Star Online

Saturday, February 4

NSW

AFTER – Day recovery party at Phoenix. DJs Luke Leal, Dan Murphy.
ARQ – DJs and dancing from 9pm across two levels. $15 before 11pm $25 after.
BANK HOTEL – DJ Slynk, 9pm-late.
BURDEKIN HOTEL – DJS From 9pm – late
CASTROS – iWollongong. Drag shows featuring Beverly Buttercup, DeeDee Lamar and Christina Dior, 9pm. Free entry before 11pm.
CITY STEAM – Sex-on-site venue. Towel-free night, 8pm-midnight.
COLOMBIAN – DJs Beatrix, Agey and more across two bars.
EDGE – Karaoke Queenz 6-10pm. Dance party 10pm-late.
IMPERIAL – Priscilla drag shows through the night, plus cellar dance club. $15 entry. Free entry to public bar. Plus Cabaret a la Retro show.
KALEIDOSCOPE SOCIAL DANCE – @ Parramatta Golf Club from 8.30pm. $10 entry.
MIDNIGHT SHIFT – Controversy S&M Mansion show upstairs from 12.30am. $10 entry all night. HARD with Maxi Shield downstairs from 11pm.
NEVERMIND – Saturday Fucking Night, $15 before midnight, $20 after. DJ Eddie Coulter. 11pm-5am.
OXFORD HOTEL – DJs and dancing across multiple bars and levels.
PALMS – Disco Meltdown from 8pm-3am, with DJ B from 10pm.
QUEEN VICTORIA HOTEL – 20% off local schooners till 5pm.
RUBY RABBIT – House Party, from the people who brought you Fag Tag. Til 3am, across three levels.
STONEWALL – Hickorey Whores present Hoe Down Throw Down. Starring Tora Hymen, Christina Dior and Verushka Darling. Three floors open.
TAXI CLUB – Sandcastle Disco with Conchita Rande & Marilyn Mootrub from 10.30pm.

VICTORIA

ABODE – BLU with DJs Jon Montes and Syme Tollens. 11.30pm-late.
COMMERCIAL HOTEL – Two shows from 10.30pm with Monte Diamonte. Music by DJ Argonaut.
DNM – Bounce RnB. Two rooms, five DJs from 10pm. Open 4pm.
DT’S HOTEL – Floor shows at 10pm. $4 schooners 8.30-9.30pm.
GH – A Classic Saturday Night with The Classics, two shows from 11pm alternating with TNT. Open 8pm – 3am.
HEAVEN’S DOOR – Play RnB hosted by Swish Eveready and Sasha Fag. DJs Atua and Toastie. Open 10pm-5am. Free entry before 1am.
LAIRD – Deeper. Bar and beer garden open from 5pm.
LIBATION – ‘Mixed Drinks’: happy hour 4–7pm, open 2pm.
THE PEEL – Open 9pm-dawn.
PRISCILLA’S @ 153 – Adrenaline with Abril Latrene and Amelia Mole, dancers Nathan and Cara. Open 9pm. Free entry.
SIRCUIT – Bootclub. Open 5pm–late. Men only.

QLD

THE BEAT MEGACLUB – Open 8pm-5am, DJs all night.
SPORTSMAN HOTEL – Va’Lay Productions presents Let The Rhythm Take You. Shows at 10.30pm, midnight and 2am. DJ Merlin until 5am.
THE WICKHAM – Free live music from local band LoveLikeHate at 3pm, plus Out at the Wickham with DJs from 9pm.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

MARS BAR – Open 9pm-late, drag show at 2am.

TASMANIA

FLAMINGOS DANCE BAR – Two floors, open 10pm-late.

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras today made another technological leap into the 21st century with the launch of the Sydney Mardi Gras 2012 iPhone application. Available from the iTunes App Store, the app allows festival-goers to view the full run-down of events that make up the 2012 season at the touch of a button.

Showcasing more than 60 vibrant from the festival’s program, the free application allows users to easily browse what is going on over the three-week festival, including cabaret shows, sports carnivals, parties, academic panels, and the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade and Party.

App users can search for events by title, date, keyword, venue, category and suburb. A ‘What’s On Today’ function also provides a handy day-to-day list of what’s on at the festival. Users can keep friends in the loop by sharing events via email, Facebook and Twitter, and bookmark events for later by saving them to a favourites list.

