Ever since the last warehouse style dance party was staged by Pride at
the Roe Street Fishmarkets in 2002, punters have called for a return to
the warehouse format.
At that party, we were wowed by performances by Jimmy Somerville and Katie Underwood and many people remember that as their best Pride Party.
Since then, Pride has staged its parties in nightclub venues. The rising cost of staging parties in warehouse venues, including rising insurance costs, meant that it was difficult for the Pride Party to fulfill its traditional role as a fundraiser for Pride's other activities.
The problem with this has been that the punters have questioned why they should spend $50 to $60 to attend nightclub venues they can usually get into for $10, or less.
And, in the years since 2002, Pride Party attendances have progressively declined.
Feedback has always suggested that dissatisfaction with the venues was the reason for the drop off in attendances. I have always thought that it was a combination of this, mixed with a generational shift away from the traditional dance party format.
However, this year Pride has responded to concerns about venues and has secured the Belmont Racecourse for this year's party, Universall.
Make no mistake, this is a big risk for Pride. This event will be costing them heaps and if they don't get a good crowd, it will hurt.
There is plenty of competition for the Pride Party following the Parade, with The Court's renovations now complete, Connections Nightclub recently renovated and Lick Events staging their Girlie Show at the Bakery. However, Pride has secured a fantastic lineup of entertainment and this year's Pride Party promises to be a very very good night.
I have been closely involved in these events over the years and I have a good sense of how much people have longed for a return to the big dance party event.
There is a real opportunity here for a great dance party, but it will need the most important ingredient - people.
Risks written by Andrew Baietta, October 15, 2007 - 12:10:45 pm CDT
I think that we should be hearing more details about HOW they are going to make this party better.
Sure a new venue will help, but at this stage we are just being asked to trust that the party will be as good as they used to be. Of course I will be there, I wouldn't miss it for the world, but I just think people will be more comfortable forking out the $$ if they weren't being made to feel like pride will hurt if they don't.
People make purchase decisions based on what's in it for them, so more focus on the "features and benefits" of the party might be a better way to increase ticket sales.
You'd be surprised how the little details are the ones that impress people about these parties. Things like handing out bottles of water or iceypoles in the early hours of the morning... hot boys with no tops on going around fanning people with palm leaves throughout the night... etc etc... these are the things you don't find at night clubs but you should find at a pride party and these are the things that leave a lasting impression and show an attention to detail worth $60.
Movement too split and back to the ghettos? written by surrealist, October 29, 2007 - 4:19:37 pm CDT
I went to this and the party was great. Only issues I had were. 1). They held the Lick event the same night so most of the lesbians were doing their separatist thing...further splitting the movement it seems? 2). I would of thought Pride is about making us mainstream, that means flooding the straight bars of Northbridge and being seen and visible don't you think?
Thus from a social movements perspective, Pride failed on both counts. Unification and mainstreaming...
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The 2008 Pride Parade may have been among the smallest, and certainly
the fastest in Pride's 19 years, but it remains a relevant and
important event according to this year's convenor, Charles Denham.
Gay favourite Rachel Berger is among the headliners this year as the Wild West Comedy Fest returns
to Perth for 26 days of hilarity and hijinks. Other Australian comedy
stars on the bill include Bob Franklin, Tom Gleeson, Fiona O’Loughlin
and Scared Little Weird
Guys.
Rebuilding trust was the key to the success of this year's Pride events
according to festival convenor, Kieran Bycroft. While some events did
less well than expected, many attracted good crowds and some film and
theatre sessions were sold out.
African-American and Latino voters were a powerful force in electing Barack Obama and also in passing Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage. Exit polls
showed 70 percent of black voters, and a majority of Latino
voters, voted yes to the ban. More here.
Three US states ban marriage
Three US states passed amendments banning same-sex marriage in the historic vote that also saw the election of the nation's first black president. Voters in California, Arizona and Florida approved proposals to outlaw same-sex
marriage. More here (free registration retired)and here.
California's marriage war rages on
Having failed to save same-sex marriage, GLBT Californians are taking their fight to court. City attorneys from San Francisco, Los Angeles and Santa Clara will seek to invalidate Proposition 8 on the grounds that it conflicts with the equal
protection pillars of the state Constitution. More here, here, here and here.
Caught with their pants down in Malaysia
Malaysian police raided four gay "parties" on the weekend and arrested some 70 people after finding DVDs, gay magazines, lubricants and boxes of condom. A small reminder to be cautious in Malaysia and Singapore, where the aptly named Straits Times gleefully prints your photo. Details here.
Burning in hell on Earth
God Hates Fags! posters have become one of the symbols of the great divide in America. Now the son of
vile and crazy Rev Fred Phelps speaks out for the first time about the violent abuse he
suffered at the hands of his father. Read it here, along with
the response from his delightful sister, Shirley.
Circumcision HIV benefits in doubt
US analysis of data on 53,567 men who have sex with other men has
found that circumcision is ineffective in reducing HIV rates.
African trials have shown circumcision cuts the likelihood of male to female HIV transmission by up to 60 per cent. More here and here.
