Simon Adams, Ray A-J, Jaq Bayles, Jo Bourne, Nick Boston, Dave Bradley, Brian Butler, Richard Jeneway, Craig Hanlon-Smith, Samuel Hall, Adam Mallaby, Enzo Marra, Eric Page, Dean Pender, Simon Robinson-Stynes, Gay Socrates, Brian Stacey, Michael Steinhage, Sugar Swan, Glen Stevens, Duncan Stewart, Craig Storrie, Violet Valentine (Zoe Anslow-Gwilliam), Netty Wendt, Roger Wheeler, Kate Wildblood, Ray Barron Woolford
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Creag Aaro, Graeme Atack, Steven Chantrey, James Daley, Robbie Dee, Tyrone Darling, Chris Jepson, Jack Lynn, James Ledward, Simon Pepper
All work appearing in Gscene Ltd is copyright It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the magazine unless otherwise stated on the page concerned. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in an electronic or other retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior knowledge and consent of the publishers
The appearance of any person or any organisation in Gscene is not to be construed as an implication of the sexual orientation or political persuasion of such persons or organisations
BRIGHTON PRIDE 2019 RAISES £217,432.50 FOR LOCAL GOOD CAUSES
Following Brighton & Hove Pride's amazing celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn uprising in New York City that ignited and inspired the global Pride movement, Brighton & Hove Pride announce they have raised a fantastic £217,432.50 for local good causes.
) Every year the city of Brighton & Hove is awash with rainbow flags as businesses show their suppor t for Pride and our LGBT+ communities and an estimated £20 5 million is brought into the city’s economy with visitors spending money on accommodation, retail, food and drink over the Pride weekend
Brighton businesses within the Pride Village Par ty footprint contributed £125 per day (small venue) or £250 per day (larger venue) that helped raise £7,520 towards the Pride Social Impact Fund
Bucket collections on the Pride Community Parade raised £768
Legends was again the biggest LGBT+ business suppor ter contributing £3,504 74 in fundraising and £5,000 in sponsorship
This year, Brighton Pride introduced the Pride City Angels scheme to engage with businesses across the city to help suppor t community fundraising and
projects all year round The launch of Pride City Angels saw a first year sign up of 26 businesses with founding members contributing £1,000 each, bringing in a fur ther £10,750
Paul Kemp, Pride Director, said:
“ W ith increasing costs this year for cleansing and security resources and the uncertainty around Brexit that adversely affected sponsorship income, it has been a really challenging year for Pride This year Pride are thrilled to have raised over £200,000 which will be distributed to local charities community groups and projects through the Brighton Rainbow Fund, the Pride Social Impact Fund and Pride Cultural Development Fund
“ W ith over £922,000 raised under the current organisation, Pride are very much on target to reach £1million fundraising for good causes by 2020, the 30th Anniversary of Brighton & Hove Pride ”
Brighton & Hove Pride is the UK’s biggest Pride Festival operated by Brighton Pride CIC, a not for profit community organisation All tickets revenue raised goes directly to the operational and running costs of producing the Pride Festival, Pride LGBT+ Community Parade, Pride Village Par ty and community fundraising, and £1 for every paid ticket goes direct to the Brighton R ainbow Fund who give grants to LGBT+ organisations that deliver effective frontline services to LGBT+ people in the city
HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED
• R ainbow Fund: £165,724.50
• Social Impact Fund: £20,958 (plus £10,000 roll over from 2018 due to Kingscliffe) We could present this as £30,958 allocation for 2019 that include role of £10,000 from 2018
• City Angels: £10,750 00
• Pride Solidarity fund: £10,000
• Cultural development fund: £10,000
LOCAL BUSINESSES RAISE FUNDS FOR LOCAL LGBT+ PROJECTS DURING BRIGHTON PRIDE
Local LGBT+ projects will benefit directly from the fundraising effor ts of businesses who really understand the message that Brighton & Hove Pride is a ‘Pride with Purpose’
) Pride itself announced the total it has raised for good causes on page 4 of thnis issue, with the bulk raised going to the Brighton R ainbow Fund to distribute as grants which are assessed through a process that is needs based, and creates a level playing field for all local LGBT+ projects, whether big or small All grants are monitored to ensure that these community funds are used to deliver the best outcomes for our LGBT+ communities locally
Chris Gull, Chair of Tr ustees of the Brighton R ainbow Fund, said: “T here is much discussion about R ainbow Washing around Prides w orldw ide
T his is w here businesses, big and small, appear to jump onto the Pride bandw agon, w hip their rainbow flags out, hav e special Pride promotions, special Pride par ties and ev ents, but giv e nothing back to our communities in a tangible w ay
“A gainst this background, the Brighton R ainbow Fund is pleased to recognise the follow ing businesses and groups that ‘get it’ Not only do they understand the par t about giv ing back and suppor ting both Pride and our L GBT + communities in a tangible w ay, but also understand the concept of the Brighton R ainbow Fund as a central and safe hub for community fundraising
“Some other businesses suppor t indiv idual local L GBT + charities and organisations, and w e applaud their fundraising too, but w e naturally promote the idea of funds being raised locally for the benefit of A L L members of our communities, especially for smaller, v olunteer-led, grassroots projects w hich don’t hav e access to the national funds and resources that bigger organisations do
“Our message, on behalf of all members of our local L GBT + communities w ho need the suppor t of A L L the projects that w e giv e grants to (22 in 2018/19 - likely to be more this y ear) to all businesses w anting to raise money ov er Brighton & Hov e Pride next y ear and raise funds for the benefit of all, rather than just one organisation
“You can be sure that the hard w ork that y ou put in w ill be recognised, and y our contributions used to achiev e the best outcomes across the board ”
Brighton Dome: front of house team collection
ABN AMRO: Haywards Heath branch
R ottingdean Club: post Pride garden par ty
Quentin Crisp-Naked Hope: two per for mances
Bedford Tavern: Christmas in July fundraiser
TRADING POST ‘RAINBOW’ COFFEES RAISE £2,000 FOR BRIGHTON PRIDE
) Trading Post Coffee R oasters in Ship Street raised £2,000 towards the community fund-raising effor ts of Brighton & Hove Pride The donation is the result of the local coffee roaster’s new scheme to share profits with local good causes The ‘pride month’ Charity Par tner Scheme at the ar tisan coffee firm creams 25p from every take-away cup sold across the group’s three venues and puts it aside for good causes The final amount generated totals more than £1,600 – this was rounded up to £2,000 thanks to a top-up donation directly from the business owners The cash-raising drive ran hand-in-hand with an awareness and inclusivity project, including limited edition compostable ‘pride flag’ takeaway cups and an increase in visibility of the firm’s year-round commitment to equality and the LGBT+ communities
Michael Deol, Trading Post Coffee Roasters founder said; “Being able to hand over a cheque to support LGBT+ causes in Brighton and Hove was fantastic and a great tribute to how amazing our customers are – they really got behind the spirit of the idea Staff-members from the LGBT+ community and their allies have been a core part of our success, not least of this fund- raising drive We’re already looking forward to developing the Charity Partner Scheme with another Sussex based charity ”
The projects is being cited as a call to action to other local star t-ups and Brighton’s independent business sector by the team that run the city’s festival of diversity The event is in itself a fund-raising initiative for groups that help LGBT+ communities and the city as a whole
Paul Kemp, Managing Director at Brighton & Hove Pride said; “ We are really grateful for the fantastic contribution from Trading Post Coffee Roasters to Pride’s fundraising total The monies raised will go towards helping support community groups across our city We hope that more businesses will come up with these great initiatives that help support Pride in our fundraising efforts ”
SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES RECEIVE £350K BOOST
) Mental health services for schools in Brighton & Hove are to receive extra investment of more than £350,000 The funding will pay for a new mental health suppor t team to provide more and hopefully better services on top of all the work already happening in schools in Brighton & Hove Seven new staff are being recruited into the city’s inclusion suppor t service
£108 53
£275 08
£1,308 09
£235 66
£394 89
Krissie’s Ducaan: Pride Special £31 19
OS Barbers: haircut fundraising day on Pride Friday £1,365 50 West Hill Tavern
Bear-Patrol: bucket collections during Pride weekend
£205
£381.66
Bear-Patrol: gin raffle at Bedford Taver n £386.29
Bear-Patrol: Pride Raffle at Camelford Ar ms
Bedford Tavern: Summer's Christmas Day
Brighton Fer tility Associates: Donation
All New Bulldog: bucket collections during Pride weekend
My Hotel: Doctor Brighton’s Reunion
Legends: Pride Sunday Cabaret Extravaganza
£400.00
£394.89
£250
£255.93
£92.26
£4,004 74
Cllr Nick Childs, Chair of the council’s children, young people and skills committee, said: “Our inclusion support service and public health team are already doing excellent work in schools to address mental health issues This new team will mean even more children will benefit
“I believe our schools are at the forefront nationally in terms of using a ‘whole-school approach’ to address mental health problems It’s not just about 1-1 work with children, and making sure teachers get the training they need to support children who are having a difficult time
“Our schools are also looking at how exercise, the arts and good diet can improve children’s mental health We believe the new team’s work will help more children to fulfil their potential, reduce exclusions and improve attendance ” view: http://phantom.brightonhove.gov.uk/Published/C00000883/M00009732/$$ADocPackPublic.pdf
BBW ANNOUNCE 10TH ANNIVERSARY DATES FOR 2020
) Brighton Bear Weekend (BBW) reveal dates for next year’s annual weekend event, which will take place from Thursday, June 25 to Sunday, June 28 Mark it in your diaries now as organisers promise it will be the best yet! Next year, BBW reaches a milestone and will be celebrating its 10th year fundraising A full programme of events will be announced closer to the time, with some exciting
new experiences being added to old favourites As always, next year’s event is proudly suppor ting the Brighton R ainbow Fund who give grants to local LGBT+ organisations what deliver effective frontline services to LGBT+ people in Brighton & Hove
Graham Munday, Chair of BBW, said: “Ten years is an amazing achievement and we plan to celebrate with you all We’re already working away at BBW HQ and have some very exciting developments in the pipeline for the next year So now’s the time to organise your accommodation, book those plane/train tickets, and don’t forget to book the Monday off work, otherwise you’ll miss all the fun on Sunday! We’re really looking forward to seeing you here in Brighton and partying with you at the biggest Bear Weekend in the country ”
‘ CUBBED TO DEATH’ THIS HALLOWEEN
BBW NEED YOUR SKILLS!
) Brighton Bear Weekend (BBW) will be 10 years old in 2020 and continues to go from strength to strength each year Over the years, BBW has raised many tens of thousands of pounds for the Brighton R ainbow Fund and is a much loved event in the annual LGBT+ calendar with around two thirds of par ticipants coming from outside of the local area
All BBW events, including the weekend, are run by hard working volunteers, which helps the organisation maximises their charitable contribution
The BBW team are looking to ramp up their marketing, with a focus on building a much bigger digital presence They are looking for people with skills in social media (organic and paid), content management and email to join the team now
The Brighton Rainbow Fund give grants to local LGBT+ organisations that provide effective frontline services to LGBT+ people in Brighton & Hove
If you think you can help, contact them on info@brightonbear weekend.com
E-LEARNING COMPANY RAISES £663 FOR LOCAL LGBT+ CHARITIES
) It is time for the annual spookfest that is the Brighton Bear Weekend Halloween Par ty! This year, on Saturday, October 26 (the nearest Saturday to Halloween), the boys are back in the crypts of Subline with a par ty called Cubbed to Death! There will be prizes for the best costumes on the night, so let your imagination go wild and bring out your evil side The BBW team will be decorating the venue and offering free vodka jellies to those brave enough to enter Graham Munday, Chair of BBW, said: “Halloween is always one of the highlights of the year so it’s time to go wild and party This year with 'Cubbed to Death' we are being inspired by such horror films such as ‘The Hills Have Eyes’, ‘Saw’ and ‘Hostel’, so get chopping off those limbs and be ready for a bloody massacre ”
Entry is £5 for members and £7 for non members on the door As always, proceeds from the event will go to suppor t the Brighton R ainbow Fund who give grants to LGBT+ organisations that deliver effective frontline services to LGBT+ people in the city
For more info about BBW, view: https://brightonbear weekend com
For more info about the Brighton Rainbow Fund, view: www rainbow-fund org
) Learning Technologies Group (LTG), a global provider of digital learning and talent management solutions, has a long history of charitable fundraising and donations having previously suppor ted charities like MindOut, Cancer Research, Crisis UK, Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, Alzheimer’s Society and Cats Protection
To celebrate Pride, some of the Brighton staff decided to organise fundraising events to raise money for two local LGBT+ charities: a bake sale with funds going to Brighton R ainbow Fund, and a raffle with funds benefiting Brighton & Hove LGBT+
Switchboard
Staff donated baked goods as well as several prizes, including board games and ar twork, to raise just over £331, which was then generously doubled by LTG for the final total of £663, split between the two LGBT+ charities
Nick Bowyer, LTG’s Director of Operations, said: “Learning Technologies Group is one of the biggest employers in Brighton’s thriving digital learning sector As an equal opportunity employer, we’re delighted to have many members of the LGBT+ community in this office, as well as other offices globally, and are equally delighted to support this great fundraising initiative ”
LOCAL NHS TRUST COMMITTED TO IMPROVEMENT ‘EVERYONE
IS WELCOME HERE’
) This is the message from Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (BSUH) as it submits an application to gain one of the UK’s most prestigious markers for LGBT+ workplace equality In February this year, BSUH made a clear commitment to building on its impressive performance in Stonewall’s 2019 Workplace Equality Index (WEI) scheme, where it was ranked 143 out of 445 entrants “This was an excellent foundation and starting point, but we wanted to go further ”
Denise Farmer, Chief Workforce and Organisational Development Officer for BSUH, said: “ We made a firm promise to our staff, and to our patients, that we would act on Stonewall’s guidance to improve our score and continue to make our trust better all the time ”
Since February, BSUH has worked at pace to address Stonewall’s recommendations A few examples of work evidenced in the WEI Top 100 application include:
• Par tnering with Brighton & Sussex Medical School to run an LGBT+ focused healthcare learning and development seminar programme, tackling health inequalities experienced by LGBT+ individuals
• Updating impor tant trust documents using gender neutral language, ensuring that they are equally applicable for all members of staff
• Launching an LGBT+ Mentoring programme, addressing a national trend for LGBT+ staff to lag behind non-LGBT+ colleagues in workplace pay or progression
• Publishing Staff Stories from LGBT+ colleagues throughout the organisation, suppor ting visibility of LGBT+ individuals at all levels from ‘Board to the Ward’
• Progressing towards a pioneering approach to public sector recruitment, suppor ting all forms of diversity in the trust’s supply chains
Denise continued; “This has been a substantial programme, and while there is still more to do, I’m proud of everything that we’ve been able to evidence Our focus is always on improving patient care To do this, we need our staff to feel supported, to experience the benefits of working for a diverse organisation and to know that we do everything possible to help them deliver their best work
“ We’ve built on the work we launched last year to improve the workplace experience of our BME colleagues That work is ongoing and everything it taught us has enriched our Stonewall application This trust is on a journey of continuous improvement, and we are using every tool at our disposal to accelerate our progress ”
Central & Nor th West London NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust are the only NHS Trusts to appear in the list's top 100
The scores for this year’s WEI applications will be announced by spring 2020 More information about suppor t for LGBT+ individuals at BSUH can be found online at: www bsuh nhs uk/lgbtq
RUGBY LEGEND GARETH THOMAS ANNOUNCES HE IS LIVING WITH HIV
) Gareth Thomas, the former rugby captain of Wales, revealed his HIV status in an emotional video posted on social media last month prior to his taking par t in Iron Man Wales on Sunday, September 15 The 45-yearold ex-British and Irish Lions rugby skipper speaks out about his ‘shame’ and ‘fear’ of keeping his status secret and reveals at his lowest point in 2018 he felt suicidal and wanted to die In a BBC Wales documentary screened Wednesday, September 18, he explained how he had chosen to go public rather than continue being blackmailed In the documentary he says that by revealing his status he hoped to “"educate and break the stigma for everybody "
Ian Green, Chief Executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, the national HIV charity, said: “I’m very proud to call Gareth Thomas
a friend Gareth is proof that an HIV diagnosis shouldn’t stop you from doing anything you want to do I hope that by speaking publicly about this Gareth will transform attitudes towards HIV that are all too of ten stuck in the 1980s We’ve made huge medical advances in the fight against HIV that means that people living with HIV like Gareth now live long healthy lives We can also say without doubt that those on effective HIV treatment can’t pass on the virus This is exactly the kind of information Gareth wants to get out there to challenge the stigma that still surrounds this virus
“Gareth blazed a trail by being the first rugby player to come out as gay and has done so much to encourage inclusion and diversity within the sport Now he’s doing that once again with HIV and taking on the challenge of a lifetime in Ironman Wales to show that this virus doesn’t need to be a barrier when you’re diagnosed and accessing treatment ”
In a message on Twitter, Jeremy Corbyn MP , leader of the Labour Par ty, wrote: “Gareth Thomas has again shown enormous strength in declaring himself HIV positive A role model challenging stigma and prejudice His example offers hope and resolve to others Solidarity ”
SEA SERPENTS CELEBRATE 20 YEARS SINCE WORLD’S FIRST LGBT+ RUGBY CLUB FORMED
) On November 1, 1995 a small group of gay men met at Central Station, an LGBT bar near King’s Cross, Nor th London, to discuss the formation of the world’s first officially recognised rugby club for gay and bisexual men The club was named the King’s Cross Steelers RFC and their formation led to fur ther clubs being formed in the UK, USA and New Zealand during 1998
Brighton’s LGBT rugby team, the Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents RFC, are preparing to celebrate 20 years of International Gay Rugby (IGR), which was formed in October 2000 and now
provides oppor tunities for members of the LGBT+ community to compete in rugby through tolerant and accepting clubs and teams To kick off these celebrations on October 5, 2019 at Hove R ugby Club, Hove Recreation Ground, Shirley Drive, star ting at 2 30pm, there is an IGR #PrideInR ugby anniversary weekend to coincide with the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan The Sea Serpents will be playing Horsham third team and everyone is invited to go and cheer the teams on If you wish to attend the post match celebrations in the club house, email: chairman@bhssr fc.com
TWO BREWERS RETAIN BEST LGBT+ PUB CROWN
) The Two Brewers in Clapham retained the title of Best LGBT+ Pub for the second year running at the Great British Pub Awards, a national competition to recognise the best pubs in the country The winners were announced at a glittering awards ceremony held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London last month
A multi award-winning pub, the Two Brewers is legendary for its spectacular array of enter tainment and street par ties, as well as famed as a platform for launching new talent The pub has successfully created a safe, welcoming multicultural community hub that enables fledgling organisations and local groups to meet, practice, and perform in its space, feeding the production of over 600 events at the pub each year
Over the years the venue has been a host to some of the most famous drag performers on the circuit Many singers from around the world have graced the Two Brewers stage, including the UK’s Eurovision contestant Surie and XFactor favourite Sam Bailey
In addition, the pub’s Drag Idol competition, developed by manager Jimmy Smith, continues to grow across the national LGBT+ circuit, and this year saw 110 acts par ticipate for the chance to win the prize fund of £4,500 and take par t in paid gigs at par ticipating venues
Jimmy said: “I can’t believe we have won for the second year running, it’s an incredible achievement! The fact that we won ‘Best LGBT+ Pub’ last year made us even more determined to keep pushing forward and developing our entertainment offer to ensure we stand out as a winning example of a great British pub that specialises in catering for the LGBT+ community I am so proud of my team and cannot thank them enough for their hard work and commitment This award is down to them!”
Ed Bedington, organiser of the Great British Pub Awards, added: “These awards are the most rigorous of their kind for the pub sector and the competition was extremely high this year It’s a huge achievement to win one of these awards and for the Two Brewers to win it the second year in a row is well-deserved ”
Simon Longbottom, CEO of Stonegate Pub Company, said: “As the biggest operator of LGBT+ venues in London and across the country, we fully support safeguarding the future of pubs and venues for this important part of our community We are delighted that the Two Brewers has been recognised for its important role in the community and congratulate Jimmy and the team for all their hard work ”
The Two Brewers is owned by Stonegate Pub Company, the UK's largest LGBT+ venue operator
KICK IT OUT CAMPAIGN COMMISSIONS NEW PLAY
Kick it Out, football’s equality and inclusion organisation, commissions new play about footballer Laurie Cunningham to coincide with Black History Month UK 2019, which runs throughout October
)
As par t of the 25th anniversary of its foundation to combat racism in football, Kick it Out has commissioned this new play based on the extraordinary and inspiring life of Laurie Cunningham to coincide with Black Histor y Month UK 2019 W ritten by award winning playwright Dougie Blaxland, and directed by R oughhouse Theatre, Getting the Third Degree will begin a month’s nationwide tour of the UK in October and will be staged in Sussex at the Hawth Theatre, Crawley, on October 30 and the Marlborough Theatre, Brighton, on November 16
This compelling new drama tells the powerful and deeply moving story of Laurie Cunningham who came to prominence with West Bromwich Albion in the late 1970s The first of the black footballing trio
famously dubbed ‘The Three Degrees’ - Laurie Cunningham with his swaggering style and dazzling skills forced favourable comparisons with the legendary Pele
He was the first ever millionaire black footballer, the first player of colour to sign for the mighty Real Madrid and only the second to win a full cap for England He inspired a whole generation of young black players to follow in his pioneering footsteps
In dramatising Laurie Cunningham’s meteoric rise to stardom, Getting the Third Degree also explores how he and his fellow black players, Brendon Batson and Cyrille R egis, triumphed over the racial abuse and physical threats often orchestrated by the National Front through a potent combination of footballing brilliance, charismatic style and compelling dignity
Incorporating 1970s funk, soul, blues, jazz/jive dance, football songs/chants, contemporary commentary and social and political speeches, Getting the Third Degree is a powerful piece of total theatre that vividly recreates a tense and troubled period in the history of football and the wider society
Rhodene Cunningham, Laurie Cunningham's niece, speaking on behalf of the family, said: “ We are delighted that Kick it Out has commissioned this new stage play about Laurie' s life He was a very
special man loved by us all and we hope that his pioneering story will be an inspiration to everyone who comes to see the production ”
With the resurgence of racial abuse at football matches and in wider society in the UK playwright Dougie Blaxland believes that “although Getting the Third Degree dramatises events that took place over 40 years ago, the issues that the play raises are every bit as relevant today as they were then ”
R oisin Wood, Kick it Out’s Chief Executive, believes that: “In an organisation committed to changing deeply embedded attitudes you cannot simply repeat the same message in the same way year af ter year
The commissioning of this play is an attempt to engage new audiences in our ongoing mission to combat racism in football The more fans and followers of football we can encourage to see this exciting production the greater its impact will be ”
The play will be co-directed by Roughhouse Theatre’s joint Ar tistic Directors, Shane Morgan and Moira Hunt, who have worked with Blaxland on three other productions with spor ting themes: Hands Up for Jonny W ilkinson’s Right Boot, commissioned by the Rugby Football Union for the 2015 World Cup, When the Eye Has Gone, written for the Professional Cricketers’ Association as par t of its Mind Matters campaign, and The Long Walk Back (the Chris Lewis story), which toured the UK to critical acclaim earlier this year
The par t of Laurie Cunningham, and all the other characters in his story, will be played by an ensemble cast of Emile Clarke with Sabrina Laurison and Zara Gabbidon
Getting the Third Degree by Dougie Blaxland is at the Marlborough Theatre, Princes Street, Brighton on Saturday, November 16 at 7.30pm Tickets cost £12/£10 and will be available on the door on the night
If you have a Companion, they can accompany you for free Send an email to info@marlboroughtheatre.org.uk to arrange a ticket, and let the organisers know if you have any fur ther access requirements Ear plugs will be available upon request
BLAGSS TENNIS TOURNAMENT ATTRACTS 36 PLAYERS
) BLAGSS tennis group held a round robin tennis tournament on Sunday, August 11 at Hove Park Tennis Alliance, Hove Park with 36 players taking par t in doubles matches The levels of the players ranged from tennis virgins to Park League standard All matches were well grouped according to tennis standard which resulted in some excellent and exciting games The highest score of the round robin was achieved by R affaela Kur z (ladies) and Matthew Morgan (men’s)
BLAGSS is a spor ts and social group that has around 450 LGBT+ members from across Brighton & Hove, Sussex and beyond BLAGSS members come in all different shapes, sizes, ages and abilities and par ticipate in spor ts as varied as badminton, tennis, squash, golf, table tennis, running, tenpin bowling, football and cycling
The tennis group was one of the original spor ts when BLAGSS star ted in 1997 It is a successful and friendly group with about 45 players in total who play tennis twice a week throughout the year, every Wednesday and Sunday from 11am-1pm, weather permitting, on the outdoor cour t at Hove Park tennis alliance They play shor t sets of doubles and some singles and then mix teams around with new par tners and opponents so everyone gets variety, the chance to play against others of the same standard or higher
John Moore, the chair of BLAGSS, presented the trophies to the winners and runners ups, congratulating the winners and organisers of the tournament for putting on such a great event The day ended with a picnic for over 40 players and their friends Apparently Paul’s egg and cress sandwiches went down a treat The organisers hope to hold the same event the weekend after Pride 2020
BLAGSS suppor ts the Sussex Beacon, who recently promoted their various spor ts in a window display at the Sussex Beacon store on St James’s Street in Kemptown All BLAGSS members contributed donations to the store
For information about BLAGSS tennis group or other spor ts, view: www blagss org
HIV+ AND 50+ ?
You’re invited to an enjoyable gathering provided by people with HIV
Meet people and socialise
• Enjoy an informal evening supper together
• Find information and advice
• Have a say in how things are done
WEDNESDAY 16TH OCT 6PM
Extra Peer Group time 5–6PM for those interested
BRIGHTON & HOVE ‘AGEING WELL FESTIVAL’ SET TO BE BIGGEST EVER
) Formerly the Older People’s Festival, the Ageing Well Festival returns with over 100 events in over 50 venues across the city Produced by Impact Initiatives, the twoweek festival for people aged 50+ will run from September 30 – October 13 The Festival includes tours and talks, music and ar ts events, oppor tunities to try new physical activities alongside fashion and feel good sessions and the chance to learn new skills and meet like-minded people Venues include Theatre R oyal, Duke of York’s cinema, the Hop 50+, Larches Café, Amex Stadium, Fabrica Galler y, R ampion Wind Farm, Brighton Table Tennis Club, and St Richard’s Community Centre Hangleton
The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Alan R obins, officially launches the Festival at the Hop 50+ in Palmeira Square on Monday, September 30 The Launch event will run from 10 30am - 3 30pm, including singing and, by popular demand, the return of the Brighton Beach Boys Food and drinks will be available, and all festival information, including programmes, will be on hand
EASTBOURNE RAINBOW LUNCH AT ROT TINGDEAN CLUB
) Over 30 members of Eastbourne R ainbow enjoyed a late summer outing to the historic village of R ottingdean at the beginning of September The group enjoyed a great lunch at the R ottingdean Club and were made very welcome by the owner Phil Sherrington and his staff, after which many members visited the Kipling Gardens, Grange Museum
and Galler y to see the Kipling Room and the Cinema by the Sea exhibition Eastbourne Rainbow, par t of AGE Concern Eastbourne, is a social group for LGBT+ people aged 50+ in Eastbourne and surrounding areas For more information about the group, when and where it meets, view: www.eastbournerainbow.org.uk or text/leave message on 07516 670654
Caroline Ridley, Impact Initiatives CEO, said: “ We have once again worked with some amazing people to bring the festival together We have included some old favourites alongside new and exciting events especially for this year The Festival, which is based around the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, is the only event like it in the UK and has grown from one or two events to a staple in Brighton & Hove’s festival calendar We are incredibly proud of this year’s programme and are looking forward to the events "
David Brindley from Brighton & Hove Council’s Public Health team, added: “Brighton & Hove has around 85,800 people aged 50+ and this is increasing every year We want the people of Brighton & Hove to age well and to add life to the years as well as years to life We’ve always invested in the festival and have this year combined it with the wider Ageing Well Service, and been able to confirm funding for the next three years The service provides a range of support and activities across the city accessible through one phone number and email address This makes it easier for people to find out what’s on offer and to get the information they need to get involved ”
For more information and to pick up a programme, contact Impact Initiatives on 01273 322940 To book on-line, view: www ageingwellfestival org
HALLOWEEN HORROR SHOW FOR THE SUSSEX BEACON
) The most spooktacular par ty of the year is back so Let’s Do The Time Warp
Again! It’s time to dust the cobwebs from your make-up box and star t planning your devilish costume creation for the Halloween Horror Show fundraiser for the Sussex Beacon on Thursday, October 31 Once again, the Grand Hotel’s Empress Suite Ballroom will play host to a Halloween night you won’t forget!
