SCISSOR SISTERS - Out In The City
SCISSOR SISTERS - Out In The City
SCISSOR SISTERS - Out In The City
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PHOTO © CHRIS JEPSON<br />
<br />
EDITORIAL//<br />
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PAGE 18<br />
<strong>SCISSOR</strong> <strong>SISTERS</strong><br />
HUDSON’S LETTER<br />
Sadly, there are some<br />
anniversaries that<br />
one doesn’t really feel<br />
like celebrating. I was<br />
reminded recently that<br />
June 2011 marks the 30th<br />
anniversary of the first<br />
reported cases of AIDS.<br />
<strong>In</strong> summer 1981, scientists<br />
in the US reported on<br />
an unexpected cluster<br />
of deaths of men from a<br />
rarely encountered form of<br />
pneumonia. All the men<br />
were believed to be gay,<br />
and it was soon realised<br />
that they were all suffering<br />
from a disorder that<br />
wreaked havoc with their<br />
immune systems.<br />
I was only a child in 1981. I<br />
can’t imagine what it must<br />
have been like to have<br />
been on the gay scene at<br />
the time, when rumours of<br />
a mystery illness began to<br />
circulate – or the fear and<br />
terror that that news must<br />
have prompted.<br />
Though treatment for HIV<br />
infection has improved<br />
greatly over the past three<br />
decades, it is depressing<br />
that we still do not have<br />
a cure.<br />
Frustratingly, one of<br />
the greatest barriers in<br />
preventing the spread<br />
of HIV remains that of<br />
ignorance. Some people<br />
are still uncertain of how<br />
it’s transmitted, and<br />
many gay men do not<br />
have a regular HIV test.<br />
It’s recommended that<br />
all sexually-active gay<br />
men should have a test at<br />
least once a year. Finding<br />
out that you are HIV soon<br />
after infection can make<br />
a huge difference to your<br />
treatment, prospects and<br />
quality of life. Many of<br />
those who die from AIDS<br />
are the ones who only<br />
discovered their condition<br />
when they began to fall<br />
ill. When did you last get<br />
tested?<br />
Empower yourself by<br />
taking our HIV quiz on<br />
page 97. Some of the facts<br />
may surprise you.<br />
hudson@outmag.co.uk<br />
CONTENTS<br />
PAGE 04<br />
LETTERS<br />
Send your<br />
correspondence to<br />
editorial@outmag.<br />
co.uk<br />
PAGE 06<br />
MY LONDON<br />
Scene host and DJ Ma<br />
Butcher gives us his<br />
capital highlights...<br />
PAGE 08<br />
SHOPPING<br />
New cameras from<br />
Leica and classic retro<br />
iPhone handsets<br />
PAGE 11<br />
DIARY<br />
June’s cultural<br />
highlights in and<br />
around London<br />
PAGE 18<br />
JAKE SHEARS<br />
Ahead of Scissor<br />
Sisters’ headline<br />
appearance at<br />
Lovebox, we catch up<br />
with Jake Shears<br />
PAGE 22<br />
MUSIC<br />
New albums from Lady<br />
Gaga and Patrick Wolf<br />
PAGE 24<br />
FRANKIE KNUCKLES<br />
David Hudson catches<br />
up with the godfather<br />
of house<br />
PAGE 42<br />
WE PARTY<br />
PAGE 26<br />
FILM<br />
Last Night, Bridesmaids<br />
and <strong>The</strong> Messenger<br />
reviewed…<br />
PAGE 30<br />
THEATRE<br />
Betty Blue Eyes and<br />
Bette & Joan reviewed<br />
PAGE 32<br />
FOOD<br />
Royal China reviewed<br />
PAGE 36<br />
WHY DO WE CLASH<br />
OVER CASH?<br />
PAGE 24<br />
FRANKIE KNUCKLES<br />
Is your relationship<br />
coming apart over<br />
financial issues?<br />
PAGE 38<br />
LONDON FOR LESS<br />
THAN A TENNER<br />
Summer fun on a<br />
budget!<br />
PAGE 41<br />
OUT THERE<br />
Upcoming scene<br />
highlights for June,<br />
plus coverage of Circa,<br />
XXL and We London<br />
PAGE 61<br />
OUTREACH<br />
<strong>The</strong> Stonewall Equality<br />
Walk in Brighton, and<br />
community listings<br />
PAGE 64<br />
OUTNEWS<br />
All the gay news from<br />
home and abroad<br />
PAGE 68<br />
FAMILY<br />
<strong>The</strong> London Sperm<br />
Bank and British<br />
Surrogacy Agency<br />
PAGE 76<br />
CAREER<br />
Jacob Nieuwkoop and<br />
Julian Victoria<br />
PAGE 78<br />
PROPERTY<br />
<strong>In</strong>terior design and<br />
homeware<br />
PAGE 84<br />
MOTORING<br />
PAGE 86<br />
TRAVEL<br />
Gay Madrid<br />
PAGE 95<br />
HOROSCOPES<br />
PAGE 96<br />
HEALTH<br />
How good is your HIV<br />
knowledge?
ON FIRE<br />
WHAT’S HOT AND WHAT’S NOT<br />
THIS MONTH’S RISE AND FALL<br />
ON ICE<br />
ADELE<br />
<strong>The</strong> girl with the world at<br />
her feet: two albums and<br />
singles both clogging up<br />
the top ten at the time<br />
of going to press, and a<br />
number one single and<br />
album in the US.<br />
SIR ELTON JOHN<br />
Holds talks with Prime<br />
Minister David Cameron<br />
to discuss rising HIV rates<br />
and the work of the Elton<br />
John AIDS Foundation.<br />
Love. Him.<br />
TYSON<br />
<strong>The</strong> sexy creator of the dark<br />
and irresistible slice of 70s<br />
disco-inspired electronica<br />
that is ‘<strong>Out</strong> Of My Mind’.<br />
Keep an eye out for a<br />
second single in late June.<br />
FELLAS WIPES<br />
‘New male intimate wipes’<br />
said the press release that<br />
landed on our desk, for all<br />
those bits that get sweaty<br />
during the summer. Hmm...<br />
we’ll stick with soap and<br />
water, thanks.<br />
UGANDA<br />
Thankfully, the Ugandan<br />
parliament has shelved<br />
the Anti-Homosexuality<br />
Bill that it was due to<br />
discuss… but it could<br />
still be debated later in<br />
the year.<br />
BLUE<br />
<strong>The</strong> veteran boy band may<br />
have stripped-off plenty<br />
in a storm of pre-event<br />
publicity, but they still<br />
managed to lose out to<br />
Jedward at Eurovision.<br />
SNOW STORM<br />
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FAITHFUL<br />
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STAR LETTER<br />
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Alan, London, EC3<br />
WIN!<br />
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HOT STUFF<br />
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Everyone who had a letter<br />
printed this month won<br />
a copy of new DVD Seeing<br />
Heaven.<br />
PHOTO © WWW.ADRIANLOURIE.CO.UK
SHOT ON LOCATION AT VOGUE FABRICS<br />
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MY LONDON
SHOPPING...<br />
SINFUL<br />
Perfectly launched to coincide with the arrival of<br />
Spring is Guilty – a new fragrance (or “contemporary<br />
fougère”) for men from Gucci. It offers a light and<br />
zingy dash of lemon and mandarin with crushed<br />
green leaves – supposedly evocative of sap rising<br />
– and hints of pink pepper, undercut by middle<br />
tones of lavender, cardamom, orange flower and<br />
neroli – topped by the patchouli that hallmarks all<br />
Gucci fragrances. We love it. It’s available as Eau de<br />
Toilette (30ml, 50ml, 90ml), aftershave, deodorant,<br />
shampoo, after shave balm and body massage oil,<br />
and is available from the Perfume Shop and other<br />
good stockists.<br />
www.theperfumeshop.com<br />
www.gucci.com<br />
LEICA LOVE<br />
Other camera brands may boast of their megapixels, but Leica appreciates that a quality lens is a more<br />
important factor when it comes to stunning imagery. With this in mind, may we present the Leica V-Lux 20<br />
(pictured). Yes, its £505 price tag is hefty for a compact digital camera, but fully justified by its high-quality<br />
images – thanks to the Leica DC Vario-Elmar 4.1-49.2mm f/3.3-4.9 ASPH zoom lens. You can also shoot HD<br />
video and geotag photos, among many other features. Also worth checking out is the £644-priced Leica D-Lux 5,<br />
which looks purposefully retro but takes compact digital photography to an even higher level of excellence.<br />
ww.leica.com<br />
EARN YOUR STRIPES<br />
A regular shopping haunt whenever we’re in Soho is XTG<br />
– the Spanish underwear brand that’s set up camp<br />
on Old Compton Street. <strong>The</strong>se new stripey designs<br />
have been launched – apparently – in time for<br />
Father’s Day. We think they’re better suited<br />
to the young bucks (such as the hunk<br />
pictured) with generous sugar daddies!<br />
Collection includes boxers (pictured<br />
- £26.50), briefs and T-shirts. Shop<br />
online at www.xtg.es or visit<br />
the store at 60 Dean<br />
Street, Soho W1D<br />
6AW.<br />
SPECS APPEAL<br />
Not only does James Franco cut a dash on the silver screen, but he also looks pretty hot on the red<br />
carpet, as he did when he turned up to perform Oscar-hosting duties earlier this year in a pair of<br />
Persol 0714 sunglasses – as made famous by Steve McQueen in the original of <strong>The</strong> Thomas Crown<br />
Affair. <strong>The</strong> firm has produced 10,000 of this classic folding frame as part of a limited edition range.<br />
Select Specs are selling a variety of colours for £213.12 at www.SelectSpecs.com<br />
HE’S ON THE PHONE<br />
Skype has transformed the way in which we stay in touch with friends and family… but don’t you<br />
sometimes just crave to nestle a receiver next to your ear? If you’re a fan of all things retro (or find<br />
that slamming an iPhone down on the sofa is not quite the same as slamming down a receiver…),<br />
then you may be interested in this new POP handset from French designer David Turpin. It boasts a<br />
quality speaker and microphone, and a 3.5mm jack (compatible with the iPhone). It can be used with<br />
all mobile phones when fitted with the correct adaptor (sold separately) and, when fitted with a USB<br />
adaptor (sold separately), can be used for VOIP computer telephone calls (Skype, Google Talk...).<br />
Available in a range of colours, it costs £24.95 from www.gadgets.co.uk
SUN 19 JUNE: Being huge<br />
fans of Kathy Griffin, we<br />
were overjoyed to hear that<br />
she is heading to London for<br />
a couple of exclusive shows.<br />
Originally booked for a oneoff<br />
evening performance<br />
(8pm) at the Palace <strong>The</strong>atre<br />
on Shaftesbury Avenue,<br />
ticket sales have been brisk,<br />
and she’s now also going to<br />
be performing a matinée<br />
show at the same venue at<br />
4.30pm in the afternoon.<br />
This is the double Emmyaward<br />
winner’s first UK<br />
appearances since 2007,<br />
and she’s promising an<br />
evening of “laughter,<br />
swearing and negativity!”<br />
“I’m humbled to be bringing<br />
my inappropriate jokes to<br />
the historic Palace <strong>The</strong>atre.<br />
It’s a venue that’s long<br />
overdue for an international<br />
incident. Put the American<br />
Embassy on standby.”<br />
All tickets are priced at £30<br />
(plus booking fee). Call the<br />
box Office: 0844 412 4656 or<br />
Ticketzone: 0844 875 8758<br />
(www.seetickets.com or<br />
www.ticketzone.co.uk)<br />
CALENDAR EVENTS//<br />
JUNE 2011<br />
01 AND 22 JUN:<br />
<strong>The</strong> Kings of Leon, whose Come Around Sundown album<br />
has steadily grown on us, play a rescheduled date at the<br />
O2 Arena on 1 June, (the performance was cancelled a<br />
few months ago following a fire on a tour bus outside the<br />
venue). <strong>The</strong>y follow this up with a huge concert in Hyde<br />
Park on 22 June, supported by Paul Weller and White Lies.<br />
www.kingsofleon.com<br />
THUR 02 JUNE:<br />
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MON 06 JUN: <br />
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PHOTO © ELLIE KURTTZ<br />
01 JUNE-03 SEPT:<br />
Former Dr Who David Tennant is reunited with Catherine<br />
Tate this summer – on stage at the Wyndham’s <strong>The</strong>atre on<br />
Charing Cross Road. <strong>The</strong> two will be starring as sparring<br />
lovers Benedick and Beatrice in a new production of<br />
Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.<br />
www.MuchAdoOnStage.com<br />
THUR 02 JUN:<br />
New Yorker Moby headlines the Roundhouse in Camden.<br />
Expect a show packed with classic hits and material from his<br />
latest album, Destroyed. www.moby.com
CALENDAR EVENTS//<br />
JUNE 2011<br />
IMAGE: TORSO © STEVEN DAVID LIM<br />
21-26 JUNE: Following the success of its inaugural exhibition<br />
last year, the Gay Photographers Network will be hosting its<br />
second show this month at the Strand Gallery (32 John Adam<br />
Street, WC2). Last summer’s show was entitled ‘Guys Hanging’,<br />
and this year’s show is simply called ‘More Guys Hanging’. <strong>The</strong><br />
Gay Photographers Network is simply a club for gay men with<br />
an interest or passion for photography.This year’s show (which<br />
will be officially opened by actor and singer Toyah Wilcox) will<br />
feature the work of over 40 photographers (both professionals<br />
and talented amateurs), and will cover a wide range of genres<br />
– from portraits to cityscapes, abstracts to landscapes, nudes<br />
to reportage. <strong>The</strong> photos exhibited will be available for sale<br />
but there will also be an opportunity to win limited-edition<br />
prints in a charity auction/prize draw held over the course<br />
of the week to raise money for the Disabled Photographers<br />
Society and London Friend.<br />
www.gayphotographersnetwork.co.uk<br />
PHOTO © JAMES BULLIMORE<br />
02 JUNE-19 NOV:<br />
Mathew Kelly returns to the West End to take a starring<br />
role in Lend Me A Tenor: <strong>The</strong> Musical at the Gielgud <strong>The</strong>atre.<br />
Based on the award-winning comedy by Ken Ludwig<br />
(which made its West End debut back in 1986), this new<br />
musical production promises to be a riotous, unpredictable<br />
explosion of mistaken identities and unexpected romance.<br />
<strong>The</strong> story is set in 1934. <strong>The</strong> world’s greatest tenor, Tito<br />
Merelli, has come to Cleveland, Ohio, to save its Grand<br />
Opera Company by singing Verdi’s Otello, but when he is<br />
unexpectedly incapacitated, Max, the opera director’s meek<br />
assistant, is given the daunting task of finding a last-minute<br />
replacement. Tickets cost £10-£62.50.<br />
www.tenorthemusical.co.uk<br />
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08 JUN-16 JUL:<br />
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Derren Brown<br />
MON 13 JUN:<br />
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MARTIN CREED - WORK NO. 998. 2009 COPYRIGHT MARTIN CREED. PHOTO BARBORA GERNY<br />
07 JUN-15 AUG:<br />
Always a highlight of the London calendar is the annual<br />
Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. Expect<br />
an exhibition crammed with 1,000 pieces of work,<br />
whittled down from 13,000 submissions. It’s the largest<br />
open contemporary art exhibition in the world, and will<br />
include paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture and<br />
architecture – so make sure you allow yourself a few hours<br />
of browsing time!<br />
www.royalacademy.org.uk
CALENDAR EVENTS//<br />
JUNE 2011<br />
WED 29 JUN: Liza Minelli returns to London for an exclusive<br />
performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Expect classic songs<br />
from her back catalogue and material from her latest album,<br />
Confessions. www.officiallizaminnelli.com<br />
PHOTO © RUVEN AFANADOR<br />
PHOTO © JASON BELL<br />
14 JUN-19 FEB 12:<br />
Previewing now, Shrek <strong>The</strong> Musical officially opens<br />
on 14 June. Following success on Broadway, the stage<br />
adaptation is derived from the story and characters from the<br />
Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film. This London<br />
production will star Amanda Holden (as Princess Fiona),<br />
Richard Blackwood (Donkey), Nigel Lindsay (Shrek) and Nigel<br />
Harman (Lord Farquaad). It’s currently booking from now<br />
until next February.<br />
www.shrekthemusical.co.uk<br />
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30 JUN-08 JUL: <br />
<br />
30 JUN AND<br />
02-03 JULY:<br />
<strong>The</strong> legendary Janet Jackson finally returns to London for a<br />
trio of live dates as part of her ongoing world tour. Catch her<br />
at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington. www.janetjackson.com
SUMMER OF LOVE<br />
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ON THE BUSES<br />
Square Peg Media (publishers of <strong>Out</strong> <strong>In</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>City</strong>) are the media partners for www.rooflesspride.com. A unique<br />
experience for major Gay Pride Festivals around the United Kingdom, whilst raising money for pride charities, with 10%<br />
of all bookings going to the Pride funds.<br />
Providing the ultimate open-top bus experience under the beating sun, breezing through the heart of London, Brighton<br />
and Manchester Gay Pride Festivals on-board entertainers such as Diva Fever, Stacey Jackson, Keith George and Rozalla<br />
will provide an open-air concert environment while you enjoy the on-board refreshments and take in the sights below.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are various options available for each Pride giving you the opportunity to be part of the actual parade and see the<br />
festivities from a whole new angle. Visit www.rooflesspride.com for more information.
