Taboo at The Hustler Club

by David Wraith

The St. Louis BDSM scene had kind of a boom and bust year in 2011. FLOG, the fourteen year strong monthly play party, took an indefinite hiatus and later resurfaced as a non-play, social event. We saw the rise and fall of the much beloved Charenton Social Club as well as the well documented on again/off again legal status of The Facility.

Much of the drama centered on state and local laws governing occupancy permits, zoning, liquor, and public indecency in Missouri. Luckily for us, now there’s Taboo, a new BDSM theme night at Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club, conveniently located on the other side of the river in Illinois, where they discovered long ago that consenting adults, BDSM, alcohol and full nudity could all gather under one roof without reversing the tides, agitating the New Madrid Fault or making God cry.

Taboo is the second Thursday of each month. Free admission and complimentary soft drinks for members of alternative lifestyle organizations (STL3, FLOG, TNG, KUFF), so be sure to tell them at the door that you’re with SEX+STL! And play safe folks, abstain from the adult beverages if you’re planning to beat or get beaten.

Taboo was brought to St. Louis by way of the Big Easy, by Master Wolf, Hustler Club General Manager and veteran of the gentlemen’s club and BDSM scenes of Baltimore and New Orleans. Looks like the Crescent City’s loss is St. Louis’ gain.

David Wraith: What exactly is Taboo? How did it come about and how did The Hustler Club get involved?.

Master Wolf: Essentially, Taboo as a theme night was born at the Baltimore Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club over seven years ago. Back then, I was a part of the Hustler Club Hospitality Team. We had a theme night and drink specials for every night of the week except Thursdays. So, I suggested we try a fetish night, allowing anyone wearing fetish attire a discounted admission, and we could have feature performances on stage, and special guest vendors in our boutique. The owner of the Club told me to write up a proposal and eleven pages letter, Taboo was born.

When I relocated to New Orleans, I took Taboo with me, and launched the first fetish theme night in June 2006 at the Barely Legal Club on Bourbon Street. At first, it was a challenge, as I had no one to help. It was my toys, my tools, my equipment and my submissive, but that was it. Everyone I had long-lasting relationships with were 1,200 miles away. So, the owner suggested I just lend the “Barely Legal Babes” some of my toys and “let hot chicks beat hot chicks.” And that’s how Taboo started in New Orleans.

I am proud to report that, almost six years later, and with the regular support from members of the New Orleans Community, and individuals from BDSM groups such as NOBLE, BOSS, TNG and RSVP, Taboo has truly become a [real] play party! The final Thursday of every month, the back half of the Barely Legal Club is closed down, eight separate play stations are created, and by 11:00pm, everyone is playing. It’s wonderful. How I do miss New Orleans…

But now in my new home, we have brought Taboo to yet another Hustler Club and Washington Park has the potential to be the best Taboo Club yet! I cannot wait to watch this one grow! 

Why did you want to start this event?

Three reasons: First, in an effort to support the local BDSM community, my new home, family and friends and to be of service in this lifestyle, I wanted to bring Taboo to St. Louis. I consider it an honor and a privilege to be able to offer a safe, open and free place for BDSMers who are 18 years of age or older, to come and meet, socialize, enjoy erotic entertainment and play with little to no restrictions.

Second, as an officer of many Hustler and Déjà Vu Clubs and as the current General Manager for the St. Louis Hustler Club, I wanted to host Taboo, in the hopes that it will be as rewarding to my club in Washington Park as it has to my clubs in New Orleans and Baltimore.

Third, and most selfishly, I wanted to host Taboo so that I could have a chance to play! Honestly. I am so incalculably busy, that if it were not for Taboo my poor slave may go a month without a proper beating. [Laughs.]

What kind of equipment is available for people to play on?

I had an excellent double-sided St. Andrew’s Cross built specifically for Taboo. It is one of my favorite pieces of equipment and a popular icon for BDSM to the public. So, other than the two stations at the cross, the Hustler Club is honored to have on indefinite loan from a couple of local experts, a horizontal cage with padded table top, two changeable padded kneeling slave benches, medieval wooden stocks, a suspension point installed by a high rigger, the back stage and pole (we call the “Beaver Tail” which we close for the entire night in case anyone would like to use it as a play station), and we are also prepared to section off a group of three adjoining VIP rooms for more private play, if so desired.

When all is set up and available there are at least ten separate stations accessible for play scenes.

How has the event been received so far?

So far, Taboo St. Louis has been absolutely fantastic! After the December Taboo, and only the third one we’ve hosted, we had so many wonderful people show up from the local community, that I have decided to shut down the entire back of the Hustler Club, re-arrange the furniture, expel the floor tables and excess barrel chairs, and make half of the club the “Taboo Dungeon Area!” Without breaking anyone’s personal anonymity, allow me to say that Taboo would have been nothing without the support and participation of a few BDSM locals. If it were not for their help, encouragement, generosity and friendship, it may have taken years to do what we have seen begin to evolve in a matter of months. Thank you.

I have heard nothing but positive feedback, and received wonderfully supportive messages through FetLife. I hope to see everyone on January 12th for the next Taboo!

One last question: Can attendees get naked?

Absolutely!

Taboo is the second Thursday of each month at Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club, 5420 Bunkum Rd, Washington Park, IL 62204.