The sensational Sundaes will be joined by a West End cast who will take you on a ghoulish musical journey, but be prepared for some ‘bumps in the night’, plenty of surprises and the occasional sweet transvestite! There will be a sumptuous three course Grand Halloween feast with wine, and rest assured the ghosts and ghouls will have you on the dance floor in no time! Guests are encouraged to attend in ‘Halloween Horror’ themed fancy dress
Tickets are £65 with tables of 10 at £600, available online: www sussexbeacon org uk/halloween or call 01273 645691
SUPPORTERS RAISE £2,551.26 FOR SUS SEX BEACON
) On the weekend of September 1415, four Sussex Beacon suppor ters, jumped from a plane at Netheravon airfield, home of the Army Parachute Association to raise money for the Sussex Beacon
Oisin McKeown, the operations manager at the Sussex Beacon, and Bill Puddicombe, the Beacon’s CEO were joined by service user James Preston
for a tandem sky dive on Saturday September 14 while Sasha HallJones made a solo jump on Sunday, September 15 Together they raised £2,551.26 for the Sussex Beacon Service user James Preston said: "Wow, as a service user I got to sky dive with the top dogs at the Beacon I feel really privileged as at the time I did not realise who they were ”
BUSINESSES RAISE OVER £8,100 FOR THE BRIGHTON RAINBOW FUND
) The Brighton R ainbow Fund make grants to LGBT+groups that deliver effective frontline services to LGBT+ people in Brighton & Hove
) Legends raised £4,004,74 for The Brighton R ainbow Fund at their annual all day Sunday cabaret fundraiser on Sunday, August 4 Total includes a personel donation from Tony Chapman
) O/S Barbers in George Street and Castle Square raised a spectacular £1,365 50 at their Haircut Fundraising Day on Friday, August 2 Owners Joe Steven and George Oakley donated all their day’s takings to The Brighton R ainbow Fund
) The All New Bulldog raised £255.93 in their buckets for The Brighton R ainbow Fund over Pride weekend
) The R ottingdean Club raised £1,308,09 for The Brighton R ainbow Fund at their post Pride garden par ty
) Bear-Patrol raised £400 at the annual Pride Quiz at the Camelford Arms on Thursday, August 1, a fur ther £386 29 when they raffled the Basket of Gins at the Bedford Tavern, and £381 66 from bucket collection over Pride weekend
) Winner of Bear-Patrol GIN Raffle, Terry Ayres from Sussex Heart Charity with The Brighton R ainbow Fund fundraising co-ordinator Danny Dwyer
THE MARTIN FISHER FOUNDATION BUS WILL CHALLENGE HIV STIGMA
Alan Spink, HIV+ for 16 years, still happy, still healthy, explains why having Martin Fisher, one of the world ’s most significant authorities on HIV, acknowledged on the side of a Brighton & Hove bus is of particular importance to him.
) I’m exhausted from telling people over the past 16 years that I’m not a monster, I’m not a dirty riddled pervert, and I’m not a danger to them or anyone else. I’m just a normal gay man that acquired a virus at the beginning of the century from another gay man whilst we were enjoying doing what gay men do together. And don’t deny you do it too, or you used to. We all do it. And we enjoy it. And don’t make out that because you ’ re negative that you ’ re somehow better than me, because you ’ re not. We’re equal.
The bus will be a truly public message about HIV. For many Brightonians, it will be the first message since the falling tombstones of 1986. It will also be the first HIV campaign they can’t ignore since 1986 Especially if they want to get on the Martin Fisher Foundation bus
The bus seeks to educate and to inform. It will be there day in and day out delivering its message to people at bus stops, people in cars passing alongside it, or driving behind it But, best of all, to people travelling on it It doesn’t matter where you sit, upstairs or down, or if you stand, you can’t avoid the message HIV isn’t scary anymore
HIV may not be curable yet, but it’s very controllable. The medication is so effective that one tablet a day is enough to keep the virus at such a low level in our blood (undetectable) that it’s impossible to pass it on to our partners It’s so effective that people that are positive and ‘undetectable’ can have families in the same way as people who are negative Like it or not, that’s the truth You can argue or
justify your reluctance to accept this, but in the face of proven science, your opinion is nothing more than opinion or prejudice. Not a nice word, but that’s what it is.
If you ask someone if they’re ‘clean’ and then reject them when you don’t like the answer, you are prejudiced. Get on the bus and educate yourself.
But that isn’t the only reason the bus is important to me. We owe the people who have lived with HIV for over 25 years some form of acknowledgement, a kind of apology, some reparation even These people survived the worst of the epidemic, they came through horrific times wondering when it would be their turn to die They trialled toxic drugs that sometimes contributed to premature death They suffered dreadful illnesses many of which they still bear the scars of and they are still here. They suffered the worst of stigma and ostracisation that our society threw at them, and they are still here. But many of them are invisible to you. They have been so hurt by society that they don’t come out.
What about them? What can we do for them? What should we do for them?
Well, this bus contains a few subtle messages for them They trialled the drugs that made them ill. They suffered terrible side effects. All of which was in the course of scientific research which has brought us to where we are now. We have our antiretroviral drugs that give us a ‘normal’ life, a ‘normal’ life expectancy, and the ability to function ‘normally’ and have a family, should we desire. All on only one tablet a day
We need to salute these men and women and we need to say a huge thank you for going through what they went through and for not giving up, and for getting us to where we are today. We need to look after and care for these people, because without them many more people probably would have died, and many more people would be living with HIV
The Martin Fisher Foundation Bus acknowledges their existence and what they went through. We should welcome the bus and let it help bring Brighton & Hove towards a state of Zero HIV Stigma and Zero new cases of HIV
Our message to the good people of Brighton & Hove is simple: Get Tested, Get Treated, Live Well
The Martin Fisher Foundation was founded in 2015 to take forward the work of Professor Martin Fisher by continuing to promote Martin’s ethos of treating people living with HIV with dignity, compassion and respect
The charity will be celebrating the launch of the Professor Martin Fisher Bus on Saturday, October 5 from 1–3pm on Hove seafront by the Peace Statue Everyone is welcome to attend To have the opportunity to be one of the first people to take a ride on the bus, visit the following link to reserve your free ticket: https://mffbus.eventbrite.co.uk
The charity’s vision is to eliminate new HIV cases within a generation by increasing HIV testing, through improving knowledge of HIV, increasing availability PrEP and reducing HIV stigma in Brighton & Hove
while pulling my hair out thinking “why me?”
At this point I was still on anti-depressants and decided to change doctors In 2017, once I’d spoken with my new doctor about what I was going through, I got an appointment with a physiatrist who told me I was suffering from Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder! I was over the moon because for the first time I had a diagnosis, and knew it just wasn’t depression and anxiety that I was suffering from.
I tried different anti-psychotic medications to find the right one for me, Quetiapine, which I still take But, once again, like my 15-year-old self, I was left to get on with it. I felt I wouldn't get help anywhere. The Assessment & Treatment Service at the Hove Poly Clinic told me I wasn’t ready for their services and kept putting a stop on me seeing the physiatrist. I was stuck, and still didn’t know how to control it.
EMOTIONAL UNSTABLE PERSONALITY DISORDER & ME
Dean Pender on his on-going battle with mental health issues and Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder.
) As I tell you my story, I want you to know that incidents happening in my life didn’t bring on my mental illness, it was already there, but it definitely contributed to it. Growing up I was always different to other children - I was always very down, emotional and would cry and worry about almost anything. My upbringing was great, but my school years weren’t so good. I was bullied all throughout my years at school for being feminine/gay The name calling and physical bullying affected me so much I would hide away, stay off school and not socialise
At the age of 15 I went to see the doctor as I couldn’t understand why I was always crying and very distressed The doctor prescribed me Prozac and basically left me get on with it Mental health wasn’t something you spoke about back then and was rarely investigated
I always wanted to be an actor and went to a performing arts college Up on stage in front of people, I was full of confidence, but behind closed doors I lived a lonely life and always had that dark cloud hovering over me I lost that confidence and my dreams were crushed as I couldn’t be around people anymore anymore. Like everyone, life had its ups and many downs.
In my own head I was always thinking way too much (and still do) - scared of life and anything happening to me or my family. I’d go to sleep every night and pray that we were all kept safe. Even now, I still do it if I feel really uptight.
As time went by my mental health deteriorated I started to think people were laughing or talking about me. I told my doctor but his attitude was the same, “Here’s more medication, off you go. ” Basically just get on with it.
2011 was the worst year of my life. I walked around in a daze, constantly scared. It got so
bad that in my head the only way out for me was to end my life! I tried, didn’t succeed and was placed in a hostel with people from all walks of life - people suffering with mental health issues, drug and alcohol abuse.
Often I’d meet up with my key worker and talk about things, but I always felt embarrassed about what I was going through so I’d brush it off, but then torment myself in my head.
On July 8, I found my best friend of 20 years dead, my heart just broke. I’d never seen a dead body before, but I couldn’t leave her side until the undertakers came, which took hours. During this period I also suffered from domestic violence and for my safety the police and council told me that the best thing to do was move out of the area So I moved to Brighton
My thinking pattern changed and my depression just didn’t feel like depression. Family and friends noticed a change in me and my mum told me that some days I would just look straight through her I felt empty and lifeless, hated life and just wanted a way out
I started having manic episodes and some days felt like I’d won the lottery These episodes could last anything from an hour to all day If I woke up at 4/5 in the morning I’d bounce out of bed, be very energetic, speak fast and love going for long walks I even felt like I could run the marathon! I sent messages to people about ideas I had Then BANG! The come down kicked in I’d feel lifeless, broken and find myself rocking
Time went by, I was in and out of hospital following multiple suicide attempts and didn’t know what to do - I still felt fearful of people and life and wouldn’t go out. I was placed in every hostel in Brighton & Hove My life was constantly moving and I was surrounded by people who took advantage of me to get their drugs or alcohol I had sleepless nights and the fear got so bad I’d barricade myself in my room and very rarely left it
This year the council housed me in temporary accommodation and now in permanent (thanks to the help of the Rainbow Hub and MindOut) I felt I could start a new life but was still struggling with my EUPD, depression and anxiety Having found MindOut I was allocated an advocate and following so many suicide attempts I joined a group session there for people dealing with suicidal thoughts. In one way this was helpful, but then I’d come away after listening to everyone ’ s problems and take them home with me, which made me feel worse. I had no choice and reluctantly left the group.
Today, I’m now under the physiatrist again as an emergency patient. He actually listens to me and understands what I need to learn about my health issues. He has put my name down for a 20-week course at the hospital to understand my thought process and how to live with EUPD, depression and anxiety.
I know my life will always have a dark cloud hovering over it but I’m going to try and make the sun shine through. I want to make new friends, socialise more with people, and get involved in local events to make a change as the course that I’m being put forward for has given me that bit of hope that I’ll be able to deal with the way it all affects me
If you ’ re reading this story, and relate to my story, please don’t ignore it like I did or accept being given loads of medication and told to get on with it Push and push for help
Peace and love
“I know my life will always have a dark cloud hovering over it but I’m going to tr y and make the sun shine through”
MINDOUT
20 years of providing mental health support by Lucy Kamper
) Twenty years is a long time. It’s the lifespan of a porcupine and 7,300 days to be more precise. This is how long MindOut have been providing much needed mental health support for LGBTQ people in Brighton & Hove and beyond. MindOut was born out of a great need for an LGBTQ specific mental health service. We started life as a tiny group of people with a huge vision, running services within Mind in Brighton & Hove When we launched in 1999, the same year that the Admiral Duncan in Soho was bombed, we had one part-time very busy advocate We saw 38 clients that year Fast forward to 2019 and we now offer a wide range of services, all created in response to the needs of our service users, and we saw over 1,700 clients last year.
Fun fact: our youngest member of staff was just four years old when we started out! It’s been a busy 20 years for her and for LGBTQ rights Not long after we opened our doors, the UK Government lifted the ban on lesbians, gay men and bi people serving in the Armed Forces. And post millennium, the age of consent was lowered to 16, making it the same as for straight people.
According to Stonewall there have been 25 major changes to LGBTQ legislation across the UK in the last two decades.
In 2019 our Prides are bigger and more colourful than ever, and many straight people don’t bat an eyelid to our outness and queerness. But there are many who are still hurting us, physically and mentally, at home, online, and in the streets. We remain far more likely to experience mental health issues and suicidal distress than the general population.
Of course it’s different in the UK compared to so many other countries, but many of us still fear the consequences of public displays of affection. Thankfully there’s been no capital punishment here since the 1960s but 72 UN member states still criminalise same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults and the death penalty can be applied in eight of them
Our Online Support service talks to LGBTQ people from all over the world via instant messages, with a large number from India, Kenya and Thailand We work with LGBTQ migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, offering mental health
REL ATIONSHIPS & MENTAL WELLBEING
Relationship troubles are one of the top three issues people bring to MindOut, there’s no doubt our close relationships have a huge impact on how we are, how we feel and how we experience the world. By Darren Flint, MindOut Counselling Ser vice.
) When we talk about intimacy we often think of romantic, sexual relationships: lovers, partners, spouses etc Other kinds of relationships, like family, friends, or professional relationships, can be very important in our lives as well. Some might be relatively superficial but others can run as deep as any romance: think of a lifelong friendship, or parent child relationships.
Any kind of intense relationship is likely to have an effect on our mental health Whether it’s caring and supportive or a relationship that’s dramatic and adversarial, the potential for knock-on effects on our mental health is huge. Often too there can be power issues in our relationships which can be problematic. Have you ever smiled with joy or shuddered
support as well as to help with their immigration status One of our clients from the Gambia has recently been granted leave to remain and told us “I had to leave Gambia because I feared for my life because I identify as a lesbian MindOut are very important to me and help me so much ”
Research last year revealed the shocking impact of widespread transphobia in the UK today and the impact this has on the mental health of trans, non-binary and gender-queer people Pride Brighton & Hove’s #WeStandTogether campaign banners highlighted that ‘Homophobic hate crimes have doubled since 2014’ and ‘1 in 3 BAME LGBT+ people have experienced a hate crime in the last 12 months’.
More than ever, we still need LGBTQ specific mental health services We are still not as safe as we should be heading towards 2020 and many suffer a wide array of mental health issues from minority stress to suicidal distress. We are proud to offer the following services. Please do get in touch if you need support: advice and information, peer support groups and peer mentoring, counselling, online support, advocacy.
For more info please see: www.mindout.org.uk
with dread before meeting with a certain person in your life? The impact others have on us can build up over time, potentially adding to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression Imagine the impact of a bullying colleague at work, for example, or of an abusive partner
Conversely, our current mental health can have its own impact on new and existing relationships An example of this is somebody with agoraphobia (a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help wouldn't be available if things go wrong) whose condition means that they find it very hard to leave the house to socialise even when they are feeling lonely. All kinds of social anxiety can be a real barrier to building the relationships we seek.
Another example is of a couple where one partner experiences suicidal distress, and the other struggles with stress and feeling responsible for keeping the other person safe Here both partners may feel that their own mental health impacts the other. There are countless ways our own mental health can impact on our relationships with others, and this can sometimes be a source of distress in itself.
For many of us how we feel about ourselves, our self-esteem, has a two way effect on our relationships. The more we feel comfortable, the kinder we are to ourselves, and the more settled we are, the more satisfying our relationships are likely to be
Loneliness and isolation are serious problems in our LGBTQ communities. Many of us lack the support of partners, family or a close circle of friends, and there are many reasons why some of us can’t (or don’t want to) access commercial venues and find it hard to join community groups
Here at MindOut we offer a range of services that support people to develop positive relationships, and/or address the mental health impact of existing relationships
• Our Peer Mentoring Project matches trained volunteers with LGBTQ service users who are seeking support to socialise or access services in the community – often with positive mental health results for both service users and volunteers
• Our Peer Support Groups offer spaces to meet and connect with other people with similar life experiences, giving a sense of belonging and of community
• MindOut’s Counselling Service is an ideal place to explore the two-way link between relationships and mental health In fact, the working relationship built between the client and their therapist can often be an important part of the counselling itself If we often repeat familiar patterns in our relationships, including ones which leave us feeling bad, counselling can help us to notice these patterns and support us to try something different.
MindOut is currently running a pilot LGBTQ Relationship Counselling Service. Our LGBTQ relationship trained counsellor can support you with difficulties in your relationship, be those related to mental health, conflict, change, communication, infidelity or other relationship difficulties. This is a low-cost, affordable service offering up to 12 sessions
If you would like to know more, or if you would like to talk to a worker about relationship issues or any other mental health issues, please do contact us Our services are confidential, non-judgemental and independent
Call: 01273 234 839
Email: info@mindout.org.uk
Visit: www.mindout.org.uk
DATING APPS AND MENTAL HEALTH
Lots of people talk to us about how they use dating and networking apps as part of how they manage their mental health, the positives and negatives. We would love to hear from you if you would like to share your experiences
) We have been promoting our online service on Grindr, with many people contacting us as a result Here’s a summary of what people have had to say:
loneliness
• Someone to talk to when there is no one else.
• Great way to meet people when moving to a new place
• Can be a helpful distraction from difficult feelings
• Can make you feel part of a community, that there’s other people like you out there “I don’t go out, social anxiety It’s a great way to feel connected, less lonely ”
• But it can make you feel even more isolated, it’s remote, the connection is not ‘real’.
• Positive interactions improve self-esteem and confidence – a stronger sense of selfworth. Negative interactions can really hurt and leave you full of self-doubt and depressed
identity
• On the positive side it can be very empowering to help people come into their own identity, to realise things about themselves and build confidence, but some find they lose their sense of self, for example through pretending to be someone else.
• Seeing other people living their perceived best lives can make others feel inadequate and like they need to pretend
• Anonymity can be liberating, you can be whoever you want to be
relationships
• People find they can form different sort of relationships: friendships, dates, friends with benefits, allies, and it can be excellent for networking. “Grindr probably saved my life, it gave me a human connection, it helped me stay safe.”
risks
Any online contact carries risks and people talk about taking care not to make themselves unsafe, especially meeting up with strangers, and making themselves vulnerable. Some people can feel very rejected by:
• Blocks, swiping left, rudeness.
• Bodyshaming, racism, transphobia, ageism, racism, HIV shaming.
• Stupid things written in pronoun boxes
“I say that I am trans on my profile; this can attract a lot of love, but it can also attract a lot of hate ”
• Different rules of communication, where somebody may be far less polite when talking behind a keyboard.
Using apps can become a habit, even addictive It can be compulsive to constantly check your profile. “I realised I was spending two hours, at least, every evening… most of it a waste of time... it filled the emptiness.”
Other people speak about how it warped their perception of social interactions in the ‘real’ world, “everything started to feel like a video game. ”
Some people reach out on the apps for emotional and mental health support and ask for support This can be helpful, but some say it can also be soul destroying Not all experiences are positive, many have spoken to us about feeling very suicidal following negative interactions with other users. “Once a random guy messaged me saying I was old and ugly. He didn’t know me, we hadn’t been talking, he just decided to tell me that.”
Balance is a crucial piece of advice:
• As with any substance, dating apps can be really positive in moderation.
• Personal boundaries are vital.
• Staying safe, don’t put yourself in potentially risky situations
• Be kind, even when the connection is wireless
If you sometimes find using dating apps badly affects your mental health, please do get in touch If you would like to talk about any other ways in which you manage your mental health, please do contact us to talk in confidence
See www.mindout.org.uk for online opening times
TRANS MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY
by Rowan Davies, MindOut Trans Advocacy Worker
Moving through the trans health system in the UK can seem like walking into a dark, long tunnel that keeps on getting longer the further you trek It can be isolating, slow, disappointing, violent, and the waiting times are so very long I meet with trans and nonbinary people every day who, like myself, have experienced poor mental health whilst engaging with the gender clinic system, despite the absolute necessity of the services they provide.
This is unsurprising; the UK Trans Mental Health Study 2012 found that over half of trans and non-binary people attending gender clinics were worried about their mental health during their transition and felt that they couldn’t talk about this to the clinics (http://shura.shu.ac.uk/8957/1/Ellis Trans p eople%27s experiences of mental health pdf ) The same survey showed that trans people report being misgendered, forced into categories they don’t identify with, and forced to undergo invasive physical examinations
This situation has probably worsened since that survey as there has been a 250% increase
in referrals in the last five years Waiting times have skyrocketed, with around a three year wait for hormones becoming standard
We’ve also seen a rise in hate crimes against trans and non-binary people, of about 80% (www bbc co uk/news/uk-48756370) and a resurgence of hostile media and political organising against our lives
This has massive mental health implications I know this because I lived through it Going through the gender clinic system in the UK distorted my sense of time, made me put my life on hold for years and forced me to withhold my own mental health issues from doctors.
The gender clinic system can make you feel really lonely, but what I’d love any trans and non-binary people reading this to know is, firstly, you ’ re not alone. Whether through MindOut, through another organisation, or in your own communities, there are people that will help you through the process, and will stand by you when things get tough. This might be helping you understand your
LIVING WITH DEPRESSION
Depression is one of the most common mental health issues Many of us will recognise our experiences in Benjamin Robinson’s stor y
Looking back, I now know I've lived with depression for 30 years But for most of my life I just thought I was useless and pathetic Other people around me seemed to be able to cope with life, but somehow I always found it a struggle I had friends, and a supportive loving family, I had a good job and my own place to live. To the outside world I appeared happy and well. A success story. I really didn’t think I was ‘depressed’, I wasn’t one of ‘them’. Inside I felt empty and worthless. My life was a repeating pattern of very low times lasting about a week, and better (but still difficult) times lasting about a month. Even in the good times I felt different from everyone else, as if I had a dirty secret. I chose to live on my own so no-one would know how horrible I truly was inside I found social activities exhausting and would often decline invitations, or just not turn up
In the bad times I isolated myself from friends and spent all my time on my own. My sleep pattern was terrible Every night I’d be awake into the early hours and every day I was
exhausted and irritable I had little pleasure in life and numbed the pain I felt with junk food and television Some days I simply couldn’t get out of bed or dressed I’d agonise over phoning in sick to work – after all there was nothing wrong with me I’d invent illnesses, I was too ashamed to say it was my mental health.
The bad periods lengthened, the good times got less and less Eventually I became so worried by my awful thoughts and paranoia, that I finally went to my GP. Terrified and ashamed, I told him, as best as I could, how I was feeling. He looked at me and coolly said “You don’t look depressed to me ” . And that was it, end of consultation! I broke down. I felt totally lost and out of control. I simply couldn’t stop crying.
In the end I talked to my family. They were amazing, they caught me and helped me take steps back to feeling more stable. But it took me five years to finally go back to a doctor, get diagnosed and get help Years later I still have to manage my mental health carefully
rights, going with you to speak to your GP, working through all your options for accessing the healthcare you deserve, helping you write letters of complaint
The second thing I’d like people to know is that despite all of the difficult, horrible experiences that I’ve had at gender clinics, transitioning was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life Living with less of a spectre of dysphoria hanging over my shoulder has bettered my mental health in more ways than I can count. This is supported by the medical evidence – a survey of trans youth that are supported in their transition found no higher rate of anxiety and depression than cis youth
(https://pediatrics aappublications org/content/ pediatrics/137/3/e20153223 full pdf), and the rate of regret around transitioning is exceedingly low, around 0 3%
(https://pediatrics aappublications org/content/ pediatrics/137/3/e20153223 full pdf)
I am so proud to be a trans woman, and I couldn’t have got through the difficulties that come with that without the love and support of my community
If you need support with these or any other issues related to trans and non-binary mental health, please get in touch Our services are independent, non-judgemental and confidential
Email: info@mindout.org.uk
Call: 01273 234 839
Visit: www.mindout.org.uk for our online support service
I’ve been on a number of medications, had counselling and therapy. The good times last longer and the bad times are not as grim. But I still live with that shadow.
If only I’d known about MindOut, I could have got some support. With Mental Health Advocacy maybe I could have challenged that first doctor and got better help sooner. I could have contacted the Online Service and found someone to talk to, and maybe wasted less time feeling like I was alone and unworthy of help I could have joined a group like Work It Out, or I could have asked for counselling
recognising the signs of depression
We can all feel sad, low, worried sometimes, but how do we know that we are depressed? It can be different for everyone, but the severity and continuous experience of symptoms is important Symptoms include psychological, physical and social, such as:
• Continuous low mood or sadness or continually tearful
• Feeling hopeless or helpless or worthless
• Feeling guilt-ridden.
• Having little or no motivation or interest in things, or less than you used to.
• Finding it difficult to make decisions.
• Not getting any enjoyment or pleasure out of life.
• Feeling anxious or worried, more than usual.
HELPING A SUICIDAL FRIEND
Have you ever worried about a friend and not known what to do? By Phil Brooke
Have you ever worried about a friend and not known what to do? You get the impression they really aren’t OK, you want to help, but it’s not clear how to go about it?
That was the case with Tom, whose best friend Chris didn’t seem to be himself in the past few months. Chris didn’t seem to want to meet up much and he wasn’t getting back to Tom’s messages. Tom wasn’t sure if he’d upset Chris. When Tom broached the subject, Chris said it wasn’t anything he’d done at all, but that he was feeling very tired Ongoing tiredness can be a sign of low mood or depression
Often, friends find it difficult to talk about how they are feeling: they might worry about burdening other people with their troubles, or they won’t be seen as fun or good company, or they won’t be understood Chris thought all of the above He was struggling with feeling very low, and was even questioning what the point of living was
Chris had grown up in a family that didn’t talk about feelings, where you had to pull your socks up and get on with it Also, in Chris’s family, there was a strong message that boys don’t cry This meant that Chris always avoided talking about the more vulnerable side of
• Having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself.
• Lack of energy.
• Changes in appetite or weight.
• Unexplained aches and pains.
• Low sex drive.
• Changes to your menstrual cycle
• Disturbed sleep – finding it difficult to fall asleep or waking up very early
• Avoiding contact with friends, going out less than usual
• Neglecting hobbies and interests
• Difficulties in your home and family life
People may experience symptoms of depression all their lives, like Benjamin, or in response to traumatic experiences, loss of family and friends, loss of job or home, physical health problems, chronic and or painful illnesses, poverty, discrimination, minority stress, bullying, harassment, life changes etc.
If you would like to talk to someone in confidence about depression or any other mental health experiences. please do contact MindOut. All our services are independent, non-judgemental and confidential.