PORTRAIT BY KEVIN TACHMAN<br />
TALES OF THE<br />
<strong>SCISSOR</strong>S...<br />
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I’M SUPER FUCKING<br />
HAPPY. I FEEL VERY<br />
CREATIVELY INSPIRED<br />
AND HAPPY AND<br />
SATISFIED
WWW.KEVINTACHMAN.COM
I JUST FEEL LIKE THE<br />
LUCKIEST GUY ALIVE<br />
SOMETIMES. I’M VERY<br />
LUCKY TO HAVE HIM;<br />
WE’RE VERY MUCH<br />
IN LOVE<br />
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Scissor Sisters: (L-R) Babydaddy, Jake Shears, Ana Matronic and Del Marquis<br />
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Robyn<br />
Beth Ditto<br />
LOVEBOX<br />
This year’s Lovebox festival takes place in Victoria Park in east<br />
London on 15-17 July. Sunday’s ‘<strong>Out</strong> and <strong>Out</strong> Fierce’ line-up will<br />
include Scissor Sisters, Blondie, Robyn, Kelis, Beth Ditto,<br />
Marc Almond, 2 Many DJs, Hard Ton and Azari & III, amongst<br />
others. DJs will include Jim Stanton, James Hillard, Severino,<br />
Luke Howard and Dr Noki, while Horse Meat Disco and Jodie<br />
Harsh’s Circus will also be present. One-day tickets for the Sunday<br />
(17 July) event start at £48.50 (£48.50 for Saturday and £28.50 for<br />
Friday). A three-day pass costs £99. Tickets are on sale now, and are<br />
available from www.lovebox.net as well as from Ticketmaster<br />
(www.ticketmaster.co.uk) or by calling 08448472436. You<br />
can also buy tickets in person from the London HMV stores.<br />
www.lovebox.net<br />
PHOTO © TOM BUNNING
ALBUMS OUT IN JUNE<br />
PATRICK WOLF<br />
Lupercalia (Mercury)<br />
It makes the world go round, it heals all wounds, and it seems<br />
to have made Patrick Wolf the happiest bunny since Bugs<br />
won a year’s supply of organic carrots from Abel & Cole. As he<br />
prepares to enter into a civil partnership with partner William,<br />
the man he clearly regards as his soulmate, Wolf cuts a very<br />
different figure to the bondage-clad dissident of his last LP,<br />
2009’s brilliant but somewhat abrasive <strong>The</strong> Bachelor.<br />
Named after the ancient Roman festival of love and fertility,<br />
Lupercalia is Wolf’s most infectious and accessible record yet,<br />
its joyous major key pop songs embellished with handclaps,<br />
horns and harps. Not to mention strings – lots of strings<br />
– that swell like a proud mother’s bosom. <strong>The</strong>se are songs<br />
about the redemptive power of love, the ability of love to<br />
trump economic hardship, the fact that there’s precisely sod all<br />
difference between heterosexual and homosexual love, and<br />
the comfort of spending the night tucked up safely with the<br />
one you love. ‘<strong>The</strong> <strong>City</strong>’ even finds Wolf recalling, “<strong>The</strong> day we<br />
kissed up by Niagara Falls”; an image so incorrigibly romantic<br />
it’s almost (Taylor) Swiftian.<br />
<strong>The</strong> melancholy of yore creeps in two-thirds through, but only<br />
when Wolf contemplates a life<br />
without his beloved, and it’s telling<br />
that he rediscovers his joie de vivre<br />
on penultimate track ‘Together’,<br />
which begins as a missing-mylover<br />
lament before becoming a<br />
celebration of what they might<br />
achieve once reunited. Bless. Now,<br />
how to score an invite to that<br />
wedding? NL<br />
<br />
<strong>Out</strong>: June 20<br />
LADY GAGA<br />
Born This Way<br />
(Polydor)<br />
<strong>The</strong> worst fate to befall a<br />
popstar? Nope, not getting<br />
tricked into representing Britain at Eurovision, nor being<br />
forced to record a duet with Daniel Bedingfield, but having<br />
to withstand a backlash. Lady Gaga, of course, is currently in<br />
the midst of one.<br />
Born This Way – which, lest we forget, is only her<br />
second full studio album – will supply bountiful grist<br />
to the whingers’ mill. It’s bloated, subtle as a page three<br />
model’s cleavage, a bit silly, kind of cringe-inducing in its<br />
proclamations of equality (re: that title track), and it doesn’t<br />
have anything quite as undeniable as ‘Poker Face’. But it’s<br />
also a frequently thrilling stadium pop behemoth with nods<br />
to Queen, Pet Shop Boys, Elton John, Madonna circa True<br />
Blue, Madonna circa Like A Prayer and… er, Madonna circa<br />
Erotica.<br />
Thumping tune by thumping tune, it arguably trumps her<br />
12-million selling debut. Highlights include the hymn-like<br />
synth-pop of ‘Bloody Mary’, the giddy ‘Bad Kids’ with its<br />
bad/brilliant “twit”/”degenerate” couplet and a big blowsy<br />
Mutt Lange ballad called ‘Yoü and I’. And if it’s ‘Springsteen<br />
goes techno’ that you want, ‘<strong>The</strong> Edge Of Glory’ delivers...<br />
right down to the sax solo!<br />
So, moan away about over-exposure, but at least Gaga<br />
gives us something to talk about. When did Rachel Stevens<br />
ever proffer a song like ‘Government Hooker’ and sing the<br />
line, “Put your hands on me, John F. Kennedy”?<br />
Whether born or a product of impregnable self-will, we<br />
wouldn’t have her any other way. NL<br />
<br />
<strong>Out</strong>: 23 May<br />
<br />
SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR<br />
Make a Scene<br />
(EBGB’s/Universal)<br />
Ms Ellis-Bextor proves herself<br />
pluckier than a female<br />
impersonator’s tweezers, peddling the daaahnciest album<br />
of her decade-long career – just as her commercial fortunes<br />
reach something of a low ebb. It’s been four years since<br />
Sophie last strutted into the top ten; her most recent single<br />
stalled at... um... number 165! <strong>The</strong>n again, in purely musical<br />
terms, her confidence is far from misplaced. Featuring<br />
contributions from some of the top producers in British pop<br />
(Freemasons, Richard X, Calvin Harris), Make a Scene is a<br />
consistently entertaining collection which flirts purposefully<br />
with Hi-NRG (‘Bittersweet’, ‘Dial My Number’), filter disco<br />
(‘Starlight’, ‘Magic’), trance (‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’), the<br />
throb-tastic Balearic (‘Not Giving Up On Love’) and even<br />
ABBA (‘Under Your Touch’), before (nearly) always returning<br />
to the warm embrace of a solid pop chorus.<br />
Preferring Daft Punk-style vocoder to Ke$ha-esque<br />
auto-tune, and leaving the “swagga” to J.Lo & Co., it’s also<br />
an inherently elegant and quintessentially British affair.<br />
<strong>The</strong> mildly eccentric, ‘outsiders-unite’ stylings of the title<br />
track find Ellis-Bextor prescribing: “All of the hierarchies are<br />
broken now that we’re not at school.” Who else could carry<br />
off that kind of line? Who else would try?<br />
It all adds up to a career best effort from the only real rival<br />
to Debbie Harry’s “Sharpest Cheekbones <strong>In</strong> Pop” title. (Siva<br />
from <strong>The</strong> Wanted comes a respectable third).<br />
When it comes to dancefloor shenanigans, men might<br />
perspire and ladies may glow, but on this evidence, Sophie<br />
Ellis-Bextor truly sparkles. NL<br />
<br />
<strong>Out</strong>: June 6<br />
TIM & JEAN<br />
Like What (Publica)<br />
Aussie youngsters Tim Ayre<br />
and Jean-Christophe Capatorto<br />
first hooked up in 2008 at the<br />
tender ages of 17 and 14 respectively. Immediately hitting<br />
it off musically, they started jamming together – citing a<br />
shared love for the likes of Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty and<br />
Fleetwood Mac as their main influences. Listening to their<br />
debut album, it’s likely that both were also listening to<br />
MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular on heavy repeat, as that – and<br />
fellow Aussie synth-pop rockers Empire Of <strong>The</strong> Sun – are<br />
the more obvious contemporary inspirations.<br />
Like What bounces along on an initially hard-to-resist<br />
summery vibe, all squelchy 80s synths and multi-layered<br />
vocal harmonies. Opener and title track, ‘Like What’, would<br />
love to be ‘Time To Pretend’. It’s almost perky enough, but is<br />
let down by uninspired lyrics (‘life is a rollercoaster, don’t be<br />
afraid to ride it’). That said, it remains a highlight, alongside<br />
‘Veronika’, recent single ‘Come Around’ and ‘Give It Up’.<br />
‘Solina’ is also pleasant, in a Goldfrapp sort of way, but again<br />
highlights the somewhat second-rate nature of many of<br />
these tracks, which all roll along at exactly the same pace.<br />
It sounds like a homage to bands (Goldfrapp, Empire Of <strong>The</strong><br />
Sun) already paying homage to other bands.<br />
Although only offering an economical ten tracks, by the<br />
time you reach closer ‘Hustle’, you’ll be left with the feeling<br />
that Tim & Jean currently only have one trick up their sleeve.<br />
Undeniably talented, here’s hoping their second long player<br />
offers a little more light and shade. DH<br />
<br />
<strong>Out</strong>: 30 May<br />
REVIEWS: DAVID HUDSON AND NICK LEVINE
THE GODFATHER<br />
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WHEN THE FIRST<br />
WAVE OF AIDS CAME<br />
THROUGH AND JUST<br />
SWEPT AWAY SO MANY<br />
INCREDIBLE PEOPLE,<br />
I ASK MYSELF TO<br />
THIS DAY, HOW DID I<br />
MANAGE TO AVOID IT?<br />
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Frankie Knuckles’ Director’s Cut feat. Jamie Principle – ‘I’ll Take<br />
You <strong>The</strong>re’ is out now. It will be followed soon by remixes of<br />
‘Your Love’ and ‘Baby Wants To Ride’.<br />
www.defmix.com<br />
www.myspace.com/fkalways
FILMS OUT IN JUNE<br />
BRIDESMAIDS<br />
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LAST NIGHT<br />
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THE BEST DVDS<br />
JUNE ’11<br />
DAVID’S BIRTHDAY<br />
Two married Italian couples<br />
go away on a beach holiday<br />
together and, at first, both<br />
Diego and Shanny and Matteo<br />
and Francesca seem united;<br />
but a spanner is thrown into<br />
the works by the arrival of<br />
Diego and Shanny’s son,<br />
David. Unexpectedly, Matteo<br />
is drawn to the young man’s good looks, and finds himself<br />
wrestling with his feelings. An evocative, beautifully-shot<br />
drama, it’s one of the better European gay films we’ve seen<br />
recently, even if it builds to a somewhat OTT climax.<br />
<br />
OUT: 13 JUNE<br />
THE FIGHTER<br />
Even if boxing films normally<br />
leave you cold, the awardwinning<br />
<strong>The</strong> Fighter is worth<br />
seeking out. Starring Mark<br />
Walhberg, Christian Bale and<br />
Melissa Leo, it’s based on the<br />
true story of fighter Micky<br />
Ward, who ascended, Rockylike,<br />
through the ranks to take<br />
the world welterweight title in the early 80s. His victory<br />
came despite well-meaning but cack-handed help from his<br />
dysfunctional family – specifically, his mother (Leo), and<br />
older brother, Dicky (Bale). Predictable, but entertaining.<br />
<br />
OUT: 20 JUNE<br />
BRIGHTON ROCK<br />
Writer and director Rowan<br />
Joffe takes Graham Green’s<br />
iconic 1938 tale and re-sets<br />
it in 1964 against a backdrop<br />
of the mods vs rockers<br />
riots. Teen gangster Pinkie<br />
(Sam Riley) kills rival gang<br />
member Hale, sparking a<br />
gang war between Brighton’s<br />
protection racketeers. A young, naïve waitress, Rose<br />
(Andrea Riseborough), stumbles on the truth, but falls for<br />
Pinkie’s charms. Although visually stunning, with a great<br />
performance from Riseborough, a lack of genuine suspense<br />
or intrigue renders this a strangely flat offering.<br />
<br />
OUT: 20 JUNE<br />
RABBIT HOLE<br />
Nicole Kidman and Aaron<br />
Eckhart star in this film from<br />
director John Cameron Mitchell<br />
(Shortbus). <strong>The</strong>y play the<br />
formerly happily-married<br />
couple grieving the loss of<br />
their son. Although sombre,<br />
Rabbit Hole emerges as a<br />
poignant and moving experience, with some corrosive wit<br />
ensuring that it avoids becoming a drab, maudlin slog.<br />
<br />
OUT: 20 JUNE<br />
<br />
REVIEWS: DAVID HUDSON AND JOSH WINNING
REVIEWS: DAVID HUDSON AND JOSH WINNING<br />
FILMS OUT IN JUNE<br />
KABOOM<br />
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DONOR<br />
UNKNOWN<br />
THE MESSENGER
PHOTOGRAPHY © MICHAEL LE POER TRENCH<br />
SNORTS AND SQUEALS<br />
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<br />
BUT YA ARE,<br />
BLANCHE...<br />
JUSTIN SWIFT REVIEWSBETTE<br />
& JOAN<br />
Any gay man worth their Maldon sea<br />
salt must surely be aware of the celluloid<br />
inferno of spite and campery that is the<br />
classic 1962 film Whatever Happened<br />
To Baby Jane, and of the legendary feud<br />
between its iconic stars, Hollywood<br />
legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.<br />
Playwright Anton Burge has re-imagined<br />
for the stage what might have occurred<br />
in those dressing rooms on the Warner<br />
Bros back lot during the movie’s long days<br />
filming and infighting. <strong>The</strong> result, Bette &<br />
Joan – which is now playing for a limited<br />
run at London’s Arts <strong>The</strong>atre – is both<br />
extremely funny and very touching.<br />
Taking on the title roles in this two-hander<br />
are Greta Scacchi as Bette Davis and Anita<br />
Dobson as Joan Crawford. Both clearly relish<br />
inhabiting their respective characters, and<br />
the exquisite badinage that is played out<br />
between them. Scacchi seems to have the<br />
most fun, playing up the more outrageous<br />
and vulgar facets of Davis’ personality,<br />
but it is Dobson who is awarded the best<br />
one-liners as the incredibly cool, controlled<br />
and devious Crawford. Both actors display<br />
flawless comedy timing and have the<br />
unmistakeable quirks and mannerisms<br />
of their creative wards totally down pat<br />
without being patronising or distracting.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first act in the production is essentially<br />
the funniest in setting out each characters’<br />
egos and eccentricities while weaving in<br />
salacious Hollywood gossip, classic quotes<br />
and witticisms from the ladies themselves.<br />
<strong>The</strong> second act succeeds in fleshing out<br />
their personalities by trying to explain how<br />
and why events made them the people<br />
they were and the flawed stars that<br />
they became.<br />
<strong>The</strong> end result is a fun night’s<br />
entertainment with real substance<br />
behind the humour. Highly<br />
recommended.<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY © RALPH RAPLEY
SUM DAY<br />
DAVID HUDSON REVIEWS ROYAL CHINA<br />
24-26 Baker Street, London W1U 7AB<br />
020 7487 4688. www2.royalchinagroup.biz<br />
A dear friend first introduced me to the concept<br />
of dim sum around nine years ago. I took to it<br />
immediately, but can understand why some people avoid<br />
it purely because they find the idea a little bit confusing or<br />
fear they won’t know what to order.<br />
<strong>The</strong> success of restaurants such as Ping Pong – which<br />
have aggressively marketed the younger end of the market<br />
– have greatly boosted the popularity of dim sum, but<br />
there remain many food lovers who have yet to feast upon<br />
this most traditional part of Chinese cuisine.<br />
Whether you are a dim sum virgin, or a connoisseur, one<br />
of the best and most authentic destinations in London in<br />
which to sample a whole range of the stuff are the Royal<br />
China establishments. This family-run empire began in<br />
Hong Kong (where there are still several restaurants),<br />
before spreading to these shores with the launch of a<br />
Bayswater branch in 1996. Sister venues now run in<br />
Harrow-on-the-Hill, Fulham and Baker Street. A branch<br />
opens in Canary Wharf on 1 June.<br />
It was the Baker Street branch, near the <strong>Out</strong> <strong>In</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>City</strong><br />
offices that I decided to check out. Take note – this is not to<br />
be confused with the ‘Royal China Club’, a few doors down<br />
the road. That establishment is owned by the same group<br />
but offers a slightly more contemporary, and pricier, twist<br />
on classic Chinese dishes.<br />
Royal China, at 24-26 Baker Street, is a hugely<br />
popular lunchtime destination – particularly at weekends.<br />
It serves an estimated 2,000 dim sum dishes alone on<br />
Sundays! Things are – thankfully – a little quieter during<br />
the week. <strong>The</strong> venue itself is large (150 covers) and<br />
elegant. <strong>The</strong> interior is decked out in shades of gold (with<br />
a signature gold wall along the front half of the room), soft<br />
browns, and dark, smokey, reflective surfaces.<br />
<strong>The</strong> dim sum selection – unsurprisingly – is wide and<br />
varied. Like Spanish tapas, it’s best to order and share<br />
several of these small dishes – probably 3-4 per person.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y generally cost between £2.80-£4.10 each. Feeling<br />
hungry, my companion and I ordered nine.<br />
Long-time favourites of mine include honey-roast pork<br />
puffs (£3.10) – delicious puff pastry parcels of minced<br />
pork – and roast pork buns (£3). Sometimes called char<br />
siu buns, these are white, fluffy, steamed balls of dough<br />
filled with barbecue pork. Minced pork dumplings with<br />
shrimps (£3) come served in their wicker steamer. For some<br />
reason they always remind me of the alien pods from the<br />
film Alien – thankfully, their contents were much more<br />
agreeable! Shanghai pork dumplings (£3.20) were similarly<br />
fabulous, while fried minced squid balls (£3.10) were very<br />
more-ish. Turnip cake with Chinese meats (£2.90) offered<br />
some extra carbohydrate to our meal, while – from the<br />
specials menu – deep-fried seafood dumpling (£4.10)<br />
added some visual ‘wow’ factor – ornate parcels with<br />
intricate pastry frills. <strong>The</strong> steamed prawn and green pea<br />
dumplings (£4.10) – also from the specials menu – were<br />
the only slight let down, being limp and forgettable, while<br />
we had to wait ages for the prawn cheung fun (£4.20) – a<br />
sloppy, but delightful, prawn lasagne.<br />
Dim sum desserts were a new experience for me. We<br />
finished our meal with an unusual black sesame and<br />
coconut pudding (£3.80) and steamed sweet egg custard<br />
buns (£3). <strong>The</strong> former was an unappealing grey and white<br />
striped block of jelly – its unusual colour belying its tasty<br />
sesame flavouring. <strong>The</strong> buns were great – steamed dough<br />
balls filled with pleasingly stodgy dollops of egg custard.<br />
If you have never had dim sum, Royal China offers<br />
an authentic yet affordable introduction in surprisingly<br />
exclusive and upmarket surroundings. All the staff were<br />
helpful throughout, and we didn’t feel rushed (you<br />
can be during a hectic dim sum lunch session at other<br />
establishments). If you are already a fan of this particular<br />
brand of Chinese cuisine but haven’t yet discovered Royal<br />
China, then do so – it easily one of the finest dim sums<br />
restaurants in London.
