www.list.co.uk/LGBT
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to gay@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Suzanne Black.
Thursday 10
Glasgow ■ Hello Sailor! The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour, 100 Stobcross Road, 222 2513. Until Sun 29 Nov, 10am–5pm. £5.95 (£4.65; first child free; additional children £3). A touring exhibition from National Museums, looking at gay life on board passenger ships and cargo vessels from the 1950s to 1980s. FREE sh[OUT]: Contemporary Art and Human Rights Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. Until Sun 1 Nov, 10am–5pm; Thu 10am–8pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. Striking and thoughtful biennial social justice exhibition featuring work from the likes of Sadie Lee, Nan Goldin, Chad McCail and Robert Mapplethorpe. ■ Little Johnny’s Big Gay Musical Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 7.30pm. £10.50–£14.50 (£6.50–£10.50). Confessional theatre, stand-up comedy and the golden age of the Hollywood musical are combined in this glittering celebration of one man’s glorious failure by Random Accomplice. ■ Sing-a-Long-a Hairspray Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street, 0870 060 6647. 7.30pm. £6.90–£16.25. Prepare to dance in the aisles at this sing along screening of John Travolta’s fat suit extravaganza, Hairspray. Part of Glasgay! ■ R-P-Z Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street, 353 4531. 11pm–3am. £4 (£3). Residents Hushpuppy and Bonjour Boi promise a blend of electro, Italo disco, punk-funk and ‘wrong sounds a-plenty’. Part of Glasgay! Edinburgh FREE Club for Heroes The GRV, 37 Guthrie Street, 220 2987. 11pm–3am. Underground disco for freaks and lovers with your hosts Jetlad and Honey Sweetcheeks.
Friday 11
Glasgow ■ Little Johnny’s Big Gay Musical Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 7.30pm. £10.50–£14.50 (£6.50–£10.50). See Thu 10. Edinburgh ■ Furburger GHQ, 4 Picardy Place, 0845 166 6024. 11pm–3am. £4 (£3). DJs Dejaybird, Funki Diva, Boy Toy and Debi T provide aural stimulation for gay women and their closest friends.
Saturday 12
Glasgow ■ Revolver Quiz Revolver, 6a John Street, 553 2456. 4pm. £1 per person. A general knowledge quiz that takes place every Saturday. ■ Little Johnny’s Big Gay Musical Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 7.30pm. £10.50–£14.50 (£6.50–£10.50). See Thu 10. Edinburgh ■ Circus GHQ, 4 Picardy Place, 0845 166 6024. 9pm–5am. Free before 11pm; £5 after. New night with DJ Darren and Dowzer.
Sunday 13
Glasgow FREE Dani Marti: Insideout sh[OUT] Space, 4 Parnie Street, 552 7578. Until Sat 10 Oct, Tue–Sat 11am–5pm. Sound, video and sculptural installations that explore gay men’s health, sexuality and disclosure. Part of Glasgay!
Tuesday 15 Glasgow ■ Audioculture Byblos, Unit Q, Merchant Square, 71 Albion Street, 552 3895. 11pm–3am. £3. A mixed night of chart, cheese and R&B from DJ Shazza Halliwell.
EDINBURGH SCENE BLUE MOON CAFÉ 21ST ANNIVERSARY As the UK’s oldest gay café celebrates a milestone birthday Allan Radcliffe casts a backwards glance over its history
Today Edinburgh boasts a thriving gay scene that includes bars and clubs, cafés and shops, with the area between Broughton Street and Picardy Place now popularly known as the ‘Pink Triangle’. It wasn’t always thus, however. Until the mid-80s there was a dearth of places in the capital for LGBT folks to get together and chew the fat. Now a venerable Edinburgh institution the Blue Moon Café appeared in its
first incarnation 21 years ago as the Stonewall Café, the first venue of its kind in the UK, in what is now the LGBT centre on Broughton Street. Owner and local nightclub impressario Alan Joy moved the café to its current location at the corner of Broughton Street and Barony Street 15 years ago.
Current manager Colin Dempsey has witnessed numerous changes in the café in the ten years he has been working there. ‘The biggest change is in the clientele,’ he says. ‘Although we have gay staff and it’s gay owned the crowd we get is much more mixed that it used to be. It’s a sign of the times, I suppose.’