Email: info@mindout.org.uk
Call: 01273 234 839
Visit: www.mindout.org.uk for our online support service.
himself, for fear of looking ‘weak’ and feeling ashamed about this Unfortunately this made him feel cut off from other people and the world Feeling isolated and numb, he’d been starting to question the benefits of living versus dying in quite a logical way
One day it all came out After a night out drinking, Chris told Tom “I can’t wait until I die,” as they were walking back home, talking about life “I mean, this is hell, isn’t it, this world we ’ re living in?”
Tom felt a bit unsettled He knew this was an important moment, he wanted to help, but he also felt a bit shocked and anxious He wanted to say the opposite to Chris, wanting to cheer him up. He felt hesitant about how to respond. Tom was a good friend but he also felt a little bit uncomfortable with other people getting emotional, and crying – he’d never really known what to do.
Tom had seen a programme on TV about men and suicide; he’d remembered that people sometimes give hints about how they’re feeling and it can be helpful to pick up on these, and check them out with the other person.
“Are you OK mate?” Tom said, holding Chris’s arm so he had to look him the eye. Tom could see Chris wasn’t okay at all, but all the despair and sadness in Chris was pushed down. All Chris kept saying was, “I don’t know, I don’t feel anything, I don’t really care anymore about anything ”
People who feel suicidal can feel stuck in an ambiguous mindset, where they are weighing reasons for living versus reasons for dying… Having a method in place, or using drugs and alcohol, can increase suicide risk as it can make someone feel more impulsive and do things they wouldn’t normally do
The TV programme Tom watched suggested it was best to be sober when talking with someone about mental health and suicide, and also it was good for someone to have some options, about different places they could get some help Despite feeling worried, Tom decided it was best to leave it there that night as they were both drunk
Tom made a decision to find information about where Chris could get help if he wanted to So the next day he made a plan to meet Chris, and Chris agreed Tom had heard of MindOut, and he figured they would have information about this stuff.
When they met up Tom forced himself to say the words: “Chris, I care about you, I’m really worried about you, I’d like to help. How would you feel about going to talk to MindOut about how things are for you, I think they can help, they have instant chat where you can talk
anonymously, and they have a support group for men and other groups / types of support? Might be worth getting in touch with them mate ”
Chris took the information Part of him felt relieved there might be a place he could turn to, and there wouldn’t any extra barriers around the whole gay thing as it was an LGBTQ service The idea to get in touch settled into the back of Chris’s mind, like a seed. Seven months later, Chris did make contact. He’s been using the men ’ s support group Out of the Blue ever since.
helping a suicidal friend
If someone you know is feeling suicidal they might need someone they feel safe with to talk to and express their feelings, fears and anxieties with, and to be themselves with
What might someone who is suicidal want?
• Someone to listen Someone who will take time to really listen to them Someone who won’t judge or force advice or opinions, but will give their undivided attention
• Someone to trust Someone who will respect them and won’t try to take charge Someone who will treat everything in complete confidence.
• Someone to care. Someone who will make themselves available, put the person at ease and be calm. Someone who can reassure, accept and believe. Someone who is able to show they care
What might someone who is suicidal not want?
• To be alone. Rejection can make the problem seem 10 times worse. Having someone to turn to makes all the difference.
• To be lectured. Lectures don’t help. Nor does a suggestion to “cheer up ” or an easy assurance that “everything will be okay ” Try not to analyse, categorise or criticise
• To be interrogated Don’t change the subject, don’t pity or patronise Talking about feelings can sometimes be difficult People who get the confidence to speak to you about suicide won’t want to be rushed or put on the defensive
suppor t groups:
MindOut runs two peer support groups called Out of the Blue, for LGBTQ people experiencing suicidal thoughts, either currently or in the past. One is for GBTQ (gay, bisexual, trans and queer), the other one is a mixed LGBTQ group. The groups offer a safe and confidential space each week for group members to meet like-minded people, and give and receive support
To find out more about MindOut’s groups please call 01273 234839 or email info@mindout.org.uk
online suppor t
MindOut runs an out of hours Online Support Service that offers LGBTQ support and info over instant chat. We are open most evenings from 5.30-7.30pm, and on Sundays 2-4pm. For more info please see www.mindout.org.uk
AFFINITY BAR
l 129 St James’s St, BN2 1TH, Tel 01273 567935 www affinitygaybar com
FAffinity Bar Brighton Text Aler ts: text ‘Affinity’ to 88802
l OPEN daily from 12pm–12am
l DRINK PROMOS Thirsty Thursday: £3 50 drinks all day including Fosters, double house gin/vodka/rum and house wine
l HALLOWEEN Thur (31) is the NIGHTMARE ON ST JAMES’S STREET Halloween Par ty with drag queen of drag queens Dave Lynn from 9pm Affinity Bar say: “An Affinity Bar favourite is back! The talent that is Dave Lynn takes to the stage for our Halloween Party with jokes, your favourite numbers and mayhem Don't miss out, and do dress up!”
l REGUL ARS Monday is ALL DAY KARAOKE from 12pm; karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) is then at 7pm l Tuesday: FREE JUKEBOX all day l Wed is KARAOKE with Tommy Tanker aka Pat Clutcher from 7pm l Fri is WIGS & BEADS KARAOKE from 8pm Select a song, pick a wig, choose your accessories and the stage is yours! l Sat CAMP CABARET at 6pm: Miss Jason (5), Pat Clutcher (12 & 19) and Charlie Hide (26); Stick around for KARAOKE with Pat Clutcher on hosting duties from 7pm! l Sun CAMP CABARET with the brightest stars of the cabaret scene at 5pm: Pat Clutcher (6), Mrs Moore (13), Miss Disney (20) and TBA – see Facebook (27) Miss Disney (20) glows with positive energy and gives Disney songs a unique soulful kick! She is all about bringing your inner child to the surface with Disney hits from Pinocchio to Moana - you name it she's got it!
Information is correct at the time of going to press Gscene cannot be held responsible for any changes or alterations to the listings
TUESDAY 1
l AFFINITY BAR Free Jukebox 12pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve Tuesday: Macarena & Sam Pink bring camp, karaoke & queens 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Crewsday 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Piano SingAlong with Michele on piano 9pm
l MARINE TAVERN Curry & Quiz with Nat 7 30pm
l PARIS HOUSE live blues: Smokestack 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Autumnal
Lasagne with Lola Lasagne 9.30pm
l RAILWAY CLUB Lindy hop 7pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live football: Spurs v Bayern Munich & Man City v Dinamo Zagreb 8pm
l LE VILL AGE Switch Craft with Kryan Shayne 8pm
WEDNESDAY 2
l AFFINITY BAR Karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Green Light Cruise Night 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Midweek Chill 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Paul Richards’ Jazz Jam pres Jazz & Judy 8.30pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS
AMSTERDAM BAR & KITCHEN
l 11-12 Marine Parade, BN2 1TL, Tel: 01273 670976, www amsterdambrighton com
l OPEN daily from 11am–late
l FOOD Mon–Fri 11am–8pm; Sat 10 30am–8pm; Sunday roasts (incl veggie/vegan options) from 12 30pm till they run out, booking recommended: 01273 670 976 Full tea and coffee menu available
l DRINK PROMOS House wine £10 90 a bottle, two cocktails £15
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Sun (20) is Davina Sparkle’s CABARET BIRTHDAY PARTY for the Wishing Well Foundation, a charity for people with terminal illnesses, from 5pm Expect a stellar line-up on stage, including: Miss Tiss Ewe, Laura Nixon, Ivor Potter (Suspiciously Elvis), Jennie Castell, Miss Disney, Dave Lynn, Billie Gold, Dora R oyale, Wilma Ballsdrop, Marsha Mallow, David Anthony, Fonda Cox, Alfie Ordinar y and Hear t & Soul And new drag queen Alana Cardewlia joining Davina on stage for a special performance, plus a raffle and a buffet! Entry is free but donations encouraged
l REGUL ARS CABARET FRIDAYS at 9.30pm: Spice (4), Stephanie Von Clitz (11), Miss Jason (18) and Sally Vate (25) Sat KARAOKE with guest hosts at 9.30pm l Sun enter tainment from Brighton’s best singers serenading you after lunch from 5pm: Chase Adams (6), Jamie Watson (13) and Wain Douglas aka Kara Van Park (27)
Now That’s What I Call Legends: DJ
Claire Fuller 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Student Sessions 8pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Drag With No
Name‘s Snakes & Kn@ckers 8.30pm
l MARINE TAVERN Pink Pound 7pm
l PARIS HOUSE live music: Chris
Coull on trumpet 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Sally Vate’s Hump Day Show 10pm
l SUBLINE Joystick Jockeys gaymers night 8pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live
football: Liverpool v Red Bull Salzburg
& Lille v Chelsea 8pm
l LE VILL AGE Dave Lynn show 10pm
THURSDAY 3
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve Thursday: camp karaoke & queens with Macarena & Sam Pink 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Drag Race UK
Viewing Par ty 8pm
l BAR BROADWAY Ross’ Gift Emporium Quiz: Ross Cameron & prizes 8pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS £300 Big Cash Quiz 9pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Throwback Thursday 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR Abel Mabel’s Bingo 8 30pm
l MARINE TAVERN Throwback Thursday 80s Night 8pm
l PARIS HOUSE World Music: Tres Amigos 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Leading Ladies cabaret: Davina Sparkle 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN Open mic & karaoke with Chris Hide 8.30pm
l SUBLINE Brace Yourself 9pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live football: Arsenal v Standard Liege 8pm
BAR BROADWAY
l 10 Steine Street, BN2 1TE, Tel: 01273 609777, www barbroadway co uk
l OPEN Mon–Thur 6pm–1am, Fri 5pm–3am, Sat 4pm–3am, Sun 3pm–1am
l DRINK PROMOS Wed bottle of Prosecco £15
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Do you have what it takes to light up the Bar Broadway stage? THE VOICE OF BROADWAY 2019 aunches on Mon (7) then every 2 weeks till mid-December, with host George Mar tin Marino; £300 cash prize for the winner, £150 for runner up, and £50 for 3rd place Send your details to info@barbroadway.co.uk to sign up and show Bar Broadway your talent!
l HALLOWEEN Sat (26) is the Sea Serpents’ HALLOWEEN FUNDRAISER
l Thur (31) is GHASTLY HALLOWEEN QUIZ from 8pm with host R oss Cameron, prizes every round and £1 entry, which is added to the cash jackpot!
l REGUL ARS Sun: ALL THAT JAZZ: 3 musicians & vocalist perform jazz with a theatrical twist 4pm; FIREPLACE SESSIONS present top acts at 8.30pm: TBA (6), Jennie Castell (13), Jennie Dale & Jason Thorpe (20) and Chris Hide (27) l Mon (14 & 28) is OPEN THE BOX with host Charmaine Davies from 8.30pm Buy a numbered ticket, if it’s chosen you get a chance to open a box containing a prize, from drinks to the cash collected via ticket money Cash rolls over to next Open the Box if not won! l Tue is PIANO SING-ALONG with Michele at 9pm l Wed is Paul Richards’ JAZZ JAM shakin' session for musicians and jazz lovers from 8 30pm Bar Broadway say: “Kick back and enjoy some of Brighton’s finest talent, or grab your instrument and join in!” Wed (2) Paul Richards presents JAZZ & JUDY at 8 30pm to mark the 50th anniversary of Judy Garlands’ death l Thur is the new GIF T EMPORIUM QUIZ at 8pm with host R oss Cameron, prizes every round, £1 entry is added to the cash jackpot! l Fri & Sat: PARTY JUKEBOX with anthems from 80s/90s on Fri and 90/00s on Sat
l LE VILL AGE Open mic & karaoke with George Mar tin Marino 8 30pm
FRIDAY 4
l AFFINITY BAR Wigs & Beads Karaoke 8pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Friday Night
Live: camp karaoke with DJ Glyn-Sing 9pm; ShowTime with Domina Tryx 11pm
l AMSTERDAM cabaret: Spice
9.30pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY TGIF Madness: resident/guest DJs 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Par ty Jukebox: 80s/90s musical anthems 5pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS
Night Shift: DJ David Noakes 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Friday Old School
Sessions with DJ Cee 8pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS Friday Club 6pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Fabulous Friday: DJ Morgan Fabulous 9pm
BAR 7 CRAWLEY
l 7 Pegler Way, Crawley, RH11 7AG, Tel: 01293 511177, www 7crawley co uk
l OPEN daily from 6pm
l DRINK PROMOS Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun all night
l HALLOWEEN Tue (29): scream if you wanna go faster at CREWSDAY: ZOMBIES ON A PLANE from 6pm Bar 7 say: “It wouldn't be Halloween without a Crewsday Fancy Dress Special! A genetically engineered virus has broken out aboard a 747! Be warned, this is going to be a flight you will never forget ”
l REGUL ARS Fri is TGIF MADNESS with resident/guest DJs l Sat PARTY
TIME with alternate DJs at 9pm: Kirsty Anderson, Michael Adams, Jazzy
Jane, Charlie Eaton and Patrick Cawley SUNDAY SOCIAL KARAOKE with hosts from 6pm l Tue is CREWSDAY from 7pm l Wed is MIDWEEK CHILL from 7.30pm l Thur is DRAG RACE UK VIEWING PARTY at 8pm
l GROSVENOR BAR cabaret: Jennie Castell 9.30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Brighton Belles: local cabaret stars & guests 9pm
l MARINE TAVERN Jukebox Disco 9pm
l PARIS HOUSE DJ Havoxx 9pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Big Friday Cabaret: Miss Jason 10pm
l SUBLINE Full Fetish Friday 10pm
l LE VILL AGE Fabulous Fridays with
Billie Gold 10pm
l ZONE cabaret: Davina Sparkle 10pm
SATURDAY 5
l AFFINITY BAR Camp Cabaret: Miss Jason 6pm; Pat Clutcher’s karaoke 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Wonda Starr’s Qween of the Night: camp karaoke with prizes 9pm
BOUTIQUE
l 2 Boyces St, West St, BN11AN, 01273 327607 www boutiqueclubbrighton com
l OPEN 8pm–late Wed & Fri, 9pm– late Thur (31), 6pm–late Sat
l DRINK PROMOS 2 cocktails for £10 & bottle of Moet £50 on Sat, £5 drinks menu on Wed
l HALLOWEEN Tue (29) SWAG HALLOWEEN SPECIAL under 18s event from 7pm, fancy dress encouraged l Wed (30) is HALLOWEEN HAUNTED HOUSE student night with zombie cage dancers and 3 spooky shots for £5 l Thur (31): Dress to distress for HALLOWEEN ZOMBIE NATION with creepy goings on and DJ Cee from 9pm Boutique say: “It’s the biggest night of the year! Expect ghouls, zombies, vampires, witches and more at our haunted club!”
l REGUL ARS Wed is STUDENT SESSIONS tunes and vibes 8pm l Fri OLD SCHOOL SESSIONS with DJ Cee bringing the house down from 8pm, free entry when quoting Gscene on the door b4 midnight (4) l SATURDAY NIGHT
FEVER with DJs polishing the decks with new beats from 6pm: King Sol (5), surprise guest (12) and two surprise guests (19 & 26)
l AMSTERDAM Karaoke 9.30pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Par ty Night: alternate DJs: Kirsty Anderson, Jazzy
Jane, Charlie Eaton, Patrick Cawley & Michael Adams 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Par ty Jukebox:
90s/00s musical anthems 4pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS
Fusion: DJ Peter Castle 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Saturday Night Fever: DJ King Sol & shot drops 6pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Fierce DJs 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR cabaret: Miss
Jason 9.30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Pre-club DJ 7pm
l MARINE TAVERN Candi Rell’s
Karaoke & Cabaret Par ty 8 30pm
l PARIS HOUSE All That Jazz: Lawrence Jones 4pm; Andy the Dandy DJ 9pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS Pre home match warm-up: pie & pint deal: Brighton v Spurs 10am; live football: West Ham v Crystal Palace 5 30pm
l LE VILL AGE Scandalous: LGBT+ night: DJ/host Stephanie Starlet 9pm
l ZONE cabaret: Sally Vate 10pm
SUNDAY 6
l AFFINITY BAR cabaret: Pat Clutcher 5pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Sunday Funday 12pm; karaoke with Mandy 5pm
l AMSTERDAM cabaret: Chase Adams 5pm; roasts 12pm-till gone
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY karaoke with host Tyler or Ben 6pm
l BAR BROADWAY All that Jazz: live music 4pm; Fireplace Sessions pres: TBA 8 30pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Pop!Candy: DJ Claire Fuller 9pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS Bear Bash: free food/raffle 5pm; roasts/select menu 12pm–till gone
ALL NEW BULLDOG
l 31 St James’s Street, Brighton, BN2 1RF, tel 01273 696996, #BulldogBTN
l OPEN Mon 4pm-midnight, Tue–Thur 3pm–midnight, Fri & Sat midday–3am, Sun midday–midnight l DRINK PROMOS Mon–Fri 4–7pm, Sun 12–4pm; Wed Green Light promos
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Tue & Thur #TRANSVOLVE bringing camp, karaoke and queens with the fabulous Sam Pink and new queen on the scene Macarena from 8pm Macarena says: “I’m just your average megalomaniac, manic depressive, passive aggressive ex Sailor Scout Razzie A ward nominated Spanish drag queen!”
l REGUL ARS CAMP KARAOKE 5 nights a week! l Wed is GREEN LIGHT CRUISE NIGHT from 8pm When the lights go green and specified ar tist plays on the screens selected drinks drop! l FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE with camp karaoke and par ty faves from DJ Glynn-Sing at 9pm; then SHOWTIME with Domina Tr yx at 11pm Domina Tryx, nor thern diva from the Steel City, says: “Hi my darlings, be good to see you all so come and join us for a session of karaoke, some music, and a spot from me too! Enjoy my darlings, it’s definitely not a rehearsal ” l Sat is Wonda Starr ’s QUEEN OF THE NIGHT with outrageous karaoke, fab prizes and your fave par ty tunes/floor fillers 9pm All New Bulldog say: “ Wonda Starr returns for a fun filled Qween of the Night with unbelievable prizes to be won, top tunes, and the title of Qween of the Night! It's another night of fun, not to be missed in the heart of Gay Brighton!” l All New SUNDAY FUNDAY with camp karaoke from Mandy at 5pm l Mon GLIT TER BALL: classic camp vids from 70s–00s at 8pm
l CHARLES ST TAP cabaret: host Sally Vate & Miss Penny 7.30pm; Sally’s Rock & Roll Bingo 8 30pm; roasts 12pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live football: Southampton v Chelsea 2pm; Newcastle v Man United 4 30pm
l LE VILL AGE Sunday Sabbath: cabaret with Spice 10pm, male stripper & tunes midnight
MONDAY 7
l AFFINITY BAR all day karaoke 12pm; karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Monday
Glitter Ball: 70s-00s camp vids 4pm
l BAR BROADWAY Voice of Broadway 2019 with host George Mar tin Marino 9pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS
Glitter Curious: sing-along par ty with Patrick Cawley & Maria Gardner 11pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Gaymers Night: consoles/board games 8.30pm
CAMELFORD ARMS
l 30-31 Camelford St, BN2 1TQ, Tel: 01273 622386, www camelfordarms com
l OPEN daily from 12pm The Camelford is dog friendly
l FOOD Mon–Sat 12–9pm; seniors’ lunch Wed 2–3 30pm, two courses £9 50; Sunday roasts and select menu served 12pm–till gone
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Thur (31) is the £300 BIG CASH HALLOWEEN QUIZ and Par ty Night at 9pm, dressing up encouraged!
l REGUL ARS Thur is the BIG CASH QUIZ with a £300 cash prize, free sarnies and great atmosphere from 9pm l Kick the weekend off at FRIDAY CLUB from 6pm l Sun is the BEAR BASH with free food and affle at 5pm
l LEGENDS BAR Miss Jason’s Monday Madness 9 30pm
l PARIS HOUSE live jazz: Nils Solberg-Mick Hamer Trio 2pm; Shane Hill on guitar 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Kara Van Park’s Musical Mondays 9pm
TUESDAY 8
l AFFINITY BAR Free Jukebox 12pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve Tuesday: Macarena & Sam Pink bring camp, karaoke & queens 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Crewsday 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Piano Singalong with Michele on piano 9pm
l MARINE TAVERN Curry & Quiz with Nat 7 30pm
l PARIS HOUSE live soul: the Mucky Ducklings 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Autumnal Lasagne with Lola Lasagne 9 30pm
l RAILWAY CLUB Lindy hop 7pm
l LE VILL AGE Switch Craft with Kryan Shayne 8pm
WEDNESDAY 9
l AFFINITY BAR Karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Green Light Cruise Night 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Midweek Chill 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Paul Richards’ Jazz Jam 8 30pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Now That’s What I Call Legends: DJ Claire Fuller 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Student Sessions 8pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Drag With No Name‘s Snakes & Kn@ckers 8.30pm
l MARINE TAVERN Pink Pound 7pm
l PARIS HOUSE live jazz: Sam Carlese 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Sally Vate’s Hump Day Show 10pm
l SUBLINE Hump Day 9pm
l LE VILL AGE Dave Lynn show 10pm
THURSDAY 10
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve Thursday: camp karaoke & queens with Macarena & Sam Pink 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Drag Race UK Viewing Par ty 8pm
l BAR BROADWAY Ross’ Gift Emporium Quiz: host Ross Cameron & prizes 8pm
l BRUNSWICK El Geebee Tea Queue: Paul Diello hosts LGBT+ talent 8pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS £300 Big Cash Quiz 9pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Throwback Thursday 9pm
CHARLES STREET TAP
l 8 Marine Parade, BN2 1TA, Tel: 01273 624091, www charles-street com
l OPEN daily from 10am
l FOOD daily from 10am–10pm, inc: breakfasts from 10am; Tue 4 chicken wings or vegan cauliflower wings £1; homemade Sunday roasts for £9 from 12pm: hand carved roast beef/turkey, roast pork with crackling, nut roast, roast lamb shank £11
l DRINK PROMOS all cocktails £4 95 Mon–Thur 5–8pm, £4 a pint on craft draught beer or cask ale from 5pm on Mon, 50ml Gin of the Month & fever tonic £5 all day on Thur, bottles of Prosecco £15 all night & half price drinks 5–9pm on Fri, Sunday Craft Club: any two craft cans or bottles £6 from 5pm
l ONE FOR THE DIARY It’s back!! Weds are once again Drag With No Name’s SNAKES & KN@CKERS,
a chaotic night like you’ve never seen before with silly games, terrible tasks and madcap missions from 8.30pm! It’s a board game were EVERYONE plays but only one team can win And more than anything it won’t make sense till you play and even then probably not!
l OPEN Tue–Thur from 4pm, Fri & Sat from 3pm, Sun from 2pm Welcoming to everybody, Fallen Angel is a quirky little pub in the hear t of Kemptown Expect a chilled, relaxed and cosy atmosphere, friendly staff and chic, classy décor Fallen Angel is a dog friendly pub
l DRINK PROMOS daily specials, pop in for more info
FRIDAY 11
l AFFINITY BAR Wigs & Beads Karaoke 8pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Friday Night Live: camp karaoke with DJ Glyn-Sing 9pm; ShowTime with Domina Tryx 11pm
l AMSTERDAM cabaret: Stephanie Von Clitz 9 30pm
SATURDAY 12
l AFFINITY BAR cabaret: Pat Clutcher 6pm; Pat Clutcher’s karaoke 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Wonda Starr’s Qween of the Night: camp karaoke with prizes 9pm
l AMSTERDAM Karaoke 9 30pm
l HALLOWEEN EIGHT DAYS OF HALLOWEEN: Sat (26)–Sat (2) Nov Charles Street Tap is going full on for Halloween with 8 days of scary enter tainment Dressing up encouraged, scares guaranteed! l Sat (26) FIERCE FRIGHT NIGHT with Brighton’s best DJs digging up the ditties from 9pm, free l Sun (27) is Mrs Moore’s HALLOWEEN SPECIAL at 7 30pm; then Sally Vate’s ROCK & ROLL BINGO! l Mon (28) Gaymers Night SAW SPECIAL at 8 30pm l Wed (30) is one HELL OF A SNAKES & KN@CKERS - Drag With No Name’s chaotic night of silly games, terrible tasks and madcap missions with a Halloween twist, 8 30pm l HALLOWEEN THROWBACK THURSDAY (31) with terrif ying retro tunes to freak you out at 9pm
l REGUL ARS THROWBACK THURSDAY 00s & 90s guilty pleasures, 9pm
l FABULOUS FRIDAYS: DJ Morgan Fabulous house tunes, 9pm l Sat is FIERCE with award-winning DJs on rotation, 9pm l Sunday CABARET with host Sally Vate at 7.30pm: Miss Penny (6), R ose Garden (13) and Myra Dubois (20) Stick around for Sally Vate’s ROCK & ROLL BINGO straight after! l Mon is GAYMERS NIGHT at 8.30pm
l GROSVENOR BAR Abel Mabel’s Bingo 8.30pm
l MARINE TAVERN Throwback Thursday 80s Night 8pm
l PARIS HOUSE World Music: Babou with Abraham de Vega 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Leading Ladies
cabaret: Vicki Vivacious 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN Open mic & karaoke with Chris Hide 8.30pm
l SUBLINE Brace Yourself 9pm
l LE VILL AGE Open mic & karaoke with George Mar tin Marino 8 30pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY TGIF Madness: resident/guest DJs 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Par ty Jukebox: 80s/90s musical anthems 5pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Night Shift: DJ David Noakes 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Friday Old School Sessions: DJ Cee 8pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS Friday Club 6pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Fabulous Friday: DJ Morgan Fabulous 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR cabaret: Sally Vate 9.30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Brighton Belles: local cabaret stars & guests 9pm
l MARINE TAVERN Linda Gold’s Euro Drag Contest 9pm
l PARIS HOUSE DJ Havoxx 9pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Big Friday Cabaret: Lola Lasagne 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN Caba Regency with George Mar tin Marino 9pm
l SUBLINE Dir ty Tackle: spor tswear night 10pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live
football: Czech Republic v England 7.45pm
l THE VILL AGE Fabulous Fridays with Kara Van Park 10pm
l ZONE cabaret: Miss Jason 10pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Par ty Night: alternate DJs: Kirsty Anderson, Jazzy Jane, Charlie Eaton, Patrick Cawley & Michael Adams 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Par ty Jukebox: 90s/00s musical anthems 4pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Fusion: DJ Peter Castle 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Saturday Night Fever with guest DJ 6pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Fierce DJ 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR cabaret: Dave Lynn 9 30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Pre-club DJ 7pm
l MARINE TAVERN Candi Rell’s Karaoke & Cabaret Par ty 9pm
l PARIS HOUSE All That Jazz: Sarah Oschlag Trio 4pm; Andy the Dandy DJ 9pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS QA Triple cabaret: Poppycock 6pm, Betty Swollocks 8pm, Mar tha D’Ar thur 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN cabaret: Gabriella Parrish 9pm
l SUBLINE The Men’s Room 9pm
l LE VILL AGE Scandalous: LGBT+ night: DJ/host Stephanie Starlet 9pm
l ZONE cabaret: Chris Hide 10pm
SUNDAY 13
l AFFINITY BAR cabaret: Mrs Moore 5pm
G R O S V E N O R B A R
l 16 Western Street, Hove, BN1 2PG, www thegrosvenorbar com
l OPEN daily from 1pm–late, closed for refit Mon (14)–Fri (18)
l DRINK PROMOS Mon–Fri 1–5pm, all pints £3 50
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Friday CABARET at 9 30pm: Jennie Castell (4), Sally Vate (11), Pat Clutcher (18) and Miss Jason (25) Awarding winning Miss Jason (25) has been enter taining crowds for many years bringing camp comedy wit and jovial song to top venues in the UK and Europe With her iconic phrase ‘ Yes Dear’, this is one Miss not to be missed! The Grosvenor say: “She’s cut short her busy schedule and flown in from Kemptown! Yes, it’s the critically acclaimed international star of stage and screen, Miss Jason!”
