Flinders get festive
After a great weekend at two different festivals, I’m feeling festival crazy, texting friends with every available digit, seeing who’s up for what. Melbourne may have the bars, but Sydney is the festival king! Sexy but exxy is the verdict on Summer Gay Day, which attracted 2000-plus campers to Kippax Lake at Moore Park last Saturday. Despite the ever-threatening rain, hot bods were on parade everywhere, even dancing under the skies at the main stage when the heavens opened.
There were two stages, with more commercial house at the open air main stage and more boompty boompty house at a dance tent on the other side of the lake. It may not be absolutely massive yet, but Summer Gay Day is one to watch -” especially if they bring the ticket price down a fraction.
Just across the road at the Showgrounds, Global Gathering marked its Aussie debut on Sunday and was the mega-festival it promised to be with the most generous line-up of international dance talent ever assembled at one event. There were smatterings of poofs and lesbos with exceptional musical taste amongst the heaving straight crowd, who I must add were exceptionally gorgeous, and not at all the monged-out crowd we-˜re used to at large party events.
The next event on my festival radar is Nevereverland, the Modular label 10th birthday party which will feature every known DJ, artist and band on the label. The Presets, Ladyhawke and Cut Copy are just some of the artists who will be there. That’s at the Hordern Pavilion on Saturday 13 December and tickets are $99.95.
If you crave underground dance beats in a queer setting, The Living Room DJs Homecoming Ball Christmas Extravaganza on Saturday night at the Flinders Hotel features DJs Leah Thomas, Gavyn Vincze, Jay Smalls, Trinity and Lexie Bradfield spinning the most progressive, technoey, melodic house on the strip.
Then on Sunday afternoon starting at 4pm, Non Scene: Afternoon Delight is sure to be the cutest little bowling club party this side of Porpoise Spit, with a comeback show by none other than Cyndi Pastel and DJs Tobin Saunders (aka Vanessa Wagner in man drag), Ben Drayton and Stephen Allkins. Entry is $25/$15 concession on the door, or $20 plus bf from So Music Newtown or Spank Records Darlinghurst.
On Saturday Bondi Boys returns to the Bondi Social (38 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach) and entry will be free. Paramount Pictures have covered the entry cost and will launch their Stop Loss DVD (featuring Ryan Phillippe!) at the event. The first 30 people who RSVP to [email protected] for this Sunday will receive a free DVD of either Sex in the City, Iron Man or Indiana Jones. It’s the hottest beachside event this summer. From 3.15pm till 6.45pm, to be exact.
J+J+J parties return to the Cross Nightclub (above the Bourbon & Beefsteak) on Saturday 20 December with I Heart Xmas 08, which is promising to be the wildest, most debauched Christmas party this festive season. Like previous events, it will feature a mixture of shows and DJs. Stonebridge’s Jordana will be singing Close to Heaven and Spiller’s Groovejet while Kyla Sexton will be singing live vocals over Alex Taylor’s beats; and there will be a hilarious Xmas show by Joyce Maynge -” which is warned to contain traces of Mariah Carey. I Heart Xmas will be over two rooms and features DJs Jade, Dan Murphy, Jason Barry, Alex Taylor, Troy Cox, GI Jode, David DC, Eddie Coulter and Renae Stanton. Tickets will be sold on the door for $10 before 10pm and $15 after.
And last but definitely not least, the Taylor Square Hotel and T2 Nightclub have finally been closed by the owner, with the doors padlocked and a sign that reads: These premises are now in the possession of the owner Ranglen Investments Pty Ltd. No one is permitted access unless authorised by Ranglen Investments Pty Ltd. Entry upon these premises without the written permission of Ranglen Investments is forbidden & will be treated as trespass. Amen to that.