ONCE UPON A TIME…<br />
<br />
<br />
PERHAPS THE<br />
CLERGYMEN HAVE<br />
BEEN AFFLICTED<br />
WITH THE SAME<br />
CONDITION AS<br />
ME: THEY SEE<br />
THE GAYNESS IN<br />
EVERYTHING
OUR ATTITUDES<br />
TO MONEY ARE<br />
OFTEN SHAPED<br />
BY OUR PARENTS’<br />
BEHAVIOURS WITH<br />
CASH<br />
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WHY DO WE<br />
ALWAYS CLASH<br />
OVER CASH?
LONDON FOR<br />
UNDER A TENNER<br />
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WORDS BY MICHAEL TURNBULL<br />
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David Hoyle<br />
Tate Modern<br />
Hampstead Heath
CLUBS>BARS>FASHION>GOSSIP>NEWS>TRENDS>SCENES>QUEENS>FACTS><br />
<br />
© CHRISJEPSON/LONDONCLUBLAND.COM<br />
Page 44<br />
XXL<br />
For an early taster of its<br />
huge Bear Pride party<br />
at the end of May, we<br />
got along to Arcadia to<br />
sample the delights of<br />
the legendary XXL...<br />
PAGE 47<br />
CIRCA<br />
<strong>The</strong> launch of a new<br />
Soho bar is always<br />
cause for celebration<br />
- which is why we were<br />
first in the queue at the<br />
unveiling of Circa...<br />
© SAM KNIGHT<br />
PUTTING ON A SHOW<br />
<br />
<br />
PAGE 59<br />
BURGER QUEEN<br />
Scottee unveils his<br />
new beauty contest for<br />
chubby boys and girls<br />
at the Royal Vauxhall<br />
Tavern...<br />
<strong>The</strong> team took over the huge Coronet venue for lavish 'Broadway' party, which prompted another elaborate stafe<br />
production with lashings of sex appeal. Check out our full review on pages 42-43...
WE LONDON<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
WORDS AND PHOTOS © CHRIS JEPSON/LONDONCLUBLAND.COM<br />
With a huge crash and the<br />
flashing of a million light bulbs,<br />
Spain’s WE Party landed again<br />
at the Coronet in Elephant and<br />
Castle in May with a Broadwaythemed<br />
spectacular. <strong>The</strong> stage was<br />
transformed by a specially built and<br />
shipped in set of giant illuminated signs<br />
that provided the back drop for more<br />
than a dozen beautiful hard-bodied<br />
topless boys and exotic dancers in<br />
fantastic creations of feathers, leather<br />
and flesh. It was like something plucked<br />
from the Las Vegas strip. As always,<br />
the auditorium was packed with an<br />
equally hot crowd of trendy guys,<br />
muscle-circuit party boys and OTT<br />
dressed-to-the-nines exhibitionists<br />
– with everyone taking advantage<br />
of the bank holiday to let their hair<br />
down in true Balearic, Ibizan style.<br />
Scorching pyrotechnics flew overhead,<br />
giant lasers that could have performed<br />
mass eye surgery shone out from the<br />
stage, magnificent confetti cannons<br />
deposited their contents high in<br />
the rafters (only to see them flutter<br />
down over a euphoric crowd) and<br />
CO2 cannons blasted us with cooling<br />
wafts of air as a welcome respite in<br />
the steamy environment. A 'diva with<br />
attitude' PA belted out the club tracks<br />
before handing back to an all-star<br />
DJ line-up of London residents Steve<br />
Pitron, Gonzalo Rivas and D’Johnny.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y were joined by special guest DJ<br />
Nano, who laid down some superb<br />
Spanish-inspired beats. WE Rocks!<br />
For those of you with a sweet tooth,<br />
WE returns with its ‘Candy’-themed<br />
bash on Saturday 28th May.<br />
www.wepartylondon.com
XXL<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
WORDS AND PHOTOS © CHRIS JEPSON/LONDONCLUBLAND.COM<br />
Pausing between mouthfuls of<br />
chocolate to answer the phone,<br />
we were persuaded by mates that<br />
perhaps Easter was about more<br />
than just cocoa solids!<br />
Persuaded to venture out, we put on<br />
something tight and tarty and headed<br />
over to the Arcadia arches for XXL’s<br />
Playbear Mansion party – and boy,<br />
were we glad we made the effort! DJs<br />
Christian M and Alex Logan kept the<br />
main room pumping with energetic and<br />
upbeat anthems as we found ourselves<br />
helpless and happy in a heaving sea<br />
of men.<br />
Over in the fourth arch DJ Joe Egg was<br />
in retro classic heaven –spinning a<br />
mixture of indie, pop, rock and dance<br />
–with his packed room spilling out<br />
onto the terrace. <strong>The</strong> dress code<br />
throughout the venue could best be<br />
described as ‘skimpy’ and the Easter<br />
egg hunt provided hours of fun – did<br />
we mention how much we love<br />
chocolate? It all made for a fabulously<br />
fun-filled evening.<br />
Consistently one of the busiest clubs<br />
every single week, XXL really comes in<br />
to its own on holiday weekends, and<br />
their next biggie is at the end of May<br />
as Bear Pride hits our shores. Friday 27<br />
May sees a one-off XXLXTREME with<br />
a plethora of dark and cruisy areas to<br />
get lost in, followed by the main Bear<br />
Pride party on Saturday 28 May and<br />
Fusion at Pulse just up the road on<br />
Sunday 29 May.<br />
www.xxl-london.com
NICE PACKAGE<br />
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MONEY SLIDES SO<br />
SATISFYINGLY OUT OF<br />
THE CASH MACHINE AND<br />
YET RUNS THROUGH MY<br />
FINGERS LIKE WATER...<br />
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GET ON THE<br />
GUEST LIST<br />
Bit of an early heads-up<br />
here – but boutique<br />
clubbing festival Summer<br />
Rites is back Sunday 10<br />
July at Shoreditch Park.<br />
Brought to you by scene<br />
stalwarts Wayne Shires<br />
and Kim Lucas, expect<br />
showcasing from the likes<br />
of East Bloc, George &<br />
Dragon, Meat, <strong>The</strong> Joiners<br />
Arms, Gutterslut, Popstarz,<br />
Bootylicious – with<br />
more and more added<br />
every week. With only<br />
10,000 capacity, this will<br />
definitely sell out so check<br />
out the ‘Summer Rights<br />
Remix’ page on Facebook<br />
and make sure you sign<br />
up for early notification of<br />
tickets – as earlybird offers<br />
go on sale soon for a cool<br />
£10. Check out www.<br />
summer-rites.com<br />
Hard On has recently<br />
moved to the third<br />
Saturday of every month<br />
and enjoys a super seedy<br />
new venue at Factory in<br />
Vauxhall. Expect some of<br />
south London’ most pervy<br />
decadence. DJs include<br />
Brent Nicholls, Zack Hadley<br />
and HaLo-Is on rotation<br />
with sexy, funky and<br />
uplifting house. It returns<br />
the 18 June to Factory, 65<br />
Goding Street (just behind<br />
Chariots). Entry is strict<br />
fetish – think leather,<br />
latex, sleaze, skinhead or<br />
just ‘boots-only’. Entry<br />
is £15 and membership<br />
required – members may<br />
sign in up to four guests.<br />
See www.hardonclub.<br />
co.uk for full dress code.<br />
and membership<br />
information.
BAR CIRCA<br />
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WORDS AND PHOTOS © CHRIS JEPSON/LONDONCLUBLAND.COM<br />
While club nights and names may<br />
change more frequently than<br />
Katie Price’s partners, new additions<br />
to the roster of our beloved gay venues<br />
are few and far between. However, this<br />
month saw the launch of a new kid on<br />
the Soho block. With former incarnations<br />
including the Budda Bar, Jrink and even<br />
a pizza restaurant, 62 Frith Street (just<br />
off Soho Square) is now known as Circa<br />
and is in the more than capable hands of<br />
Alan Winter, former manager of Ku Bar<br />
and <strong>The</strong> Edge.<br />
Previous layouts have always had a<br />
tunnelling effect, so walking through<br />
the front vestibule, thanks to a great<br />
use of lighting, mirrors and furniture<br />
arrangement, we were surprised at<br />
how spacious the venue now feels. <strong>The</strong><br />
back end of the room is dominated<br />
by a giant mirror-ball that houses the<br />
DJ, while LED lights cycle through<br />
the spectrum to constantly change<br />
the colour scheme of the walls. <strong>The</strong><br />
venue offers both comfort and style,<br />
with soft leather sofas and tall bar<br />
stools. A bevy of Soho socialites, drag<br />
queens and a raft of lovely DJs offer<br />
different beats across the weekend…<br />
On Fridays Monroe Burgdorf brings<br />
you her unique blend of pop and<br />
commercial house, Saturdays sees<br />
James Pople spinning club beats, and<br />
on Sundays drag darling Alyna Chic<br />
brings you a truly camp end to the<br />
week with pop, R&B and old school<br />
hits. It's open from 4pm ‘til 1am every<br />
night of the week.
PHOTO © ABSOLUT QUEER PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
NASTY BUT NICE<br />
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WE RECENTLY JOKED<br />
ABOUT HOW WE BOTH<br />
HAVE A REPUTATION<br />
FOR BEING A BIT<br />
DIFFICULT OR SCARY...<br />
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PHOTO © CHRIS JEPSON
HIGHLIGHTS<br />
BLITZ KIDS<br />
If you’re looking for some midweek clubbing at its finest, can we point you in the direction<br />
of Trannyshack at Madame Jo Jo’s? This hugely popular night has been running for a<br />
number of years now, and is wildly popular with trannies, drag queens, Soho reprobates,<br />
boys, girls and everything in between. <strong>The</strong> night is presided over by Dusty O (pictured<br />
above) and a gaggle of London’s best gender benders and scene queens. <strong>The</strong> ‘gals’ are never<br />
shy of throwing a party, and Dusty has given us advance warning of a couple of special<br />
events taking place in June. Join them on Wednesday 8 June for ‘Blitzed <strong>Out</strong> Broads’ – a<br />
celebration of the Blitz. Expect a 1940s-style party and a war-themed show from all the<br />
Trannyshack girls, with music spun by Munroe Bergdorf and Dusty O.<br />
<strong>The</strong> next special event will be a guest appearance from New York drag diva Miss<br />
Peppermint, who will be sprinkling her own brand of Manhattan glitter across the Jo Jo’s<br />
stage. For a taster of what to expect, check out her videos on YouTube.<br />
Trannyshack takes place at Madame Jo Jo’s, 8-10 Brewer Street, Soho, W1. Doors are open<br />
from 10.30pm till 3am, with free entry for anyone who makes a gender-bending effort<br />
before midnight (or £5).<br />
www.madamejojos.com www.trannyshack.co.uk<br />
HEY MR DJ!<br />
Following the success of last year’s competition, the<br />
team at Ku Bar has decided to again host another DJ<br />
competition – to search for new, young deck talent. <strong>The</strong><br />
winner of last year’s contest, DJ DouG’ium, has gone on<br />
to great things, regularly spinning the sounds not only at<br />
the Ku Bar but also at other London club nights. He’s even<br />
played at Brazil’s famous <strong>The</strong> Week in his hometown of San<br />
Paulo, and was voted Best DJ Newcomer in a leading scene<br />
publication. Once again, the winner of this year’s contest<br />
will win a residency at Ku, and will get to play at a major event at Fire in Vauxhall.<br />
<strong>The</strong> contest will run from 3 June for 12 weeks, with the grand final taking place on the<br />
August Bank Holiday. Anyone interested should send a 30-minute mix, along with contact<br />
details and a recent photo, to the Ku Bar – you can find all details at www.ku-bar.<br />
co.uk/djquest – Successful applicants will be invited to spin a one-hour set at the<br />
Friday night club O Zone, in the Ku Klub on Lisle Street. This will be their chance<br />
to impress the judges and Ku crowd and win themselves a place in the final!<br />
XXL BANK HOLIDAY<br />
<strong>The</strong> end of May Bank Holiday brings with it the annual Bear Pride festivities.<br />
This year, in a slight change to previous formats, the Bear Pride party will<br />
chiefly take place as a one-night mega bash at XXL at Arcadia. <strong>The</strong> party runs<br />
from 9pm till 6.30am, with admission £8 for guests and £15 for guests. You can<br />
expect all four arches to be packed out, plus the outdoor cabaret area to be put to<br />
full use, with confirmed appearances from Sheri Vine and New York’s Peppermint.<br />
This party is always full to capacity, so make sure you arrive early if you want to<br />
avoid any queuing!<br />
This will be preceded on the Friday night (27 May) by a one-off party entitled<br />
XXLXTREME. Again, it will take place at Arcadia (51-53 Southwark Street, SE!),<br />
between the hours of 9pm and late. Promoter Mark Ames will himself be behind the<br />
decks to spin the sounds, and you can expect plenty of dark areas of the club to explore.<br />
Admission will be free before 10pm and £5 after.<br />
Finally, the bank holiday weekend will wind up with another dose of Fusion on Sunday 29<br />
May. For the first time in its history, Fusion will be leaving Arcadia and moving into Mark’s<br />
new super club – Pulse. This is set to be the biggest Fusion party yet, and if you’ve still yet<br />
to have checked out the 5,000-capacity Pulse, then this will be the perfect opportunity.<br />
Again, there will be live PAs from Sherri Vine, Peppermint and other guests, while the<br />
special guest jock will be Dave Aude, alongside XXL resident Christian M. Doors will be<br />
open from 10pm till 8am, and you’ll find Pulse at 1-4 <strong>In</strong>victa Plaza, SE1 9UF – a short walk<br />
from Arcadia (and Southwark tube station).<br />
DO THE<br />
HUSTLE!<br />
<strong>The</strong> world-famous HustlaBall makes its<br />
annual return to the UK for its 2001 London<br />
date on Saturday 11 June. This year’s event<br />
– which always attracts a capacity crowd<br />
– will take place at Fire in Vauxhall. <strong>The</strong> event<br />
will feature five dance arenas, and no less than<br />
50 adult entertainment stars! Quite simply,<br />
this is going to be one, long, debauched, sexy<br />
night of partying! Expect stars from such wellknown<br />
studios as Raging Stallion, Hot House,<br />
Falcon, Lucas Entertainment, Bel Ami and Stag<br />
Homme. Names confirmed to attend include<br />
Samuel Colt, Kyle King, Rafael Alencar, Harry Louis, Austin Wilde, Ricky Sinz, Heath Jordan,<br />
Chris Porter, Ryan Raz, Martin Mazza and many more. <strong>The</strong>y will be joined by newcomers<br />
from the US, Spain, Germany, France and UK.<br />
However, it’s not all about flesh flaunting, as the organisers take the music side of things<br />
very seriously too. Expect a roster of international DJs to keep all the floors busy, with Bear<br />