To download the app, just search for ‘Sydney Mardi Gras’ in the iTunes app store.

Sydney Mardi Gras billboards featuring Kylie Minogue have gone live in Times Square, New York and Las Vegas in the lead up to this month’s festival.

The billboard, which reads “Sydney Mardi Gras welcomes Kylie home for K25″, has already been circulating social media platforms, with fans impressed with the international exposure.

It will be seen by more than 200,000 workers who pass by Times Square in the morning and evening rush hour for the next few days. The billboard at the famous Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas is passed by 100,000 vehicles and 55,000 pedestrians each day.

Since the news broke on Australia Day that Kylie is coming home for Sydney Mardi Gras, it has been reported in more than 20 countries worldwide.

“Our evidence on trends over the last five or six years show steady growth in overseas visitor numbers, even in the face of an increasingly strong Australian dollar,” Mardi Gras CEO Michael Rolik said.

“We expect that the news that Kylie Minogue is coming to celebrate with us this year will further increase the number of international guests.”

There have already been indications that fans as far away as the UK have been booking flights to Australia and getting their Party tickets in the hope of seeing Kylie and being part of what is shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend.

Kylie will attend the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade and join Sydney’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex community in celebrating a milestone in her career K25 — 25 Years of Kylie. SGLMG will honour Minogue during the Parade with a spectacular K25 float that pays homage to her career and support of the LGBTQI community.

“I am coming home for Mardi Gras this year!” said Minogue said in her announcement last week. “I simply cannot wait, and it’s going to be a beautiful way to celebrate 25 years of this relationship.”

The festival kicks off with Fair Day on February 12. Download the Star Observer’s comprehensive guide here.

INFO: www.mardigras.org.au

Friday, February 3

NSW

ARQ – Fomo foam party, DJs Justin Scott, Brett Austin, Jimmy Dee, Kitty Glitter. $20 entry, doors 9pm.
BANK HOTEL – Friendly Fridays with DJ Delacroix, 9pm-late.
BURDEKIN HOTEL – Ghost Bar, new lesbian night, 8pm-3am.
CITY STEAM – Sex on premises. Black Out party from 8pm.
COLOMBIAN – DJs Chip, David Smith and more, plus shows from Maxi Shield across two bars.
EDGE – Only full-time LGBTI venue in the Central Coast.
HEADQUARTERS – Naked party, 9pm-late upstairs.
IMPERIAL – Hairspray-themed drag show.
KEN’S OF KENSINGTON – Bucks night: towel-free 8pm.
MIDNIGHT SHIFT – Maynge-A-Size with Joyce Maynge downstairs, shows from Haus of Knowles and Twisted Fairytails upstairs. $5 entry all night.
NEVERMIND – Magic Mash-Room from 9pm- 5am, $10.
OXFORD HOTEL – Furry Fridays with the Harbour City Bears. Discount drinks for HCB members.
PALMS – Daggy disco from 8pm-3am with DJ FatCat.
QUEEN VICTORIA HOTEL – 20% off bar drinks from 5pm.
SLIDE – Lemons With a Twist lesbian business networking 6-10pm.
SLY FOX – Sly Fridays with DJ Neil Hume.
STONEWALL – Let’s talk about Sex hosted by Verushka Darling at 6.30pm. RIOT 69 with Kitty Glitter playing from the stage and her hot boys. Three floors open.
TAXI CLUB – Members Badge Draw. Shimtastic Presents Copacabana with Christina Dior, Ophelia Shaft & Marilyn Mootrub. 10.30pm.

