Suddenly this summer
Finding the next big Sunday afternoon/evening event on the scene can be a tricky affair. Sometimes it’s a bear-y footy-ish event (remember the Beauchamp?), or a straight bar that gets colonised (remember the Green Park Hotel hoedown?); or a lesbian babefest (like the Lord Roberts thang) or a gay and lesbian groovy event (like Milk ‘N’ 2 Sugars).
A new event opening this week might just be the funky new Sabbath do. DJ Scott Pullen is hosting a 4pm-to-10pm evening called Smooch: Music That Loves You, in picturesque surrounds.
Since the demise of Milk ‘N’ 2 Sugars I’ve been looking for a suitable venue all over town, said Pullen, who loved DJing at the tea party. The only one I’ve really had an eye on was East Village -¦ The rooftop bar there is absolutely exceptional, it’s got 300 degree views of the city, which is the perfect place to sit and watch the sunset on a Sunday afternoon sipping on a cocktail.
Please note: East Village Hotel has changed hands and the new owners are, according to community stalwart Pullen, really, really lovely. Pullen has been an honorary member of the lesbian and gay community since his sister took him to Patches at the age of 15. He’s been DJing at events like Queer Nation and just about every gay pub in town for the last 20 years. His endorsement has weight behind it, not to mention his choice of fellow DJs.
We’ve got a very big coup for the opening night, as Stephen Allkins will be playing, Pullen said. He’s been very busy working in a studio and he’s very excited to test out some of the new tracks from his new Love Tattoo album. Allkins will play a one-off at the opening event on 14 December, a fundraiser for the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation. It’s a great opportunity to check out the venue, and its emphasis on chilled beats.
The rooftop bar is great, it’s got glass walls so you can be sitting down and still see out, said Pullen. With Milk ‘N’ 2 Sugars people used to come early, it was very much a social space, people would be busy chatting and talking for the first two or three hours.
Based on that I’ve decided to keep the rooftop area a social space, so the DJs will be playing on the floor below and upstairs will be very comfortable, lots of lounges, plants, Long Island ice teas, and downstairs we’ll have the DJs and keep the energy happening.
Pullen will be joined regularly by DJs Renae (Mardi Gras, Arq) and coverboy Peter Fam (Colombian, Midnight Shift), providing beats that get harder as the night progresses. (On the opening night party, not surprisingly, Allkins will play last.)
We’re looking at making the space like an extension of people’s loungeroom where you can come down and it’s your club as much as it’s my club, he said. I really want people to feel welcome and comfortable.
Smooch: Music That Loves You begins this Sunday with a Bobby Goldsmith Foundation fundraiser, entry $10. Smooch then plays every Sunday from 4pm to 10pm at the East Village Hotel, corner of Palmer and Liverpool Streets, Darlinghurst. Regular entry $5.