Necessity and Hard On confirmed to host their own rooms, plus Gaydar (with Paul Burston<br />
and Jodie Harsh on the decks) taking care of the VIP Room. Other confirmed DJs include<br />
Francesco Pagano, Germany’s Chris Bekker, Guy Scheiman (Israel), Ricky Sinz (Chicago), Aurel<br />
Devil (Paris) and Dani Toro (Barcelona). Confirmed London DJs include HiFi Sean, Sharon O<br />
Love, Tony Bruno and many more.<br />
Limited earlybird supersaver tickets are online now (£15 standard or £55 VIP). For<br />
more information and bookings, check www.Hustlaball.com<br />
WORDS BY LOREM DELOREM | PHOTOGRAPH BY MAET IPSUM
GOING<br />
SLUT HUT<br />
Gutterslut returns to East Bloc on Old Street on Saturday 28 May for its monthly<br />
debauched shindig. Returning to host the night will be Miss Kystilina, while special<br />
guest DJs will be Musiclovemakers – a duo whose name has steadily been rising since<br />
they made their debut in Shoreditch’s Joiners Arms with their Sunday club night Cock-O-<br />
Van. <strong>The</strong>y will be joined in the main room by Nic Fisher and MC Miss Crystal. Meanwhile,<br />
in the disco room, taking turns behind the decks will be Will Viper from the White Leather<br />
Viper Club at Dalston Superstore and James Phillips of Best Before. <strong>The</strong>y will join resident<br />
Ralf in spinning the pop, avant-garde disco, hip hop, electronica and retro classics.<br />
Projections and visuals will come from PRICKIMAGE and the Dalston Gay Mafia.<br />
Doors will be open from 11pm till 6am, with admission £5 before midnight, £10 after. For<br />
the £5 concession guestlist (before 1am), email gutterslutuk@yahoo.co.uk<br />
East Bloc, 217 <strong>City</strong> Road, London EC1V 1JN. www.myspace.com/gutterslutuk<br />
VENUES:<br />
CENTRAL LONDON<br />
79 CXR, 79 Charing Cross Road,<br />
WC2. 020 7734 0769. Leicester<br />
Square tube. Mon-Sat 1pm-3am,<br />
Sun 1pm-10.30pm. Cover charge<br />
after 11pm. Large, cruisy, late-night<br />
bar - always busy after 10.30pm<br />
with those who don’t want to head<br />
home too early.<br />
ADMIRAL DUNCAN, 54 Old<br />
Compton Street, W1. 020 7437<br />
5300. Leicester Square tube.<br />
Friendly, famous, traditional gay<br />
pub - just look out for the purple<br />
and pink exterior!<br />
BARCODE, 3-4 Archer Street,<br />
W1. 020 7734 3342. www.<br />
bar-code.co.uk. Piccadilly Circus<br />
tube. Mon-Sat 4pm-1.30am. Sun<br />
until 10.30pm. Dance bar on three<br />
floors, with club-style basement.<br />
Comedy Camp stand-up night<br />
each Tuesday, and more danceoriented<br />
sessions at weekends.<br />
CANDY BAR, 4<br />
Carlisle Street,<br />
W1.<br />
020 7494 4041. Tottenham Court<br />
Road tube. Mon-Thu 5-11.30pm. Fri<br />
& Sat 5pm-2am. Sun 5-11pm. Longrunning<br />
and famed lesbian bar.<br />
CIRCA, 62 Frith Street, Soho, W1D<br />
3JN. Tottenham Court Road tube.<br />
New Soho gay bar, offering pop<br />
and r’n’b tunes, drag hostesses and<br />
cute bar staff. Open 4pm till 1am<br />
every day.<br />
www.circasoho.com<br />
COMPTONS, 52 Old Compton<br />
Street, W1. 020 7479 7961.<br />
Leicester Square tube. Noon-11pm.<br />
A Soho institution. Large, traditional<br />
gay boozer on two floors, attracting<br />
a butch and manly crowd. www.<br />
comptons-of-soho.co.uk<br />
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON,<br />
77 Wardour Street, W1. 020 7439<br />
1274. Piccadilly Circus tube.<br />
Mon-Thu noon-11pm, Fri & Sat<br />
noon-midnight, ‘til 10.30pm<br />
on Sun. Traditional and fun gay<br />
pub over two floors, attracting a<br />
good cross-section from across<br />
the scene.<br />
THE EDGE, 11 Soho Square,<br />
W1. 020 7439 1313. Tottenham<br />
Court Road tube. Noon-1am, Sun<br />
2pm-11.30pm. Stylish, hip gay bar<br />
spread over four intimate floors,<br />
with regular nights from top DJs,<br />
regular piano bar and tasty food.<br />
ESCAPE, 10a Brewer Street, W1.<br />
020 7734 2626. Piccadilly Circus<br />
tube. 5pm-3am. Cover charge after<br />
11pm. Every night’s a party at this<br />
late-night video dance bar.<br />
FIRST OUT CAFÉ, 52 St Giles<br />
High Street, WC2. 020 7240 8042.<br />
Tottenham Court Road tube.<br />
10am-11pm. Sun 10.30pm. Over<br />
20 years old and still going strong.<br />
Long-running community café bar.<br />
FREEDOM, 66 Wardour Street,<br />
W1. 020 7734 0071. Piccadilly<br />
Circus tube. Opulent style bar, with<br />
late-night club promotions for a<br />
mixed, metrosexual crowd.<br />
www.freedombarsoho.com<br />
FRIENDLY SOCIETY, 79 Wardour<br />
Street, WC1. Piccadilly Circus<br />
tube. Trendy and unique, intimate<br />
basement bar with quirky decor<br />
and fun atmosphere – attracts a<br />
mixed crowd.<br />
G-A-Y BAR, 30 Old Compton<br />
Street, W1. 020 7494 2756.<br />
Leicester Square tube. 12pm-<br />
12am. Huge, poptastic gay bar,<br />
with a multitude of video screens,<br />
pop tunes and drinks promotions.<br />
www.g-a-y.co.uk<br />
G-A-Y LATE, 5 Goslett Yard,<br />
off Charing Cross Road, WC2.<br />
Tottenham Court Road tube.<br />
11pm-3am. Late-night sister<br />
venue to G-A-Y Bar – more video<br />
screens, camp pop fun and cheap<br />
drinks.Gets very busy most nights<br />
of the week.<br />
THE GREEN CARNATION, 4-5<br />
Greek Street, Soho, W1. 020-7434<br />
3323. Stylish, three-floored<br />
late night gay venue, with<br />
bar, dancefloor and nightly<br />
promotions. Attracts a very mixed<br />
crowd. www.greencarnationsoho.<br />
co.uk<br />
HALFWAY TO HEAVEN,<br />
7 Duncannon Street, WC2. 020<br />
7321 2791. Charing Cross tube.<br />
Mon-Thu noon-11pm, Fri & Sat<br />
12pm-12am. Old-style gay pub<br />
spread over two floors.<br />
HEAVEN, <strong>The</strong> Arches, Villiers<br />
Street, WC2. Charing Cross Road<br />
tube. Huge, world-famous gay<br />
club, which is now home to<br />
G-A-Y, along with mixed/studenty<br />
Monday nighter Popcorn. Check<br />
www.g-a-y.co.uk for details<br />
THE KINGS ARMS, 23 Poland<br />
Street, W1. 020 7734 5907.<br />
Oxford Circus tube. Mon-Thur<br />
12pm–11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am,<br />
Sun 12pm-11.30pm. London’s bar<br />
for bears and blokes. Traditional<br />
atmosphere plus pool table.<br />
Sunday night karaoke very popular.<br />
KU BAR, 30 Lisle Street, Leicester<br />
Square, WC2. 020 7437 4303.<br />
Leicester Square tube. Large,<br />
award-winning, upmarket gay<br />
bar spread over three floors, open<br />
till 3am daily and always busy<br />
throughout the week. www.<br />
ku-bar.co.uk<br />
KU BAR SOHO, 25 Frith Street,<br />
W1. Leicester Square tube. New,<br />
smaller sister venue to Lisle Street<br />
Ku Bar, with entrances on Old<br />
Compton Street and Frith Street<br />
- open till 11pm daily. <strong>The</strong> first floor<br />
houses a Gay Tourist Office from<br />
noon-6pm throughout the week<br />
(www.gaytouristoffice.co.uk).<br />
www.ku-bar.co.uk<br />
KUDOS, 10 Adelaide Street, WC2.<br />
020 7379 4573. Charing Cross<br />
tube. 3pm-11pm, Sat noon-11pm,<br />
Sun noon-10.30pm. Beautiful and<br />
stylish café bar, with clubbier vibe<br />
and video screens in the basement.<br />
Popular with Asian crowd upstairs,<br />
plus a basement women’s bar.<br />
LO-PROFILE, <strong>The</strong> Basement,<br />
84-85 Wardour Street, W1. Swanky,<br />
<br />
sophisticated,<br />
400-capacity latenight<br />
basement bar and<br />
club space – from the people<br />
that bring you gaydar.co.uk. Open<br />
11pm-3am Thursdays, and 10pm-<br />
4am on Fridays and Saturdays.<br />
www.loprofile.com<br />
MADAME JO JO’S, 8-10 Brewer<br />
Street, W1. Long-running, late<br />
night gig venue, nightclub<br />
and cabaret bar - open to very<br />
mixed crowd. Home to popular<br />
Wednesday nighter Trannyshack.<br />
www.madamejojos.com.<br />
MOLLY MOGG’S, 2 Old Compton<br />
Street, W1. 020 7434 4294.<br />
Tottenham Court Road tube. Small,<br />
intimate little gay pub, with regular<br />
drag shows attracting a mixed<br />
crowd of theatre folk and tourists.<br />
NEW BLOOMSBURY SET, 76<br />
Marchmont Street, WC1. 020 7383<br />
3084. www.newbloomsburyset.<br />
co.uk. New, intimate basement bar<br />
and lounge, beneath Snappy Snaps<br />
on Marchmont Street - half way<br />
between Russell Square and King’s<br />
Cross tubes. Open 4-11pm Mon-Sat<br />
(2-10.30pm Sunday).<br />
PROFILE, 84-84 Wardour Street,<br />
W1. 020 734 3444. Piccadilly Circus<br />
tube. Upstairs bar above Lo-Profile,<br />
SPRING SALVATION<br />
Salvation is back! <strong>The</strong> semi-regular London circuit<br />
party is returning for a May bank holiday date on Sunday<br />
29 May. Following the success of its New Year’s bash, it<br />
will be taking over the opulent surroundings of Koko in<br />
Camden. <strong>The</strong> theme for this party will be ‘Sci-Fi’, with the<br />
team aiming to present a vision of the clubbing future.<br />
Expect the main stage to be brought to life with hi-tech<br />
laser walls, LED’s, CO2 and Special FX, while sexy dancers<br />
illuminate the stage and aerial artists high-wire above<br />
the crowds.<br />
DJs confirmed for the event include Miswhite, Oliver M,<br />
Paul Coals and Pier Morrocco, while Howard Turner and<br />
Phil Marriott will take care of the VIP Room. <strong>The</strong>re will<br />
also be a PA, but the team is keeping the name under<br />
wraps at the time of going to press.<br />
Doors will be open from 7pm till 2am, and you’ll find<br />
Koko at 1A Camden High Street, London NW1 7JE.<br />
Advance tickets cost £20, VIP tickets cost £25 (includes<br />
separate VIP entrance, free VIP cloakroom and VIP area)<br />
from Prowler, Profile Bar (Soho), Barcode (Vauxhall) &<br />
Soho Gyms (Covent Garden, Clapham and Camden). Pick<br />
up tickets online at www.gaypartix.com.<br />
www.salvation-london.com<br />
www.koko.uk.com
owned and run by the team behind<br />
Gaydar. Stylish gay bar/diner,<br />
open for food and drink from early<br />
morning through till 11pm – when<br />
the action moves downstairs.<br />
www.profilesoho.com<br />
THE QUEBEC, 12 Old Quebec<br />
Street, WC1. 020-7629 6159.<br />
Marble Arch tube. Long-running<br />
and huge pub, on two floors,<br />
attracting an older crowd. Open till<br />
3am at weekends. Off the beaten<br />
Soho track but well worth checking<br />
out. www.thequebec.co.uk<br />
THE QUEEN’S HEAD, 25 Tryon<br />
Street, SW3. 020-7589 0262.<br />
Sloane Square tube. Popular, very<br />
long-running, cosy gay pub – a<br />
Chelsea institution.<br />
RETRO BAR, 2 George Court,<br />
WC2. 020 7321 2811. Charing<br />
Cross tube. Mon-Fri noon-11. Sat<br />
5pm-11pm, Sun 5pm-11pm.<br />
A traditional boozer for the gay<br />
scene’s indie, alternative and<br />
student-types – Tuesday’s pop quiz<br />
is an institution.<br />
RUPERT STREET, 50 Rupert<br />
Street, W1. 020 7292 7141.<br />
Piccadilly Circus tube. 12-11pm, Sun<br />
10.30pm. Large, designer-style bar,<br />
popular with professional gay boyz<br />
DOUBLE TONKER<br />
<strong>The</strong> Tonker crew will be using the late May<br />
bank holiday weekend to host a double<br />
helping of bear-sized mayhem at Eagle<br />
London. <strong>The</strong> regular Friday night Tonker will<br />
take place on Friday 27 May, and has been<br />
titled the ‘Brute by FaBEARge’ bank holiday<br />
special. Doors will be open from 9pm till<br />
3am, and special guest jock Phil Marriott<br />
from Gaydar Radio will be behind the decks.<br />
<strong>The</strong> delightful, muscled Shot Bears will be<br />
distributing the drinks in the garden, and<br />
there will also be a free barbecue from 9pm.<br />
Admission will be £6 on the door.<br />
This will be followed on bank holiday Monday<br />
(30 May) with the ‘Bear Holiday Bonanza’,<br />
which will run from 8pm till 2am. Expect more<br />
of a chilled-out party to end the extended<br />
weekend, with another free barbecue in<br />
the beer garden to help kick off proceedings, plus music from promoter Tim Jones<br />
(pictured above). Entry will be just £3 on the door.<br />
and post-work drinkers.<br />
SHADOW LOUNGE, 5 Brewer<br />
Street, W1. 020-7287 7988.<br />
Piccadilly tube. Exclusive, gorgeous,<br />
late-night bar and club for A-list<br />
gays and celeb-spotters. Open from<br />
late each evening.<br />
www.theshadowlounge.com<br />
THE STAR AT NIGHT, 22 Great<br />
Chapel Street, W1. Tottenham<br />
Court Road tube. Relaxed, mixed<br />
gay/lesbian bar – in traditional,<br />
bistro-type surroundings. Great<br />
food menu and cocktails. Open<br />
6-11.30pm Tue-Sat. www.<br />
thestaratnight.com<br />
SWEATBOX, 1-2 Ramillies<br />
Street, Soho, W1. 020-3214 6014.<br />
Exclusively gay gym (ground<br />
floor) and sauna (first floor), with<br />
occasional late-night parties. Open<br />
Sun-Thurs noon-2am, and till<br />
7am Friday and Saturday. www.<br />
sweatboxsoho.com.<br />
VAULT 139, 139 Whitfield Street,<br />
W1. 020-7388 5500. Central,<br />
daytime and evening intimate<br />
cruise club, for a men-only crowd.<br />
Open 1pm-1am seven days a<br />
week. www.vault139.com<br />
VILLAGE, 81 Wardour Street, W1.<br />
020 7434 2124. Piccadilly Circus<br />
tube. 12-1am, Sun 11.30pm. Late<br />
night door charge. Soho’s original<br />
gay café bar, spread over four floors,<br />
and now with basement dancefloor<br />
and discos. Popular with a youngish<br />
crowd of boys and girls.<br />
THE YARD, 57 Rupert Street, W1.<br />
020 7437 2652. Piccadilly Circus<br />
tube. Mon-Thur 4pm-11pm, Fri<br />
& Sat 1pm-11pm, Sun 1pm-<br />
10.30pm. Busy gay bar with hugely<br />
popular courtyard area, outdoor<br />
balcony and cosy loft bar.<br />
SAUNAS<br />
CHARIOTS WATERLOO, 101<br />
Lower Marsh, Waterloo, SE1. 020<br />
7401 8484. Waterloo tube. Wellpresented,<br />
popular sauna, open<br />
24/7. www.gaysauna.co.uk<br />
PLEASUREDROME, 124 Cornwall<br />
Road, Waterloo, SE1. Waterloo tube.<br />
Big venue with lots of different<br />
areas – open 24 hours, 365 days of<br />
year. www.pleasuredrome.com<br />
Saunabar Portsea, 2 Portsea<br />
Place, Marble Arch, W2. 020 7402<br />
3385. Marble Arch tube. Small and<br />
friendly gay sauna with masseurs.<br />
www.gaysaunabar.com<br />
Saunabar Covent Garden,<br />
29 Endell Street, Covent Garden,<br />
WC2. 020 7836 2236. Covent<br />
Garden tube. Basement sauna with<br />
pool, sauna and rest rooms. Check<br />
website for discount entry.<br />
www.thesaunabar.co.uk<br />
SWEATBOX SOHO, Ramillies<br />