VICTORIA

ABODE – Mezzanine and T-Bird Club with DJ CountX. 10pm-late.
COMMERCIAL HOTEL – Cheap Thrills from 10pm.
DNM – Carnival “drag with a difference” hosted by Destiny Forbidden. Shows start 10.30pm, doors open 4pm, nightclub opens 10pm.
DT’S HOTEL– Open 4pm. Buffet 7-8.30pm. DJ Dazz from 9.30pm.
GH – Twink & the Bear at 7.30pm. Friday Night Project/Boylesque to follow. Open until 1am.
HEAVEN’S DOOR – Happy Hour 9pm-midnight in the Cocktail Lounge with topless bar staff. Nightclub opens midnight with DJ Mike Evans, Nova China, Swish Eveready and go-go dancers. Free entry, open till 5am.
LAIRD – Man Friday. Bar and beer garden open from 5pm.
LIBATION – ‘Meet your mates’: Happy hour 4–7pm. Open 2pm.
THE PEEL – Open 9pm-dawn.
PRISCILLA’S @ 153 – SYN with Missy, Alexis and dancers Dave and Andrew. Open 7pm, free entry.
SIRCUIT – Men only. Open from 5pm.

QLD

THE BEAT MEGACLUB – Shows at 11.30pm and 2.30am with Deanna Blake and special guest. Free before 10.30pm, $10 after.
SPORTSMAN HOTEL – Fierce Fridays. Shows at 10.30pm, midnight and 2am. DJ Merlin until 5am. Balls OUT Bingo from 7.30pm.
THE WICKHAM – Twisted S.E.X.: shows at 11.30pm and 1.30am with ID Studio Dancers and Chinta Woo Allcock.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

MARS BAR – Open 9pm-late, drag show at 2am.

TASMANIA

FLAMINGOS DANCE BAR – Two floors, open 10pm-late.

Oxford St bar, eatery and nightclub Ruby Rabbit is heating up in the coming weeks, as the gorgeous Darlinghurst venue becomes a hive of activity throughout Mardi Gras.

Every Saturday night, the three-level venue hosts House Party, a new weekly event brought to you by the people who have been Fag Tagging some of Sydney’s best venues for years. House Party is designed to be something different and grown-up for the Oxford St strip: somewhere to come for an early pre-drink and start your Oxford St adventure with a cocktail and some new friends.

Think of the best house party you’ve ever been to, and you’ll find something similar at Ruby Rabbit. The ground floor is like the wine cellar, where you can crash in comfy booths and drink wine and cocktails. The middle floor is the bedroom — that is, if your bedroom included a DJ, a bar, moving lights and a heaving dancefloor. The top floor is the living room, with couches, chairs, an indoor/outdoor smoking balcony and a large bar.

Just like a good house party, there’s food available until 3am. Entry is $10 from 10pm to 3am.

Ruby Rabbit was recently gutted and re-built from the inside out, and it’s not just about Saturday nights – the venue is open Wednesday to Sunday, 5pm till late.

Special deals include a choice of any main and a glass of wine or champagne for just $20 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, plus other special offers for patrons holding a membership card (the Star Observer is giving away 50 membership cards to lucky readers — enter on our website). On Friday nights, enjoy free entry to the venue and $5 drinks from 5-7pm, with three levels open and local DJs playing.

The Ruby Rabbit team is hosting a week of programming over Mardi Gras, including an exclusive dinner and show with Courtney Act and friends.

INFO: www.rubyrabbit.com.au

Italian LGBTIQ support group ArciLesbica always hosts fun-filled nights but their Midsumma event is set to be one to mark on the calendar.

On February 4, the group will dance under the stars along Melbourne’s famous Italian strip, Lygon St, at the Piazza Italia.

With a nod to the past, the night is called FUORI!, the name of Italy’s first major gay and lesbian rights group, founded in 1972. The Italian word ‘fuori’ means ‘come out’ in English.

Entertainment will include live music from the Rob Severini Duo.

Those who like to hit the floor will be able to learn Italian folk dance, the pizzica tarantella.

The event is free and runs from 7–10pm.

ArciLesbica will also march in the annual Pride March in St Kilda the next day.

INFO: www.midsumma.org.au
or call 0408 137 037

A pottery class supporting people living with HIV in Western Sydney has been temporarily suspended after being told it will not receive thousands of dollars of promised funding from the World AIDS Day (WAD) Dinner Fund.

The news comes as event organisers reveal the 2011 black-tie fundraiser made a loss of between $40,000 and $80,000.

In a December 30 email to Positive Pottery — part of Blacktown Outdoors Group — WAD dinner organiser Eric Nair said the event had not performed as well as expected.

Positive Pottery founder Mike Moore said the group had applied for $12,000 and was told before the dinner it had been selected as a beneficiary.

