Slaves to the Rhythm

With Pride Week’s Rhythm Of Our Rights already in full flight offering Sydney’s gay and lesbian community a trademark feast of hard politics and heady partying, it’s easy to get swamped by the barrage of celebrations that commemorate the rise of queer visibility.

Those who have hit Gilligans or Arq in the last few evenings would have already caught a taste of the Pride Week action, whether via the high camp frivolity of the BGF Bake Off or the political stock-take of the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby forum.

Don’t fear if you’ve been in hibernation so far, Pride Week has only been gearing up and there’s no better time to launch into the festivities than now.

The grand event of Pride Week has always been the much-loved Revolution party at City Live on the final Sunday evening of Pride Week. This year Pride co-president Lou-Anne Lind says we can expect the blend of intimacy and glamour from the party that has made the Revolution dancefloor pump in Prides past.

We have strived to maintain the traditional feel of the party that people have been really enjoying. We like to have a really energetic but also intimate party and people have told Pride that they have really appreciated the ticket prices being kept really low, Lind says.

City Live is obviously a fantastic venue to work with and we are going for an up-beat and glamorous aesthetic for the party. So there’s something very special about this event -“ it’s glamorous but cheap at the same time, laughs Lind.

Revolution will feature sets from Kate Monroe and Roger Z and a special guest cocktail hour performance from Mardi Gras festival favourite Miss Otis Regrets, with tickets going at the door for $35.

Saturday night is set to be another huge night for parties, with Riot 69, The Lucky Pussy Club and Rhythms Of The Night all putting on dancefloor action.

Rhythms Of The Night will dish out some groovy and uplifting beats at the Midnight Shift from 11pm with the $25 admission going to help the Rights Lobby.

That is definitely going to be a brilliant party and I think it is especially important now for the community to get behind a Lobby fundraiser like this so that they can continue to keep the community’s voice heard in the lead-up to the [state] elections, Lind says.

Riot 69 hits the Stonewall Hotel from 9pm with donations going to Twenty10, while The Lucky Pussy Club -“ featuring Mandy Rollins, Garry Tee and comedian Shelley Silberman hits the Mandarin Club from 9pm.

Thursday night will see four huge events taking over the Sydney circuit. The Paddington Green Hotel kicks off at 7:30pm with Girls Gaymes -“ a night of films, comedy, music and prizes featuring Mistress of Ceremonies, Opal.

[Gaymes] is sure to be one of the fabulous highlights of this week and it is shaping up to be a really exciting event and the first of its kind for Pride Week, Pride co-president Lou-Anne Lind says.

Thursday will also feature the Asian Ball from 8:30pm at the Midnight Shift and the politically charged Stonewall Rally from Town Hall to Taylor Square.

Friday night highlights will include the incomparable terror-camp of Orgy of Drag featuring DJs and outrageous entertainment over all three levels of the hotel. Promising glam, trash comedy and probably a drama or two, Orgy is a Pride Week favourite and a valued fundraiser for ACON. Friday will also see BumpHer Bar’s girls night Pride Week celebration take off at The Burdekin with DJs Garry Tee and Renae.

For more details on events for Pride Week Rhythm Of Our Rights, pick up a pamphlet at any Pride Week venue.