House, 1-2 Ramillies Street, Soho,<br />
W1. 020 3214 6014. Oxford Circus<br />
tube. Gay-owned and run gym and<br />
basement sauna.<br />
www.sweatboxsoho.com<br />
NORTH LONDON<br />
THE BLACK CAP, 171 Camden<br />
High Street, NW1. 020 7485 0538.<br />
Camden Town tube. Shufflewick<br />
Bar: Mon-Thu Noon-1am, Fri-Sat<br />
12noon-2am, Sun Noon-10.30pm.<br />
Club: Mon-Thu 10pm-2am, Fri-Sat<br />
10pm-3am, Sun 10pm-1am. Longrunning,<br />
famed gay pub – probably<br />
the most famous cabaret pub in<br />
London. www.theblackcap.com<br />
CENTRAL STATION,<br />
37 Wharfdale Road, N1. Tel: 020<br />
7278 3294. Kings Cross tube. Big,<br />
late-opening gay bar on three<br />
floors, with ground floor cabaret<br />
and infamously cruisy cruise<br />
nights in basement. Upstairs<br />
B&B accommodation. www.<br />
centralstation.co.uk<br />
CLUB KALI, <strong>The</strong> Dome, 1<br />
Dartmouth Park Hill, Tufnell Park,<br />
N19. World’s biggest lesbian and<br />
gay Southern Asian music night,<br />
running every third Friday of the<br />
month. Always busy and rather<br />
unique. www.clubkali.com<br />
EGG, 200 York Way, King’s Cross,<br />
N7. 020 7609 8364. King’s Cross<br />
tube. Bespoke club space on three<br />
floors, hosting occasional gay club<br />
nights and after-hours sessions
PLAYPIT, 357 Caledonian Road,<br />
N7. Caledonian Road tube. 0333<br />
700 1231. <strong>In</strong>timate, King’s Cross<br />
sleaze club – basically a basement<br />
darkroom. Open Thur-Sat 9pm-<br />
3am, Sun 3pm-1am. Take your<br />
own booze.<br />
www.playpitcruise.me.uk<br />
SOUTH LONDON<br />
AREA, 67-68 Albert Embankment,<br />
SE1. Gorgeously-designed, hard<br />
dance club and cabaret rooms, with<br />
eclectic roster of different gay nights<br />
and one-off promotions, including<br />
Friday nighter Onyx and new<br />
Sunday nighter Booster, amongst<br />
others. www.areaclub.info<br />
(mixed afterhours every Saturday<br />
night/Sunday morning). www.<br />
egglondon.net<br />
THE GREEN, 74 Upper Street,<br />
N1. 020-7226 8895. Angel tube.<br />
London’s first ‘gay gay-stropub!’<br />
Stylish, Islington bar, serving full<br />
food menu and wide range of<br />
ALL HEART<br />
Performance artist<br />
Scottee’s latest instalment<br />
of Eat Your Heart<br />
<strong>Out</strong> – his monthly<br />
cabaret extravaganza at<br />
Stratford Circus – returns<br />
on Saturday 27 May.<br />
<strong>Out</strong> <strong>In</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>City</strong> popped<br />
along to the show last<br />
month and enjoyed a<br />
delightfully mixed bag<br />
of entertainment and<br />
thought-provoking pieces<br />
from Scottee and around half a dozen other performers.<br />
It all takes place in the boutique theatre space at Stratford<br />
Circus, between the hours of 7.30pm and 10.30pm.<br />
“We want you to think of us as Britain’s Got Talent meets<br />
the South Bank Show,” says Scottee. “It’s edgy, cheap and<br />
has a nice theme tune.”<br />
This month, he’ll be joined by Marawa the Amazing, Myra<br />
Dubois (pictured), Spencer Wood and Miss Annabel Sings,<br />
with “collaborators” Sue Hart, Nando Messias and Masumi<br />
Tipsy. Admission will cost £9 or £6 concessions. Advance<br />
tickets: stratford-circus.com or 0844 357 2625. You’ll<br />
find Stratford Circus in <strong>The</strong>atre Square, Stratford, E15<br />
– just a couple of minutes from Stratford tube.<br />
cocktails. Mixed, chilled crowd<br />
- now run by the same team as <strong>The</strong><br />
Edge in Soho.<br />
KING EDWARD VI, 25 Bromfield<br />
Street, N1. Tel: 020 7704 0745.<br />
Angel tube. Sun-Thu 12noon-<br />
12midnight, Thu 12noon-1am,<br />
Fri-Sat 12noon-2am. Very<br />
long-running gay pub, with ‘local’<br />
atmosphere and character, plus<br />
popular beer garden.<br />
KW4, 77 Hampstead High Street,<br />
NW3. 020-7435 5747. Large, cosy,<br />
traditional old gay pub, with regular<br />
entertainment, beer garden and<br />
food. One of London’s longestrunning<br />
gay establishments.<br />
www.kw4.co.uk<br />
THE LOAD OF HAY, 207 Pinner<br />
Road, Watford, 01923-441113.<br />
Watford’s only gay pub, with<br />
big beer garden and regular<br />
entertainment.<br />
www.loadofhay.co.uk<br />
THE OAK BAR, 79 Green Lanes,<br />
N16. 020-7354 2791.<br />
Manor House tube. Friendly,<br />
diverse gay bar with late-night<br />
club promotions, and open ‘til 3am<br />
at weekends. Very popular with<br />
lesbians and male friends.<br />
www.oakbar.com<br />
BARCODE VAUXHALL, Arch 69,<br />
Albert Embankment, SE11. 0207<br />
734 3342. Vauxhall tube. Open 7<br />
days a week. Mon-Thu 4pm-1am,<br />
Fri-Sun 4pm-4am. Very popular<br />
club bar, with dancefloor and<br />
mezzanine chill-out space - gets<br />
busy at weekends.<br />
CLUB COLOSSEUM, 1 Nine<br />
Elms Lane, Vauxhall, SW8. Huge,<br />
late-night venue for after-hours<br />
crowd – hosting various monthly<br />
promotions such as Bootylicious<br />
(www.bootylicious-club.co.uk)<br />
and Exilio.<br />
THE EAGLE, 349 Kennington<br />
Lane, SE11. 020 7793 0903. Mon,<br />
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 9pm-late,<br />
Tue 9pm-2am, Sun 9pm-late.<br />
Vauxhall tube. Large, club-bar<br />
with nightly promotions. Tonker<br />
(Fridays) and Horse Meat Disco<br />
(Sundays) are particularly popular.<br />
www.eaglelondon.com<br />
EXILIO, Bar Rez, Club Colosseum,<br />
1 Nine Elms Lane, SW8. Vauxhall<br />
tube. Long-running, Friday night<br />
gay Latin and salsa night. Open<br />
11pm till 4am. www.exilio.co.uk<br />
FACTORY, 65 Goding Street, SE11.<br />
Stylish, railway arch Vauxhall venue,<br />
hosting occasional dance and<br />
cruise nights.<br />
THE FORT, 131 Grange Road,<br />
SE1. 020-7237 7742. Small cruise<br />
club, open till 11pm throughout<br />
week, with regular boots-only and<br />
underwear parties. Check website<br />
for full listings.<br />
www.thefortlondon.com<br />
FIRE, South Lambeth Road,<br />
Vauxhall, SW8. Vauxhall tube.<br />
<strong>In</strong>famous, late-night gay venue<br />
beneath the Vauxhall railway<br />
arches, host to the likes of Orange,<br />
A:M, Later and Juicy. Open<br />
CANDY BOYS<br />
Following the storming success of the last WE outing (see<br />
out pictures on pages 42-43), the team have announced<br />
that they will be back at the Coronet in Elephant and Castle<br />
over the late May bank holiday weekend.<br />
<strong>The</strong> next party is entitled WE Candy, and it will take<br />
place on Saturday 28 May between 11pm and 7am. <strong>The</strong><br />
team promises the most spectacular live show yet, which,<br />
given the lavish production staged at the beginning of<br />
May, is quite a big promise! Expect a neon playground,<br />
with LED installations, laser shows and amazing lighting<br />
– transforming the Coronet into the most spectacular<br />
of club spaces. Dancers and go-go’s from both Madrid<br />
and London will take to the stage, dressed head-to-toe<br />
in revealing WE couture. DJs for the party include Carlos<br />
Gallardo, Paul Heron, D’Johnny and Gonzalo Rivas, while<br />
the live PA will come from Peyton plus a very special guest.<br />
As a thank you from the WE Party London team, a special<br />
batch of 500 x £10 super advance tickets has been released<br />
to be available online only. If they haven’t already sold out,<br />
get yours now at www.wepartylondon.com – with<br />
admission more on the door.<br />
around the clock at weekends.<br />
www.allthingsorange.com or<br />
www.myspace.com/firelondon or<br />
www.clubtickets.com<br />
THE FRIDGE, Town Hall Parade,<br />
Brixton, SW9. 020 7326 5100.<br />
Brixton tube. Large and legendary<br />
venue - formerly a theatre. Now<br />
home to occasional gay club nights.<br />
www.fridge.co.uk<br />
THE GEORGE & DRAGON, 2<br />
BlackheathHill, Greenwich, SE10.<br />
020 8691 3764. Deptford Bridge<br />
DLR. Mon-Thu 4pm-1am, Fri &<br />
Sat 4pm-4am, Sun 4pm-2am.<br />
Late-night pub with nightly<br />
entertainment and cabaret.<br />
www.gandd.org.uk<br />
HIDDEN, 100 Tinworth Street,<br />
SE11. Railway arch venue, home<br />
to infamous Hard On night once<br />
a month (www.hardonclub.co.uk),<br />
and now also Megawoof (www.<br />
megawoof.com) and popular urban<br />
night Work on Wednesdays.<br />
THE HOIST, Arch 47c, South<br />
Lambeth Road, SW8. 020 7735<br />
9972. 10pm-late. Door charge and<br />
strict dress code. One of London’s<br />
most famous dress-code and cruise<br />
clubs - busy with a men-only<br />
crowd. Open Friday-Sunday and<br />
occasional Thursdays (SM Gays<br />
every third Thursday of the month<br />
- www.smgays.org).<br />
www.thehoist.co.uk<br />
JACKIE’S JUKEBOX, Rivoli<br />
Ballroom, 350 Brockley Road,<br />
SE4. First Saturday of the month,<br />
7pm-midnight (£7). Gay ballroom<br />
and Latin dancing night, attracting<br />
up to 300 dancers a month to the<br />
glam 1950s-style Rivoli Ballroom.<br />
Crofton Park BR. www.therivoli.co.uk
MOULIN MAY-NESS!<br />
Promoter Logan bounces back with the next instalment<br />
of his massive SuperMartXé parties. After two successful<br />
outings at Pulse, the night is now well and truly settled<br />
at the SE1 super club. <strong>The</strong> venue, which only opened a<br />
couple of months ago, boasts a whopping capacity of just<br />
under 5,000 – allowing plenty of room and dancefloor<br />
space for the SuperMartXé masses.<br />
For the late May bank holiday, the SuperMartXé theme<br />
will be ‘Moulin Rouge’. “Enter a world where fantasy is<br />
real. Where you can be anything you want. A place where<br />
you can discover glamour, passion, and London’s biggest<br />
clubbing phenomenon...”, says a spokesperson for the<br />
party, which they’re promising will be full of showstopping<br />
surprises. Musical talent on the night will include<br />
Ab Garcia, Tony English, Kris Di Angelis, Per QX, Jamie<br />
Hammond and guests. Jodie Harsh will host the night,<br />
and there will also be a special live PR – details of which<br />
were still to be announced at the time of going to press.<br />
SuperMartXé parties are always well attended, and this<br />
Bank Holiday party should be a particularly busy affair.<br />
Doors will be open from 10.30pm till 6.30am.<br />
Advance queue-jump tickets, which are sure to be<br />
snapped up, cost £16. Get them from www.clubtickets.<br />
com or the usual Soho outlets (Prowler, Clone Zone, DV8,<br />
etc). More details at www.LoganPresents.com<br />
KAZBAR, 50 Clapham High Street,<br />
SW4. 020 7622 0070. Clapham<br />
North tube. Mon-Thu 4pmmidnight,<br />
Fri 4pm-1am, Sat noon-<br />
1am, Sun noon-midnight. Clapham<br />
video bar, popular throughout the<br />
week, with DJs at weekends.<br />
LITTLE APPLE, 98 Kennington<br />
Lane, SE11. 020 7735 2039.<br />
Kennnigton tube. Open 7 days a<br />
week. Small, traditional gay boozer<br />
for local gay boys and girls - open<br />
till 1.30am Fri-Sat.<br />
PARIS GYM,<br />
73 Goding Street, Vauxhall, SE11.<br />
020 7735 8989. Vauxhall tube.<br />
Huge, well-equipped men-only<br />
gym with large, devoted following.<br />
Regular classes. Tourists welcome.<br />
Check website for entry details and<br />
membership. www.parisgym.com<br />
PULSE,<br />
1-4 <strong>In</strong>victa Plaza (corner of<br />
Blackfriars Road and Southwark<br />
Street), SE1. Southwark tube.<br />
State-of-the-art, 5,000-capacity<br />
megaclub, hosting occasional gay<br />
parties and one-off events. www.<br />
pulse-club.info<br />
ROYAL VAUXHALL TAVERN,<br />
372 Kennington Lane, SE11.<br />
020 7840 0596. Opening times<br />
vary. Vauxhall tube. Door Charge.<br />
Huge, traditional and historic gay<br />
pub, with long history of hosting<br />
cabaret. Packed to rafters on<br />
Saturday (Duckie) and Sunday<br />
(S.L.A.G.S/Chill-<strong>Out</strong>). Check<br />
www.rvt.org.uk or the facebook<br />
group RV Taverners for information.<br />
THE STAG, 15 Bressenden Place,<br />
SW1. 020 7828 7287. Victoria tube.<br />
Mon & Tue midday-midnight,<br />
Wed-Fri midday-2am, Sat<br />
5pm-2am, Sun 4pm-midnight.<br />
Dark and atmospheric gay bar in<br />
Victoria, with occasional cabaret<br />
and DJs at weekends, plus upstairs<br />
theatre space.<br />
286, 286 Lewisham High Street,<br />
SE14. 020-8690 7648. Large, lateopening<br />
gay venue, with regular<br />
entertainment, DJs and cabaret.<br />
Open till 2am Sun-Thur and 4am<br />
MYLO PRESENTS…<br />
Fresh from the success of its second<br />
birthday party, the team have Dalston<br />
Superstore have announced details<br />
of some dates coming up over the next<br />
couple of weeks. Kicking off June in<br />
fine style on Friday 3 will be top dance<br />
producer and musician Mylo, with his<br />
monthly ‘Mylo Presents’ session. Expect<br />
special guests (to be confirmed) and<br />
Grizzle spinning tracks in the upstairs bar. Doors are open 9pm till 3am, with admission<br />
£5. Before that, catch Brainwaves on Friday 27 May, with DJs Chris Flatline, Jonas<br />
Ransom, Jonny Woo, Ma Butcher and John Sizzle spinning the electro, techno, disco and<br />
pop (with admission again £5).<br />
Revive Her Vs Naïve Melody takes place on Saturday 28 May, with guest DJs Kaos and<br />
Tiago downstairs, and Dan Beaumont, Bi Bop and Elliot Mess upstairs. Legendary girls’<br />
night Twat Boutique returns for its next bi-monthly date on Thursday 2 May.<br />
One of east London’s hippest hangouts, the lovely Dalston Superstore (which is open<br />
all day) can be found at 117 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB.<br />
Fri-Sat. www.two8six.co.uk<br />
THE TRAFALGAR ARMS,<br />
148 Tooting High Street, SW17.<br />
020-8767 6059. A spacious,<br />
lively, attitude-free, gay-friendy<br />
pub. Excellent food served all day.<br />
Weekly DJs on Friday and Saturday<br />
nights. Karaoke on Wednesdays.<br />
THE TWO BREWERS,<br />
114 Clapham High Street, SW4.<br />
020 7819 9539. Clapham Common<br />
tube. Mon-Thu 5pm-2am, Fri & Sat<br />
5pm-4am. South London’s most<br />
famed gay cabaret venue. Large<br />
bar and separate dancefloor room.<br />
www.the2brewers.com<br />
UNION, 66 Albert Embankment,<br />
SE1. 020-7793 9262. Cruisy<br />
dance club which hosts regular<br />
promotions. Plays areas and hot<br />
go-go’s. www.clubunion.co.uk and<br />
www.ma1.co.uk<br />
XXL, Arcadia, 51-53 Southwark<br />
Street, SE1. www.xxl-london.com.<br />
London Bridge tube. Huge worldfamous<br />
club for bears, big men and<br />