l REGUL ARS Thursday is Abel Mabel’s BINGO at 8.30pm Saturday is top-flight CABARET at 9.30pm: Miss Jason (5), Dave Lynn (12), Davina Sparkle (19) and Trudi Styles & the Piano Man (26)
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Sunday Funday 12pm; karaoke with Mandy 5pm l AMSTERDAM cabaret: Jamie Watson 5pm; roasts 12pm-till gone
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY karaoke with host Tyler or Ben 6pm
l BAR BROADWAY All that Jazz: live music 4pm; Fireplace Sessions pres: Jennie Castell 8 30pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS
Pop!Candy: DJ Claire Fuller 9pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS Bear Bash: free food/raffle 5pm; roasts/select menu 12pm– till gone
l CHARLES ST TAP cabaret: host Sally Vate & Rose Garden 7 30pm; Sally’s Rock & Roll Bingo 8.30pm; roasts 12pm
l LEGENDS BAR cabaret: Miss Jason 3 30pm; roasts 12 30–4pm
L E G E N D S B A R
l 31-34 Marine Parade, BN2 1TR, T: 01273 624462, www legendsbrighton com
l OPEN daily from 11–5am
l FOOD breakfasts & lunch served Mon–Sat 11am–5pm; breakfasts from 11am on Sunday, then lunch 12.30–4pm: choose from beef, belly pork, chicken supreme or nut roast served with roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, homemade Yorkshire pudding and real stock gravy If you have a sweet tooth, then make sure you leave room for one of the moreish desser ts
l DRINK PROMOS Buy one bottle of wine and get 2nd half price, Mon–Fri 12–11pm
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Sunday CABARET with the brightest stars of the stage at 3.30pm: Dave Lynn (6), Miss Jason (13), Mar y Mac (20) and Davina Sparkle (27) Fried Mars Bar anyone? Join Mar y Mac (20), the Tar tan wrapped Scottish drag ar tist, for a show packed full of hit songs and plenty of banter!
l REGUL ARS Friday is THE BRIGHTON BELLES with legends of the Brighton stage at 9 30pm l Sat: PreClub DJs from 7pm l Edge yourself into a new week at Miss Jason’s MAD MONDAYS from 9 30pm “So it's Monday, which means there is only 1 thing to do come watch the fabulous Brighton belle herself, Miss Jason!”
l MARINE TAVERN roasts 12-5pm; Drag Open Mic: Stephanie Von Clitz 9pm
l PARIS HOUSE live music: Sam Chara, Tim Young & Theseus Gerard 6pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Sunday Funday double cabaret: Miss Penny 6 30pm & 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN roasts 12-6pm
l SUBLINE Guilt-Free tunes 9pm
l LE VILL AGE Sunday Sabbath: cabaret with Lucinda Lashes 10pm, male stripper & tunes midnight
MONDAY 14
l AFFINITY BAR all day karaoke 12pm; karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Monday
Glitter Ball: 70s-00s camp vids 4pm
l BAR BROADWAY Open the Box: Charmaine Davies & prizes 8 30pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Gaymers Night: consoles/board games 8 30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Miss Jason’s Monday Madness 9 30pm
l PARIS HOUSE live jazz: Nils Solberg-Mick Hamer Trio 2pm; Nigel Price on jazz guitar 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Kara Van Park’s Musical Monday 9pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live football: Bulgaria v England 7 45pm
TUESDAY 15
l AFFINITY BAR Free Jukebox 12pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve Tuesday: Macarena & Sam Pink bring camp, karaoke & queens 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Crewsday 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Piano Singalong with Michele on piano 9pm
l MARINE TAVERN Curry & Quiz with Nat 7 30pm
L E G E N D S B A S E M E N T C L U B
l 31-34 Marine Parade, BN2 1TR, T: 01273 624462, www.legendsbrighton.com
l OPEN Mon (7), Wed–Sun, Thur (31) at 11pm Free entr y all night
l DRINK PROMOS drinks from £2 on Mon (7) & Fri, various deals on Wed, Thur (31) & Sun
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Wakey-wakey! Fri is now NIGHT SHIF T with superstar DJ David Noakes keeping you up and moving with the biggest dance tracks David Noakes is a DJ from Brighton whose big beats have been played on Gaydio, Kiss, BBC Introducing, Capital FM and many more! He says: “I’m all about bringing maximum energy and I play the biggest tunes I can get hold of, if I can’t find what I need I make my own remixes for my club sets! I try to keep my music cool but also with vocals as everyone likes to sing along at times and recognise the tunes! I am planning to keep it cool and full of energy! It's great to work at a club where the dance floor is buzzing all the way until 4am The sound system kicks ass and the lights are fantastic!”
l HALLOWEEN Thur (31) is HALLOWEEN SPOOKEASY: MOBSTER MEETS MONSTER with DJ Claire cutting up the classics
l REGUL ARS Sat is FUSION with DJ Peter Castle spinning char t/club remixes l Sun is POP!CANDY with DJ Claire Fuller’s pick & mix of new/retro pop l Mon (7) is the GLIT TER CURIOUS queer par ty curated by Patrick Cawley & Maria Gardner with promos, surprises, performances, giveaways & more from 11pm, free entry l Wed is NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL LEGENDS with DJ Claire Fuller taking you on a journey through the decades
l PARIS HOUSE live blues: Bex Fiddler Blues 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Autumnal Lasagne with Lola Lasagne 9 30pm
l RAILWAY CLUB Lindy hop 7pm
l LE VILL AGE Switch Craft with Kryan Shayne 8pm
WEDNESDAY 16
l AFFINITY BAR Karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Green Light Cruise Night 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Midweek Chill 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Paul Richards’ Jazz Jam 8 30pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS
Now That’s What I Call Legends: DJ Claire Fuller 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Student Sessions 8pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Drag With No
Name‘s Snakes & Kn@ckers 8 30pm
l MARINE TAVERN Pink Pound 7pm
l PARIS HOUSE live jazz: Jazz Jam Session 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Sally Vate’s Hump Day Show 10pm
l SUBLINE Hump Day 9pm
l LE VILL AGE Dave Lynn show 10pm
M A R I N E T A V E R N
l 13 Broad St, BN2 1TJ, Tel: 01273 905578, www.marinetavern.co.uk
l OPEN daily from 12pm
l FOOD daily from 12–9pm: Tue Curr y & Quiz with Nat £1 from 7.30pm (quiz star ts 9pm), Sunday roasts 12–5pm, £8 each, booking advised
l DRINK PROMOS Wed from 7pm: Pink Pound Night with drinks from £1
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Fri (25) is CABARET at 9pm with the sensational R uby Murr y, comedian, classic vocalist and all round performer, as seen on Britain’s Got Talent!
l REGUL ARS Sat is CABARET & KARAOKE with Candi R ell at 8.30pm Marine Tavern say: “Tonight it’s our local legend Candi Rell and if you haven’t been before, why not? Come and have a camp sing-along and some karaoke, it’s a great show!” l Sun is DRAG OPEN MIC hosted by Stephanie Von Clitz at 9pm l THROWBACK THURSDAY 1980s tunes from 8pm l Fri is JUKEBOX DISCO from 9pm Fri (11) is Linda Gold’s EURO DRAG CONTEST from 9pm
THURSDAY 17
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve Thursday: camp karaoke & queens with Macarena & Sam Pink 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Drag Race UK Viewing Par ty 8pm
l BAR BROADWAY Ross’ Gift Emporium Quiz: host Ross Cameron & prizes 8pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS £300 Big Cash Quiz 9pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Throwback
Thursday 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR Abel Mabel’s Bingo 8 30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Pre-club DJ 7pm
l MARINE TAVERN Throwback
Thursday 80s Night 8pm
l PARIS HOUSE World Music: Pollito Boogaloo 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Leading Ladies cabaret: Kara Van Park 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN Open mic & karaoke with Chris Hide 8 30pm
l LE VILL AGE Open mic & karaoke with George Mar tin Marino 8 30pm
FRIDAY 18
l AFFINITY BAR Wigs & Beads Karaoke 8pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Friday Night Live: camp karaoke with DJ Glyn-Sing 9pm; ShowTime with Domina Tryx 11pm
l AMSTERDAM cabaret: Miss Jason 9 30pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY TGIF Madness: resident/guest DJs 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Par ty Jukebox: 80s/90s musical anthems 5pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Night Shift: DJ David Noakes 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Friday Old School Sessions: DJ Cee 8pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS Friday Club 6pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Fabulous Friday: DJ Morgan Fabulous 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR cabaret: Pat Clutcher 9 30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Brighton Belles: local cabaret stars & guests 9pm
l MARINE TAVERN Jukebox Disco 9pm
PARIS HOUSE
l 21 Western Rd, BN3 1AF, T: 01273 724195, www parishousebrighton com
l OPEN daily from 12pm l FOOD served daily from 12pm–close
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Sat is AND ALL THAT JAZZ with live jazz at 4pm: Lawrence Jones (5), Sarah Oschlag Trio (12), the Monday Boys (19) and Jorges Hot Club Trio (26); Andy the Dandy DJ at 9pm, free entry
l REGUL ARS FREE LIVE MUSIC: l Sun at 6pm: Lo Polodoro (6), Sam Chara, Theseus Gerard & Tim Young (13), Dave Williams (20) and Marilyn du Sax (27) l Mon jazz with the Nils Solberg-Mick Hamer Trio at 2pm; at 8pm: Shane Hill (7), Nigel Price (14), Cathy Segal Garcia (21) and Sam Walker (28) l Tue at 8pm: Smokestack (1), Mucky Ducklings (8), Bex Fiddler Blues (15), John Crampton (22) and Yellow Funk Machine (29) l Wed at 8pm: Chris Coull (2), Sam Carlese (9), Jam Session (16), Geoff Simkins (23) and the Lost Organ Unit (30) l Thur world music at 8pm: Tres Amigos (3), Babou with Abraham de Vega (10), Pollito Boogaloo (17), Son Guaranchando (24) and Sam Chara, Theseus Gerard and Tim Young (31) l Fri is PARTY TIME with DJ Havoxx at 9pm
l PARIS HOUSE DJ Havoxx 9pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Big Friday Cabaret: KY Kelly 10pm
l SUBLINE Filth: strict fetish 10pm
l LE VILL AGE Fabulous Fridays with Candi Rell 10pm
l ZONE cabaret: Topsie Redfern 10pm
SATURDAY 19
l AFFINITY BAR Camp Cabaret: Pat Clutcher 6pm; Pat Clutcher’s karaoke 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Wonda Starr’s Qween of the Night: camp karaoke with prizes 9pm
l AMSTERDAM Karaoke 9.30pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Par ty Night: alternate DJs: Kirsty Anderson, Jazzy Jane, Charlie Eaton, Patrick Cawley & Michael Adams 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Par ty Jukebox: 90s/00s musical anthems 4pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Fusion: DJ Peter Castle 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Saturday Night Fever with 2 superstar DJs 6pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Fierce DJs 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR cabaret: Davina Sparkle 9.30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Pre-club DJ 7pm
l MARINE TAVERN Candi Rell’s Karaoke & Cabaret Par ty 8 30pm
l PARIS HOUSE All That Jazz: Monday Boys 4pm; Andy the Dandy DJ 9pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS QA Triple cabaret: Poppycock 6pm, Betty Swollocks 8pm, Miss Jason 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN cabaret: Fannie Coil 9pm
l SUBLINE The Men’s Room 9pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live
football: Ever ton v West Ham 12.30pm, Crystal Palace v Man City 5 30pm
l LE VILL AGE Scandalous: LGBT+ night: DJ/host Stephanie Starlet 9pm
l ZONE cabaret: Sally Vate 10pm
SUNDAY 20
l AFFINITY BAR cabaret: Miss
Disney 5pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Sunday Funday 12pm; Mandy’s karaoke 5pm
l AMSTERDAM Davina Sparkle’s
Q U E E N S A R M S
l 7 George St, BN2 1RH, T: 01273 696873, www theqabrighton com
l OPEN Mon–Fri from 5pm, Sat & Sun from 2pm
l DRINK PROMOS Mon–Fri from 5–9pm, Sat & Sun from 2–6pm
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Saturday is QA TRIPLE CABARET with top acts: Poppycock at 6pm, Betty Swollocks at 8pm; at 10pm: Spice (5), Mar tha D’Ar thur (12), Miss Jason (19) and Dr Beverly Ballcrusher (26) Call 999 and you may be surprised who turns up on the scene A lover of the impromptu gag and a mistress of unplanned comedy, Dr Beverley Ballcrusher (26) is one of the most established drag queens in the UK With a big voice and attitude to match, this is one Doctor who doesn’t pull her punches and will leave you wondering ‘Did she just say that?!’ The QA say: “Cough Cough! Dr Beverly Ballcrusher will see you now, well at 10pm to be precise!”
l HALLOWEEN Thursday (31) is HALLOWEEN CABARET with Allan Jay and Stephanie Von Clitz blowing off the cobwebs with a show to make you shiver from 10pm
l REGUL ARS Kara Van Park’s MUSICAL MONDAYS is show tunes and high camp at 9pm l Tue is AUTUMNAL LASAGNE with Lola Lasagne at 9.30pm
The QA say: “Come join Lola Lasagne for tall tales, quips, amusing anecdotes and ditties!” l Wed is Sally Vate’s HUMP SHOW with the Nor thern Powerhouse from 10pm
l Thur is cabaret with LEADING LADIES at 10pm: Davina Sparkle (3), Vicki Vivacious (10), Kara Van Park (17) and Pat Clutcher (24) l QA BIG FRIDAY cabaret with acts at 10pm: Miss Jason (4), Lola Lasagne (11), KY Kelly (18) and Son of a Tutu (25) l SUNDAY FUNDAY featuring Double Cabaret at 6 30pm & 10pm: Jade Justine (6), Miss Penny (13), Lucinda Lashes (20) and Dave Lynn (27) l Don’t miss the return of QA’S GOT TALENT, launching on Tue (5) Nov
Cabaret Bir thday Par ty for the Wishing Well Foundation: Davina Sparkle, Miss Tiss Ewe, Laura Nixon, Ivor Potter –(Suspiciously Elvis), Jennie Castell, Miss Disney, Dave Lynn, Billie Gold, Dora Royale, Wilma Ballsdrop, Marsha Mallow, David Anthony, Fonda Cox, Alfie Ordinary, Hear t & Soul, Alana Cardewlia + buffet and raffle fundraiser 5pm; roasts 12pm-till gone
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY karaoke with host Tyler or Ben 6pm
l BAR BROADWAY All that Jazz: live
music 4pm; Fireplace Sessions pres Jennie Dale & Jason Thorpe 8.30pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS
Pop!Candy: DJ Claire Fuller 9pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS Bear Bash: free food/raffle 5pm; roasts/select menu 12pm– till gone
l CHARLES ST TAP cabaret: host Sally Vate & Myra Dubois 7 30pm; Sally’s Rock & Roll Bingo 8.30pm; roasts 12pm
l LEGENDS BAR cabaret: Mary Mac 3 30pm; roasts 12 30–4pm
T H E R A I L W A Y C L U B
l 4 Belmont, Dyke Road, BN1 3TF, Tel: 01273 328682
l OPEN Mon–Wed 5–11pm, Thur 11am–11pm, Fri 3–11pm, Sat 12–11pm (or till midnight for special events), closed Sun
l DRINK PROMOS Fri & Sat all day with promos on wine and prosecco all night on Sat (26) The Railway Club is a welcoming members’ club with snooker, billiards, dar ts and table tennis all available to members Perfect for groups, par ties or meetings, the Railway Club is friendly and spacious so pop in and join up! Railway Club is now taking bookings for Xmas par ties!
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Saturday (26) is LIVE MUSIC from the sensational Tabitha Wild kicking up a storm at 9pm, free entry
l REGUL ARS Tuesday: Swing into the Railway Club for LINDY HOP from 7pm
l MARINE TAVERN roasts 12-5pm; Drag Open Mic: Stephanie Von Clitz 9pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live football: Man Utd v Liverpool 4 30pm
l LE VILL AGE Sunday Sabbath: cabaret with Cosmic 10pm, male stripper & tunes midnight
MONDAY 21
l AFFINITY BAR all day karaoke 12pm; karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Monday Glitter Ball: 70s-00s camp vids 4pm
l BAR BROADWAY Voice of Broadway 2019 with host George Mar tin Marino 9pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Gaymers Night: consoles/board games 8.30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Miss Jason’s Monday Madness 9 30pm
l PARIS HOUSE live jazz: Nils Solberg-Mick Hamer Trio 2pm; vocalist
Cathy Segal Garcia 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Kara Van Park’s Musical Monday 9pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live football: Sheffield Utd v Arsenal 8pm
TUESDAY 22
l AFFINITY BAR Free Jukebox 12pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve Tuesday: Macarena & Sam Pink bring camp, karaoke & queens 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Crewsday 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Piano Singalong with Michele on piano 9pm
l MARINE TAVERN Curry & Quiz with Nat 7.30pm
l PARIS HOUSE live blues: John Crampton 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Autumnal Lasagne with Lola Lasagne 9.30pm
l RAILWAY CLUB Lindy hop 7pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live
football: Spurs v Crvena & Man City v Atalanta 8pm
l LE VILL AGE Switch Craft with Kryan Shayne 8pm
WEDNESDAY 23
l AFFINITY BAR Karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Green Light
Cruise Night 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Midweek Chill 7pm
R E G E N C Y T A V E R N
l 32-34 Russell Sq, BN1 2EF T: 01273 325 652, www regencytavern co uk
l OPEN Sun–Wed 12–11pm, Thur 12pm–12am, Fri & Sat 12pm–1am
l FOOD Mon–Fri 12–3pm & 5–9pm, Sat & Sun 12–9pm; Mothership Mondays 6–9pm: your fave pie with mash, peas, crispy shallots, cheddar cheese & gravy £6; Wed from 6–9pm 2 PieMinister pies for £10; Sunday roasts 12–6pm two for £19.95, booking recommended
l DRINK PROMOS 20% off beer and spirits on Tue from 6–9pm
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Saturday CABARET with top acts at 9pm: Dave Lynn (5), Gabriella Parrish (12), Fannie Coil (19) and Kara Van Park (26)
l REGUL ARS Thur is KARAOKE & OPEN MIC with Chris Hide at 8.30pm Regency say: “It’s Open Mic & Karaoke with your new Host Chris Hide! It’s going to be a good night so come on down Everyone’s welcome so show us your talent!”
l Fri (11 & 25) is CABA-REGENCY with George Mar tin Marino from 9pm
l BAR BROADWAY Paul Richards’ Jazz Jam 8 30pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Now That’s What I Call Legends: DJ Claire Fuller 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Student Sessions 8pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Drag With No Name‘s Snakes & Kn@ckers 8 30pm
l MARINE TAVERN Pink Pound 7pm
l PARIS HOUSE live jazz: Geoff Simkins 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Sally Vate’s Hump Day Show 10pm
l SUBLINE Hump Day 9pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live football: Ajax v Chelsea & Genk v Liverpool 8pm
l LE VILL AGE Dave Lynn show 10pm
THURSDAY 24
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve Thursday: camp karaoke & queens with Macarena & Sam Pink 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Drag Race UK
Viewing Par ty 8pm
l BAR BROADWAY Ross’ Gift
Emporium Quiz: host Ross Cameron & prizes 8pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS £300 Big Cash Quiz 9pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Throwback Thursday 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR Abel Mabel’s Bingo 8 30pm
l MARINE TAVERN Throwback Thursday 80s Night 8pm
l PARIS HOUSE World Music: Son Guarachando 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Leading Ladies cabaret: Pat Clutcher 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN Open mic & karaoke with Chris Hide 8.30pm
l SUBLINE Brace Yourself 9pm
l LE VILL AGE Open mic & karaoke with George Mar tin Marino 8 30pm
FRIDAY 25
l AFFINITY BAR Wigs & Beads Karaoke 8pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Friday Night
Live: camp karaoke with DJ Glyn-Sing 9pm; ShowTime with Domina Tryx 11pm
l AMSTERDAM cabaret: Sally Vate 9 30pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY TGIF Madness: resident/guest DJs 7pm
2-3 High St, Brighton, BN2 1RP Open: Mon-Thur noon-1 30am • Fri-Sun 11am-2 30am Luxury Beer Garden • Dog Friendly
TUESDAY 8PM
WEDNESDAY 10PM DAVE LYNN SHOW
FABULOUS FRIDAYS 10PM-LATE 4TH BILLY GOLD 11TH KARA VAN PARK 18TH CANDI RELL 25TH CHRIS HIDE
SUNDAY ROASTS 12-6PM £10 EACH SUNDAY SABBATH 10PM-2AM MALE STRIPPER at midnight £3 drinks 12PM 6TH SPICE
13TH LUCINDA LASHES
20TH COSMIC
27TH RUBY MURRY
L I S T I N G S
S U B L I N E
l 129 St James' St, BN2 1TH, T: 01273 624100, www.sublinebrighton.co.uk
l OPEN Sun, Wed & Thur from 9pm, 10pm Fri & Sat
l DRINK PROMOS Wed: all draught beers £1 off, 2 cocktails for £12
l HALLOWEEN Sat (26) is Brighton Bear Weekend’s CUBBED TO DEATH with door money to R ainbow Fund Wed (30) and Thur (31): Club Silencio’s NETFLIX ‘N’ CHILL is a spooky queer sketch show like no other, doors 8pm, showtime 9 30pm, tickets £8 in advance, £10 on the door Club Silencio say: “This Halloween, we invite you into the bowels of Subline for a night of queer theatre and underground performance Join Death as he ponders the delights of modern broadcasting, offering his satirical take on society For those looking for something weird and something queer, join us this Halloween! Dress code is monster at a slumber party Bring your freakiest creature and don't forget your PJs! Turn up, tune in, drop dead ”
l REGUL ARS Wed is HUMP DAY, free entry for all; (2) is JOYSTICK JOCKEYS gaymers’ night at 8pm, free entry l Thur is BRACE YOURSELF, free entry l Fri: kick-star t weekend at one of these kinky events from 10pm: l FULL FETISH FRIDAY (4) no street wear, £3; DIRTY TACKLE (11) spor tswear night: £3 in kit or £5; FILTH (18) strict fetish par ty for all genders, advance tickets or £25 on door; STEAM (25), £3/£5 l Sat: turn up the heat at MEN’S ROOM, £3/£5 l Sun is GUILT FREE pleasures with top tunes, members free or £5; CUM IN YOUR PANTS (27) underwear only par ty, members £3 or £5 Subline say: “Undress to impress! The underwear dress code is COMPULSORY - get down early to secure a locker!”
l BAR BROADWAY Par ty Jukebox: 80s/90s musical anthems 5pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Night Shift: DJ David Noakes 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Friday Old School Sessions: DJ Cee 8pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS Friday Club 6pm
l CHARLES ST TAP Fabulous Friday: DJ Morgan Fabulous 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR cabaret: Miss Jason 9.30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Brighton Belles: local cabaret stars & guests 9pm
l MARINE TAVERN live music/cabaret: Ruby Murry 9pm
l PARIS HOUSE DJ Havoxx 9pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Big Friday Cabaret: Son of a Tutu 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN Caba Regency with George Mar tin Marino 9pm
l SUBLINE Steam 10pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live football: Southampton v Leicester 8pm
l LE VILL AGE Fabulous Fridays with Chris Hide 10pm
l ZONE cabaret: Stone & Street 10pm
SATURDAY 26
l AFFINITY BAR Camp Cabaret: Charlie Hide 6pm; Pat Clutcher’s karaoke 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Wonda Starr’s Qween of the Night: camp karaoke with prizes 9pm
l AMSTERDAM Karaoke 9 30pm
T H R E E J O L L Y B U T C H E R S
l 59 Nor th Rd, BN1 1YD, Tel: 01273 608571, www 3jollybutchers com
l OPEN daily from 12pm, from 10am on Sat (5)
l FOOD Check out the new 3JB Thai food menu: all star ters £4 50, all mains (inc rice) £7 50, 2 courses £9.90 and lunch mains just £5.95 (inc rice) until 4pm Loads of vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options l Pre Home Match Warm-up Pie & Pint Match Deal from 10am on Sat (5) and from 12pm on Sat (26)
l SPORT LIVE FOOTBALL on the big screens - see listings for fixtures
l HALLOWEEN Thur (31): get your spook on for the HALLOWEEN PARTY at 6pm, dressing up encouraged!
