Queen’s Birthday parties

I spent last weekend at the second annual Dungog Film Festival, so this weekend it’s time to shake the hay right out of my hair and party. I bumped into DJ Abel el Toro in the country town, up there to headline the film festival after-party on Saturday night. Once a fixture of Sydney’s rave scene and promoter of such famous events as Happy Valley (the first outdoor party/festival in Sydney), Abel was gearing up for this weekend’s Reunion party at the Metro, where all of Sydney’s old-school ravers and superstar DJs of the rave scene are converging on Saturday night. Watch out for some pretty strange fashions if you’re passing the venue.

On the queer scene the high point of Leather Pride Week is Inquisition XVI this Saturday night at the remodelled Dome at Fox (hence the theme, Pleasure Dome). Allan Parkinson is in charge of lighting, the performers will be amongst the crowd, and DJs Sandy Hotrod, Feisty, Mandy Rollins and Shigeki will keep the beats dirty. That’s from 10pm to 8am and tickets are $120 or $85 for SLPA members.

Also on Saturday, Action at the Arthouse features UK DJ Steve Lawler plus John Devecchis, Scott Pullen and Andrew Padula from 5pm to midnight. Tickets are $59+BF from Toolshed. Up on Oxford St at Oxford Art Factory, Bitch and Fag Tag get together for Get Together, where the boy DJs take on the girl DJs. Inaya Day will be there doing her diva thang, alongside a show by Kyla Sexton and Lotus Position, and DJs Alex Taylor, Sista P, Chip, Kate Monroe, Neroli, Jason Barry, Beatrix, GI Jode and Renae Stanton will keep you grooving 10pm till 6am and tickets are $49+BF from SameSame.com.au, HUM, moshtix.com.au and from Bitch this Friday night.

The Official Inquisition XVI Recovery Party is at the Midnight Shift on Sunday from 8am to 2pm. DJs are Rado and Gavyn Vincze and tickets are $10 for Inquisition ticket holders. Then on Sunday night the Shift continues with Indulgence featuring DJs Beefy Boy, Shigeki and Chip. Doors open at 10pm -” advance tickets are $30 from the club.

Homesexual High 08 on Sunday night will be the place to be for those who want to bring back their school years -” with a gayer twist, of course. School uniforms are the theme and everyone’s a twink at this 12-hour party which runs from 11pm till 11am. Along with a flashback show and performers including Mitzi Macintosh, Kitty Glitter and Minnie Cooper, homo high features DJs Jayson Forbes, Dan Murphy, Chip, Alex Taylor, Sista P and more. Tickets at HUM Music and Bang Clothing.

Manacle is now open on Parramatta Rd very Friday and Saturday night until 6am. A well-dressed and well-placed source tells me that the opening night last weekend went very well, with a cross-section of fetish dressers, bears, alternative types and lesbians packing out the venue until well into the night. Manacle will be open with its Recovery West party from 10am this Sunday.

Rising GayDayPlay recovery starts the day at the Phoenix from 6.30am. Then Loose Ends is on at night featuring guest DJ Sveta and a performance with a difference by Pluto Savage, joining resident Matt Vaughan. Loose Ends had a visitor in the form of Scissor Sisters tour DJ Sammy Jo last Sunday night, which was his last set here before leaving Oz.

Tank is the venue for God Save The Queens at DTPM from 10pm till late, and while it’s unlikely that Todd McKenney will be there, these DJs will: Alan Thompson, Chris Kaye, Tony Venuto, Eddie Coulter play Room 1 while Mark Murphy, Double Nolan and Goodfella play Room 2. Tix $49+BF from SameSame.com.au, HUM and The Toolshed.

Lastly, Raise the Bar still needs your help. The people power website that helped get Clover Moore’s Small Bars Bill through Parliament is concerned that the process is getting caught up in too much red tape. Register at ww.raisethebar.org and show your support for nightlife.