admirers, on Sat and Wed. Pulls in<br />
1,000+ customers each Saturday<br />
with uplifting dance anthems and<br />
occasional guest DJs.<br />
SAUNAS<br />
CHARIOTS STREATHAM<br />
292 Streatham High Road, SW16.<br />
020 8696 0929. Streatham station.<br />
Large sauna, with weekly theme<br />
nights (bears, men of colour, etc).<br />
www.gaysauna.co.uk<br />
CHARIOTS VAUXHALL<br />
63-64 Albert Embankment,<br />
Vauxhall, SE1. 020 7247 5333.<br />
Vauxhall tube. Large, modern<br />
sauna in converted railway arch.<br />
www.gaysauna.co.uk<br />
THE LOCKER ROOM, 8 Cleaver<br />
Street, Kennington, SE11. 020<br />
7735 6064. Kennington tube.<br />
Long-running, intimate gay-owned<br />
and run sauna.<br />
www.the-lockerroom.co.uk<br />
STEAMWORKS, 309 New Cross<br />
Road, New Cross, SE14. 020 8694<br />
0606. New Cross/New Cross Gate<br />
station. Small, long-running<br />
establishment.<br />
www.steamworkslondon.co.uk<br />
EAST LONDON<br />
THE ANGEL, 21 Church Street,<br />
E15. Tel: 020 8555 1148. Stratford<br />
BR and tube. Big gay pub, always<br />
popular at weekends, with regular<br />
cabaret, DJs and disco nights. New<br />
night Hidden <strong>In</strong>Da Hood each<br />
D.E Experience<br />
LARGE AND LIVE!<br />
As always, June is shaping up to be another busy month<br />
at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. Things kick off with the<br />
next May Bank Holiday Bender, which means a double<br />
helping of S.L.A.G.S/Chill-<strong>Out</strong>. Get along on Sunday<br />
29 May for an extended session running until 3am, which<br />
will feature special guest jock Rob C, alongside residents<br />
Simon Le Vans, Andy Almighty and Sean Sirrs. <strong>The</strong> D.E<br />
Experience will hit the stage at 5.30pm. Entry will be £8,<br />
or £5 after 9pm. This will be followed on Monday 30 May<br />
by another afternoon and evening session of S.L.A.G.S<br />
and Chill-<strong>Out</strong> from 2pm till midnight. Again, the D.E<br />
Experience are on stage at 5.30pm and RVT anthems from<br />
Simon Le Vans, Andy Almighty and Sean Sirrs will reign.<br />
Entry: £8 or £5 after 7pm.<br />
This month offers a couple of special runs of shows. On<br />
Wednesdays in June you can catch Scottee’s Burger<br />
Queen – a new, lighthearted contest to find sexy larger<br />
folk and big role models– with a contest open to both<br />
men and women. <strong>The</strong> contest will run over four weeks<br />
– launching on Wednesday 1 June and culminating in a<br />
grand final on 22 June. <strong>The</strong> show will commence each<br />
week at 8pm – and besides the competition, weekly<br />
highlights will include Sami Knight on the decks, ‘What’s<br />
Jude from Waitrose eating this week?’. Full details at<br />
www.burger-queen.info<br />
Taking place each Thursday at the venue, from 26 May<br />
through to 30 June, is David Hoyle’s Lives 2 – a<br />
new series of shows from the unique and controversial<br />
performer. This ‘healing ground for the avant garde’ returns<br />
with an all-star cast of supporting artists – check out<br />
our interview with show producer and DJ Dawn Right<br />
Nasty on page 48 for more details. <strong>The</strong> show will start<br />
each week at 8.30pm, with tickets costing £10. If you’ve<br />
still never caught David Hoyle live before, do yourself a<br />
favour and get yourself down there for what is sure to<br />
be a memorable and thought-provoking performance.<br />
Advance tickets can be picked up from www.ticketweb.<br />
co.uk<br />
Friday nights feature a rotating line up of events, including<br />
soft rock night Speedwagon (3 June), Kimono Krush<br />
(10 June) and indie legend Marvellous (24 June). A<br />
new promotion called Push <strong>The</strong> Button makes its debut<br />
on 17 June, celebrating pure pop from the last 20 years.<br />
Expect Madonna makeovers from a top make-up artist, a<br />
‘Momentous Britney Moments Medley’ live on stage from<br />
Harry Clayton-Wright and various other tongue-in-cheek<br />
delights.<br />
<strong>The</strong> week is rounded up with Duckie each Saturday,<br />
Timberlina’s Bingo each Monday, and the fabulous,<br />
gender-bending Bar Wotever each Tuesday.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane,<br />
Vauxhall, SE11. www.rvt.org.uk<br />
PHOTO © CHRIS JEPSON/LONDONCLUBLAND.COM
Tuesday (8pm till late - offering<br />
r’n’b, bashment, Soca and funky).<br />
THE BACKSTREET, Wentworth<br />
Mews, off Burdett Road, E3.<br />
020-8980 8557. Over 25 years<br />
old – small but legendary East<br />
End dress code leather club, open<br />
Thur-Sun. Very strict rubber and<br />
leather dresscode, ensuring a<br />
wide and loyal following. www.<br />
thebackstreet.com<br />
BISTROTHEQUE, 23-27 Wadeson<br />
St, E2. Tel: 020 8983 7900.<br />
Bethnal Green tube. Very mixed,<br />
gay/straight crowd of trendy<br />
metrosexuals. Great bar, restaurant,<br />
plus separate cabaret room.<br />
www.bistrotheque.com<br />
DALSTON SUPERSTORE, 117<br />
Kingsland High Street, E8. 020<br />
7254 2273. Highbury & Islington<br />
tube. New, two-floor mixed gaystraight<br />
venue - café by day and<br />
fashionable performance space<br />
and club promotions at night.<br />
Open noon-2am every day.<br />
GAY LICK, Club Lick, 58 Hoe<br />
Street, E17. Walthamstow tube.<br />
Twice-monthly gay promotion at<br />
a cruisy club space. Every first and<br />
third Friday from 9pm-4am. Entry<br />
£4 before midnight and £7 after.<br />
www.gaylicke17.co.uk<br />
THE JOINERS ARMS, 116<br />
Hackney Road, E2. Tel: 020 7739<br />
9854. Debauched decadence<br />
– old-skool boozer popular with<br />
post-club crowd at weekends. Gets<br />
busy later in the evenings.<br />
KINGS HEAD, 11 Church<br />
Street, E15. Tel: 020 8534 0197<br />
Stratford BR and tube. <strong>In</strong>timate<br />
and welcoming East End gay pub<br />
– regular cabaret. Open till late<br />
throughout the week.<br />
THE OLD SHIP, 17 Barnes<br />
Street, E14. Tel: 020 7790 4082.<br />
Limehouse DLR. Small, local,<br />
traditional gay pub, with regular<br />
cabaret - five minutes’ walk from<br />
BJ’s White Swan (see below).<br />
VOGUE FABRICS, 66 Stoke<br />
Newington Road, N16. New,<br />
underground and arty hangout for<br />
the Dalston set. Mixed crowd but<br />
regular gay events.<br />
BJ’s WHITE SWAN,<br />
556 Commercial Road, E1. Tel: 020<br />
7780 9870. Limehouse DLR. A<br />
large, legendary, long-running gay<br />
pub and club, open throughout<br />
the week. Wednesday’s Amateur<br />
Strip is an institution. www.<br />
bjswhiteswan.com<br />
SAUNAS<br />
CHARIOTS LIMEHOUSE,<br />
574 Commercial Road, E14. 020<br />
7791 2808. Limehouse rail station.<br />
Multi-level, well-established<br />
sauna. <strong>The</strong>med parties such as<br />
‘Big and chunky’ each Monday<br />
evening, amongst others. www.<br />
gaysauna.co.uk<br />
CHARIOTS SHOREDITCH,<br />
1 Fairchild Street, Shoreditch, EC2.<br />
020 7247 5333. Liverpool Street<br />
station. Biggest gay sauna in UK,<br />
with a maze of rest rooms. Very<br />
popular (particularly at weekends).<br />
www.gaysauna.co.uk<br />
E15 CLUB, 6 Leytonstone Road,<br />
Stratford, E15. 020 8555 5455.<br />
Stratford tube. Deceptively large<br />
sauna behind a discreet facade.<br />
www.londonnoise.com/e15<br />
WEST LONDON<br />
THE HOPE & ANCHOR, 20<br />
Macbeth Street, Hammersmith,<br />
W6. (020 8748 1873). Gay pub<br />
for Hammersmith and Chiswick.<br />
Traditional boozer with nightly<br />
entertainment – open noon-11pm<br />
throughout week, with popular<br />
karaoke at weekends.<br />
THE RICHMOND ARMS, 20<br />
<strong>The</strong> Square, off Princes Street,<br />
Richmond. 020-8940 2118. Longrunning,<br />
traditional gay pub, with<br />
regular cabaret and entertainment.<br />
One of gay London’s better locals.<br />
TED’S PLACE, 305a North End<br />
Road, West Brompton, W14. 0207<br />
385 9359. Earls Court or West<br />
Brompton tube. Mon-Fri from 7pmlate,<br />
closed Sat & Sun. Small, West<br />
London cruise club. Dark and sleazy.<br />
www.tedsplaceuk.co.uk<br />
WEST 5, Popes Lane, South<br />
Ealing, W5. 020-8579 3266. Large,<br />
popular gay pub with Piano Room<br />
and cabaret bar, open till late at<br />
weekends with entertainment<br />
and DJs. Attracts a big local crowd<br />
- particularly at weekends.<br />
www.west5ealing.com<br />
WINDSOR CASTLE, 152 Bath<br />
Road, Hounslow, TW3. 020 8577<br />
6590. Hounslow West tube. Large,<br />
local gay pub with regular cabaret<br />
and entertainment throughout the<br />
week. www.thewinz.co.uk<br />
BURGER QUEEN<br />
Following our news of its announcement last month,<br />
performance artist Scottee’s new venture – Burger<br />
Queen – comes to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern this<br />
month. A beauty contest with a difference, it will run each<br />
Thursday for four weeks – 1, 8, 15 and 22 June. Why with<br />
a difference? Because Scottee is describing it as a “A beauty<br />
pageant for fatso and so’s!”<br />
“Flick through any primetime TV spot and you’ll find a<br />
gluttonous array of programmes designed to point and<br />
laugh at obesity – Britain Biggest Loser, Britain’s Fattest<br />
Man, Supersize VS Superskinny, Gok: Too Fat, Too Young<br />
– the list goes on but do these programmes help solve the<br />
‘obesity time-bomb’ or have fatties become the modern<br />
freak show?”<br />
<strong>In</strong> an effort to find some positive role models within chub culture, Scottee has devised the<br />
first Burger Queen contest. <strong>The</strong> competition will be open to all, including chub admirers, as<br />
“fat is a politic and not just a dress size”. Each heat is judged by some special guest judges,<br />
which we’re told will include Paloma Faith, Lisa Stansfield, CockNBullKid, Mel Blatt, Jodie<br />
Harsh, Sue Tilley, La Gateaux Chocolat, Julian Ganio and resident judge Amy Lamé!<br />
<strong>The</strong> winner will receive £100 cash and £300 of gifts from the shows sponsors, a paid gig at<br />
<strong>The</strong> Hospital Club during London Fashion Week, and the “golden broken scales award”!<br />
<strong>The</strong> first heat is 1 June, with the final on 22 June. www.burger-queen.info<br />
PHOTO © SAMI KNIGHT<br />
BRIGHTON<br />
AUDIO, Marine Parade, BN1.<br />
www.audiobrighton.com. Club<br />
venue with outdoor terrace<br />
– making it a summer favourite.<br />
Hosts regular club nights such<br />
as Sunday Sundae (www.<br />
aeonevents.co.uk)<br />
AMSTERDAM BAR, 11-12<br />
Marine Parade, BN2. www.<br />
amsterdam.uk.com. 01273<br />
688825. Long-running<br />
establishment, with an adjoining<br />
hotel and sauna. Great outdoor<br />
terrace for the summer months.<br />
AQUARIUM, 6 Steine Street,<br />
Brighton. 01273 605525. www.<br />
the-aquarium-theatre-bar.<br />
co.uk. Long-running, traditional<br />
style pub popular with gay guys.<br />
Regular entertainment.<br />
BLANCH HOUSE, 17<br />
Atlingworth Street, Brighton,<br />
BN2. 01273 603504. www.<br />
blanchhouse.co.uk. Plush, hip,<br />
mixed hotel cocktail bar that’s<br />
popular with a cross-section of<br />
Brighton residents and visitors.<br />
Open late at weekends.<br />
BRIGHTON TAVERN, 100<br />
Gloucester Road, North Laine,<br />
BN1. 01273 680365. A stylish<br />
but homely venue with wooden<br />
flooring, open fire, real ales and a<br />
friendly welcome.<br />
THE BULLDOG, 31 St. James<br />
Street, Brighton, BN2. 01273<br />
-696996. www.bulldogbrighton.<br />
com. Legendary scene bar<br />
(nearly 30 years old!), attracting<br />
a bloke-ish crowd with drinks<br />
promotions, entertainment and<br />
long hours thanks to a 24-hour<br />
licence in operation at weekends.<br />
CHARLES STREET BAR, 8<br />
Marine Parade, BN2. 01273<br />
624091. www.charles-street.<br />
com. Large, stylish and popular<br />
gay bar overlooking the seafront<br />
– particularly busy with pre-club<br />
crowds at weekends.<br />
DOCTOR BRIGHTONS, 16-17<br />
Kings Road, BN1. 01273 208113.<br />
www.doctorbrightons.co.uk.<br />
Another long-running scene<br />
institution, ideally placed for the<br />
seafront, shopping on <strong>The</strong> Lanes, or<br />
Brighton’s club life.<br />
THE HONEYCLUB, 214 Kings<br />
Road Arches, BN1. 01273 202807.<br />
www.thehoneyclub.co.uk.<br />
Acclaimed club venue, which hosts<br />
occasional gay nights and parties.<br />
THE KING’S ARMS, 56 George<br />
Street, BN2. 01273 245128.<br />
www.kingsarmsbrighton.co.uk.<br />
Brighton’s bar for bears and blokes,<br />
with promotions throughout the<br />
week and occasional dress-code<br />
parties.<br />
LEGENDS, 31-32 Marine Parade,<br />
BN2. 01273 624462. www.<br />
legendsbrighton.com. A true<br />
scene stalwart, and part of the<br />
New Europe hotel complex. Longrunning<br />
bar that’s still going strong<br />
– open late throughout the week.<br />
MARINE TAVERN, 13 Broad<br />
Street, BN2. 01273 681284. www.<br />
marinetavern.co.uk. Small, cosy,<br />
traditional-style bar.<br />
<br />
QUEEN’S ARMS, 7 George<br />
Street, BN2. 01273 696873.<br />
www.queensarmsbrighton.com.<br />
Long-running scene pub with<br />
camp tunes and fun entertainment<br />
throughout the week.<br />
R-BAR, 7 Marine Parade, BN2.<br />
01273 608133. www.revenge.<br />
co.uk. Sister bar to the longrunning<br />
and famous Revenge<br />
nightclub. A hip and stylish<br />
establishment that’s popular with<br />
its own crowd of regulars.<br />
REVENGE, 32-34 Old Steine,<br />
BN1. 01273 606064. www.<br />
revenge.co.uk. Brighton’s famous,<br />
long-running, full-time gay club,<br />
offering two floors of music and<br />
club promotions. Attracting a<br />
wide range of customers from all<br />
sections of the city’s gay scene, and<br />
a hot spot for visitors.<br />
VAVOOM VIDEO BAR, 31 Old<br />
Steine, BN1. 01273 603010.<br />
www.vavoom.co.uk. As its name<br />
suggests, a bight and glitzy video<br />
bar, next door to Club Revenge.<br />
WILD FRUIT, Tru, West Street,<br />
BN1. 01273 327083. <strong>The</strong> biggest<br />
gay night on the south coast. A<br />
huge, monthly party that’s been<br />
running for years – pulling in<br />
clubbers from far and wide. Check<br />
the website at www.aeonevents.<br />
co.uk for details of upcoming dates<br />
and ticket prices.<br />
THE ZONE, 33 St James’s Street,<br />
Brighton, BN2. 01273 682249.<br />
Friendly, mixed venue with regular<br />
entertainment and laid-back<br />
attitude.