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Par ty Night: alternate DJs: Kirsty Anderson, Jazzy Jane, Charlie Eaton, Patrick Cawley & Michael Adams 7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Sea Serpents’ Halloween Fundraiser 6pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Fusion: DJ Peter Castle 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Saturday Night Fever: 2 superstar DJs 6pm
l CHARLES ST TAP 8 Days of Halloween: Fierce Fright Night with DJs on rotation 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR cabaret: Trudi Styles & the Pianoman 9.30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Pre-club DJ 7pm
l MARINE TAVERN Candi Rell’s Karaoke & Cabaret Par ty 8 30pm
l PARIS HOUSE All That Jazz: Jorges Hot Club 4pm; Andy the Dandy DJ 9pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS QA Triple cabaret: Poppycock 6pm, Betty Swollocks 8pm, Dr Beverly Ballcrusher 10pm
l RAILWAY CLUB live music: Tabitha Wild 9pm
l REGENCY TAVERN cabaret: Kara Van Park 9pm
l SUBLINE Halloween event in aid of Rainbow Fund: Brighton Bear’s Cubbed to Death 10pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS Pre Home Match Warm-up: Pie & Pint
Match Deal: Brighton v Ever ton 12pm; live football: Man City v Aston Villa 12 30pm, Burnley v Chelsea 5 30pm
l LE VILL AGE Scandalous: LGBT+ night: DJ/host Stephanie Starlet 9pm
l ZONE cabaret: Billie Gold 10pm
SUNDAY 27
l AFFINITY BAR cabaret: TBA - see Facebook 5pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Sunday Funday 12pm; karaoke with Mandy 5pm
l AMSTERDAM cabaret: Wain Douglas aka Kara Van Park 5pm; roasts 12pm-till gone
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY karaoke with host Tyler or Ben 6pm
l BAR BROADWAY All that Jazz: live music 4pm; Fireplace Sessions pres: Chris Hide 8 30pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Pop!Candy: DJ Claire Fuller 9pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS Bear Bash: free food/raffle 5pm; roasts/select menu 12pm– till gone
l CHARLES ST TAP 8 Days of Halloween: Mrs Moore’s Halloween Special 7 30pm; Sally’s Rock & Roll Bingo 8.30pm; roasts 12pm
l LEGENDS BAR cabaret: Davina Sparkle 3.30pm; roasts 12.30–4pm
V E L V E T J A C K S
l 50 Norfolk Sq, BN1 2PA, Tel: 07720 661290
Fvelvetjacksbrighton/
l OPEN Tue–Thur from 4–11 30pm, Fri & Sat from 12–11 30pm, Sun from 1–11pm
l FOOD Mosaic POP UP KITCHEN and occasional supper club – ask at the bar for more info
l DRINK PROMOS check at the bar for special offers
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Thursday are DARTS & BEERS nights at Velvet Jacks Jackie says; “Come join us on the oche!”
l MARINE TAVERN roasts 12-5pm; Drag Open Mic: Stephanie Von Clitz 9pm
l PARIS HOUSE live swing/jazz: Marilyn du Sax & band 6pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Sunday Funday double cabaret: Dave Lynn 6.30pm & 10pm
l SUBLINE Cum in Your Pants underwear par ty 10pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live football: Newcastle v Wolves 2pm; Liverpool v Spurs 4.30pm
l LE VILL AGE Sunday Sabbath: cabaret with Ruby Merry 10pm, male stripper & tunes midnight
MONDAY 28
l AFFINITY BAR all day karaoke 12pm; karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Monday Glitter Ball: 70s-00s camp vids 4pm
l BAR BROADWAY Open the Box: host Charmaine Davies & prizes 8.30pm
l CHARLES ST TAP 8 Days of Halloween: Gaymers Night SAW Special 8 30pm
l LEGENDS BAR Miss Jason’s Monday Madness 9 30pm
l PARIS HOUSE live jazz: Nils Solberg-Mick Hamer Trio 2pm; jazz pianist Sam Walker 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Kara Van Park’s Musical Mondays 9pm
TUESDAY 29
l AFFINITY BAR Free Jukebox 12pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve Tuesday: Macarena & Sam Pink bring camp, karaoke & queens 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Halloween
Crewsday: Zombies on a Plane 6pm
l BAR BROADWAY Piano Singalong with Michele on piano 9pm
l BOUTIQUE SWAG Halloween fancy dress special: under 18s only 7pm
l MARINE TAVERN Curry & Quiz with Nat 7 30pm
L E V I L L A G E
l 2-3 High Street, Brighton, BN2 1RP , Tel: 01273 681634
l OPEN Mon–Thur from noon–1.30am, Fri–Sun from 11am–2.30am
l FOOD Sunday roasts 12–6pm, £10: chicken, beef, pork and nut roast, served with all the trimmings Ask at the bar for desser t of the day!
l DRINK PROMOS Thur from midnight, Sun £3 drinks from midnight
l ONE FOR THE DIARY SUNDAY SABBATH with top cabaret from 10pm: Spice (6), Lucinda Lashes (13), Cosmic (20) and R uby Murr y (27) Top your weekend off with a male stripper at midnight, followed by top tunes!
l REGUL ARS Tue is SWITCH CRAF T with Kr yan Shayne at 8pm l Wed is the DAVE LYNN SHOW at 10pm l Thur is OPEN MIC & KARAOKE with George Mar tin Marino and a free shot for singers from 8 30pm The Village say: “A brand new open mic & karaoke night at the Village has arrived! So bring your friends and show off that voice you've been hiding, or get up on stage af ter a few and belt out some cheesy classics Entertaining you will be our host, George Martin Marino: the lovechild of Frank Sinatra and that tall, dark Spanish guy you met on holiday ” l FABULOUS FRIDAYS at 10pm: Billie Gold (4), Kara Van Park (11), Candi R ell (18) and Chris Hide (25) l Sat is SCANDALOUS with Stephanie Starlet, winner of Miss Alternative Brighton, hosting a LGBTQIA fun packed night from 10pm
l PARIS HOUSE live funk: Yellow Funk Machine 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Autumnal Lasagne with Lola Lasagne 9.30pm
l RAILWAY CLUB Lindy hop 7pm
l LE VILL AGE Switch Craft with Kryan Shayne 8pm
WEDNESDAY 30
l AFFINITY BAR Karaoke with Tommy Tanker (aka Pat Clutcher) 7pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG Green Light Cruise Night 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Midweek Chill
7pm
l BAR BROADWAY Paul Richards’ Jazz Jam 8 30pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Now That’s What I Call Legends: DJ Claire Fuller 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Student Haunted House
Halloween Warm Up with zombie cage dancers 8pm
l CHARLES ST TAP 8 Days of
Halloween: Drag With No Name‘s Snakes & Kn@ckers Halloween Special 8 30pm
l MARINE TAVERN Pink Pound 7pm
l PARIS HOUSE live music: the Lost Organ Unit 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Sally Vate’s Hump Day Show 10pm
l SUBLINE Halloween event: Club
Silencio’s Netflix ‘n’ Chills 8pm
l LE VILL AGE Dave Lynn show 10pm
THURSDAY 31
l AFFINITY BAR Nightmare on St James’s Street: Halloween Par ty with Dave Lynn 9pm
l ALL NEW BULLDOG #Transvolve
Thursday: camp karaoke & queens with Macarena & Sam Pink 8pm
l BAR 7@CRAWLEY Drag Race UK
Viewing Par ty 8pm
l BAR BROADWAY Ross Cameron’s Ghastly Halloween Quiz with prizes 8pm
l BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS
T H E Z O N E
l 33 St James’ St, BN2 1RF, Tel: 01273 682249, www zonebrighton co uk
l OPEN Sun–Thur from 11am, Fri & Sat from 10am
l DRINK PROMOS daily excl Fri & Sat from 7pm–close
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Saturday CABARET with sensational acts at 10pm: Sally Vate (5 & 19), Chris Hide (12) and Billie Gold (26) Expect 1920s glamour and jaw-dropping vocals from performance ar tist Billie Gold (26), a fusion burlesque performer based in Brighton
l REGUL ARS Friday with top-flight CABARET at 10pm: Davina Sparkle (4), Miss Jason (11), Topsie R edfern (18) and Stone & Street (25) Drag Idol runner up Topsie R edfern (18) is a class act bringing cheeky patter, excellent live vocals, glamour, and warmth to the Zone stage! The Zone say: “It’ll be a fun night out with Topsie - music and laughter guaranteed!”
Halloween Spookeasy: Mobster Meets
Monster with DJ Claire 11pm
l BOUTIQUE Halloween Zombie Nation: DJ King Cee 9pm
l CAMELFORD ARMS £300 Big Cash Halloween Quiz & Par ty 9pm
l CHARLES ST TAP 8 Days of Halloween: Throwback Thursday 9pm
l GROSVENOR BAR Abel Mabel’s Bingo 8.30pm
l MARINE TAVERN Throwback Thursday 80s Night 8pm
l PARIS HOUSE Halloween live
music: Sam Chara, Theseus Gerard & Tim Young 8pm
l QUEEN’S ARMS Leading Ladies Halloween Cabaret Show: Allan Jay & Stephanie Von Clitz 10pm
l REGENCY TAVERN Open mic & karaoke with Chris Hide 8 30pm
l SUBLINE Halloween event: Club Silencio’s Netflix ‘n’ Chills 8pm
l THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS Halloween Par ty 6pm
l LE VILL AGE Open mic & karaoke with George Mar tin Marino 8 30pm
THE EDGE & BOX BAR SOUTHAMPTON
l Compton Walk, SO14 0BH, Tel: 023 8036 6163, www.theedgesouthampton.com
l OPEN The Edge: 10pm everyday l The Box Bar: 7pm Tue–Sat
l HAPPY HOURS THE BOX BAR: 2-4-1 cocktails 7pm–midnight daily (till 8pm on Wed); The Edge: Mon £1 50 shots & £2 house doubles; Tue 2 candy floss cocktails £6; Wed £1 50 drinks, Thur half price drinks b4 midnight, Sun £1 50 singles/£3 doubles
l ONE FOR THE DIARY Fri is HAUS OF EDGE with regular theme nights and DJs KT, Darcy Buckland & Craig Law, £50 bar tab giveaway b4 midnight Edge say: “Ken you believe it?! We're putting the gay back into FriGAY's with HAUS OF EDGE! We've turned up camp levels to the max for a club night that welcomes everyone! Whether you’re a dashing Ken, a beautiful Barbie or anything in-between, this night is for you!”
l REGUL ARS Sun is CABARET V KARAOKE with drag host Aura Jay l Mon is MATES RATES in the Box Bar with DJ Darcy Buckland, free l Tue is CANDY FLOSS with DJ Audio K9 pop classics l Wed is BEAUTY & THE BALLS BINGO with host Miss Disney, prizes every round, Box Bar 7pm; BAR 150 with DJs Missy B, & Lee Harris at 10pm; KARAOKE with Bella Black at 10 30pm l Thur is QUIZ QUEENS with drag hosts Aura Jay & Bella Black at 8pm; then GET DIRTY with DJ Liam Searle in the club l Sat is THE BIG ONE at 10pm, 3 bars, 2 dancefloors & DJs Morgan Fabulous & Darcy Buckland (5), R ob Davies & KT (12), King K, Trick & Darcy Buckland (19) and Phil Marriott & Claire Fuller (26)
TUESDAY 1
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Cherry’s Bingo & cabaret from Miss Penny 8pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Candy Floss DJs 11pm
l EDGE Candy Floss: DJ Audio K9 11pm
WEDNESDAY 2
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Big Navy Night Out with Aura Jay’s karaoke 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Beauty and the Balls Bingo: host Miss Disney & prizes 8pm; Bella Black’s karaoke 10 30pm
l EDGE Bar 150: DJs Missy B & Lee Harris 10pm
THURSDAY 3
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Night on the Lashes: Lucinda Lashes karaoke & tunes 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Quiz Queens: drag hosts Aura Jay & Bella Black 8pm
l EDGE Get Dir ty: DJ Liam Searle 10pm
FRIDAY 4
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD We Love Fridays: DJ Toby Lawrence 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Haus of Edge DJs 10pm
l EDGE Haus of Edge: DJs KT, Darcy Buckland & Craig Law + £50 bar tab giveaway 10pm
SATURDAY 5
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Blank: DJs Missy B & Rob Davis 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR DJ KT 11pm
l EDGE The Big One: DJs Morgan Fabulous & Darcy Buckland 10pm
SUNDAY 6
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD 90s-Now 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l EDGE Aura Jay’s Cabaret v Karaoke 10pm
MONDAY 7
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD 20Something: DJs Lee Harris & Luke Ennor 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l EDGE Mates Rates: DJ Darcy Buckland 10pm
TUESDAY 8
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Cherry’s Bingo &
HAMPSHIRE BOULEVARD
PORTSMOUTH
l Hampshire Terrace, Southsea, PO1 2QN, Tel: 02392 297509
l OPEN Sun & Mon 9pm, Tue–Sat 7pm
l DRINK DEALS various deals on Sun, £1 50 drinks on Mon
l HALLOWEEN Tue (29) is HALLOWEEN CABARET with Joe Black, Miss Disney, Arran Shur vinton and R ouge shocking you into submission from 7pm l Thur (31)–Sat (2) Nov is HALLOWEEN OZ, series of Wizard of Oz themed par ties with full club décor, drag hosts, top DJs, pyrotechnics and fire breathers! l Thur (31) with Lucinda Lashes on KARAOKE hosting duties from 9pm, £3 entry Fri (1) Nov & Sat (2) Nov: polish your ruby slippers for 9pm, £5 b4 midnight, £7 after
l REGUL ARS WE LOVE FRIDAYS with DJ Toby Lawrence, £3 b4 10pm/£5 after
l Sat is BLANK with DJs R ob Davis & Missy B latest char t remixes at 9pm Sunday is 90S–NOW, free l Mon is 20SOMETHING banging tunes with DJs Lee Harris & Luke Ennor, £5 l Win up to £500 every Tue at Cherr y’s BINGO with top acts at 8pm: Miss Penny (1), Drag With No Name (8), Adam All (15) and Fanny Burns (22) l Wed is BIG NAVY NIGHT OUT with host Aura- Jay’s Karaoke, free l Thur is A NIGHT ON THE LASHES with Lucinda Lashes hosting karaoke and dishing out the ditties from 9pm, free
cabaret from Drag With No Name 8pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Candy Floss DJs 11pm
l EDGE Candy Floss: DJ Audio K9 11pm
WEDNESDAY 9
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Big Navy Night Out with Aura Jay’s karaoke 9pm SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Beauty and the Balls Bingo: host Miss Disney & prizes 8pm; Bella Black’s karaoke 10 30pm
l EDGE Bar 150: DJs Missy B & Lee Harris 10pm
THURSDAY 10
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Night on the Lashes: Lucinda Lashes + karaoke & tunes 9pm SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Quiz Queens: drag hosts Aura Jay & Bella Black 8pm
l EDGE Get Dir ty: DJ Liam Searle 10pm
FRIDAY 11
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD We Love Fridays: DJ Toby Lawrence 9pm SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Haus of Edge DJs 10pm
l EDGE Haus of Edge: DJs KT, Darcy Buckland & Craig Law + £50 bar tab giveaway 10pm
SATURDAY 12
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Blank: DJs Missy B & Rob Davis 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR DJ KT 11pm
l EDGE The Big One: DJs Rob Davies & KT 10pm
SUNDAY 13
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD 90s-Now 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l EDGE Aura Jay’s Cabaret v Karaoke 10pm
MONDAY 14
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD 20Something: DJs Lee Harris & Luke Ennor 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l EDGE Mates Rates: DJ Darcy Buckland 10pm
TUESDAY 15
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Cherry’s Bingo & cabaret from Adam All 8pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Candy Floss DJs 11pm
l EDGE Candy Floss: DJ Audio K9 11pm
WEDNESDAY 16
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Big Navy Night Out with Aura Jay’s karaoke 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Beauty and the Balls Bingo: host Miss Disney & prizes 8pm; Bella Black’s karaoke 10 30pm
l EDGE Bar 150: DJs Missy B & Lee Harris 10pm
THURSDAY 17
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Night on the Lashes: Lucinda Lashes karaoke & tunes 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Quiz Queens: drag hosts Aura Jay & Bella Black 8pm
l EDGE Get Dir ty: DJ Liam Searle 10pm
FRIDAY 18
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD We Love Fridays: DJ Toby Lawrence 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Haus of Edge DJs 10pm
l EDGE Haus of Edge: DJs KT, Darcy Buckland & Craig Law + £50 bar tab giveaway 10pm
SATURDAY 19
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Blank: DJs Missy B & Rob Davis 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR DJ KT 11pm
l EDGE The Big One: DJs King K, Trick & Darcy Buckland 10pm
SUNDAY 20
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD 90s-Now 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l EDGE Aura Jay’s Cabaret v Karaoke 10pm
MONDAY 21
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD 20Something: DJs Lee Harris & Luke Ennor 9pm SOUTHAMPTON
l EDGE Mates Rates: DJ Darcy Buckland 10pm
TUESDAY 22
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Cherry’s Bingo & cabaret from Fanny Burns 8pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Candy Floss DJs 11pm
l EDGE Candy Floss: DJ Audio K9 11pm
WEDNESDAY 23
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Big Navy Night Out with Aura Jay’s karaoke 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Beauty and the Balls Bingo: host Miss Disney & prizes 8pm; Bella Black’s karaoke 10 30pm
l EDGE Bar 150: DJs Missy B & Lee Harris 10pm
THURSDAY 24
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Night on the Lashes:
Lucinda Lashes karaoke & tunes 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
S O L E N T
L I S T I N G S
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Quiz Queens: drag hosts Aura
Jay & Bella Black 8pm
l EDGE Get Dir ty: DJ Liam Searle 10pm
FRIDAY 25
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD We Love Fridays: DJ
Toby Lawrence 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Haus of Edge DJs 10pm
l EDGE Haus of Edge: DJs KT, Darcy Buckland & Craig Law + £50 bar tab giveaway 10pm
SATURDAY 26
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Blank: DJs Missy B & Rob Davis 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR DJ KT 11pm
l EDGE The Big One: DJs Phil Marriott & Claire Fuller 10pm
SUNDAY 27
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD 90s-Now 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l EDGE Aura Jay’s Cabaret v Karaoke 10pm
MONDAY 28
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD 20Something: DJs
Lee Harris & Luke Ennor 9pm
l EDGE Mates Rates: DJ Darcy Buckland 10pm
TUESDAY 29
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Halloween Special with cabaret from Joe Black, Miss Disney, Arran Shurvinton & Rouge 8pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Candy Floss DJs 11pm
l EDGE Candy Floss: DJ Audio K9 11pm
WEDNESDAY 30
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Big Navy Night Out with Aura Jay’s karaoke 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Beauty and the Balls Bingo: host Miss Disney & prizes 8pm; Bella Black’s karaoke 10.30pm
l EDGE Bar 150: DJs Missy B & Lee Harris 10pm
THURSDAY 31
PORTSMOUTH
l HAMPSHIRE BLVD Halloween OZ
Weekend with Lucinda Lashes hosts karaoke, drag hosts, top DJs & fire breathers 9pm
SOUTHAMPTON
l BOX BAR Quiz Queens: drag hosts Aura Jay & Bella Black 8pm
l EDGE Get Dir ty: DJ Liam Searle 10pm
DANCE MUSIC
BY QUEEN JOSEPHINE & KATE WILDBLOOD
WILDBLOOD & QUEENIE’S OCT WONDERS
Whilst those final summer rays may be fading fast, we ’ ve got nothing but autumn scorchers to keep you warm as we keep the action house and disco infused Just how we like it Enjoy
) SOPHIE LLOYD ft Dames Brown Raise Me Up Classic Music Company
The queen is back with a moment of gospel fuelled gold Hallelujah!
) HOTMOOD Fake DJs Wax Digits
Achingly cool laidback disco vibes that will forever push your button
) ABBA The Visitors (Mighty Mouse’s Edit For Jim) Bandcamp
Mighty Mouse takes synth pop perfection and doubles the joy. Epic.
) BUTCH LE BUTCH Make Me Feel (Disco Socket Rework) Camp Stick
Lesson in feel good grooves brings joy to dancefloors across the globe.
) RALPH SESSION Why Does It Feel Half Assed Records
Dive into Ralph’s For The Dancers EP for thrills and whizz
) KAPOTE Jaas Func Haus (Art of Tones Remix) Toy Tonics
Piano driven house of the toned up kind from our ever-favourite label.
) CHEWY RUBS Let It Go Re-Loved
The granary bread of DJs returns with a wholesome groove.
) DAVE MATHMOS Why Don't You Hot Digits
Giallo D'Autore EP action to accompany your best days and nights
) COEO Japanese Woman Toy Tonics
Toy Tonics Top Tracks Vol 7 satisfies your every need
) DJ COUNSELLING Hand In Hand /Louder Ten Flowers
Sweet dancefloor confessions from a producer we can’t get enough of.
) RECORD PLAYERZ Hi NRG (Yam Who? remix) Midnight Riot
Huge anthem delivers on every dancefloor we get Decent on.
) NYRA Love Safari (original) Canoe
Feel the roar of this disco sensation with each and every play
) BASSIQUE MUSIQUE Higher (original) Roller Blaster Records
Gospel roller of a bass beaut takes us higher And higher And higher
) MAKÈZ Different Planets Heist Recordings
A cut above, this classy disco flavoured cosmic house has us soaring.
) ABSOLUTE Get Off The Floor Family Planning
Rewind wonders takes us back to those Vogue ball days Strike a pose
) CURTIS SCOTT Get Over Hot Digits
Lazy, loopy grooves of The Prospect EP makes the sun shine longer
) JKRIV ft Adeline Yo Love (club mix) Glitterbox
A wonder to behold as Jkriv delivers house just how it should be.
) S3A Friends (Art Of Tones Southern Soul remix) Dirt Crew Records
Put Art of Tones on the remix rota and we are in. Every. Single. Time.
) LA FLEUR Hunting Grounds (Man Power remix) Power Plant Records Fave Berlin producer continues to ride high with Aphelion EP remixes
) LEGO EDIT Funky Zulu (De Gama Re-Groove Edit) Samosa Records
Spicy Afro-Soul EP adventure that will keep you wiggling till dawn
DJ PROFILE: KT
Well dear friends, autumn is upon us and the leaves have started to tumble from the trees. But fear not, as this month Queenie meets up with a Southampton lass who’ll make sure the only things falling are yourselves as you race each other to get onto that dancefloor Please give it up for the glorious DJ KT
Hello, how are you? Pretty good my lovely!
Where are you DJing these days? I’m a resident DJ at the Edge in Southampton on various Fridays or Saturdays Keep an eye on my socials for all my upcoming dates (Instagram and Facebook - @DJKTmusic) I’m an open format DJ so you can expect me to bounce around different styles Cheesy pop, dance, house, R&B, pop-punk If it’s popping, I’ll be playing it!
Any exciting projects going on at the moment? I’ve got some exciting private functions coming up including playing an after party for A Space Art in Southampton. I’m really looking forward to meeting new crowds and trying out new styles.
What music rocks your world these days? I’m loving Lizzo’s latest album Cuz I Love You at the moment Got that bad boy on repeat I’m always looking for fresh music. Every Tuesday on my Insta Stories you can catch me doing a round-up of the best new music to listen out for. Fave tune of all time? Kate Bush, Hounds of Love She is a musical genius and my absolute idol
Most memorable gig and dream gig? I’m fresh off the back of an amazing Southampton Pride Weekend. I was with the Edge crew for the whole weekend and it was an absolutely buzzing experience. I’d love to get a festival gig under my belt… Brighton Pride 2020, what you saying?
Tune you wish you’d never played? Sometimes when you do private gigs, you get pestered by the people that have booked you to play songs that you know will kill the dance floor It hurts, but you have no choice but to slam that track on Top tip: always make it clear it’s a request and give them a shout out If this ship goes down, I am taking you with me!
Guilty pleasure? My Neck, My Back by Khia. It’s so bad that it is brilliant.
Describe yourself in three words. Fun Friendly Fab!
DJ K T ’S CURRENT TOP FIVE
) ROBERTO SURACE Joys Defected Records
) NORMANI Motivation Keep Cool/RCA Records
) MARTIN IKIN ft Hayley May How I Feel (dub) Toolroom Productions
) CHARLI XCX & Christine & The Queens Gone Asylum Records UK
) JERRIH Stefflon Flex Up Records
S
) Prowler Underwear, £20; Football Socks, £20 (Prowler, 112-113 St James's Street, Brighton, 01273 603813)
) PASOLINI: TRILOGY OF LIFE (BFI blu-ray). In the early 1970s the great Italian poet, philosopher, and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini brought to the screen a trio of masterpieces of pre-modern world literature –Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron, Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales and The Thousand and One Nights They’re extravagantly costumed, stunningto-look-at spectacles full of bawdy humour, tall tales and, mostly, sex Arabian Nights is tonally very different, a kind of erotic dream with no clear narrative It might well be the best of the three
) Ceramic Espresso Cut, £22 (Workshop 13a Prince Albert Street, Brighton, 01273 731340)
THE BRUNSWICK
1 Holland Rd, Hove BN3 1JF www.thebrunswick.net/buytickets
) EL GEEBEE TEA QUEUE (Thu 10). An evening of LGBT+ comedy and cabaret, featuring: Neil Dillon, LGBT+ newcomer and full time nurse doing his best to get laughter prescribed on the NHS; Ali Macfarlan, a skilled, funloving performer and regular MC who also runs her own night, ‘Ali Macfarlan’s Comedy Rocket’, described as ‘A riotous mix of HiOctane comedy and Space Fun!’; Under the Ivy, a musical project by solo artist Paul Diello; Steve Parker, founding member of indie/rock outfit Sparker; Kuanwen, who comes from the small island of Taiwan and is a fast-paced and energetic performer with a silly but occasionally manic persona on stage; Aiden Bex, a Brighton-based poet and spoken word artist who’s angel and devil rolled into one heavily-tattooed package; Lorraine Bowen, who presents an act where catchy melodies, A-line dresses, polyester and Casiotone organs collide Her legendary performance of The Crumble Song on Britain’s Got Talent has been viewed nearly 10 million times on YouTube!
) SIREN: 1979–2019: PUNK POLITICS & POP (7 30pm, Fri 18) Join lesbian indie/alt rock band Siren, the original bad girls of punk, for their big 40th birthday celebration gig with live music plus an 1980s quiz with prizes! Tickets £8 available online at: www.wegottickets.com/event/482323
ARMISTEAD MAUPIN
The Dome, New Road, Brighton Box office: 01273 709709
) AN EVENING WITH ARMISTEAD MAUPIN (Mon 14). Maupin has been blazing a trail through US popular culture since the 1970s, when his iconic and groundbreaking series Tales of the City was first published as a column in the San Francisco Chronicle The novel series has been taking the literary world by storm ever since, and is
currently being adapted by Netflix into a much-anticipated new series, starring Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis and Ellen Page. The author recounts his favourite tales from the past four decades, offering his own engaging observations on society and the world we inhabit.
BRIGHTON CENTRE
Kings Road, Brighton Box office: 0844 847 1515
) WILL YOUNG (Wed 9). Former Pop Idol winner performs his new single All The Songs plus his greatest hits
CAROLINE OF BRUNSWICK
Ditchling Road, Brighton, Box office: wegottickets.com ) NOT ANOTHER DRAG PUB QUIZ (Thu 3) Featuring the shenanigans of Max Legroom with ‘naff prizes' ) SLEEP PARALYSIS (Sun 20) Join host Fuchsia Von Steel and guests for glamour, grotesque and comedy
GABRIEL
NVT, Bedford Place, Brighton Box office: 01273 746 118 ) Gabriel (Fri 4-Sat 12) Guernsey 1943, during the German occupation, a young man, barely alive, is washed up on the beach. Believing him to be an RAF pilot he is hidden by the women of the Becquet family in their home. He’s no recollection of who he is; British pilot or German soldier? Gabriel explores the heart of memory, identity and imagination and the lies people tell themselves and each other to make the darkness light
KOMEDIA
Gardner St, Brighton Box office: 0845 293 8480
) BENT DOUBLE (Sun 6) A gayfriendly, irreverent night of fun and frolics hosted by Zoe Lyons (Mock The Week and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow) Featuring headliner Rhys Nicholson with Jess Fostekew and Louise Young.
THEATRE ROYAL
New Road, Brighton, Box office: 08448 717650
) NIGEL SLATER’S TOAST (Oct 28–Nov 2) The show recreates Slater’s childhood through the tastes and smells he shares with his mother and later discovering his sexuality which culminates in the young Nigel’s escape to London. From making the perfect sherry trifle, through the playground politics of sweets, the rigid rules of restaurant dining, and a domestic war over cakes, it’s an evocative tale of love, loss and... toast.
MARLBOROUGH THEATRE
4 Princes St, Brighton, www.brownpapertickets.com
) CHRISTOPHER MATTHEWS –UNTITLED VIDEO PORTRAITS (Sat 12–Fri 25) Matthews says: 'Whilst drawing on certain familiar values of the music video (rhythm, editing, length and addressal of audience) I intend to re-focus on performance within the medium Videos are played without sound so that the subject, the body and its gestures, becomes more present; the identity of the music is present only through its embodiment. Masking the gender of the singer and placing the (white mid-30s) male body in relation to the music and its performance, highlights codes of gender and performance of sexualities '
) REALLY WANT TO HURT ME (Sat 12). Flaming Theatre’ s dark comedy with dance sequences and classic 1980s pop is set in 1980s Devon. Constant pressure to be straight and ‘masculine’ makes a schoolboy feel like he’s living in Orwell’s 1984 A show about school bullies, teenage heartache, hating yourself and trying to tape the Top 40 off the radio without the DJ talking over the songs 'Absolutely brilliant’ Boyz ) MOIST, MOIST, MOIST (Sat 19) Part poetry, part stand-up, part gig, this is a spoken-word show from one of the UK’s wettest submerging artists, about falling in and out of love, falling in and out of the sea, blood and water, and the fact that one ’ s thicker than the other Chris White is a queer spoken-word poet and performer, a multiple slam winner and he was a finalist in this year ’ s Roundhouse London Slam
) ARTIST TALK (Mon 21)
Christopher Matthews, in conversation with Arabella Stanger and Shannon Stewart, explores the intersections of Matthews’ and Stewart’s work in relation to class structure, gender, sexuality, desire and body image. Their practices will be contextualised through lenses of dance/art histories.