These days the Blue Moon is much more than just a café. The upstairs has expanded to include a juice bar while Deep Blue, the bar downstairs, serves drinks until 1am and can be hired for a private party or function. The staff celebrated the anniversary earlier this year with a party for current and ex- employees in the function room while the café opened for business upstairs. There are plans to hold further events to mark the occasion later in the year.
‘Some people are here four or five days a week,’ laughs Dempsey, ‘so there’s great banter between the staff and regular customers.’ She may be getting on in years, but clearly the Blue Moon is more popular than ever. ■ www.bluemooncafe.co.uk
Monday 14
Glasgow ■ Passionality Byblos, Unit Q, Merchant Square, 71 Albion Street, 552 3895. 11.30pm–3am. £3 (£2). DJ Roberts plays chart hits for the gay/mixed crowd. Edinburgh FREE This is the Industry GHQ, 4 Picardy Place, 0845 166 6024. 11pm–3am. New Monday nighter for GHQ created especially for those in the business (bars, clubs, pubs, hotels and restaurants).
Edinburgh ■ Love Traffic GHQ, 4 Picardy Place, 0845 166 6024. 11pm–3am. £4 (£3). Pulling doesn’t get any easier than this. At a traffic light party everyone knows where they stand: red for no thanks, amber for maybe, green for definitely. Wednesday 16
Glasgow ■ Allure The Tunnel, 84 Mitchell Street, 204 1000. 11.30pm–3am. £3 (students £2-for-1). Cheesy pop sounds from DJ Darren and the guys behind Passionality. Edinburgh FREE Self-harm Self-help Course LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. 7.30pm–9.30pm. A six-week course looking at self-harm. Focusing on coping strategies and dealing with scarring, it’s only about
LGBT
stopping if you want it to be. Facilitated by Merrick Pope. Booking essential. Thursday 17
Glasgow ■ R-P-Z Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street, 353 4531. 11pm–3am. £4 (£3). See Thu 10. Edinburgh FREE Club for Heroes The GRV, 37 Guthrie Street, 220 2987. 11pm–3am. See Thu 10.
Saturday 19
Glasgow ■ Revolver Quiz Revolver, 6a John Street, 553 2456. 4pm. £1 per person. See Sat 12. ■ Death Disco The Arches, 30 Midland Street, 565 1000. 10pm–3am. £14. This month’s line-up includes: Mix Hell (live), Rory Philips, Designer Drugs, JG Wilkes (Optimo), Hostage, Joe and Will Ask? (live), Headphones Disco 3 D Thriller, DJ Mingo-go and Hushpuppy. Edinburgh ■ Circus GHQ, 4 Picardy Place, 0845 166 6024. 9pm–5am. Free before 11pm; £5 after. See Sat 12. ■ Fever The Caves, Niddry Street South, 557 8989. 11pm–3am. £8 (£7 members). DJs Fisher & Price (Taste) play an eclectic mix of the best underground dance music.
Monday 21
Glasgow ■ Passionality Byblos, Unit Q, Merchant Square, 71 Albion Street, 552 3895. 11.30pm–3am. £3 (£2). See Mon 14. Edinburgh FREE This is the Industry GHQ, 4 Picardy Place, 0845 166 6024. 11pm–3am. See Mon 14.
Tuesday 22
Glasgow ■ Audioculture Byblos, Unit Q, Merchant Square, 71 Albion Street, 552 3895. 11pm–3am. £3. See Tue 15. Edinburgh FREE Talking About Safe Drinking LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. 7pm–9pm. Guidelines and advice about alcohol consumption and resources for those worried about their own drinking or someone else’s. Booking essential. ■ Love Traffic GHQ, 4 Picardy Place, 0845 166 6024. 11pm–3am. £4 (£3). See Tue 15.
Wednesday 23
Glasgow ■ Allure The Tunnel, 84 Mitchell Street, 204 1000. 11.30pm–3am. £3 (students £2-for-1). See Wed 16. Edinburgh FREE Self-harm Self-help Course LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. 7.30pm–9.30pm. See Wed 16. FREE Icebreakers CC Blooms, 23–24 Greenside Place, 556 9331. 7.30pm. Social group for people who want to make new friends in LGBT company.
Thursday 24
Glasgow ■ R-P-Z Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street, 353 4531. 11pm–3am. £4 (£3). See Thu 10. Edinburgh FREE Club for Heroes The GRV, 37 Guthrie Street, 220 2987. 11pm–3am. See Thu 10.
10–24 Sep 2009 THE LIST 63