The announcement yesterday that Scene, the gay focussed Sunday session at Flawless night club, was coming to end just two weeks after its launch may have been ‘business as usual’ for the local queer community that has seen many gay themed nights come and go over the years.
For Emilie McHenry, the owner of Flawless, the announcement came as a complete surprise. While the club had raised concern about the low turnout over the long weekend, they had remained supportive of the night and wanted it to be a success.
Transforming the former Sapphire Bar into a state-of-the-art club involved a lot of planning and consultation. Alongside the physical rejuvenation of the venue McHenry sought out new patrons who would appreciate a new space to socialise.
McHenry explained the decision to dedicate one of the club’s nights to local gay community.
‘After careful deliberation and receiving numerous comments from the gay fraternity that they were bored with what was currently on offer, and that they wanted a new experience, Sunday was chosen and Scene was born,’ McHenry said.
‘No expense was spared in advertising to the gay community that a new night was finally here for them.
‘Well instead of the gay community coming out in force to show their appreciation and wanting to experience something new, different and exciting in their social scene, they did the complete opposite.’
Scene’s second week faced significant competition. Many people flew across the country to attend the Sydney Mardi Gras and the established venues both presented special events for the long weekend. Announcing the end of the night in a letter to the community, Paul Van Leishout Hunt, one of the promoters of Scene highlighted bad timing as a reason for the poor second week turn out. McHenry disagreed.
‘Opening night was a small turnout considering the three month lead up, huge press advertising, promotion and talk amongst the community. Those who came loved what they saw… This gave me reason to believe that the night would be supported by the very people who asked for it. The second week’s turnout was dismal, and the excuse that the timing was bad is a pathetic and easy copout. The other two gay venues may have had more people in them but offered no real new excitement. So timing had nothing to do with it.’
As well as the lack of support from the local gay community, McHenry found the attitude towards the young promoters concerning.
‘What was even more disturbing was the attitude from within the gay community towards their own. We engaged a young talented DJ and a young excitable promoter to spread the word, and create some interest within the community it was to cater to. This they did, and surprisingly they were met with a lot of bitchiness from the very people that should’ve supported them. They were bagged as being too young, too excitable and stepping on people’s toes…’
‘Young people sacrificing their time and money in an attempt to create a new event on the social Calender should be commended and supported, not bagged… They should be guided and assisted by those with more experience and a greater network of means in which to assist.’
Given the sudden end to a new gay night, at a time when some members of the local community are calling for more variety, McHenry was disappointed and saw the local gay community standing at a crossroads.
‘Are the gay community happy with just the two venues on offer, and do not want to support anything else? Or do they genuinely want to have something different to do and choose from?’
‘If they do want more, then actions speak louder than words. Come down and support a venue that wants to support them. If not, then don’t complain that there is no choice on offer… Cast aside personal prejudice against those that are making the effort to create something new for them. Embrace it, support it, and grow it. After all, it is all for them. Grab an opportunity and seize it. Who knows when and if another opportunity will present itself.’
Graeme Watson
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