) S BEAR BERGMAN (Sat 26) A six-year-old contrives an elaborate excuse to run through the backyard sprinkler shirtless as the neighbourhood boys are free to do. The laundry-room discovery of a transgender college student’s boxerbriefs during a visit home leads to a blow-up with his parents. A queer, transgender, cross-cultural international wedding unites two very different, and very nervous, families A trio of funny, heartbreaking, astutely observant and illuminating stories told by internationally-renowned storyteller S Bear Bergman offer both a window into a queer, transgender life, and perhaps a mirror to your own gendered experiences.
OUTSPOKEN
The Old Courtroom, 118 Church Street, Brighton BN1 1UD www.ticketsource.co.uk/outspoken ) OUTSPOKEN: CELEBRATING PARKERSBURG PRIDE (7.30pm, Sat 12) An event raising funds and awareness for Parkersburg Pride in West Virginia USA featuring Appalachian ballads from folk singers Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds, music from Brighton choirs Resound and Rebelles, and a screening of Emily Harger’ s new short film, Outspoken, which tells the story of Parkersburg Pride
SIREN - PUNK POLITICS & POP
Time keeps moving on, but Brighton lesbian band, Siren, is still here after 40 years, still writing, still rocking, still rebels to the core! Five-piece lesbian indie/alternative rock band Siren emerged from the flourishing Brighton music scene in the late 1970s, pushing the boundaries with their politically radical songs and punchy, eclectic style Siren toured nationally as a theatre company during the 1980s, producing two albums, Siren in Queer Street and Siren Plays, and some members of the group were also in Devil’s Dykes and Bright Girls (who were featured on the Brighton compilation albums Vaultage ‘78 and ‘80)
“[Siren] began bleeding the raw, kick-ass anarchism that their older music was all about – only now packaged up in a beautifully refined style of classic
rock Although the politics was practically bubbling in hot fury throughout their performance that night, their wonderful sense of humour and light tales of love, were injected into each song ” Gscene Magazine Join the original bad girls of punk for their big birthday celebration gig at the Brunswick with sexy, soaring vocals, some damn fine musicianship with original songs and a good few covers, as well as an ‘80s quiz with prizes! You’re guaranteed a night of post-punk fun, politics, pop and a bop.
Siren 1979–2019: Punk Politics & Pop, the Brunswick, 1 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JF, Friday, October 18 at 7.30pm. Tickets £8 from www.wegottickets.com/event/482323
JACK LYNN TAKES TO THE NEW VENTURE STAGE
) Jack Lynn, who sings with the Actually Gay Men’s Chorus and is also one of Gscene’ s photographers, will shortly be appearing in the title role of Gabriel by Moira Buffini at the New Venture Theatre, directed by Gerry McCrudden Jack is relishing this new string to his bow: “I am enjoying this challenge and the opportunity to work with such a talented group of actors and crew It is a gripping tale that deftly explores themes of loneliness and belonging, memory and imagination, and the lies people tell themselves to escape the darkness.”
The action takes place in Guernsey in 1943, during an almost forgotten period of our historythe German occupation of the Channel Islands A young man (Gabriel), naked and barely alive, is washed up on a beach Believing him to be an RAF pilot he is taken by the women of the Becquet family into their home and hidden, a dangerous and illicit action.
As he recovers consciousness it is apparent that he is fluent in both English and German but with no recollection of who he is, who might this mysterious outsider be? And on which side?
The bonds between the women in the Becquet household are complicated, not always easy and set within a community in crisis (the Occupation). The arrival of the young man stirs up all sorts of feelings. The presence of a newly arrived German officer on the Island, and the emerging relationship between him and one of the women, complicates matters further. The action builds to a tense and dramatic climax.
“A fascinating play by a highly original and inventive playwright” American review of a US production.
Gabriel, New Venture Theatre, Bedford Place, Brighton, October 4-12 at 7.45pm Mon-Sat; Sun, October 6, 2.30pm Tickets £10 www.ticketsource.co.uk or 01273 746 118
WITH LOVE FROM BRIGHTON
) The With Love From Brighton group has organised an event, Outspoken: Celebrating Parkersburg Pride, at the Old Courtroom, Brighton, to raise funds and awareness for Parkersburg Pride, a grassroots LGBT+ organisation in Parkersburg, West Virginia, USA
Formed after the local city council voted down protections for LGBT+ people in employment and housing, Parkersburg Pride is working to nurture and sustain the LGBT+ community through free events that welcome everyone in the community
Scott Roedersheimer, a member of With Love From Brighton, and originally from Parkersburg, said: “Imagine being sacked from your job or prevented from renting a flat simply because of your sexual orientation or gender identity Now imagine that your local councillors voted against a law that would protect you from such discrimination. This is happening now in the States and we want to do something positive to shine a light on the situation and express solidarity with our friends and allies in Parkersburg.”
Other members of the group are: Anke Thurm, Anna Roscher, Cat Souter, Chris Smith and Stefan Holmström. Anna, who works locally as an LGBT+ Youth Support Worker, said: “When a fellow LGBT+ community hurts, we hurt too. We aim to show Parkersburg Pride that they’ve been heard, they’ve been seen and that, despite the miles that separate us, we stand in solidarity with them ”
Despite the adversity it’s faced, Parkersburg Pride has staged two extremely successful PRIDEfest events. Jeanne Peters, Parkersburg Pride board member, said: “The support from Brighton is incredibly meaningful to us To know that folks in the UK are watching our struggle and supporting our community’s growth is uplifting It gives me hope to know that we ’ re truly part of a global community I want everyone organising and attending the upcoming event to know how very deeply we appreciate you and the love and support you are sending from overseas ”
The evening will feature the UK premiere of Emily Harger’ s brand new documentary Outspoken, a film that calls us to reimagine the power of LGBT+ people in small town America Top choirs Resound and Rebelles will also perform songs by John Denver and the Dixie Chicks, and they’ll be joined by award-winning folk artist Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds whose Appalachian album Singing It All Back Home was recently named The Guardian’ s album of the month.
OUTSPOKEN: CELEBRATING PARKERSBURG PRIDE, Old Courtroom, Brighton, BN1 1UD, 7.30pm, Saturday, October 12, advance tickets £12/£10 from www.ticketsource.co.uk/outspoken or £15 on the door subject to availability. There will be a cash bar and donations gratefully accepted on the night All profits from the event will be donated to Parkersburg Pride to enable it to continue to run future events free for everyone in the community
ART MATTERS
This month I’ve sourced two opportunities for you to experience quality artworks in nearby galleries A short train journey and you will be able to plunge into the worlds of each presented artist
BOLTON MUSEUM GALLERY www.neoartists.co.uk www.boltonlams.co.uk
)
NEO:ARTPRIZE 2019 (until Oct 27) First of all, I am happy to say my painting Important Artist been selected for the neoartprize 2019. The judges are: Jordan Baseman (senior tutor at Royal College of Art, London); Sacha Craddock (art critic and curator); William Lunn (director of Copperfield Gallery, London); Helen Wewiora (director of Castlefield Gallery & Agency, Manchester). The prize is an international open exhibition, attracting submissions from over 24 countries worldwide, aiming to raise awareness of new trends and directions in the contemporary art world, with artworks in a range of media including digital, drawing, film/video, sculpture, painting, photography, prints, multi-disciplinary and installation
TOWNER ART GALLERY
Eastbourne, www.townereastbourne.org.uk
) DAVID NASH: 200 SEASONS (Sept 28–Feb 2) is one of the most ambitious exhibitions of Nash’s work presented in England and a major survey of his career from the late 1960s to the present day, exploring his unique contribution to British sculpture and the international Land Art movement The show has been developed in partnership with National Museum Cardiff and reflects the artist’s long relationship with Wales, in particular Capel Rhiw, Blaenau Ffestiniog, his home and studio for over half a century. 200 Seasons is installed across Towner’s four major gallery spaces, featuring key sculptures, films and drawings. The sculptures explore the different ways the artist has cut, carved and manipulated wood to produce work that crosses abstraction and figuration Nash, who lives in Blaenau Ffestiniog and Lewes, has had many important solo exhibitions and international surveys of sculpture and his work is represented in major museum collections around the world Recent major presentations at Yorkshire Sculpture Park (2010-11) and Kew Gardens (2012) underline his international importance as a sculptor and land artist The exhibition has been developed in partnership with National Museum Cardiff and will be accompanied by a major publication David Nash: 200 Seasons with contributions from Dr James Fox, Dr Jo Melvin and National Museum of Wales exhibition curator Nicholas Thornton.
HA STINGS CONTEMPORARY Hastings, www.hastingscontemporary.org ) VICTOR WILLING: VISIONS (Oct 19–Jan 5) is the first retrospective of work by British artist Victor Willing (1928-1988) representing each period of his career, including painting, drawing and sculpture. This gallery-wide exhibition is also the first major display of Willing’s work in the UK in over a decade, featuring paintings from his days at the Slade, the development of his artistic vision while living in Portugal with his wife, the artist Paula Rego (b 1935), and his years in London until his untimely death in 1988 Exhibited alongside is work by a number of his contemporaries, including fellow Slade students Michael Andrews (1928-1995) and Paula Rego, with significant loans from Tate, Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, and the Arts Council Collection, offering visitors a chance to encounter this ground-breaking but overlooked artist.
PAGE’S PAGES
) QUEER INTENTIONS: A (PERSONAL) JOURNEY THROUGH LGBTQ+ CULTURE by Amelia Abraham (£14 99, www.panmacmillan.com).
Amelia Abraham asks some superb questions in this agreeable and entertaining book. We get to ride alongside the people, places and situations Abrahams gets to experience as she travels the world checking out drag conventions, Pride marches, a trans modelling agency, Turkey’s underground LGBT+ scene, and more The answers to her questions, some elicited, others posited, some glaringly obvious, some so subtle as to need reading a few times to understand, are where this book shines, the prose skilfully waves narrative, journey, analysis and personal testimony into a rich tapestry of sensual experience. Abrahams’ searing honesty and candour gives us a serious insight into what it is to be Queer today. Told with great humour and compassion, this book holds a wise mirror up to our lives, asking us if this is what we want and shows, by example and gentle suggestions, how much further we need to go to change our world for the better. It’s a joy to read such a provocative book which disarms with laughter so often. Superbly stylish. Read it!
) CELEBRATING DIFFERENCE: A WHOLE-SCHOOL APPROACH TO LGBT+ INCLUSION by Shaun Dellenty (£19.99, www bloomsbury com/uk)
This is a timely, well researched and pertinent book from author and writer Shaun Dellenty Covering a wide range of issues aimed at all primary and secondary teachers, it shows ways of making the classroom
delight, understated, magical and profound, it put a smile on my face. The story is simple, Julian is out with his Nana when he spots three women in lavish mermaid costumes and he heads off on a journey of the imagination beneath the waves to swim with a host of colourful fish He returns home and starts dressing up, Nana catches him and Julian experiences fear and worry, but then she returns with the best gift ever.
The books explores ideas of identity, acceptance, fear, peer pressure, family expectations and a breath-taking desire for glamour and change. It also tells of the power of the people around children to shame or celebrate self-expression. There’s few words in this book, but the ideas are broad, marvellous and magical Jessica Love’s debut book is a triumph and the energetic drawings, which swish and explode from the pages, support the narrative in precisely the right, utterly fabulous, seriously expressive way.
) TRANSGENDER BEHIND PRISON WALLS by Sarah Jane Baker (£14 95, www.watersidepress.co.uk)
inclusions from other prisoners reflecting the same, or differently difficult, experiences. Throughout the book, Baker shows that she not only understands the system, but the wider worlds of the people that are within it, governors, guards or other prisoners Baker’s writing comes from a space of self-acceptance, and reflection, and with plenty of detailed practical ideas and suggestions around self-acceptance and living authentic lives, hard won by her in her own personal journey. Baker’s important testimony details a journey of hope over despair.
(and the whole school) an inclusive and compassionate place for everyone in it with plenty of useful and colourful resources including detailed teaching notes, posters, certificates etc.
Dellenty is an independent education trainer and speaker who has been working to positively prevent LGBT+ and identity-based prejudice in the UK education system since 2009 This book reflects his experience in this field and also his ability to listen, develop and refine ideas that have been tried and tested in various educational spaces This guide brings it all together in one place, giving anyone teaching young people in the UK a clear, practical and well informed guide to this important area of teaching.
) JULIAN IS A MERMAID by Jessica Love (£11.99, www.walker.co.uk).
This young person ’ s book, reading age 4+, is a terrific
This is Sarah Jane Baker’s second book and the first book of its kind. Written by a transgender life-sentence prisoner, this book looks in detail, both personal experience and well researched evidence, of what it’s like to live as a woman in a man ’ s prison Baker’s experiences range from the mundane and humbly personal to the harrowing and extremely distressing, all of them dealt with in a situation of deep distrust and antagonistic regime which gives as little respect or leeway to trans prisoners as possible.
This is documented by Baker, but also supported by written
This sets the book up not just as a highly supportive guide for anyone transitioning whilst in prison, but also as a key resource for family or friends supporting anyone With chapters that cover step by step processes on everything from clothing tips, transition pathways, coming out, to dealing with intrusive and abusive media attention. Baker’s careful discerning critical eye misses little, but there is a gentle, generous kindness abundant in this book, coupled with some well thought out and easy to apply suggestions of how best to improve the dignity of trans prisoners
You can follow Sarah Jane via her Twitter stream @LiferSarah and see some of the amazing art works that she’s created to draw attention to some of the daily horrors faces by LGBT+ prisoners Any sales help fund and support other LGBT+ folk living authentic lives in jail.
CL ASSICAL NOTES
BRIGHTON EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Friday, October 25–Sunday, November 10
BREMF chooses its themes with great imagination and invention, and this year is no exception In turbulent times, when many things feel in flux, the theme perhaps offers us some sense of hope that something positive will emerge from a sense of chaos. In Metamorphosis – Transformation & Wonder Through 700 Years Of Music, the Festival explores how within music, arts transformations have produced wonderful and unexpected creations through the ages, and ends with The Feast of Fools, a celebration of the ingenuity as well as the folly of mankind
Taking Ovid’ s classic stories from his Metamorphoses as a starting point, and including Bach recoloured on synthesizers played by leading baroque specialists, Hildegard ‘transfigured’ with light and projections, and music dramas and plenty of family/community events, there really is something for everyone this year
Tickets and info: bremf.org.uk, or Brighton Dome 01273 709709
) Pre-festival events include a family day (Sat 12, Friends’ Meeting House), with The Musical Forest – A Bug’s Ear View (10 30am) for babies and young children, followed by Perseus, Andromeda & The Sea-Monster, with music by Dittersdorf (12pm, then also at Whitehawk Library, 2 30pm), for children (5-12 years)
) Musica Secreta’ s concert, Darkness Into Light (8pm, Fri 25, St Martin’s Church), sees them once again performing with the Celestial Sirens, and includes the first public performance in modern times of Antoine Brumel’ s complete set of Lamentations for Good Friday – not to be missed!
) Dramma per Musica (1pm, Sat 26, St Paul’s Church) explore Ovid’ s Metamorphoses with music by Lully, Purcell, Caccini and Monteverdi, and then Italian ensemble La Fonte Musica (7 30pm, Sat 26, St George’s Church) explores transformations of Ovid’s myths in Metamorfosi Trecento
ensembles, Ensemble Théodora (with music by Couperin, Rebel and Rameau) and Apollo’s Cabinet, performing night-themed music by Vivaldi, Hotteterre and Lully.
) Bach Day (Sun 3 Nov), firstly with the Bach Players (4pm, St Paul’s Church) presenting the music of J S Bach and his contemporaries in Bach: A Musical Offering. In the evening, it’s something completely differentBach meets Kraftwerk, with The Art of Moog (7 30pm, St Martin’s Church), 21st century ‘hyper-Bach’ on synthesizers!
) There’s Scottish Baroque music from Ensemble Hesperi (8pm, Wed 6 Nov, St George’s Church),
REVIEWS
) ALEX MCCARTNEY Paladin (Veterum Musica VM022) Lutenist Alex McCartney has brought to life the music of a composer who was new to him until recently, and will certainly be new to most of us too. Jean Paul Paladin (c.1500-1565) was originally from Milan, but moved to France around 1516 and worked for the courts of Francois I, Charles III of Lorraine, and even Queen Mary of Scotland whilst she was living in France
) In Transformers, BREMF Consort of Voices, directed by Deborah Roberts (7.30pm, Sun 27, St Martin’s Church), explore reworkings of music by Josquin, Rore, Gombert and others, including an 11-part version of Tallis’ Spem In Alium (originally for 40 parts)
) You can see two music dramas this year The first, Burying the Dead by Clare Norburn, explores London during the time of Purcell, with music performed by Ceruleo (8pm, Thur 31, St George’s Church)
Then the Fieri Consort, with actors from Wise Child Theatre (8pm, Fri 1 Nov, St George’s Church), performs Her Father’s Voice, exploring the early years of composer Barbara Strozzi
) The BREMF Live! Showcase (3pm, Sat 2 Nov, St Paul’s Church) presents 20-minute slots from young ensembles chosen each year for the scheme, and this year there will be sets from the Renaissance vocal ensemble, Scaramella, the Renaissance/baroque duo, Melismata, and two Baroque
and then Hildegard of Bingen receives the transformation approach, with Hildegard Transfigured (8pm, Fri 8 Nov, St Martin’s Church), a medieval trance for the 21st century, performed by Voice, with lightshow and striking images
) The BREMF Players & Singers (7 30pm, Sat 9 Nov, St Martin’s Church) combine with talented young soloists for Ovid and Handel, including Handel’s chamber cantata Apollo and Daphne, and selections from his oratorio Semele.
) The festival then concludes with The Feast of Fools, with a wide range of medieval and renaissance music led by harpist and musical director Leah Stuttard, with the BREMF Community Choir, BREMF Consort of Voices, dancers from Streetfunk and children from local primary schools.
The music presented here consists of a selection of delightful Fantasias by Paladin, all of which have an emphasis on contrapuntal writing – that’s to say, a number of melodic lines working through the pieces at the same time, not at all easy to write, or indeed play successfully on the lute Yet McCartney hides any difficulties that these present, and the results are full of remarkably smooth lines and subtle delicacy
He also includes various anonymous stately Praeludiums, taken from Hortus Musicalis Novus, as well as two ‘intabulations’ (i e transcriptions into tabular notation for the instrument) by Paladin of madrigals by other composers, Quand’io penso al martir by Jacques Arcadelt, and Anchor che col partir by Cipriano de Rore, followed by Paladin’s Fantasias on these works
These fantasias, particularly the one drawing on the Rore madrigal are full of beautiful lines and invention, and placing the relatively ‘true’ transcription next to Paladin’s imitation fantasias allows McCartney to demonstrate the fluidity of Paladin’s own writing for the instrument, as well as his own deft touch and ability to bring out the singing lines of this delicate music. Another delightful disc from McCartney, well worth exploring.
)
Back in April I reviewed Oli Spleen’ s collaboration with Birdeatsbaby, Gaslight Illuminations He’s now released his third single from the album,
CINEMA
‘Furnace’ , with the B-side being a cover of Brahms' Hungarian Dance No 5 Furnace is the final track on the album, and it describes a psychological rebirth after the spiritual and emotional decline and death of the preceding songs. You can see the music video to Furnace, directed by Steve Johnson on YouTube (search ‘Oli Spleen Furnace’), and you can download the single and album at olispleen bandcamp com
Reviews, comments and events: v nicks-classical-notes.blogspot.co.uk t@nickb86uk ) nbclassical@hotmail.co.uk
) Live from the Metropolitan Opera: Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Puccini’ s Turandot (Sat 12), with Christine Goerke and Roberto Aronica, then Massenet’ s Manon, (Sat 26), with Lisette Oropesa and Micahel Fabiano.
) Live from the Royal Opera House, is Mozart’ s Don Giovanni (Tue 8), and Donizetti’ s Don Pasquale, with Bryn Terfel (Thur 24)
In a range of local cinemas, including: Duke’s at Komedia/Duke of York’s, Brighton, the Connaught Cinema, Worthing, the Depot, Lewes and the Picture House, Uckfield Check for times
CONCERTS
ST LUKE'S CHURCH
Queen’s Park Road, Brighton www.musicandwineatstlukes.com
) The Fretful Federation Mandolin Orchestra (7.30pm, Fri 4) will perform The Other Ocean, a new composition by Esmeralda Conde Ruiz with evocative film archive material provided by Screen Archive South East, plus an eclectic and entertaining selection of mandolin orchestra material
) The Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra (3pm, Sun 6) performs Brahms, Britten, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky Then the Worthing Symphony Orchestra (2 45pm, Sun 20) performs Haydn, Satie, Delibe, Fauré, Beethoven and Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto, with Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cello).
CONGRESS THEATRE Eastbourne, 01323 412000, www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk
) The London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Gourlay (3pm, Sun 13), performs Rimsky-Korsakov, and Rachmaninov’ s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Reinis Zariņš (piano).
ACCA University of Sussex, 01273 678822 www.attenboroughcentre.com
) The Mithras Trio (11am, Sun 20) perform piano trios by Mozart, Fauré, Beethoven and Helen Grime. SUSSEX DOWNS COLLEGE Lewes, www.nylewes.org.uk
) The Esmé String Quartet (7.45pm, Fri 25) play Webern, Schumann and Schubert.
ALL THAT JAZZ
) PHILIP BAILEY Love Will Find a Way (Verve) Three singers this month, starting with Earth Wind & Fire’s Philip Bailey. So what’s he doing in a jazz column, you ask? Well, Bailey has previous form with both jazz and, superbly, gospel. For this, his 11th solo set, he has returned to jazz and recruited keyboard wonder Robert Glasper to put together a set of radically reworked jazz and soul classics. Two perfect tributes to Curtis Mayfield are highlights of a set that transforms Talking Heads’ ‘Once In A Lifetime’ into a harmonious vocal slow jam and tribally reimagines the evergreen ‘Stairway To The Stars’ courtesy of will i am ’ s drums. A top-rate roster of supporting jazz musicians, including saxophonist Kamasi Washington and keyboardist Chick Corea, delivers style to every song. But whatever the material it is Bailey’s wonderous falsetto you want to hear and he never disappoints. Classy soul jazz with more depth than one might expect, and a welcome return to Mr Bailey, whose last record was back in 2002!
) SUSANNE ABBUEHL Compass (ECM). Very different in style is Swiss-born, Dutch singer Susanne Abbuehl, who has released only a handful of albums, of which this is one of the best. Recorded in 2003–04 and now re-released as part of ECM’s 50th birthday bash, Compass is highly literate, with lyrics from James Joyce’s Chamber Music and Finnegans Wake, a poem by William Carlos Williams, and two pieces from Luciano Berio’s Folk Songs, among other highbrow choices Abbuehl’s voice, either singing or speaking, is cool and undemonstrative, mesmeric in its quiet intimacy, her lyrics always well chosen and apposite. The supporting music is sparsely but beautifully carried by Wolfert Brederode’s subtle piano, Lucas Niggli’s minimal percussive colouring, and the atmospheric clarinet of Christof May. Some might describe this music as modern folk or even torch song, but it is a haunting and evocative display of real vocal talent
) ARENI AGBABIAN Bloom (ECM). California-born of Armenian heritage, Areni Agbabian is both a singer and a storyteller, an improvising vocalist whose voice casts a quiet spell on each of the 17 bleak songs on this set Her material ranges from traditional Armenian hymns and folk songs, one of them transcribed by Komitas, and her own compositions Other than the seven-plus minute opener that is ‘Patience’, none of the pieces lasts much above two or three minutes, with some counting out their time in just seconds. Accompanied by her own minimal piano, and occasional percussive support from Nicolas Stocker, she enunciates the words in atmospheric detail, her music, restrained, sparse, and always thoughtful
STEPPING INTO PANTOL AND
Ex-Strictly professional dancer Ian Waite talks to Brian Butler about waltzing your way to fitness, same sex partners on the dance floor, and his forthcoming panto debut at Worthing.
) When Ian Waite was 10 his parents divorced, and his father took a shine to a local dance school teacher He tried to persuade Ian to take up dance lessons but the boy, frightened of how his male friends might react, refused. Under pressure he agreed to accompany his brother to the classes, got hooked and the rest is ballroom history.
“I was mostly brought up by my grandmother. We used to watch old Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Gene Kelly movies. I watched them over and over again.“ So started a love affair that has never ended.
As a teenager he became a national and then European Latin American dance champion, and went on to compete all over the world. Supposedly working in his father’s office, Ian was given the scope to take dance classes and carry on his winning career.
Is it stressful competing all the time?
“Since the age of 11 till I was 35 I competed. It was my life. I knew nothing else. If I stopped, I asked myself, what will happen? What will I do? I didn’t want to lose the performance element of what I did in front of an audience ”
After a spell dancing in the Netherlands, Ian moved back to London. His father had married his dance teacher so he had free access to a studio whenever he wanted it
“Working with celebrities, they can be good but still be voted off early on You hope that’s not going to happen You always want them to work hard and have the right ethic and mostly they do. Nowadays the professionals are celebrities in their own right. Being paired up creates an interesting dynamic and a lot is not just about skill but their popularity with the public”
“Everyone wants to win - we ’ re all competitive and you want to stay in the contest as long as you can. ”
Ian has certainly done that being in the final twice, though he never lifted the prized Glitterball.
On the spin-off chat show, It Takes Two, his friend and ex-Strictly celebrity partner Zoe Ball announced on live TV that Ian had recently married his partner Drew Merriman, “It was no great deal for me. I didn’t see it as an issue, and the public reaction was very supportive.”
Ian did seven series of the show, as well as a series of Showdancers and eight series of It Takes Two - which he still features on.
Why did he leave the main series?
“A new producer came onboard and five of the pros got dropped, including me. I’d rather say that I was re-positioned into It Takes Two.”
“It was a new phenomenon - a way of losing weight and toning up by using dance steps but doing it without a partner ”
There are now four distinct programmes, including FAB (For All Bodies) and there are over 1,000 instructors teaching it all over the UK, with major new contracts for it in the USA.
Now Ian finds himself in Worthing for his first panto - playing Prince Charming’s right hand man Dandini in Cinderella.
“I’d always wanted to do panto but never had the opportunity. I’ve always wanted to act and sing and this is a good way to find out if I’m any good at it.”
Ian is of course being modest - many of Strictly’s routines include theatricality and the dancers always assume a character to portray an emotional storyline And he performed dramatic monologues in Craig Revel Horwood’s show Strictly Confidential
Would you like to try musical theatre?
“I've not done tap, ballet or jazz dancing so I’m not sure about it ”
What advice would you give to a younger self?
“Enjoy the ride Opportunities will come to youembrace them and enjoy them ”
Ian hasn’t hung up his dance shoes just yet. He has just completed a UK tour of his own creation Ballroom Boys, with fellow ex-Strictly professional Vincent Simone
“I was thinking who shall I partner with in the show? Thinking of various girls, and my father said why not a man? So I asked Vincent and he agreed It’s a really an old-fashioned variety show, with great dance set pieces, backstage gossip about Strictly, comedy numbers - really old school stuff.”
Asked about the BBC’s recent decision to consider same-sex partners for future series, Ian is unequivocal. “How could I be judgmental when I married a man? It’s about the chemistry and participation. If it had been available to me I would definitely have done it. But it has to be done seriously and not made fun of.“
“I was asked to join the professionals in the second series of Strictly ” Cinderella ) Cinderella runs from November 29 at the Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, at various times until January 5, 2020 For more details see worthingtheatres.co.uk
And it was at this point that Ian co-created with Natalie Lowe and Olympian, Mark Foster, the dance firmness programme Fitsteps.
STRICTLY A STAR PERFORMER
Joe McFadden, winner of Strictly, star of TV ’s Heartbeat and Holby City talks to Brian Butler about his forthcoming lead role in Priscilla, dancing with Katya, and learning the hard way.