Stonewall supporters take over the seafront<br />
STONEWALL HITS<br />
THE SEASIDE<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Heather Peace, Ben Summerskill and Charlie Condou
Islington LGB Forum:<br />
Rachael: 07989 747824. An<br />
initiative between local police,<br />
the council and victim support.<br />
Regard: Regard, BM REGARD,<br />
London WC1N 3XX, secretary@<br />
regard.org.uk/www.regard.org.<br />
uk. Disabled LGBT group.<br />
THE HIGH LIFE<br />
Always offering a fun night<br />
out is the annual Terrence<br />
Higgins Trust Cocktail Club,<br />
which this year will take<br />
place at Altitude 360, on the<br />
29th floor of Millbank Tower,<br />
London SW1P 4QP. <strong>The</strong> party<br />
takes place on Thursday 2<br />
June from 7-10.30pm. Now in<br />
its tenth year, the 2011 event<br />
is supported by Belvedere<br />
Vodka and <strong>The</strong> <strong>In</strong>dependent.<br />
Tickets are £50 each, and<br />
include all cocktails and<br />
canapés. To purchase a ticket,<br />
please visit www.tht.org.<br />
uk/cocktailclub.<br />
GROUPS//ORGS<br />
Albert Kennedy Trust: 020<br />
7831 6562 (London). Housing<br />
advice for under 21s.<br />
Antidote: 020 7437 3523.<br />
Counselling, Thursday drop-in,<br />
complementary therapies<br />
around alcohol and drug issues.<br />
BKY - Alternative Jewish<br />
Community: www.bkylondon.<br />
org.uk<br />
Croydon Area Gay Society:<br />
Friendly social group in Croydon.<br />
020 8645 0943 - www.cags.org<br />
ELOP: 020 8509 3898. Support<br />
and community events in<br />
Walthamstow. Youth, advice,<br />
counselling and groups.<br />
Gay and Lesbian Humanist<br />
Association, (GALHA):<br />
National campaigning<br />
organisation, founded 1979.<br />
Monthly meetings in central<br />
London, all welcome. www.<br />
galha.org - secretary@galha.org<br />
- 0844 800 3067<br />
<strong>Out</strong>rage!: 020 8240 0222.<br />
Political campaiging group.<br />
Jewish Gay and Lesbian<br />
Group: 020 8952 0137.<br />
Kairos: 020 7437 6063, www.<br />
kairosinsoho.org.uk. Soho project<br />
promoting health and wellbeing<br />
among LGBT community.<br />
Lesbian Gay Christian<br />
Movement: 020 7739 1249,<br />
lgcm@lgcm.org.uk/www.lgcm.<br />
org.uk.<br />
Lesbian & Gay Immigration<br />
Group: – 020 7922 7811.<br />
www.uklgig.org.uk - Every<br />
Mon 2-6.30pm, Tue 10am-5pm<br />
and Wed/Thur 10am-1.30pm.<br />
Helpline and meetings.<br />
London Friend: 020 7837<br />
3337. Groups in Islington.<br />
Quaker London Lesbian &<br />
Gay Fellowship: Religious<br />
group – 020 8675 6740.<br />
Metro Centre: 020 8265 3311,<br />
www.metrocentreonline.org.<br />
Greenwich-based LGBT support.<br />
Mosaic: 0800 0433 411. www.<br />
mosaicyouth.org.uk. Youth group<br />
based in Brent.<br />
One-Up: LGBT under-18 youth<br />
group, meets every Monday<br />
4-7pm (based in Hendon - North<br />
West London) - contact <strong>The</strong>resa<br />
(PACE) 07504226793 (mobile).<br />
<strong>Out</strong>Zone: London-based social<br />
and support group for gay and<br />
bisexual young men under<br />
25. Every Friday 6.30-9.30pm<br />
- info@outzone.org - www.<br />
outzone.org<br />
PACE: 020 7700 1323.<br />
Counselling and support groups.<br />
Quest LGB Catholics: 0808<br />
808 0234.<br />
Step <strong>Out</strong> Tower Hamlets:<br />
Social & support group for LGBT<br />
and questioning young people.<br />
5-8pm Tues 079 4633 7160<br />
South London Gays: 020 8672<br />
5268/020 8674 5191.<br />
www.slago.org.uk/slg. Friendly<br />
social group.<br />
Stonewall: 020 7593 1850.<br />
Campaign group for LGBT rights.<br />
HATE CRIME<br />
Gay Police Association:<br />
Action Line 07092 700 000<br />
(24hrs), info@gpa.police.uk.<br />
Galop: 020 7704 2040. www.<br />
galop.org.uk. Advice and support<br />
for victims of hate crime.<br />
HIV//AIDS<br />
Crusaid: 020 7539 3880,<br />
www.crusaid.org.uk.<br />
GMFA: 020 7738 6872. Gay<br />
men’s health charity.<br />
National AIDS Trust: 020 7814<br />
6767, www.nat.org.uk.<br />
Terence Higgins Trust: 020-<br />
78121777. Counselling Services.<br />
SPORTS<br />
Cruisers Basketball: 020 8960<br />
0750 (Debbie)/ 020 7582 7009,<br />
www.cruisers.org.uk (Jordi).<br />
Mixed basketball.<br />
Frontrunners: 07092 346340,<br />
www.londonfrontrunners.org.<br />
Gay running group.<br />
Goslings Swimming: 07814<br />
258 055. Gay social swimming<br />
group, Thur 8.30pm-9.30pm.<br />
www.goslingssportsclub.com<br />
Mark Ravenhill and Bette Bourne<br />
BETTE BOURNE – THE MOVIE<br />
Ever wanted to see your name on the end credits of a film? Sadly, we’re not in the position to<br />
offer you Hollywood stardom. However, if you are able to contribute some finances to a new<br />
film projectthen the makers of a new film would like to hear from you.<br />
Some of you may remember that legendary drag performer and actor Bette Bourne<br />
bought her life to the stage recently in a widely-acclaimed production (A Life in Three Acts)<br />
at the Edinburgh festival and Soho <strong>The</strong>atre. <strong>The</strong> show, which consisted of a conversation<br />
between Bette and playwright Mark Ravenhill about the former’s life, is now being turned<br />
into a documentary, which will cover Bette’s career, the Gay Liberation Front, and the<br />
founding of radical drag theatre group Bloolips. <strong>The</strong> producers have invested enough money<br />
for pre-production, and raised further funds through sponsorship to shoot the film, but are<br />
now turning to the gay community to secure enough funding for all post-production work<br />
on the movie. <strong>The</strong>y are hoping to raise £30,000 by 1 July through the fundraising site www.<br />
indiegogo.com. Contributing any amount entitles you to various perks: including your<br />
name on the end credits should you be able to donate £30 or more. Contribute £150 and<br />
you can even meet with Bette afternoon tea! You can find more details and how to donate at<br />
www.indiegogo.com/Bette-Bourne-the-Movie<br />
Grace’s Cricket Club: <strong>The</strong><br />
world’s only gay cricket club!<br />
www.gaycricket.org.uk or 020<br />
8376 0630.<br />
Irons: www.ironsgolf.org.uk .<br />
Gay golfing, events for all levels.<br />
King’s Cross Steelers Rugby<br />
Football Club: 07090 421 367,<br />
www.kxsrfc.com. Gay men’s rugby.<br />
London Amateur Wrestling:<br />
www.law-wrestling.org<br />
<strong>The</strong> London Royals Hockey<br />
Team: Mixed hockey for all<br />
levels. www.pinkhockey.com<br />
or email iainkimmins115@<br />
hotmail.com<br />
<strong>Out</strong> to Swim: 07090 422<br />
526, www.outtoswim.org. Gay<br />
swimming group.<br />
London Raiders: Gay and<br />
lesbian softball club – both<br />
beginners and experienced<br />
players welcome. www.<br />
londonraiders.com<br />
Stonewall Football Club:<br />
07090 422 390. Sunday soccer.<br />
HELPLINES<br />
Broken Rainbow: LGBT<br />
Domestic Violence Helpline.<br />
0300 999 5428 (Mon and Thurs,<br />
2-8pm/Weds, 10am-1pm).<br />
www.broken-rainbow.org.uk.<br />
Dazz-elle: 020 8257 3068.<br />
London drug/alcohol support.<br />
London Lesbian & Gay<br />
Switchboard: 020 7837 7324<br />
London Friend: 020 7837<br />
3337. Counselling service.<br />
PACE: 0808 1807 223. Helpline<br />
open Monday 9.30am-12.30pm<br />
and Thursday 6.30-8.30pm,<br />
offering structured telephone<br />
counselling or 30-minute<br />
counseling sessions. Or email<br />
pacehelpline@pacehealth.org.uk<br />
POSITIVELINE: 0800-1696806.<br />
HIV info and counselling<br />
(weekdays: 11am-10pm and<br />
weekends: 4pm -10pm). www.<br />
eddiesurmantrust.org.uk<br />
Stonewall Housing Advice:<br />
020 7359 5767.<br />
Stonewall infoline:<br />
<strong>In</strong>formation on all LGB rights<br />
WANT TO GET LISTED?<br />
Please send listings to<br />
editorial@outmag.co.uk<br />
HERE PUSSY, PUSSY…<br />
Are you a cat lover? Could you offer<br />
a home to an unwanted kitten? If so<br />
then the Battersea Dogs & Cats<br />
Home wants to hear from you.<br />
It has recently sent out an appeal<br />
for more volunteers to help it cope<br />
with the ‘double whammy’ of kitten<br />
season and the upcoming summer<br />
holidays. <strong>The</strong> much loved animal<br />
charity relies on the help of local<br />
volunteers to provide temporary<br />
foster homes to cats and kittens<br />
but currently has a real shortage of<br />
suitable foster homes.<br />
“During kitten season, we can<br />
sometimes see hundreds of kittens<br />
and pregnant mothers coming into<br />
our three sites,” says Battersea’s Head<br />
of Cats, Kirsty Walker. “Some kittens<br />
are too young to be re-homed<br />
straight away, so we are looking for<br />
experienced and kind foster homes<br />
to care for them until they are<br />
around nine weeks of age and ready<br />
to find permanent loving homes.”<br />
During the summer months many<br />
of Battersea’s existing cat fosterers<br />
take well-deserved holidays. This<br />
leaves the Home with a shortage of<br />
volunteers at the London, Windsor<br />
and Brands Hatch sites, right in the<br />
middle of the kitten season, which<br />
runs from April to October.<br />
Even if you can’t help by offering<br />
a foster home to a kitten, you can<br />
help by making a donation. Kitten<br />
season is an expensive time for<br />
Battersea, which receives no<br />
government funding and relies<br />
solely on donations to carry out its<br />
vital work.<br />
Please phone 020 7627 7883<br />
quoting ‘Cat Fostering appeal’ or<br />
check the cat fostering section<br />
at www.battersea.org.uk to<br />
make on online donation or find<br />
out more details.
NEWS FLASHES<br />
UK NEWS<br />
STUDENT FUNDRAISER<br />
CYCLES THE TUBE<br />
Medical student Adam Fairris<br />
(pictured), has set himself<br />
the gruelling challenge of<br />
cycling the entire London tube<br />
network – approximately 300<br />
miles around the capital! <strong>The</strong><br />
challenge will take place over<br />
five days (30 May-3 June), and<br />
all money raised via www.<br />
justgiving.com/adam-fairris1 will go towards helping HIV<br />
and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT).<br />
OUTLET SUPPORTS NAT<br />
Well-known property and rental<br />
agent <strong>Out</strong>let has teamed up<br />
with the National AIDS Trust in<br />
a novel support partnership.<br />
<strong>Out</strong>let will make a donation<br />
to NAT for every property sold<br />
or let through them by a NAT<br />
supporter, whilst also offering<br />
special discounts.<br />
If you are looking to rent your<br />
property, NAT supporters will<br />
receive a full 1% off <strong>Out</strong>let’s<br />
normal letting fee and <strong>Out</strong>let will also donate 1% to NAT. If<br />
you sell your property through <strong>Out</strong>let, their sales rate will be<br />
reduced from 2% to 1.5% and <strong>Out</strong>let will also donate 0.25%<br />
directly to NAT. <strong>Out</strong>let hopes to raise over £5,000 this year for<br />
NAT through this new scheme alone.<br />
Josh Rafter, Managing Director of <strong>Out</strong>let (pictured above with<br />
NAT’s Deborah Jack), said, “I am so pleased <strong>Out</strong>let is able to give<br />
something back to the communities in which we work. From<br />
day one, our ethos has been to match people and properties,<br />
without prejudice.”<br />
DRUGS MASSIVELY CUT SPREAD OF HIV<br />
Groundbreaking research, which studied couples where<br />
one partner was HIV positive and one was HIV negative, has<br />
concluded that if the positive partner takes anti-retroviral<br />
drugs soon after diagnosis – rather than once their health<br />
declines – it can cut the risk of spreading the virus by up to<br />
96%. <strong>The</strong> study, which was carried out by the United States<br />
National <strong>In</strong>stitutes of Health studied 1,763 couples in 13 sites<br />
across Africa, Asia and the Americas. HIV-positive patients were<br />
split into two groups. <strong>In</strong> one, individuals were immediately<br />
given a course of anti-retroviral drugs, while the other group<br />
only received the treatment when their white blood-cell count<br />
fell below a certain level. Both groups were given free condoms<br />
and advice on safer sex practices. Among those immediately<br />
starting anti-retroviral therapy there was only one case of<br />
transmission between partners, while in the other group there<br />
were 27 HIV transmissions. <strong>The</strong> World Health Organisation<br />
described the study as a “crucial development”.<br />
GAY FARMER CRISIS<br />
A chaplain in Cheshire says that he has been overwhelmed<br />
by the response that he has received after setting up a phone<br />
helpline to support gay farmers. Keith <strong>In</strong>eson, who is gay<br />
himself, set up the service for Churches Together after being<br />
approached by farmers who felt unable to reveal their sexuality<br />
to family and friends. He says the majority of callers are over 50,<br />
and who had bowed to “pressure to get married and produce an<br />
heir [and] now feel trapped”.<br />
<br />
EQUAL LOVE CELEBRATED AT<br />
ROYAL VAUXHALL TAVERN<br />
Wedding ‘guests’<br />
Taking place on the day of the wedding of Prince<br />
William and Kate Middleton (29 April), A Right<br />
Royal Affair was a one-off event held at the<br />
Royal Vauxhall Tavern. Many of those attending<br />
dressed up as their favourite royal (including someone<br />
dressed as a corgi!), while performances came from a<br />
whole host of entertainers. Besides being a celebration<br />
of the royal nuptials, there was a serious side to the<br />
fun and frivolity. <strong>The</strong> Tavern’s management used the<br />
event to raise awareness and funds for the EQUAL =<br />
LOVE campaign, which is campaigning for LGB people<br />
to get married and for heterosexual couples to have<br />
civil partnerships. A grand total of £1,026 was raised<br />
on the day. For more details about the EQUAL = LOVE<br />
campaign, check http://equallove.org.uk<br />
ANNUAL STUDENT PRIDE<br />
GETS THE X FACTOR<br />
Joe McElderry and Pride volunterers<br />
<strong>The</strong> Q&A debate<br />
Pride volunteers see pink!<br />
Former X Factor winner Joe McElderry was<br />
amongst those who performed at May’s Student<br />
Pride event in Brighton. <strong>The</strong> annual event proved a big<br />
success over the late-May Bank Holiday, attracting around<br />
Flying the flag at the RVT<br />
Peter Tatchell<br />
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas<br />
Dragster Billie Lewis entertains the crowds<br />
PHOTOS © MIKE KEAR<br />
1,000 LGBT students from universities across the country.<br />
Events include a Question Time-style panel at Oceana<br />
nightclub, live performances and speeches, and associated<br />
parties in the evening.<br />
PHOTOS © SAM MILFORD/WWW.REALBRIGHTON.COM
SOHO BOMBING<br />
REMEMBERED<br />
17-24-20 supporters gather in St Anne’s Gardens<br />
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...AND FINALLY<br />
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NEWS FLASHES<br />
INTERNATIONAL NEWS<br />
BRAZIL<br />
Despite Brazil being the<br />
most populous Roman<br />
Catholic nation in the<br />
world, the country’s<br />
Supreme Court has voted<br />
overwhelmingly in favour of<br />
allowing same-sex couples<br />
the same legal rights as<br />
married heterosexuals. <strong>The</strong><br />
ruling brings the country<br />
into line with fellow<br />
South American nations<br />
Argentina and Uruguay,<br />
which have adopted similar<br />
laws recognising same-sex<br />
unions. Although the ruling<br />
stops short of recognizing<br />
gay marriage, the decision<br />
to allow civil unions was<br />
widely welcomed by<br />
Brazilian gay groups.<br />
SOUTH AFRICA<br />
A woman found murdered<br />
in South Africa is believed<br />
to have been the victim of a<br />
hate-crime because of her<br />
sexuality. Noxolo Nogwaza,<br />
24, was a prominent local<br />
gay rights activist. She<br />
was found dead in an alley<br />
in Kwa-<strong>The</strong>ma township,<br />
South Africa, on Easter<br />
Sunday morning. It’s<br />
believed she had been raped<br />
prior to her death.<br />
GEORGE MICHAEL SAYS HE FEELS HE’S ‘LET DOWN’ GAY KIDS<br />
Singer George Michael has revealed tantalizing details about his next album of new<br />
material. At a press conference in early May at London’s Royal Opera House, which he<br />
used to announce details of his upcoming Symphonica tour of Europe’s biggest arenas<br />
and opera houses, the 47-year-old also said that his next album would be a danceinfluenced<br />
piece of work, made in collaboration with gay or gay-friendly producers and<br />
artists. He said that the work was being made specifically with the plight of younger gay<br />
kids in mind.<br />
“I have a really serious problem with the fact that when I brought myself down, I felt I<br />
was letting young gay kids down. My behaviour meant these kids suffered abuse and<br />
the homophobic language that is legal in this country... My next album will seek to correct the damage I inadvertently caused<br />
by making myself so newsworthy.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Symphonica tour will kick off in the autumn, and he hopes to complete work on the album in early 2012.<br />
BEN COHEN RETIRES TO FIGHT HOMOPHOBIA<br />
Rugby player Ben Cohen has indicated that he is planning to retire in order to devote his<br />
time to campaigning against bullying and homophobia through the work carried out by his<br />
own foundation. A report in <strong>The</strong> <strong>In</strong>dependent newspaper says that the 32-year-old has been<br />
released by Sale Sharks despite being their player of the season. Although he thinks he could<br />
still play competitive rugby for another couple of years, and has received interest from other<br />
clubs, he instead plans to focus on heading up the Ben Cohen Stand Up Foundation.<br />
“I have reached the top in my sport. It has been an incredible journey and has put me in the<br />
privileged position I am in today to be able to work on these exciting new projects through<br />
the Stand Up brand. As athletes, it is not enough just to have strong bodies, we must have<br />
strong characters and use our voices to support those who need and deserve it.”<br />
OUTSPOKEN:<br />
ALASTAIR TALLON,<br />
EDUCATION DIRECTOR<br />
AT STONEWALL, SAYS<br />
THAT HOMOPHOBIA IN<br />
SCHOOLS REMAINS A<br />
HUGE PROBLEM…<br />
<br />
It’s shocking that in<br />
2011 homophobic<br />
bullying in schools is still almost endemic, and<br />
with new technology it’s becoming increasingly<br />
damaging. Recent YouGov polling for Stonewall found<br />
that two in five primary school teachers say that children<br />
in their schools currently experience homophobic bullying<br />
or name calling. Three quarters of primary school teachers<br />
report hearing phrases such as ‘you’re so gay’ and ‘that’s so<br />
gay’. That’s a huge cause for concern.<br />
If these children have such a poor experience in their early<br />
years, how will they grow up eventually to be happy,<br />
confident young adults at ease with themselves and their<br />
lives? And if schools don’t tackle the issue, then what<br />
message are they sending out to the bullies?<br />
<strong>The</strong> long-term impact of this bullying can blight a child’s<br />
chances for the<br />
rest of their life.<br />
Some young<br />
people disengage<br />
completely and drop<br />
out of school. One<br />
of the young people<br />
who Stonewall<br />
works with, 15-<br />
year- old William,<br />
says: ‘I wasn’t happy<br />
to go to school<br />
because I knew<br />
that homophobic<br />
bullying would<br />
happen’.<br />
IF SCHOOLS<br />
DON’T TACKLE<br />
THE ISSUE, WHAT<br />
MESSAGE ARE<br />
THEY SENDING<br />
OUT TO THE<br />
BULLIES?<br />
<strong>In</strong> an ever-changing society, the concept of family<br />
is also changing. <strong>The</strong>re are now more young people<br />
than ever from families with two mums or two dads, or<br />
who have out gay family members. <strong>In</strong> Stonewall’s recent<br />
report about ‘Different Families’, what shone out was the<br />
response of young people with same-sex parents who’d<br />
been subjected to homophobia. Eight-year old Holly, for<br />
example, said: ‘I wouldn’t have changed it. I just wish other<br />
people would have been more accepting’.<br />
<strong>In</strong> 2011, these young people need to know that their<br />
home lives are reflected in the ways schools talk about<br />
families, that schools welcome diversity and that it’s part<br />
of the school’s general ethos and approach to the wider<br />
community they serve.<br />
Stonewall’s Education for All campaign is working to<br />
address these issues. We’ve now created a range of<br />
high-quality resources for secondary schools and at our<br />
Education For All conference on 1 July we’ll be launching<br />
some fantastic new resources for primary school teachers.<br />
If schools can create a welcoming, safe environment,<br />
not only will their students growing up to be gay feel<br />
supported and thrive, but all the other pupils will too.<br />
Finally, one way that you can help transform those young<br />
people’s lives is by contacting your old school and asking<br />
what they’re now doing to tackle homophobic bullying.<br />
Just guide them to www.stonewall.org.uk/education<br />
if they need help.
