Oh what a night

Because I’m writing this on Hell Tuesday -“ and because it’s a Mardi Gras tradition -“ I’ll start with the complaints:

There should have been more laughs in the parade. Sure, there were a few floats which raised a smile (see reference to Boy George, below), but on the whole the entries seemed to be either super-sexy (which is, of course, no bad thing) or earnestly political. There just didn’t seem to be a lot of wit to it, this year.The spectators who went feral before, during and after the parade. A tiny minority, but scary all the same.The sniffer dog and the hefty police presence outside the party. It could have been worse, but they certainly made a lot of people nervous.The unbearable heat in the Dome. And while I think of it, hearing Paul Simon’s You Can Call Me Al in the Dome was pretty unbearable too.

But now, in the spirit of out with Joan, in with Audrey, the good stuff:

Boy George re-enacting his New York street-sweeping gig before the parade. Boy George DJing in the Hordern. Boy George singing in the Hordern. Boy George’s big red hat. Boy George being Boy George.That Kylie float. 250 participants, great costumes, great music, great choreography, and a Dannii Minogue impersonator trailing behind in the dark. Fab.The Furries float. Who knew we had so many of the freaky fuckers living in Sydney?The lifesavers, the Gaydar guys, the boxing boys and the hundreds of other parade entrants who made homosexuality look so damn hot.The return of short shorts as party-wear, particularly when worn with great hulking man-thighs and a tidy arse. Sweeeet! The balmy night air and the full moon (which I’ve previously discussed). Surely that was the most magical night for a Mardi Gras in years.The final 15 minutes of Dan Murphy’s set in the RHI. The Communards, the Scissor Sisters, a full-on snowstorm, and a room-full of punters going mad with happiness. Can’t wait for next year, the 30th anniversary parade and party, it’s going to be awesome. Long live the Mardi Gras!