Club will celebrate Elvis Presley's half-birthday (due to rescheduling from January) on July 15th and 16th in Washington, DC and again on July 22nd and 23rd in Baltimore with a show of back alley fisticuffs, burlesque and plenty of surprises.

The DC performance takes place at DC's Gala Hispanic Theatre (3333 14th Street, NW) at 7:00 and 10 pm., while the Baltimore show gets back into the ring the following weekend at Baltimore's Creative Alliance (3134 Eastern Ave). Elvis' Birthday Fight Club (EBFC) is hosted by "The King" and femcee Kittie Glitter who have provided hilarious color commentary for the action-packed, punch-drunk, below-the-belt, hilarious night of lowbrow theater for the previous 10 years.

Seven rounds of flimflam fisticuffs are the centerpiece of the action, and in between, bouts of burlesque performances offer a sexy reprieve from the cartoon-esque violence. EBFC's fight card is always a closely-guarded secret, and trying to anticipate who, or what, might be on the roster is half the fun.

In addition, Astro Pop Events has also released a new book that catalogs the last 10 years of performances. The 240 page collection includes photos of every fighter and burlesque performer to grace the stage over the years. It also includes the origin of how the absurdist event came to be with excerpts of show scripts, quotes from cast members and an introduction by filmmaker, DC Shorts founder and current Chief Strategist of ReelPlan, Jon Gann. (Book samples available for press upon request).

The show's origin was somewhat happenstance, created when the producers were assigned a date to put on an event that happened to coincide with The King's birthday. Originally intended as a one-off event, the popularity of an evening that centered around Elvis, the toilet he died on (known as "Commodious") and mistaking his dying wish for a commemorative nightclub, as a "fight club", became a huge hit. The show has a number of dedicated fans who return each year (many traveling across the country to attend) and induct new audience members into the insanity.

"People brag about how many years they have been coming," says Kate Taylor Davis, one of the show's producers. "They email me months in advance of the event to confirm dates because their out-of-town friends want to come too. This is a strange annual touchstone, and people LOVE it!".

This year's event will up the ante on the over-the-top, silly violence.

"We have an amazing fight choreographer in James Finley," says Taylor Davis. "There are costumes and sound effects and some really crazy things going on that people are going to go insane for."

This year's fight club will take safety measures into account regarding the pandemic. Attendees will be required to show proof of having been vaccinated and masks will be required. The group will continue monitoring the situation and will add additional procedures as required.

For audiences 21+. Tickets are on sale now at https://astropopevents.com/tickets.



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