) Joe McFadden knew at 12 years old that he wanted to be an actor His drama teacher got him an audition for the hit TV detective series Taggart, followed by a young starring role for six years in the popular Scots soap opera Take the High Road “I thought to myself : this is great fun," he says with his infectious smile and warm Scottish accent. He admits that he should have gone to drama school: “But I wasn’t brave enough. I learned the hard wayby doing it.”
The high-profile jobs kept coming - two years in the period police series Heartbeat and four years in the medical drama Holby City. “The shows had very different style. Heartbeat was all about the look and the pop music sounds of the 1960s, Holby is obviously a modern look at an NHS hospital As such it has to be as authentic as possible - lots of doctors and nurses watch it,” Joe says
“There’s tremendous attention to detail, with medical advisers on the set all the time ” Joe says he even went to watch open-heart surgery for real to get into his doctor role
“People in the know are waiting for you to make a mistake so it’s important not to ”
“What I realised is how powerful these people are I was playing an arrogant character - but I realised that life and death was in my hands It gave me more respect for medical staff and the pressure they are under I couldn’t do it for real ”
You’ve starred in film, TV and on stage so what’s your favourite medium?
“I’m fortunate I get to do all of the above People see you in one light and that’s it, so varying the roles is great.”
Self-taught in his skills, he did take some singing lessons in his native Glasgow, where he had friends studying musical theatre At the age of 22 he landed a role in the musical Rent.
“I was amazed I got the part. I never saw myself really as a singer, and it helps that it’s was more an acting show.” But musicals were to form an important part of his career, including She Loves Me at Chichester.
So how did his participation in Strictly come about? He admits that someone on the Holby production team was keen for one of its actors to be in the dance competition.
“I said absolutely not. But I was worn down.
The first time the BBC approached me I said no Then I had a good think about it So I met the producers They don’t tell you all the intricacies, that your life will change and about the press intrusion.”
For the run of the show in 2017 it took over Joe’s life
“It depends how good you want to be I didn’t want to embarrass myself, and with Katya (his professional dance partner and teacher), it’s full throttle. So we rehearsed nine or 10 hours a day. Some days I got to the point where things weren’t going in and Katya would send me home.“
When did you realise you had a chance of winning and lifting the famous Glitterball?
“I didn’t, not even in the final week. I was concentrating on myself; the others were such good dancers I thought; how lucky are we to get to the final?“
But win he did of course, and the TV series was followed by a month-long stage tour of the show and finally a cruise
After other stage appearances, Joe is now embarking on a UK tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, with a three week stint in Brighton over Christmas 2019
“I met Jason Donovan on the TV show Loose Women and later on producer Mark Goucher They offered me the role that Jason had playedAnthony - 'Tick' whose stage name is Mitzi Jason who is co-producing this version, says it’s going to be more like the original movie - grittier than the stage show usually is.”
“I’d never done drag before... I take my hat off to full-time drag acts. Just standing in the high heels killed me, let alone dancing in them.”
“Mitzi is a great character, and as the show develops we learn his great secret - he has a wife and son. There’s a lot to the character. He jumps about on the stage and then he also has scenes where he is forging new ground with his newlyfound family.”
So with just six weeks rehearsal, how do you feel?
“I’d never done drag before, though I know some drag queens I was slightly worried. I take my hat off to full-time drag acts. Just standing in the high heels killed me, let alone dancing in them.”
What advice would you give to a young Joe just starting his acting career?
“I’d tell him not to worry so much. I fretted about not going to drama school, but then I realised we are all just making it up as we go along All this stuff is small stuff ”
What roles would you like to tackle in the future?
“The MC in Cabaret I did a samba to the music from it in Strictly I think it was my best dance And Bloom, the nervous accountant in The Producers "
Having just finished a major tour of Brightonbased Peter James' The House on Cold Hill, where he 'died' on stage very night, Priscilla is making a change “Its’ a feel-good show “ Priscilla
) Priscilla runs at the Theatre Royal, Brighton from December 17 to January 4, 2020.
developed “We were singing live and no-one else was We had a pianist and no-one else did And we had lots of audience participation - that was our secret ”
David was the ideas man, thinking up new gags and sketches, putting Jimmy in difficult situations for their comic value Their audiences included ballet star Nureyev, Princess Margaret and later Princess Diana, and many others. The stars were known to be in the audience but were ignored. “It was a very relaxed environment, this was their night off to let their hair down,” says David.
THE INCOMPARABLE MAISIE
David Raven, aka Maisie Trollette, talks to Brian Butler about being a master grocer, teenage innocence, breaking into the entertainment business, and the many stars he has known and worked with in his 60 years in the drag business.
) It’s difficult to think of another drag artiste who can in the space of an hour or so chatting in his basement garden flat in Kemptown, Brighton, get ballet star Rudolf Nureyev, Princesses Margaret and Diana, Barbara Windsor, Diana Dors, Petula Clarke and drag royalty Danny La Rue into the same summary of his life as a performer And this isn’t namedropping for the sake of it Spending time in David Raven’s company for even a short while is a window on the world of show business going back to the 1960s
David, who turned 86 in August, continues his career, albeit at a more sedentary relaxed pace Fitting therefore that a film is currently reaching its final production stages which charts his life as the oldest drag queen in the UK. But don’t say 'queen' to David - he prefers 'artiste'. When you sit and listen, you rapidly realise that you ’ re in the presence of a legend, though it’s not how he sees himself nor how he behaves.
“At school I wasn’t a performer of any kind,” he says. His family were grocers and publicans, first in Ipswich then Suffolk, and he made rapid progress in the same trade, becoming a manager of the Co-op at 21.
“I had no gay self-awareness in those days. It wasn’t really talked about. There was gossip and stories about why were those two guys always together and that sort of thing but I didn’t catch on to what it was really about.”
Having sung a few times in the family-run pub, he ended up in a panto in a local holiday camp and that sowed the seeds for what was to come a few years later. Older men took the young David under their arm and he saw the first glimpses of an unspoken gay lifestyle
“I had always been keen on the theatre, my mother took me every Wednesday to the Theatre Royal in Norwich, so when I did panto I got hooked on the theatricality of it all ”
Winning a jive dance competition on Anglia TV seems to have sealed his fate, and he went off to London with his lifelong friend Brenda. At Liptons shop in Victoria his other talent was soon spotted. “I could bone a side of bacon very quickly and soon found myself working in the food hall of Selfridges department store ” He stayed for 12 years, the last four of which he had an alter ego in the evenings and weekends as Maisie Trollette with friend Jimmy Court as his double act partner Jimmy Trollette
In the 1960s David met his life partner, banker Don Coull, and it was Don who suggested David should glam up a bit David said no, but Don said they looked like a pair of trolls - the fictional mountain creatures David altered the word “ette” being a suffix that means young and the Trollettes were born.
The theatrical side of entertaining had always interested him and through John NathanTurner, producer of the Doctor Who TV series, he had landed roles in touring productions of both The Boys in the Band and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
When Jimmy and Maisie won a talent contest at the Black Cap pub in Camden their act rapidly
The couple were favourites at the Union Tavern in London. “If you didn’t go to the Tavern, you weren’t on the gay scene. ” says David. On one memorable night, international diva Zsa Zsa Gabor, who was starring at the London Palladium, famously swapped dresses with Maisie, and on went the drag artiste in the Hollywood star’s frock Pantos with actresses Linda Baron and Wendy Craig followed And the drag continued, “Woe betide anyone who stood up in the audience to go to the toilet I would follow them and tell them nobody walks out when I’m singing ”
Have you any advice to your younger self? “I can’t really think of anything except I wish I’d been encouraged to do more stage musicals and also been able to be more open about my sexuality ”
In more than 20 years in Brighton has much changed? “Well we got through the heartache of HIV/AIDS, youngsters don’t think a lot about that nowadays They don’t take precautions and stay safe. There’s no fear about HIV and they don’t see it as a death threat. Of course it is. I lost more than 20 friends to it. On the plus side the sensitivity of people has changed, it’s a more accepting and open world now. ”
You appeared at the first Brighton Pride, has much changed? “They’ve got electricity now, ” he jokes.
What gets you up in the morning? “Years of running a guesthouse meant I had to get up early and I still do.”
What keeps you going at 86? “Still being here!” Let’s hope that’s true for some time to come so we can all cherish this national treasure
JONATHAN HARVEY
Award-winning writer Jonathan Har vey talks to Brian Butler about the strong women of Coronation Street, working with the Pet Shop Boys, and same-sex relationship teaching.
) Award-winning writer Harvey, creator of TV’s Gimme Gimme Gimme, and a large canon of stage plays and films, says he’s often plagued by panic attacks and anxiety But sitting cross legged in the green room of the Spire Community Centre in Kemptown, he appears the epitome of self-confident humour. He’s about to be cross-questioned by the Marlborough Theatre’s co-artistic director David Sheppeard, so this interview is a bit of a warm-up for him.
Born in Liverpool, Jonathan was a teenage sensation, winning a prize from the Liverpool Playhouse for his first play Cherry Blossom Tree just as he was finishing school. In his second year at university he had his first play staged in London
“But I decided I’d better get a proper job just in case, so I became a teacher ” He describes Cherry Blossom Tree as a cross between Once A Catholic and A Taste of Honey - centring on a young girl growing up too fast in a Catholic convent school, and the girl’s relationship with a nun, Sister Mary Gabriel It’s a theme that has often come back in his many works over the years - the role of strong womenparticularly mothers
He was surprised when he won the Evening Standard‘ s Most Promising Playwright Award in 1994, but delighted because he was photographed with the Best Actress winner, Dame Maggie Smith.
“Awards do something for your reputation - they make you more marketable. It doesn’t look bad on your CV," he jokes.
The plays have come thick and fast over the years. Hushabye Mountain was his first to deal with the issue of HIV/AIDS “It was the late 1990s. One of my friends died and then another friend became ill but was offered combination
therapy and is still alive. I became aware of the irony of that unfairness, in a three-week window, of what happened to the two of them
The play covers that and a new relationship which the second man builds It’s a kind of salvation ”
While teaching in Thamesmead in London, Jonathan started writing possibly his most famous play, Beautiful Thing
“It was the time of the unequal age of consent for LGBT+ and straight people, and the language of the time wasn’t helpful It’s a simple story with someone ending up happy It doesn’t feel like a political play but it’s an act of politics ”
Fast forward to 1999 and his wonderful TV creation for Kathy Burke and James DreyfusGimme Gimme Gimme
“Kathy had directed one of my plays and I wanted to work with her again. She was also script editor on the series.”
“Television is well-paid but everyone has an opinion about a sitcom script Victoria Wood once said that half-way through making Dinnerladies all she wanted to do was go into a darkened room and scream I agree It sends you a bit mad ”
He has clocked up over 260 episodes of Coronation Street since 2004, and still writes for it How does the process work?
“Writing is isolating, but on Corrie once a month you sit in a room with 17 other writers and the producer and plan 20 episodes You share your successes and failures; it’s a family feeling I learn all the time from the other writers, though there’s no collaboration on individual episodes. You write them alone.”
“I kept turning Corrie down, but accepted on the third request. I became obsessed with it.”
The two storylines that stand out for Jonathan are the rape of David Platt and Aidan’s suicide, both of which received great critical acclaim
He’s also written for old favourites - he wrote about Jack and Vera Duckworth’s 50th anniversary The rich lineage of the show’s archive is not as restricting as it might appear and there’s a lot to fall back on.
Corrie is famous for its strong women - going right back to Ena Sharples and Elsie Tanner
“Tony Warren was a gay man and his characters are camp - he modelled the women on the drag queens going up and down Manchester’s gay area, Canal Street ”
Do you have any advice for a young Jonathan?
“It won’t last forever - oh, and give up drinking I suffer from anxiety a lot and I’ve now learned how to deal with it ”
On same-sex relationship teaching and the current furore in Birmingham he is very clear
“I got married a few years ago - the idea that you wouldn’t tell the children in your family about having two dads is ridiculous I’m appalled by it ”
The work still floods in - he’s just written an episode of Call the Midwife, and has just aired his second collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys - the first being Closer to Heaven and the new work for actress Frances Barber is Musik
“It’s a 60 minute one-woman show with six songs The central character Billie Trix is kind of Marianne Faithfull figure - a rock icon who has done far too many drugs and has far too many delusions of how good she is.
“The boys and I were still interested in what had happened to her in all these years. ”
Theatre is his first love, though he now writes novels too “There are two emotions you can pinpoint in an audience - laughter and tears You don’t want to write plays where all the audience does is listen ”
No chance of that with his great talent to grab the heart
“It’s a simple stor y with someone ending up happy. It doesn’t feel like a political play but it’s an act of politics” (Beautiful Thing)
LGBT+ HISTORY LESSON
A histor y of the LGBT+ community - how the minority are leading the majority, by Stu Fenton
) Over the last 100 years the LGBT+ community has experienced repression, negativity, marginalisation and cruelty in many forms and, while we have achieved much with marriage equality and gay rights, there is still a very long way to go in most countries
Despite the adversity that we ’ ve encountered, some believe that it’s because of this that many members of the community have become stronger, more aware, empathic and empowered than our predecessors But what were some of the significant moments over the last century that have led us to a place where we could even suggest that things are better for LGBT+ people?
Looking first at LGBT+ people in concentration camps during WW1; gay men suffered unusually cruel treatment, they faced persecution from German soldiers and other prisoners as well, many were beaten to death They were forced to engage in heterosexual sex acts as a form of conversion therapy and kept isolated so as not to ‘spread’ homosexuality. When the war ended, LGBT+ people were incarcerated once again.
Fortunately, things did improve after this but very slowly. Despite Alan Turing being one of the important factors that brought about Hitler's demise, he committed suicide in 1952 because homosexuality was a crime and he was prosecuted for gross indecency.
In April 1952, the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic manual still listed homosexuality as a ‘sociopathic personality disturbance.’ Then, in 1961, Illinois became the first state to decriminalise homosexuality by repealing sodomy laws.
The Stonewall Riots in 1969 started the protests that led to the gay civil rights movement. After the riots the Pride March phenomena began with New York City and the Christopher Street Liberation Day on June 28, 1970 This event marked the first LGBT+ Pride march in US history, covering the 51
blocks to Central Park.
In 1978, Harvey Milk was inaugurated as a San Francisco city supervisor, he was the first openly gay man to be elected into political office in California. That year Harvey Milk was murdered and became a symbol of pride and hope for the LGBT+ community and the first Rainbow Flag was stitched together.
In 1997, Ellen DeGeneres came out on TV and appeared on the cover of Time magazine. She was supported by the nation and she still presents her very successful TV show.
The Federation of Gay Games began in 1982, they were created to foster and augment the self-respect of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and all sexually-fluid or gendervariant individuals (LGBT+) throughout the world The goals were to promote the spirit of inclusion and participation
In 1998, Dana International, a transgender performer, won the Eurovision Song Contest and later Conchita Wurst, a gay drag performer, won the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, proclaiming “We are unstoppable!”
Since 2009 Iceland and Belgium have had LGBT+ Prime Ministers and currently there are three world leaders leading their governments: Luxembourg‘ s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Ireland’ s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Serbia’ s Prime Minister Ana Brnabić Currently Pete Buttigieg in the USA is campaigning for the title of President of the United States
Gay Rugby Union player Mark Bingham died in the September 11 attacks, the Bingham Cup was set up in his memory and now more than 30 teams compete in this event bringing LGBT+ people together in healthy environments for sporting competition.
Despite the progress all over the world we still have setbacks Recently in Brunei, the Sultan demanded stoning of anyone found to be engaging in sodomy or adultery (Syariah Penal Code Order). All over the internet
images were broadcast of how this penalty would be carried out; the protests and condemnation from the rest of the world and the boycotting of the Sultan’s luxury hotels made him reconsider this action and put a moratorium on the death penalty.
The journey to 2019 for the LGBT+ community has been a long, exhausting and painful one for millions. LGBT+ teens and adults are still killing themselves, experiencing mental health problems and drug abuse, addiction and stigma from their environments, but they are also becoming more intelligent, more courageous, more empathetic, more authentic, more selfaware, more resilient, more creative and more powerful than ever before
Forty years ago not a single LGBT+ residential rehab existed in the world. Today there are at least five designated residential rehabilitation facilities specifically for LGBT+ people, a vast number of IOPs and LGBT+ community and outpatient programmes, and many community centres that service the LGBT+ populations of many large cities around the world
Things are getting better for our community with 21 countries now celebrating marriage equality, with Taiwan becoming the first Asian country to campaign for and achieve this
Through the adversity the LGBT+ community has faced and the individuals within it that we have not only given ourselves the opportunity to become stronger, more empowered people, but in many of these situations we have also given permission to others to become more resilient and to have hope for a meaningful and enjoyable life.
One of the great things about working with the LGBT+ community in psychotherapy over the last 15 years is seeing individuals striving to find themselves and to become more liberated, more courageous and more self-aware. I think that many LGBT+ people see that we now have many rights, especially in Western countries, including marriage equality and we see that HIV is under control, that we are safer in many ways than we've been before.
more info
) Stu Fenton is Clinical Lead and Head Counsellor at R12, a LGBT+ dedicated destination rehab facility, part of the Cabin Addiction Services Group located in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand
CRAIG’S THOUGHTS
Born Liars. Or Man Shall Not Lie W ith Man.
By Craig Hanlon-Smith
) We are all liars. Masters and mistresses of short lies, long lies, blind lies, kind lies, whatever the purpose we are the kings and queens of liars The LGBTQ communities perhaps more than most We’re born into a lie
For years gifted an orientation or descriptor as the norm, which is framed every day as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth As the lie emerges it’s so strong, we begin to go along with it, to accept it, and to live the lie as if it were our truth even though we know it to be a lie
The lies we ’ ve been fed are so entrenched in a common and often legal law that we deny those we know to be our logical family, sometimes joining forces with those who commit psychological and physical harm upon our kind Gay people enter into relationships and marry our opposite genders burying our emerging truth in order to blend in with the liars that surround us. Some are born into a biological and physical shape they know to be a lie and hide within it for decades committing to the common law lie for every waking moment.
I don’t share these thoughts in order to criticise ourselves as often in life the lie is the only choice we have, for now. Like the child caught with the stolen cookie crumbs across its face we are faced with a stark choice. Admit the sin and face the inevitable pain of punishment, or lie in the vain hope our sins shall not find us out No one wants to be punished The lie is to survive
We find ourselves in 2019 living in an age described by analysts and academics as posttruth It’s an intellectualising of the word ‘lies’ We’re surrounded by them Political voices on all sides of international debates pedal their own truths which are soaked in such untruthful rhetoric that we have no other descriptor for them other than lies
We’re consumed with social media frameworks which hoodwink us into believing the world thinks as we do when in reality it’s an algorithmic cloak concealing balance, nuance and the multiple angles of truth and thus we believe the lie Even without the unrequested assistance of an electronic framework, we manipulate our own truths across media platforms at our daily fingertips. Posting inspirational quotations to promote our imagined strength, sharing heavily edited versions of our holidays, shopping trips and commuting trials. Seeking likes, loves, sympathies and nudes through which we source gratification and confidence built on a foundation of more lies. Supported in our pedalling of the growing mountain of lies through filters, frames and (inexplicably) cartoon puppy dog noses
We consume magazines laughingly labelled with the word ‘health’ as part of their titled appeal A misleading idea of health which communicates through heavily doctored images of how we could and should aspire to be Images which are lies We shower adoration upon hundreds of music and film artists describing some as icons and yet they all lie to us daily Sanctioning images and promotional material heavily interfered with to project an immaculate collection of perfection which is, yes, a lie.
There is no escape We are all liars
The consequence of all this is now our emerging truth Striving for an unattainable perfect body, career path, friendship group, lifestyle and journey A search never to be completed and an overwhelming sense of emptiness forever our companion. Is it any wonder that mental health charity, Mind, report that in England, one in six of us will experience a now common mental health concern such as depression or anxiety in any given week. One in four of us each year.
Alcohol and prescription drug dependencies are on the increase, the two not mutually exclusive. Functioning everyday alcoholism the open and acceptable cultural norm which stretches across the class divide. The affluent pointing at the drunk in the street whilst rarely weekending without multiple large whites or just one more craft beer, yet pedalling lies on social media of health, wellbeing and gym toned selfies Lying to ourselves and our narrow worlds It’s miserable and destructive but is now the norm
Years of buried truths, living the lies expected and encouraged by our families, communities and political systems is exhausting and contributes to the indefinite search for perfect happiness and acceptance We assume that one more drink, shag, bump or selfie will unlock the magic we ’ re told everyone else enjoys.
Matthew Todd states: “We’re strapped inside a cultural straight jacket,” in his book of the same name Todd is referring to the challenges of growing up LGBTQ in a heteronormative world and yet this idea of social constriction must be felt by most. We find ourselves, LGBTQ and everyone else, currently crammed into a political maelstrom which has been born out of lies and misinformation that we ’ ve seen unravel and at times encouraged it to do so. We’re all responsible, accountable and complicit for the cultural straight jacket of lies that surrounds us
We, the LGBTQ, are also the answer. We’ve lived the lie and faced the truth. We’ve stood up in the forced framework of that given social structure and said; “Not me ” It took and continues to take courage to own our truths and to stand by them And as it feels the progress we ’ ve taken comfort from begins to roll back we owe it to those whose strength wavers or is yet undiscovered to stand firm
We were always here and by we, I refer to us all, the L, the G, the B, the T, the Q, and anyone else who wishes to stand in our light We may be queer, we may be sick, we may be mental, we may be drunk but we ’ re not lying to the universe about our identities, and right now that’s one less lie for us all to deal with.
“It took and continues to take courage to own our truths and to stand by them. And as it feels the progress we’ve taken comfor t from begins to roll back we owe it to those whose strength wavers or is yet undiscovered to stand firm”
CHARLIE SAYS
) We’re hurdling towards winter via a summer that wasn’t really there, so I think it’s a good time to talk about mental health When it comes to our collective mental health, we can’t really do this without mentioning the Government This is for two very simple reasons.
1. They’re driving us into a state of collective yet individual anxiety.
2. The word leaders have severe mental health problems.
What’s happening now is that the lunatics are being allowed to take over this asylum. I know, I won’t keep you a minute then you can get back to your online life but I think this needs addressing. It’s legislation such as the Goldwater ruling in the United States that means that you can’t analyse anybody unless you ’ re in the room with them and, best of all, they have to give you their consent
Why would this happen? The analysis of the President has been mirrored by the likes of Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and the best of European mental health institutions (remember Europe?) and they’re all conclusive in their diagnosis of an extreme narcissistic personality disorder This was diagnosed in the first year of the presidency And because of the rule, it means we can do nothing whatsoever about it
This diagnosis doesn’t mean that somebody just thinks of themselves only, it translates directly to their reasoning, or lack thereof
Pulling his hatred against rivals in the public arena is a perfect trait of the disorder.
The endless bullying, particularly of women, is yet another trait A narcissist is incapable of love but very capable of frustrated acting out because they can’t see it So, he thrashes out at women because, at a base level, he sees them as weak and a sub-species. Perhaps worst of all is that he does this on a global media stage. Perhaps worse even than that, the acolytes surrounding this here President jeer him on and offer support. Now, we all remember what to do with bullies at school.
Ignore them, take away their power and need to show-off
Well, thank you Goldwater rule, you ’ ve taken that away from us before we start Don’t get me wrong it’s a good thing If it wasn’t there it means that any American could say another American was bonkers and the accusation would be taken seriously at the very least. Everyone would be doing it – think of our ex ’s! What fun would they have getting us all sectioned. We, alas, are not in a seat of global power.
It’s good that we have a spectrum now. Those ghastly Victorians only used binaries. So you were either mad or sane – letting the doctors choose whichever they pleased. Having a spectrum means that we are all certainly on it, someone with depression is on it, someone with a gun calling themselves the sun of Rah is too We’re all equal in the sauna, as that gay old expression goes
Jumping over the pond, the amount of privilege and inbreeding results in the now Prime Minister and the likes of Jacob ReeseSmog We’re talking idiot buffoons here, Walter the Softie with a Tory whip Imagine having the best education money could buy and yet not being expected to excel within or after it? You fall out of Eton or Oxford and do whatever you bloody want MP? Here, lay on this comfy green leather bench, why don’t you?
Nowhere else, not America, Russia, Japan, has the entrenched class system that we have in the UK It’s hardwired into us We hear that received pronunciation voice and something in us unknowingly stands to attention. Hard one
to take, isn’t it? But it’s not just us, it’s global The Yanks love a posh accent, which is why they think Britain is set in Masterpiece Theatre and romantically they want to keep it like that But we respond to it in the same way, like we ’ re some ancient culture that nobody on the planet can do without A kind of collective mental illness – delusionalism Enough has been written about this for me to need to press the point home, particularly at the present moment.
But you self-medicate and otherwise, against these issues. That is, like the Goldwater rulingso long as you know you actually have them. Doris Johnstone has no idea as he zip-wires holding two union jacks that he is, in fact, a cretin. The fact that he is susceptible to such suggestions gives us pause for diagnosis.
Now, those ‘suggesters’ have been replaced by something more powerful, exactly as it has been with the President. The lawyers and advisers are using these cretins to force the agenda of the ‘global right’ and these A-holes feel that it’s their own power, that they’re devising legislation And they’re behaving like bad boys to make us love them Laying across a Parliamentary bench or playing an additional round of golf as the world burns While in the background the real invisible work is being done
You’d have to be way down the spectrum to think this is still conspiracy theoreticals Perhaps the oddest thing is, is that these powers are dictating that it’s the populace who are the crazies That we don’t know our privileged arse from a nine-iron. That we need not be listened to.
In a way they have a point We have media moguls who’ve recently sold their empires and invested in the darker arts. We no longer read the press, because as Reece-Frog says, that any oppositional counter-argument is ‘Phony News’not a million miles from American ‘Fake News’. And Doris’s newly elected interview optics are now a shot in a Downing Street side room where behind, bemused infants are pushed into shot by men in suits. Not too dissimilar to that single black person over Trump’s right shoulder at every Republican rally
Not only are we not reading the press and optics honestly but apparently, as mentioned by a young protester in Whitehall recently, they’re no longer using social media to congregate So, even now social media is out, leaving most of us with our collective, yet individual social paranoias But also with the kids realising what a trap technology has lured them into, perhaps it’s time for a sanity spectrum I’d vote for that
“Nowhere else has the entrenched class system that we have in the UK. It’s hardwired into us. We hear that received pronunciation voice and something in us unknowingly stands to attention”
HYDES’ HOPES
BY R E V M I C
TRAINING THE BL ACK DOG
) Life can be great fun, and it can be a pit of despair. Being bi-polar I experience both regularly. And I'd love to tell you that there is a cure, but in reality all I can do is tell you how best I manage, what doesn't work for me, and what I've found makes it all a little easier.
GAY WISDOM
BY G AY S O C
HEART CIRCLING FOR MENTAL HEALTH
) I used to be a Psychiatrist. Yes! I spent most of my adult life studying and helping to alleviate the pain and distress of major mental illness. Now in the fifth year of my retirement I find myself writing a column on the subject for an LGBT+ community listings magazine. So what to say?
Matching my mood with my environment often helps, chasing it down and acknowledging it. If I start to feel the fall, then I have a few favourite films to travel with. Now Voyager, Northern Lights, Waiting For The Light, and more recently the Pete's Dragon remake. All of them leave me sobbing into a hanky as I gently coddle my spirit with empty calories. (There's usually chocolate in the mix somewhere) The films ensure that my environment matches my mood, and in some strange way my mood lifts as my environment returns to normal It doesn't always work, but often enough to be worth a try.
In general, books have helped me to understand my condition better and to live with the black dog in ways I can manage However, reading lots of books about how to cope with life just made me feel guilty about not being able to cope with life. But eventually I did learn that living with, not coping - is coping.
