Kooky hits adolescence
It’s a long time since I met Johnny Taranto, aka Seymour Butz of Club Kooky fame. I was about 18 and he not much older, and he’d just been photographed by the UK’s iD magazine for a spread on Sydney street style.
He could often be seen chilling on the milk crates in front of the old Zoo Clothing and Barberia Hair on Crown St, and would always wave a friendly hello. Often seen playing on the footpath just outside Barberia was a wild young child called Jed, the son of the couple who owned the salon, who -” it must be said -” was dressed much better than most of the adults in the ‘hood (but not me or Johnny, of course).
Like Adam, drag artist Cindy Pastel’s son who was the real inspiration for Mitzi’s son in Priscilla and who could often be seen skateboarding along Oxford St in the mid ’90s when he was just a boy, Jed was a product of a Darlinghurst childhood, and I assume one of very few who would be able to boast such a colourful upbringing.
The five-year-old Jed designed Club Kooky’s first flyer, which was the night formed by Johnny and his DJ partner Gemma in 1995. And now 13 years later things have come full circle, as the grown-up version of Jed is actually performing this Saturday night at Kooky with his band Sideways Hitchhiker.
The trio have already straddled the stages of the Hopetoun, the Excelsior and the Annandale hotels, and have been getting good rotation on FBi and Triple J with their Paul Mac-produced track In Control. What’s more, all its members -” Dan, Josh and Jed -” appeared in the gay surfer film Tan Lines, so that means eye candy, baby, eye candy.
Sideways Hitchhiker step onto the Kooky stage alongside Dallas Della Force and Kiki No Pants, and resident DJs Seymour and Gemma this Saturday at its newish home, Hermann’s Bar at Sydney Uni. It’s Australia’s longest running queer alternative night so show some respect and a lotta love. Entry is $12.
Just across the uni grounds at the Manning Bar, Rubberball 4 Play will celebrate fetish, glamour and style on Saturday with a night of local and international fashion and subversive acts, soundtracked by DJs Sveta, Mandy Rollins and Feisty. The rubber, leather, fetish, drag, kink and PVC dress code will be strictly enforced and tickets are $55 or $35 concession for those individuals who feel the need to express.
Hunk returns to the Midnight Shift on Saturday night, for those seeking a more circuit party vibe. The first Hunk party signalled a new era for the upstairs space at the Shift and this weekend is set to turn up the heat even more with guest DJ from London, Mikey D, who plays at London’s Crash, Fire and Beyond, plus Hed Kandi’s Australian resident, Jack McCord, and an XXX-rated show. Entry is $25 or $20 with a flyer.
If you’re an early bird, you might just catch The Presets at the Apple Store tonight from 9pm, fresh from taking out three ARIA Awards (Album of the Year, Best Group, Best Dance Release), and playing as part of the iTunes Live series.
The makers of one of the most popular albums of the year, but who were overlooked for an ARIA this time round, Pnau will guest program Rage on Saturday night from 10pm. So if you find yourself locked at home due to reasons unforeseen, there are far worse ways to spend the evening than this.
