Forbidden Freedom: The Fetish Cabaret Turns Five

The full cast poses for the audience at the end of Fetish Cabaret 2025.

Local Events

Sex. A word that lingers. Provocative and undeniable, demanding attention the moment it’s spoken. In Salt Lake City, where repression is a virtue and desire a whispered sin, the mere mention of the word feels like an act of defiance, because to talk about sex is to talk about longing, fetish and freedom — things that refuse to be controlled. But repression breeds rebellion, and in the underground, our city pulses with a different kind of power: liberation. On the fifth anniversary of the Fetish Cabaret, performers strip the shame away, shining a light on what makes us human. And what better way to fight back than to revel in it together — to celebrate the raw, untamed force of desire?

On Saturday, February 22, JRC Events and Temptaxxxions Productions unveiled their biggest event of the year: a night devoted to fetish — writhing in ecstatic bliss, indulging in the carnal desires that make us human. We were welcomed by the ever-talented and captivating Madazon Can-Can, our host, draped intentionally in blue and accompanied by their fetish puppy — a man on all fours, leashed and muzzled in matching blue, a devoted support to his master as they greeted the crowd. As Madazon asked us to look around the packed venue of the Metro Music Hall, we were reminded of how we are not alone in our desire. These feelings were not isolated; they were deeply human and something we all carried. And on this night, we stood in our power, embracing them rather than shoving them down to maintain the status quo of a repressed society. It was here, at the city’s most legendary LGBTQ-friendly fetish night, that we celebrated sexuality, artistry, and the beautifully deviant souls that made up this vibrant community.

The first performance set expectations high with the first fetish of the night: devotion and worship. Jax Creative, mother of Temptaxxxions and a hair suspension artist, commanded attention with ease along with two male performers (CJ and Antonio) in fetishwear of leather and studded straps. Initially draped in white, her two male partners tore away the fabric to reveal her outfit of black feathers and leather, symbolizing stepping into her own power and accepting the worship of others. The audience was left gasping as she was hoisted into the air, spinning effortlessly and suspended only by her hair. Her dance shifted fluidly between dominance and grace, granting attention to both of her devotees. In their performance, the stage was no longer just a stage but a temple of worship, a reminder that adoration belongs not just to the gods.

From there, the show took off, setting the tone and leaving the crowd aching for more, now glutton with their first taste. Drag queens took turns performing, sharing their favorite aspect of the fetish community — from degradation and humiliation with Penny Lyne to a kinky drag performance by Kay Bye. Presenting the many tools one uses while in the fetish scene, the show maintains the same momentum as the night went on.

Eventually, a long, black pole descended from the ceiling, shrouded in mystery. Murmurs rippled through the crowd before erupting into excitement as a blindfolded performer, Sierra, took the stage by crawling forward with only the trust of her remaining senses. She finds her apparatus — a suspended pole — and ascended with breathtaking strength and elegance. Her body moved in perfect harmony with the swaying pole, each elongated motion a testament to trust and surrender, as if offering herself fully to her master — the pole itself. It was a mesmerizing display of skill and devotion, leaving many in the audience stunned, witnessing a talent few have ever seen before.

An enchanting display of domination and submission took the stage next, far beyond the shades of grey that intrigue the uninitiated. Fictional Jake and Mahogany Tiger moved in perfect synergy — bathed in red light, a leashed woman in lace seduced her dom. With circus-style flips and movements of control and surrender, the act closed on a potent truth: The ultimate power lay with the submissive in the choice to yield and be cared for.

After a brief intermission, London Skies opened the second act, taking the mic and rapping with sultry confidence. The crowd moved to the beat as she seamlessly reignited the electric energy of the show. Then came Cera Gibson, soulfully delivering an original song about the desire to be someone’s daddy. Her voice, rich like molasses and sweet like honey, dripped with longing. She acknowledged the strength of the partner she sang to, offering to shoulder their weight, a sentiment that extended to the audience itself. Like a siren, she beckoned us to relinquish control—and we did, melting into her embrace.

As the night deepened and the audience loosened, the performances took a darker, more visceral turn. Velveteen Serpent Queen and Eli slithered across the floor like Siamese cats bound by chain leashes, their movements animalistic and raw—a reminder that at its core, fetish was about pleasure in all of its forms.

With pleasure lingering in the air, Daddy the Clown took the stage to explore a different truth: not all fetishes are created equal, and embracing our shadows can be more challenging than a playful spank. Engulfed in glitter and paint of blue and pink, he pulled a chain leash taut around his throat, silently begging to be tamed. A woman in black, her high ponytail slicked tight, approached with a latex mask in hand — offering safe suffocation, noting the fetish of breath play. Slipping it over his face in a ritualistic, almost romantic gesture, she completed the exchange, culminating in his dramatic collapse. The performance was haunting, a perfect balance of the pain and relief that fetish play can offer.

For one final act of indulgence, Madazon Can-Can returned — not as a host, but as the legendary performer whose name echoed through every hall they graced. Leading their dog once more, they blended burlesque with dragstyle performance, tantalizing and teasing the crowd. A wicked, knowing smile spread across their lips as the audience held its breath. As the final act, Madazon slowly and sensually licked a long, black taser — an electric, playful promise of everything this night represented: the thrill of the forbidden, the beauty of the deviant and the undeniable power of desire. With one final zap, the night ended not with a curtain close, but with a jolt of electricity, sending the audience back to reality, tucking their shadows away once more.

In the end, the annual Fetish Cabaret was more than a spectacle—it was an invitation. An invitation to shed your shame, to step into kink without apology (unless you’re into that), and to recognize that repression and indulgence are two sides of the same coin. In a city that so often demands restraint, this night was a celebration of the untamed, a space where pleasure was neither a sin nor a secret but a shared experience. And as the echoes of laughter, gasps, and moans faded into the Salt Lake City night, one truth remained: fleshy desire does not vanish when the lights flicker back on—it lingers, waiting, calling you to rise again. Will you answer it?

To dive into future events and embrace your inner impulse, follow JRC Events and House of Temptaxxions on Instagram at @jrcevents and @_temptaxxxions_, respectively.