I read numerous spirituality books about how to deepen my relationship with God and ended up feeling guilty that I didn't have a deeper relationship with God. Eventually I realised that you learn how to be in a relationship with God by being in relationship with God. I don't think there's a 'one size fits all' relationship. After all, God made me gay, how unpredictable can you get? And could God cure my depression? I should think so; but I'm not holding my breath.
Having a faith helps me a lot, but I learned the hard way that religion can be the wings that help you fly or the anchor that drags you down. My advice is to get real, bring God into your everyday life. Not asking for things (you're not a five-year-old asking Father Christmas for a toy) – simply invite God to experience life with you.
“Having a faith helps me a lot, but I learned the hard way that religion can be the wings that help you fly or the anchor that drags you down”
After all, what would it mean if God was as much a part of your failure as your success, as much a part of your illness as your health, as much a part of your doubt as your faith, as much a part of your frustration as your acceptance? What would it mean to let go of everything you believe and rely on faith? Not faith in some certainty, but faith that you are, just as I am
Mark Twain said that a man is accepted into a church for what he believes and he is turned out for what he knows So, what do you know? Not because someone told you but because it is the core of your being?
I know I'm gay, I know I'm a roller-coaster of emotions that are up one day and down the next, in control one minute and a mess the next, faith and doubt, light and shadow, giving and selfish, and I know that although none of it is easy that I am not alone And that helps Sometimes
Twenty odd years ago, when I first arrived in Brighton, excited by the prospect of living and working in our very own fabulous gayplayground-by-the-sea, and keen to make lots of new friends and acquaintances, it was this very Gscene magazine that I turned to as a resource. Maybe, I thought, I could find a group of like-minded freethinking queer folk that I'd be able to join forces with to change the world and make it a better place I was in my late 30s so the naivety and idealism of my 20s were still very much a part of my world outlook!
Scanning the community self-help resources, all I could find were groups to support those who were HIV+, those who were drug and alcohol addicted, in physically abusive relationships, etc, etc
Sadly I found myself, as an adjusted, though not well adjusted homosexual, not quite unadjusted enough to qualify for entry to the available supportive peer groups on offer
So I joined in with the throngs of pubbers and clubbers, made some friends via the Rainbow Chorus and gradually became disenchanted with the idea that my sexuality could possibly constitute the basis of some form of common denominator for my social networks
I realise now that I was searching for others who recognised that their early developmental experiences of being an unsupported queer in a hostile world had left us all with a malaise, a wounded-ness, to which we had uncomfortably adjusted and which had left us limping along to a greater or lesser extent
We weren't mentally ill yet, but our wounds opened us up to a greater chance of developing addictions and mental health problems when exposed to the standard stresses and strains of daily living
Thankfully, after years of searching, I stumbled across the Faeries who celebrate and endeavour to heal our very own brand of wounded-ness through the creation of pop-up, time limited, residential intentional communities (or Faerie Gatherings), where radical inclusivity, compassion, and self-acceptance can be practiced in varying degrees of safety
Central to these practices is the Heart Circle What happens when you are given the space to articulate what you are feeling whilst engaged in queer community building? Sitting in circle with 15-20 pairs of ears, listening, without judgement and without fear of interruption, as you hold a talisman, speak with radical honesty, locating and bearing witness to your authentic, unedited self…
I’ve been attending Faerie Heart Circles for over 10 years now, and although I wouldn't quite say that I'm now ‘fully adjusted’, I'm certainly majorly less unadjusted than I was before. Faeries call it casting off the ugly frog skin of hetero-conformity.
It’s a great feeling!
SAM TRANS MAN
Dr Samuel Hall on the factors that contribute to mental health and what self care really means.
) Mental health Something we all aspire to
The terminology is frustrating; we refer to mental ill health, omitting the crucial word ‘ill’, as mental health Odd There is such a lot of stigma surrounding this issue Still Even now in 2019 people struggle to come to terms with the fragility of their emotional wellbeing
Like many people, I’m no stranger to mental ill health. It’s not inherited genetically, but if you grow up around people with emotional instability, addiction, co-dependence and unresolved trauma of their own, you will certainly learn to behave in ways that aren’t conducive to maintaining an equilibrium yourself.
We know a lot about the formation of stable mental health and wellbeing. We know that it’s forecast from very early in life, perhaps even before our lives begin. The nutritional status of the biological parents of an embryo, the emotional safety and wellbeing of the person who carries us in the womb before we are born, the circumstances into which we ’ re born, whether or not we ’ re breast-fed, nurtured and cared for in our early years in a way that’s respectful, our educational opportunities and achievements, the food we eat, exercise we do, quality of sleep and exposure to screens, noise, distress, hunger and other adverse conditions; all of these factors and more contribute to mental health.
Even with the ideal ingredients in early life, which foster resilience and self respect, a human being later exposed to adversity can suffer trauma that is significant enough to tip the scales. War, rape, divorce, exam pressures or failure, disease and loss can all precipitate disturbance of the finely tuned mechanisms in our bodies that ensure stability Sometimes seemingly minor upsets can send us over the edge, revealing unresolved or long repressed
memories of past insults, and unravelling our carefully constructed egos A sudden or severe trauma in adulthood, such as a car accident, a death, exposure to violence, insecurity or threat to livelihood, can all result in a fracturing of the ego self and reveal the vulnerable inner child with devastating consequences.
Many, many people are traumatised during childhood. With varying degrees of severity most of us are exposed to conditions, expectations, violations or insults that are harmful, causing us to protect ourselves by dissociating and ‘taking ourselves away ’ in our heads, so that we don’t have to face the pain of what’s happening to us. One person ’ s trauma may seem insignificant to another, but from hothousing children in music or gymnastics to serial sexual abuse, the universal connections are powerlessness and lack of respect for bodily autonomy Children are as human as the rest of us, yet in modern society seem to be treated as lesser beings in some twisted ideology that only affords protection and respect to adult humans And even then only those who are able-bodied, not intellectually impaired, and have capacity to speak up for themselves.
There’s a very clear link between adverse childhood experiences and substance misuse. The first, a breeding ground for self-hatred, low self-esteem and poor boundaries as well as victim behaviour that continues into adulthood, causing a vicious cycle of ongoing abuse. The second, a coping mechanism born of our inability to process the hurt and pain of the first We drink, smoke, gamble, shop, take drugs, have careless sex, play online, watch porn and eat to excess to dull the pain that lurks beneath the surface We self-medicate our way to ill health so that we don’t have to face the agony of what lies within Those negative messages of worthlessness,
powerlessness, uselessness We drink away our self respect, repressing any inclination to care for ourselves, simply because we were never taught how Self care is the mainstay of recovery from trauma, trauma is the fundamental damage behind poor mental health, therefore self care is the solution to most psycho-logical disturbance.
Recovery means looking after my body, learning to say no, being measured or abstinent with substances of abuse, digging around in my past to understand me, the way I am, and learning new patterns of behaviour that break the cycle. Self care means learning to love myself, respect myself, protect myself from further harm It’s so, so hard to maintain Far easier to slip down the slippery slope into oblivion and continue to blame everyone and anyone else for the mess we find ourselves in The truth is, whilst others may be to blame for the damage our souls, they are not ultimately responsible for making us better Only we can do that Only I can rebuild my self esteem, learn to respect myself in a way that no-one else ever has, and look after myself as though I were the most precious thing in the world. Because to me, I’m the most precious thing in the world. I have a life, where many don’t, I have opportunities to laugh, love and appreciate this ridiculously short spell of bodily autonomy If we ’ re all born from the stars, and our Qi or energy returns to the universe at death, then this bodily life is the only opportunity we have to fully appreciate being It feels to me that I’m obliged to make it the very best life I can In this way I can, rather than undo the damage of the past, make good the transgressions that others, stuck in their own pain, have inflicted on me.
This is what forgiveness looks like The ability to see that all human suffering caused by other humans comes from the same negative force, that of self-hatred. What a terrible legacy. I will not embrace it. I don’t know exactly what self-love really looks or feels like, not yet, but I am bloody determined to find out. I refuse to succumb to my victimhood, to wallow in the pain inflicted on me by people in my past and present. Instead, I will see them for the broken and hurting people that they are, and concentrate on the only person I can change Me
YAYA KNOWS BEST
BY
FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT
) “Fake it till you make it" was the last thing my therapist said as I was walking out of his office.
Having experienced mental health issues by working and supporting people with mental health, I thought I would be well equipped to deal with it when I first got diagnosed with severe clinical depression. Unfortunately, once you are in it, a bit like a rollercoaster, you can't just jump out whenever you want to. Living with mental health is difficult and the majority of the time you feel all alone. Everyone will have an opinion about what you are going through or how to overcome it. Medical professionals will insist that medication will solve the problem Health professionals will say that talking therapy, CBT, counselling or group therapy will do the job Some of your friends will say that exercise is the solution and others will say just snap out of it
The reality is that all of the above might help. Maybe none of the above will help Only the person going through it will know what helps and what doesn't help If you are going through it, try and be positive I know, easier said than done If you know someone that's going through it, try and be supportive and understanding
Mental health is as serious as physical health Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean that people don't suffer and many will die from it You might witness it by seeing someone crying or having a panic attack or you might never see or hear anything until it's all too late The world has lost so many people from it and many were surprised that the late multi-talented and uniquely charismatic ‘funny man ’ Robin Williams took his own life But he looked so happy, many said He was always laughing, others said. Reality is he was suffering. Suffering in silence.
Only you know what's good for you Try and find things that make you happy and contribute to your wellbeing If you want to dance, dance If you want to sing, sing And if you want to have a relaxing bath, just go for it and enjoy it Following the advice of my therapist, I decided to fake it till I make it Pretend that you are happy and pretend that you are confident. Pretend that you don't care about the negativity in this world and focus on all the positivity. As time passes by, your pretending will become your daily life and hopefully you’ll start living it and enjoying it. Visualise who you'd like to be and just do it.
“Be yourself, as ever yone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde
“Be yourself, as everyone else is already taken,” Oscar Wilde said Don't try and be what you are not or what others expect you to be Just be the best version of yourself and you'll eventually learn to love yourself Just because these things work for me, doesn't mean that they will work for others But, maybe give it a go You never know You might surprise yourselves.
STUFF
& THINGS
FIZZING DRIZZLE BIZZLE
) Am sat outside a coffee shop with a pot of tea watching the world go by. No cake this time. I spend quite a lot of time doing this. People watching that is, not not having cake. I have nothing against cake. If you ’ re ever thinking of baking me one, then a lemon drizzle is my favourite. But I can kill many a happy hour watching people come and go. Normal people going about their normal lives doing normal things like sitting in coffee shops people watching.
Of course, none of us are really normal. We all have our stuff and things that make us, break us, excite and infuriate us. Mental health is one of those things for me. I consider the day I was diagnosed with mild depression and acute anxiety as one of the best days of my life This rather strange declaration coming from the man who once met Bucks Fizz in a Paula Rosa kitchen showroom at Brighton Marina in 1984 But that glorious day when I was ten (I've still got a polaroid picture of me meeting Cheryl Baker) is eclipsed by my diagnosis.
Why was it such a good day? Because I suddenly knew there was a reason why I was feeling the way I was. It wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t a normal state of affairs, something was happening to me that I couldn’t control. The relief of knowing this was rather overwhelming and once I got on the right medication my life turned round for the better. I can pinpoint my development as a writer, a performer and as a human being to that moment. I suddenly seemed to develop a confidence in myself that hadn’t been there before I began talking to guys at the pub rather than listening to them and hiding myself away My relationships with my friends and family improved enormously
“ The relief of knowing this was rather over whelming and once I got on the right medication my life tur ned round for the better.”
Things aren't perfect, obviously, and new challenges present themselves regularly. My last anxiety attack lasted for two hours on a coach travelling back from Cardiff with the rest of Brighton Gay Men's Chorus That was fun I couldn't remove myself from the situation that caused the attack unless I jumped off the coach, so I had to ride it out Literally Took just under a week to recover from it too Also fun But, you know, you live and learn 'Getting Stuck On A Busy Coach' is now on my list of 'Things That Spark Off My Anxiety' along with 'Not Taking Your Meds', 'Trying To Please Everyone' and 'Watching Britain's Got Talent ' Actually, that latter one is top of my list of 'Things That Will Set Off Your Anger Issues' as well
It's just part of daily life now I take my meds (usually), keep a check on the things that trigger stuff (hopefully) and live my wild and crazy life For example, I think I may go and get another pot of tea and get some cake You see crazy
www teapotscoffeeshops@weebly com
POSITIVE FOCUS
BY
HELPING HAND
) I’m often asked, how do we make ourselves more mentally resilient? I recently read a UK-wide survey focused on the health of people with HIV. My specific interest is the responses from within the older age group.
In Brighton we have the highest number of people aged over 50 living with HIV in the UK. Within the next 10 years, almost 40% will be 65+. The national rate of people within the LGBTQ community with mental health conditions are widely believed to be almost double the 18% national average.
These statistics provide little help to those of our community who have mental health conditions. Many of our older cohort have experienced loss, stigma, financial and career restrictions, along with other circumstances which can lead to feelings of depression or lack of support.
For those who have a long-term diagnosis the issue can be exacerbated by life pressure alongside the ageing process which in itself brings on other physical conditions. There is evidence now that long-term exposure to meds increases the overall ageing of the body, especially those with long-term conditions However, there is good evidence that a healthy diet along with moderate exercise and keeping active can help Brighton has a wide range of organisations focusing on wellbeing, including yoga, walking groups, sports, network support and befriending services
This, for some of our community, is easier said than done For many, poor mental health can mean becoming isolated; low income coupled with high cost, insecure housing and loneliness because of low confidence can lead to feeling that your voice is unheard
I’m blind, a legacy of CMV, however my ears are always open to everyone I meet It strikes me that so many people don’t have the confidence to seek support for their own mental health, feeling that there is still perceived stigma
Recently I was talking to someone aged 54, diagnosed with HIV, who is in a long-term relationship and feeling depressed, prescribed antidepressants, and not fitting in with the gay scene nor do they have much support How can this change? By joining others who may feel the same through social groups and activities, for example joining a choir, attending Lunch Positive weekly or the monthly 50+ supper evening where there’s a supportive group of people Age isn’t something many of us considered in the early days. Ageing brings many challenges.
Our mental health needs to be supported by ourselves and within our community Many reading this will be aware of someone feeling lonely or depressed It could be something they have battled with all their lives or felt more recently.
“Our mental health needs to be suppor ted by ourselves and within our community.”
We, as a community, need to offer our friendship to anyone who feels isolated Please don’t allow isolation to have the effect it had on my distant friend who took his life recently Leaving a long-term partner because he felt he couldn’t talk about his feelings of depression to his friends or partner who is in poor health. He was just 56. Desperation can lead to some very tragic consequences.
In this month’s edition about mental health, I hope readers will take a minute to consider who they may know needing support.
SCENE & DONE IT
BY
THAT ’S MY CRAZY - THERE YOU HAVE IT
) I’m a bit of a narcissist I was single most of my adult life, I’m a bit selfish. I think I know everything, and know everything better. I sometimes need to be completely alone, away from all the other humans, or else I go into meltdown. That’s my crazy. There you have it.
Let me please make clear that although I’ve just used the term “ crazy ” , this by no means means I’m making light of mental health. No, I’ve borrowed the term directly from Alain de Botton (not to be confused with Allen the Bottom, that’s someone else), a relationship guru I came across recently. Alan sees a first, or second, date this way: "One of the first things couples should do is rather than saying how perfect they are, they should say 'I'm crazy like this, how are you crazy?'.” And “Most of the time we make discoveries about how difficult people are at the moment when the difficulties have actually hurt us, therefore, we are not likely to be forgiving or sympathetic "
“We make discoveries about how difficult people are at the moment when the difficulties have actually hurt us, therefore, we’re not likely to be forgiving or sympathetic” Alain de Botton
I immediately fell in love with his concept (even if he says romanticism is to be approached with caution) because I adore the honesty behind it. Now I am fortunate to not suffer from any severe mental health issues. I want to emphasise that I acknowledge the challenge and rejection faced by those who are misunderstood because of something they have no, or very little, control over. This I have not had to experience, but regardless, forgive me if again I use Alain’s phrase and continue by saying: “Back to how I’m crazy. ”
We’ve all been on a first date, right? Likely you’d run a mile, if you sat across a so far suitable suitor and suddenly they tell you about every little oddity bouncing around in their brain But isn’t that perhaps because we are so trained to put ourselves in the best light, and expect others to do the same? What if this was not the norm? What I do know is that none of us are a walk in the park, are we? And, presuming we are even aware of them and accept them as such, we ’ re not proud of those oddities, are we? No. We hide them. Best as we can and let’s hope no one finds that box, opens it, and gets punched in the face by Jack!
What if we didn’t? What if it was all there, in a book (or slim folder, or six-thousand page trilogy – whatever applies to you), to be presented to anyone you meet and dare to get closer to! There you go, this is how I’m crazy, this is me. What if that was okay and we could peek in and have a look? No judgement. Well, humans being humans we’d probably not believe half of it, still fall for the other person, and still act all surprised when we finally face their crazy. But at least you can’t say I didn’t warn you!
SERVICES DIRECTORY
LGBT SERVICES
● ALLSORTS YOUTH PROJECT
Drop-in for LGBT or unsure young people under 26 Tues 5 30–8 30pm 01273 721211 or email info@allsor tsyouth org uk, www allsor tsyouth org uk
● BRIGHTON & HOVE POLICE
Repor t all homophobic, biphobic or transphobic incidents to: 24/7 assistance call Police on 101 (emergencies 999) Repor t online at: www sussex police uk LGBT team (not 24/7) email: LGBT@sussex pnn police uk
• LGBT Officer PC James Breeds: Tel: 101 ext 558168 James.breeds@sussex.pnn.police.uk
● BRIGHTON & HOVE LGBT SAFETY FORUM
Independent LGBT forum working within the communities to address and improve safety and access issues in Brighton & Hove For more info: 01273 675445 or admin@lgbt-help com or www lgbt-help com
● BRIGHTON & HOVE LGBT SWITCHBOARD
• LGBT Older Peoples' Project
• LGBT Health Improvement and Engagement Project
• LGBTQ Disabilities Project
• Rainbow Café: suppor t for LGBT+ people with Dementia
Formerly The Gay Christian Movement Contact: Nigel Nash nigelnash@me.com www.onebodyonefaith.org.uk
● BRIGHTON WOMEN’S CENTRE
Info, counselling, drop-in space, suppor t groups 01273 698036 or visit www womenscentre org uk
● LESBIAN & GAY A A
12-step self-help programme for alcohol addictions: Sun, 7 30pm, Chapel Royal, Nor th St, Btn (side entrance) 01273 203 343 (general AA line)
● LGBT COCAINE ANONYMOUS
Meeting every Tues 6 30-8pm, 6 Tilbury Pl, Brighton, BN2 0GY, CA isn’t allied with any outside organisation, and neither endorses or opposes any causes Helpline 0800 6120225, www cocaineanonymous org uk www sussexcocaineanonymous co uk,
● LGBT NA GROUP
Brighton-based LGBT (welcomes others) Narcotics Anonymous group every Tue 6 30–8pm, Millwood Centre, Nelson Row, Kingswood St 0300 999 1212
● LGBT+ MEDITATION GROUP
Meditation & discussion, every 2nd & 4th Thur, 5 30–7pm, Anahata Clinic, 119 Edward St, Brighton 07789 861 367 or www.bodhitreebrighton.org.uk
● LUNCH POSITIVE
Lunch club for people with HIV Meet/make friends, find peer suppor t in safe space Every Fri, noon–2 30pm, Community Room, Dorset Gdns Methodist Church, Dorset Gdns, Brighton Lunch £1 50 07846 464 384 or www.lunchpositive.org
● MCC BRIGHTON
Inclusive, affirming space where all are invited to come as they are to explore their spirituality without judgement 01273 515572 or info@mccbrighton org uk www.mccbrighton.org.uk
● MINDOUT
Independent, impar tial services run by and for LGBTQ people with experience of mental health issues 24 hr confidential answerphone: 01273 234839 or email info@mindout.org.uk and out of hours online chat www mindout org uk
● NAVIGATE
Social/peer suppor t group for FTM, transmasculine & gender queer people, every 1st Wed 7-9pm & 3rd Sat of month 1-3pm at Space for Change, Windlesham Venue, BN1 3AH https://navigatebrighton.wordpress.com/
● PEER ACTION
Regular low cost yoga, therapies, swimming, meditation & social groups for people with HIV contact@peeraction.net or www.peeraction.net
● RAINBOW FAMILIES
Suppor t group for lesbian and/or gay parents 07951 082013 or info@rainbowfamilies org uk www rainbowfamilies org uk
● RAINBOW HUB
Information, contact, help and guidance to services for LGBT+ communities in Brighton, Hove and Sussex at Rainbow Hub drop in LGBT+ one-stop shop: 93 St James Street, BN2 1TP , 01273 675445 or visit www therainbowhubbrighton com
● SOME PEOPLE
Social/suppor t group for LGB or questioning aged 14-19, Tue 5 30-7 30pm, Hastings Call/text Cathrine Connelly 0797 3255076 or email somepeople@eastsussex gov uk
● TAGS – THE ARUN GAY SOCIETY
Social Group welcome all inEast & West Sussex Areas Call/Text 07539 513171 www.tagsonline.org.uk
● VICTIM SUPPORT
Practical, emotional suppor t for victims of crime 08453 899 528
● THE VILLAGE MCC
Christian church serving the LGBTQ community Sundays 6pm, Somerset Day Centre, Kemptown 07476 667353 www thevillagemcc org
HIV PREVENTION, CARE & TREATMENT SERVICES
● AVERT
Sussex HIV & AIDS info service 01403 210202 or email confidential@aver t org
● BRIGHTON & HOVE CAB HIV PROJECT
Money, benefits, employment, housing, info, advocacy Appointments: Tue-Thur 9am-4pm, Wed 9am-12 30pm Brighton & Hove Citizens Advice Bureau, Brighton Town Hall 01273 733390 ext 520 or www brightonhovecab org uk
● CLINIC M
Free confidential testing & treatment for STIs including HIV, plus Hep A & B vaccinations Claude Nicol Centre, Sussex County Hospital, on Weds from 5-8pm 01273 664 721 or www.brightonsexualhealth.com
● LAWSON UNIT
Medical advice, treatment for HIV+, specialist clinics, diet & welfare advice, drug trials 01273 664 722
● MARTIN FISHER FOUNDATION
HIV Self testing kits via digital vending machines available from: The Brighton Sauna, Subline, Prowler, Marlborough Pub and The Rainbow Hub mar tinfisher foundation org
advice only (no assessments), Fri 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm
• Gary Smith (LGBT* Suppor t) 07884 476634 or email gsmith@pavilions org uk
For more info visit weblink: pavilions org uk/ser vices/treatment-recover y-options/
● SUSSEX BEACON
24 hour nursing & medical care, day care 01273 694222 or www sussexbeacon org uk
● TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST SERVICES
For more info about these free services go to the THT office, 61 Ship St, Brighton, Mon–Fri, 10am–5pm 01273 764200 or info.brighton@tht.org.uk
• Venue Outreach: info on HIV, sexual health, personal safety, safer drug/alcohol use, free condoms/lubricant for men who have sex with men
• The Bushes Outreach Ser vice @ Dukes Mound: advice, suppor t, info on HIV & sexual health, and free condoms & lube
• Netreach (online/mobile app outreach in Brighton & Hove): info/advice on HIV/sexual health/local services THT Brighton Outreach workers online on Grindr, Scruff, & Squir t
• Condom Male: discreet, confidential service posts free condoms/lube/sexual health info to men who have sex with men without access to East Sussex commercial gay scene
• Positive Voices: volunteers who go to organisations to talk about personal experiences of living with HIV
• Fastest (HIV testing): walk-in, (no appointment) rapid HIV testing service open to MSM (Men who have sex with Men) Anyone from the African communities, male and female sex workers and anyone who identifies as Trans or non-binary We now offer rapid 15 minutes results for HIV/Syphilis: Mon 10am-8pm, Tues-Fri 10am-5pm, Thurs 10am-8pm (STI testing available)
• Sauna Fastest at The Brighton Sauna (HIV testing): walk-in, (no appointment) rapid HIV testing service for men who have sex with men, results in 20 minutes: Wed: 6–8pm (STI testing available)
• Face2Face: confidential info & advice on sexual health & HIV for men who have sex with men, up to 6 one hour appointments
• Specialist Training: wide range of courses for groups/ individuals, specific courses to suit needs
• Counselling: from qualified counsellors for up to 12 sessions for people living with/affected by HIV
• What Next? Thurs eve, 6 week peer suppor t group work programme for newly diagnosed HIV+ gay men
• HIV Suppor t Ser vices: info, suppor t & practical advice for people living with/affected by HIV
• HIV Welfare Rights Advice: Find out about benefits or benefit changes Advice line: Tue–Thur 1:302:30pm 1-2-1 appts for advice & workshops on key benefits
● TERRENCE HIGGINS EA STBOURNE
• Web suppor t & info on HIV, sexual health & local services via netreach and myhiv org uk
• Free condom postal ser vice contact Grace Coughlan on 07584086590 or grace coughlan@tht org uk
● SEXUAL HEALTH WORTHING
Free confidential tests & treatment for STIs inc HIV; Hep A & B vaccinations Wor thing based 0845 111345645
NATIONAL HELPLINES
● NATIONAL LGBT DOMESTIC ABUSE
HELPLINE at galop org uk and 0800 999 5428
● SWITCHBOARD 0300 330 0630
● POSITIVELINE (EDDIE SURMAN TRUST) Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat & Sun 4-10pm 0800 1696806
● MAINLINERS 02075 825226
● NATIONAL AIDS HELPLINE 08005 67123
● NATIONAL DRUGS HELPLINE 08007 76600
● THT AIDS Treatment phoneline 08459 470047
● THT direct 0845 1221200
GSCENE ADVERTISERS’ MAP
BARS & PUBS
1 AFFINITY BAR
129 St James’s St, www affinitygaybar co uk
2 AMSTERDAM BAR & KITCHEN
11-12 Marine Parade, 01273 688 826 www amsterdambrighton com
3 BAR BROADWAY
10 Steine Street 01273 609777 www barbroadway co uk
4 BEDFORD TAVERN
30 Western Street, 01273 739495
5 BOUTIQUE BAR
2 Boyces St @ West St, 01273 327607 www boutiqueclubbrighton com
6 ALL NEW BULLDOG
31 St James’ St, 696996
#bulldogBTN
7 CAMELFORD ARMS
30-31 Camelford St 01273 622386
www camelford-arms co uk
8 CHARLES STREET TAP
8-9 Marine Parade, 01273 624091
www charles-street com
9 FALLEN ANGEL
24 Grafton St, 07949590001
10 GIU & SU CAFÉ & WINE BAR
2 Church St, BN11UJ F I /giuandsu/ www giuandsu com/
11 GROSVENOR BAR
16 Western Street 01273 438587
12 LEGENDS BAR
31-34 Marine Parade 01273 624462
www legendsbrighton com
13 MARINE TAVERN
13 Broad St, 01273 681284 www marinetavern co uk
14 PARIS HOUSE 21 Western Rod, 01273 724195 www parishouse com
15 QUEEN’S ARMS 7 George St, 01273 696873 www theqabrighton com
16 REGENCY TAVERN
32-34 Russell Sq, 01273 325 652
17 SUBLINE
129 St James’s St, 01273 624100 www sublinebrighton co uk
18 THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS
59 Nor th Rd, 01273 608571 www three-jolly-butchers co uk