“It’s very disappointing,” Moore told the Star Observer. “You put your heart and soul into these things.”

Moore said with its council funding coming to an end the group had been relying on the money to continue its classes.

Positive Pottery was among five HIV support groups promised funding from the dinner. Others included the Haven HIV support group, Tree of Hope counselling service, the Positive Support Network and accommodation provider Stanford House.

Tree of Hope is yet to receive $1000 of funding and the Positive Support Network $1800.

The $275 a head gala dinner, which featured a performance by Guy Sebastian, was held at Paddington Town Hall on December 1 2011.

In 2010 the event raised almost $50,000 for the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and St Vincent’s Hospital.

Nair said the change in beneficiaries caused a decline in sponsorship and a lack of interest in ticket sales.

“Since the change of beneficiaries … we found it had a domino effect with support and I think that was due to the charities being grassroots charities that have been around for a very long time but weren’t in the spotlight,” he said.

“When you’re going to these events, one, you’re going to support the charity and, two, you go because it’s a glamorous affair.

“I think the red carpet may not have been enough and the charities we aligned ourselves with played a part in it.”

Nair admitted the event struggled to pay its expenses but said he notified charities of the organisation’s position immediately.

“Unfortunately when you’re that much in the red, it’s very hard to donate money to the charities,” he said.

Nair said a 2012 dinner was still being planned.

Positive Support Network manager Paul Maudlin said the situation was difficult for him and the other beneficiaries who scraped together enough money when told they had to pay to attend the dinner.

He said the Positive Support Network was more than $500 worse off for signing on as a beneficiary.

Nair said community groups would be reimbursed for their ticket costs.

Brisbane psychologist and prominent gay and lesbian counselling specialist Paul Martin (pictured) has welcomed the federal Government’s Senate inquiry into marriage equality, announced last week.

“The inquiry will provide an opportunity to put forward the evidence strongly linking marriage equality and better mental health,” Martin said.

“This evidence includes recent public statements by the American Psychological Association and the Australian Psychological Society that same-sex couples and their children experience higher levels of psychological distress when the couples concerned are denied the right to marry.

“The research data also demonstrates that when society allows same-sex couples to marry, it has a positive impact on the mental health of gay and lesbian people and their families.”

Martin said that due to homophobia, gays and lesbians experience alarming levels of mental health problems, including being four times more likely to commit suicide.

Queensland Association for Healthy Communities (QAHC) has released ‘pledge cards’ in the lead-up to the Queensland election, calling on politicians to support LGBT equality.

QAHC will distribute the cards to LGBT people and their supporters across the state, encouraging them to give a card to every politician they see in the lead-up to the March 24 poll, which was announced by Premier Anna Bligh last week.

“We commonly receive feedback from politicians that no one ever raises LGBT issues with them,” QAHC executive director Paul Martin said.

“Handing politicians a ‘Speak Out for Equality’ card is a simple way for people to get LGBT issues on the agenda of candidates.”

The cards can be picked up from QAHC’s Brisbane, Cairns or Maroochydore offices or by contacting info@qahc.org.au or by calling 07 3017 1777.

INFO: www.healthycommunities.org.au/speakout

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The Flying Bats, the world’s biggest, oldest (and, in their opinion, “baddest”) lesbian football (soccer) club is seeking players for the 2012 season.

Registration is now open and the club has streamlined it into a one-stop online process, with club fees payable by credit card. Late fees apply from February 27 and teams are filling up fast. Details are at their website. Click on ‘Play With Us – Become a Bat’ and you’re away.

Training starts on February 8 and the club’s first grading game is on February 26, with a second round on March 11.

The Bats field teams from the very top division to the lowest as well as a number of over-35s sides, and don’t discriminate on the basis of sexuality. Open-minded players of any persuasion are welcome to join.

Club members play Sundays in north-west Sydney and train Wednesday nights at Tempe, and offer student rates and part-time spots for those who can’t play a full season due to work or travel. The season’s first game is on April 15.

Look for the Flying Bats in the Sports Village on Fair Day, February 12, to find out more.

Join their mailing list or follow them on Twitter (@TheFlyingBats) for all the news and upcoming social events.

INFO: www.theflyingbats.com or www.facebook.com/flyingbats