HELP IS AT HAND<br />
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Oliver<br />
Davidge-Stringer
THE GIFT OF LIFE
TAKING THE KIDS TO PRIDE?<br />
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Barrie<br />
Drewitt-Barlow<br />
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DO THE UK’S VARIOUS<br />
PRIDE FESTIVALS<br />
ACTIVELY ENCOURAGE<br />
SAME-SEX PARENTS<br />
TO ATTEND?
THE SURROGACY<br />
PROGRAMME FOR YOU<br />
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<strong>The</strong> Surrogacy Experience (TSE) brings a group of diverse<br />
professionals together to provide high-quality and<br />
comprehensive legal, medical and financial support for<br />
intended parents, gestational surrogates, and egg donors,<br />
serving as their personal guide from pre-conception through<br />
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www.thesurrogacyexperience.com
BANK IT<br />
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<br />
If you are between 18 and 45 years old and this has made you<br />
consider donation, you can find out more details by keeping<br />
an eye out for Birmingham Sperm Bank representatives<br />
at Birmingham Pride, or contact them via the website<br />
at www.birminghamspermbank.co.uk or email info@<br />
birminghamspermbank.co.uk (Tel: 0121 627 2739)<br />
If you are interested in starting a family, see the website:<br />
www.bhamivf.com or call the Birmingham Women’s Fertility<br />
Centre on 0121 627 2700
MEN ON TOP<br />
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Jacob Nieuwkoop (left) and Julian Victoria
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WE WANT<br />
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01 BREEZE DESK FAN<br />
With summer upon us, and<br />
London being notoriously illequipped<br />
with air conditioning,<br />
now is the time to invest in<br />
some cool designs to… er, keep<br />
you cool. For something classic,<br />
head straight for Habitat for this<br />
affordably but timeless Breeze<br />
Desk Fan – available in black or<br />
silver.<br />
RRP £45<br />
www.habitat.co.uk<br />
02 OUTBACK METEOR<br />
BARBECUE<br />
Why lug a tatty disposable<br />
barbecue to your local park, and<br />
choke strangers in smoke and<br />
cinders? Better to invite friends<br />
round for a proper barbie at home.<br />
This model is packed with features<br />
to ensure your meat is grilled to<br />
perfection.<br />
RRP £399<br />
www.dobbies.com<br />
www.worldfurniture.co.uk<br />
03 SNACK BALL<br />
It looks like a toy, and that’s<br />
partially what it is... but the<br />
primary purpose of the snack ball<br />
is as a container for snacks, so that<br />
you can eat on the run or nibble if<br />
you feel peckish at your desk. <strong>The</strong><br />
two halves unscrew, so cleaning<br />
is super easy; it’s also great for a<br />
game of catch if you want to burn<br />
calories after all that scoffing.<br />
RRP £6.99<br />
www.boonuk.co.uk<br />
WORDS BY JOHN O’ CEALLAIGH
06 07<br />
08<br />
04 MAGNETIC KNIFE BLOCK<br />
Jamie Oliver continues his<br />
domination of all things culinary<br />
with the growth of his Jamie<br />
At Home line. One of its latest<br />
innovations is a magnetic knife<br />
with a slender oak block encasing<br />
a series of magnets. Without<br />
conventional slots to catch food<br />
and dirt, it’s a more hygienic way<br />
to store kitchenware.<br />
RRP £41<br />
www.jamieathome.com<br />
05 BOW HAMMOCK<br />
Given the early taste of a British<br />
summer, now might be a good<br />
time to invest in a hammock.<br />
This stylish model is made from<br />
hardwearing larch to withstand<br />
the weight of generouslyproportioned<br />
snoozers and to<br />
wear well in the elements.<br />
RRP £139<br />
www.livingitup.co.uk<br />
06 FLUX CHAIR<br />
<strong>The</strong> Flux Chair is made from<br />
polypropylene and transformed in<br />
just two folds from a flat envelope<br />
to the seat you see here. It can be<br />
dismantled again just as easily, so<br />
is a great investment if space is at<br />
a premium. It holds up to 160kg<br />
and is available in eight different<br />
colours.<br />
RRP £109<br />
www.allupandon.co.uk<br />
07 MOOOI HORSE LAMP<br />
Perhaps it is only the Queen who<br />
has real horses in her London<br />
abode... but if you’ve plenty<br />
of space you might be able to<br />
accommodate this extravagant<br />
lamp. <strong>The</strong> size of a thoroughbred,<br />
it’s likely to be the focal point of<br />
any room. It’s made of polyester,<br />
though, so just make sure you<br />
don’t try to ride it.<br />
RRP £3,165<br />
www.frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk<br />
08 BRITISH ICONS BOOKENDS<br />
Here’s a sunny day dilemma: do<br />
you spend the day exploring the<br />
best London has to offer or curl<br />
up with a good book? We’d like<br />
to think it was this quandary<br />
that motivated Susan Bradley to<br />
fuse the two by designing these<br />
distinctive bookends. A perfect<br />
present for any book-loving<br />
Londoner, we reckon.<br />
RRP £18<br />
www.lifestylebazaar.com
Caveman Suite<br />
KITSCH PALACE<br />
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<strong>The</strong> Madonna <strong>In</strong>n<br />
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Dining Room<br />
<strong>The</strong> Traveler’s Suite<br />
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WORDS BY JOHN O’ CEALLAIGH
CRUISING<br />
COOL CATS AT MOTOREXPO<br />
RENAULT RELEASES WIND<br />
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TAUT AND SPORTY<br />
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TRIM LEVELS<br />
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WOULD WE WANT ONE?<br />
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On the road price: from £16,105<br />
For information visit: www.renault.co.uk<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jaguar E-Type, one of the most iconic and<br />
desirable sports cars ever made, will celebrate its 50th<br />
birthday this summer when more than 50 examples<br />
take part in a cavalcade to Motorexpo, Britain’s<br />
biggest free-to-visit motor show.<br />
<strong>The</strong> E-Type cavalcade on 6 June starts in central<br />
London and finishing alongside the Motorexpo area in<br />
London’s Canary Wharf. <strong>The</strong> 10-mile route will take in<br />
some of London’s most famous landmarks including<br />
<strong>The</strong> Mall, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square and the Tower of<br />
London. <strong>The</strong>re are no tickets and no queues, with easy<br />
access to the event by bus, London Underground or<br />
Docklands Light Railway. Alternatively, there is ample<br />
space for cars within Canary Wharf’s four underground<br />
public car parks.<br />
Motorexpo is open daily from 10am to 6pm (Monday 6<br />
to Saturday 11 June) and 11am to 5pm on Sunday 12<br />
June. Details and information on the show are available<br />
at http://www.motorexpo.com.<br />
Price: Free entry<br />
Visit: www.motorexpo.com<br />
RANGE ROVER EVOQUE A SNIP AT £30K<br />
Land Rover has announced pricing for the youngest<br />
of its models, the Range Rover Evoque. Available in<br />
three design themes (Pure, Prestige and Dynamic),<br />
the baby Rangie will be offered in both two- and<br />
four-wheel drive variants, with the former priced from<br />
£27,955 and the latter at £28,705.<br />
Due for delivery from September of this year, the<br />
models feature a wide variety of options: three different<br />
engines, both a five-door and three-door coupé<br />
body and different design themes are sure to result in<br />
customers specifying relatively individual vehicles. <strong>The</strong><br />
top-of-the-range Evoque, fitted with the ‘endless list of<br />
options’ and the six-speed automatic gearbox, will cost<br />
about £45,000.<br />
Powerplants include an updated version of the marque’s<br />
2.2-litre diesel, in 148- or 187bhp guises, as well as<br />
a new 237bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine dishing out<br />
0-62mph in 7.1s. Unite the lower powered diesel to the<br />
two-wheel drive Coupé and you have an Evoque that<br />
emits just 130g/km.<br />
Price: From £27,995<br />
Visit: www.landrover.com/evoque<br />
WORDS BY ADRIAN FOSTER/DRIVELINES
El Escorial
ghghghghgh<br />
Plaza Major<br />
Puerta De Alcala<br />
Prada Museum
TRAVEL NEWS<br />
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LINKS<br />
www.esmadrid.com<br />
www.tourspain.es<br />
www.orgullogay.org<br />
www.madridgaypride.com<br />
Madrid Gay Pride<br />
Tel Aviv<br />
SIMPLY THE BEACH<br />
Last year we were fortunate enough to join a press<br />
trip to Israel to enjoy Tel Aviv Pride… so we are in a<br />
knowlegeable position to state that it’s easily one of the<br />
best Pride festivals on the planet! It’s guaranteed good<br />
weather, and sure to attract some of the sexiest men in<br />
the world – all of whom appear to know how to party!<br />
Somewhat uniquely for Pride festivals, it’s probably the<br />
one of the few that ends up marching to a beach – the<br />
perfect excuse for many of those attending to walk in<br />
their swimwear! <strong>The</strong> event has been running since 1998,<br />
and it now attracts over 100,000 participants. This year,<br />
the annual Pride Parade is scheduled to take place on<br />
Saturday 10 June, so it’s not too late to book yourself<br />
some last-minute flights and accommodation. For full<br />
details about the event, and the gay scene in Tel Aviv, go<br />
to www.gaytlvguide.com<br />
WHEN IN ROME…<br />
Pride season is approaching,<br />
and one of the biggest<br />
celebrations in Europe is<br />
Europride. Last year’s event<br />
took place in Warsaw, Poland,<br />
but this year the celebrations move to Rome in Italy<br />
– right on the Pope’s doorstep! <strong>The</strong> Pride celebrations<br />
officially run from 1-12 June, with an official Europride<br />
meeting place located in the gardens of Piazza Vittorio,<br />
in the Esquilino district of the city. <strong>The</strong> main parade<br />
is scheduled to take place on Saturday 11 June. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
is a host of associated parties and special events,<br />
including an official post-Pride spectacular, presided<br />
over by special guest jock David Morales – check www.<br />
europrideroma.com for details. Fans of big and hairy<br />
Mediterranean types may also want to know that in the<br />
run up to Europride is Rome Bears Week (1-9 June),<br />
which will feature guest appearance from London’s clubs<br />
own Come To Daddy. You can catch it at the Eagle Club<br />
(Via placido Zurla, 68 Rome) on Wednesday 8 June.<br />
www.romebearweek.com<br />
ELTON SETS UP CAMP<br />
IN VEGAS<br />
If you’re already a fan of<br />
Las Vegas then you will<br />
need little persuading<br />
to return. <strong>The</strong>re’s always<br />
something new to see or do – even for the most<br />
frequent of travellers. However, should you need that<br />
extra little reason then take note that Elton John has<br />
just confirmed a new residency at Caesar’s Palace. Elton<br />
will be returning to the Colosseum with his all-new “<strong>The</strong><br />
Million Dollar Piano” show, beginning on 28 September<br />
2011 for 16 shows. It will mark the beginning of a threeyear<br />
residency for Elton at the Colosseum; his second as a<br />
headliner at Caesar’s Palace.<br />
For more details, check www.caesarspalace.com
YUMBO ACTION<br />
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EATING OUT<br />
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POSTCARD FROM<br />
GRAN CANARIA<br />
Drag fun at Amigos
YUMBO ACTION<br />
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EATING OUT<br />
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POSTCARD FROM<br />
GRAN CANARIA<br />
Drag fun at Amigos
23 AUG-22 SEP<br />
VIRGO<br />
Virgo, instead of lamenting<br />
what you don’t possess, why<br />
don’t you take five seconds<br />
out of your day to be thankful<br />
for what you do have? You’re<br />
missing out on so many of the<br />
good things –and people – in<br />
your life. You’ll get what you<br />
need eventually, but in the<br />
meantime, count your blessings.<br />
22 DEC-19 JAN<br />
CAPRICORN<br />
23 SEP-22 OCT<br />
LIBRA<br />
Be impulsive this month, Libra.<br />
I know it’s going completely<br />
against your nature but you need<br />
more spontaneity in your life.<br />
All this analysing things can sap<br />
the joy from any situation. Allow<br />
yourself to go with your first gut<br />
feeling. Throw yourself into a<br />
situation and then let fate decide<br />
the outcome.<br />
Try to cut down on some of<br />
the more ‘luxurious’ items in<br />
your life, Capricorn. It’s easy to<br />
‘treat’ yourself “because you’re worth it”, but a treat’s not a treat if it<br />
becomes a daily occurrence, is it? Address this issue now before you<br />
wake up one day and realise you’ve become the size of a couch. Eat<br />
healthier and try doing a bit more exercise.<br />
GEMINI<br />
Prince William<br />
02.06.81<br />
Many happy returns to Prince William – pictured here on his recent<br />
wedding day to Catherine Middleton. Those born under the sign of<br />
Gemini typically like variety in life, and heir to the throne William<br />
– now the Duke of Cambridge – has certainly enjoyed many varied<br />
experiences. Geminis also like to have different projects on the go, and<br />
to talk – which should help with all those meet’n’greet engagements!<br />
Prince William turns 29 on 2 June.<br />
23 OCT-21 NOV<br />
SCORPIO<br />
Don’t let conflicting points of<br />
views within your group of<br />
friends turn ugly. <strong>The</strong>re’s the<br />
possibility of a rift forming<br />
amongst those close to you<br />
because of a silly disagreement<br />
over almost nothing. Using<br />
all your reserves of tact and<br />
patience, step in and show them<br />
how precious they’re all being.<br />
20 JAN-18 FEB<br />
AQUARIUS<br />
22 NOV-21 DEC<br />
SAGITTARIUS<br />
It’s never wrong to believe in<br />
the power of love – and don’t<br />
let anyone change your mind!<br />
Cynics may get a kick out of<br />
trying to make you feel stupid for<br />
the fact you have a heart and are<br />
not afraid to show your feelings.<br />
You need to demonstrate your<br />
inner strength and not be<br />
swayed by their carping.<br />
You may have been feeling<br />
detached from people and<br />
lost in your own thoughts, but<br />
others are reading it as disinterest on your part. <strong>The</strong>re’s been a real<br />
sense of the aloof about you... get a grip of yourself before it gets out<br />
of hand. Don’t forget to remind friends how grateful you are to have<br />
them – even if you’ve appeared a little quieter than usual.<br />
19 FEB-20 MAR<br />
PISCES<br />
Don’t get too hung up on your<br />
looks, Pisces. You may be pretty<br />
but nobody likes someone<br />
who’s head over heels in love<br />
with themselves. You’re not<br />
everyone’s cup of tea, dear.<br />
<strong>In</strong>stead of always trading on<br />
your looks, try being nicer to<br />
people – demonstrate that you<br />
have a soul too.<br />
21 MAR-19 APR<br />
ARIES<br />
21 MAY-21 JUN<br />
GEMINI<br />
22 JUN-22 JUL<br />
CANCER<br />
23 JUL-22 AUG<br />
LEO<br />
Aries, this month you will require<br />
a little faith and trust. You’re<br />
allowing your suspicious nature<br />
to run away with itself, and it’s<br />
having an impact on someone<br />
close to you. Take a step back;<br />
take matters at face value, and<br />
don’t waste your time and<br />
energy trying to pick apart a<br />
perfectly good relationship.<br />
20 APR-20 MAY<br />
TAURUS<br />
Travel broadens the mind and<br />
it’s time to think about taking<br />
a long holiday. You’ve allowed<br />
your outlook to become<br />
somewhat narrow-minded.<br />
You’re not going to appreciate<br />
the bigger picture if you keep<br />
going through the same<br />
practices. Take a trip or change<br />
your mental methodology.<br />
Gemini, get off the fence! You’ve<br />
been avoiding involvement<br />
for too long. Now is the time<br />
to pick a side and stand up<br />
for what you feel is right. Put<br />
your inner fire and strength to<br />
good use. Try to make a positive<br />
change for you and others<br />
around you. You’ll hit barriers,<br />
but be tenacious!<br />
A vague dissatisfaction with<br />
your sex life has been gnawing<br />
away at you. It’s not all your<br />
partner’s fault, but is more to<br />
do with the fact that you find<br />
it so difficult to talk about sex.<br />
Yes, sex – it’s not a dirty word!<br />
Practice opening up those<br />
channels of communication<br />
– it will pay dividends.<br />
You don’t need to sell your soul<br />
to get on in work, Leo, but a<br />
little more ‘give’ will help your<br />
chances of promotion. It’s OK to<br />
be strong, but if you’re too stuck<br />
in your ways then they may be<br />
tempted to seek out someone<br />
more flexible. Be more open to<br />
suggestions – even if think your<br />
way is the best way.
TAKE THE TEST<br />
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WITH THANKS TO THE NATIONAL AIDS TRUST FOR HELP WITH OUR QUESTIONS. WWW.NAT.ORG.UK<br />
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LINKS<br />
If you want to find out more information about HIV and<br />
AIDS, check the following:<br />
www.nat.org.uk - National AIDS Trust<br />
www.tht.org.uk - Terrence Higgins Trust<br />
www.gmfa.org.uk - Gay Men’s Health Charity GMFA<br />
You can also call THT Direct on 0808 802 1221
MY BODY<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WWW.THEIRISHWOLF.COM