Only gay in the village proud but sad
Australian Olympic gold medalist, Matthew Mitcham, is proud but also sad to have been the only gay in the village at Beijing. The champion diver says his decision to come out before the games was a vital part of the gold medal performance that denied China a clean sweep. More here.
Lover cooked and served with herbs
A plague of gay cannibals threatens to overrun the planet, with the latest outbreak reported in Leeds, where a former Mr Gay UK is on trial for killing a former lover and attempting to eat part of his thigh. Anthony Morley, 36, is accused of murdering Damian Oldfield and cooking parts of his flesh. More here.
Big HIV rise among China's gay men
HIV infections have increased alarmingly among gay and bisexual men in parts of
China according to new data. There were an estimated 700,000 HIV/AIDS cases in China as of
October 2007, up 8 percent from 2006. Cases among gay and bisexual men jumped to 3.3 percent in 2007 from 0.4 percent in 2005. More here.
Dancing in a circle with your friends, it's quickly becoming the
perfect night out. However amid the fifth round of drinks and
renditions of I Kissed a Girl, you can't help but feel a rift over the
dance floor.
From the Pride theatre and film seasons through to the Great Gay &
Lesbian Debate, Parade and Party, I thoroughly enjoyed this year's
Pride Festival. View footage from the debate and Parade and read about my festival highlights and the challenges I think Pride faces next year.
In winning today’s Presidential election, Barack Obama has provided the
world with the opportunity for a new beginning and his country with the
opportunity to put the disastrous Bush years behind it.
For some time now it's been popular among members of Generation Y to
declare that something is "so gay" to indicate that it's dumb, silly,
bad, ugly, unattractive, geeky, embarrassing, gaudy or even just plain
dull. That’s so gay. That’s so gay.
That’s so gay. It's the dull that hurts the most.
While I may not be the first person to go out on a limb and declare
that Barack Obama will win this year's Presidential election, I may be
among the first to declare that Sarah Palin will win the Republican
nomination and challenge him in 2012. That is, if she hasn't
bankrupted the Republicans with her wardrobe expenses first.
The global financial meltdown and impending economic Armageddon may
have an unexpected upside. For the first time in half a generation,
there may finally be a pool of people with the time on their
hands necessary to build exciting Parade floats.
Ever since the last warehouse style dance party was staged by Pride at
the Roe Street Fishmarkets in 2002, punters have called for a return to
the warehouse format.
Love All will return in 2009, with organisers bringing the event
forward to February to take advantage of the guaranteed summer weather.
The 2008 Pride Parade may have been among the smallest, and certainly
the fastest in Pride's 19 years, but it remains a relevant and
important event according to this year's convenor, Charles Denham.
Gay favourite Rachel Berger is among the headliners this year as the Wild West Comedy Fest returns
to Perth for 26 days of hilarity and hijinks. Other Australian comedy
stars on the bill include Bob Franklin, Tom Gleeson, Fiona O’Loughlin
and Scared Little Weird
Guys.
Rebuilding trust was the key to the success of this year's Pride events
according to festival convenor, Kieran Bycroft. While some events did
less well than expected, many attracted good crowds and some film and
theatre sessions were sold out.
African-American and Latino voters were a powerful force in electing Barack Obama and also in passing Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage. Exit polls
showed 70 percent of black voters, and a majority of Latino
voters, voted yes to the ban. More 
Three US states passed amendments banning same-sex marriage in the historic vote that also saw the election of the nation's first black president. Voters in California, Arizona and Florida approved proposals to outlaw same-sex
marriage. More 
Having failed to save same-sex marriage, GLBT Californians are taking their fight to court. City attorneys from San Francisco, Los Angeles and Santa Clara will seek to invalidate Proposition 8 on the grounds that it conflicts with the equal
protection pillars of the state Constitution. More 
Malaysian police raided four gay "parties" on the weekend and arrested some 70 people after finding DVDs, gay magazines, lubricants and boxes of condom. A small reminder to be cautious in Malaysia and Singapore, where the aptly named Straits Times gleefully prints your photo. Details 
God Hates Fags! posters have become one of the symbols of the great divide in America. Now the son of
vile and crazy Rev Fred Phelps speaks out for the first time about the violent abuse he
suffered at the hands of his father. Read it 
US analysis of data on 53,567 men who have sex with other men has
found that circumcision is ineffective in reducing HIV rates.
African trials have shown circumcision cuts the likelihood of male to female HIV transmission by up to 60 per cent. More 
Australian Olympic gold medalist, Matthew Mitcham, is proud but also sad to have been the only gay in the village at Beijing. The champion diver says his decision to come out before the games was a vital part of the gold medal performance that denied China a clean sweep. More 
A plague of gay cannibals threatens to overrun the planet, with the latest outbreak reported in Leeds, where a former Mr Gay UK is on trial for killing a former lover and attempting to eat part of his thigh. Anthony Morley, 36, is accused of murdering Damian Oldfield and cooking parts of his flesh. More 
HIV infections have increased alarmingly among gay and bisexual men in parts of
China according to new data. There were an estimated 700,000 HIV/AIDS cases in China as of
October 2007, up 8 percent from 2006. Cases among gay and bisexual men jumped to 3.3 percent in 2007 from 0.4 percent in 2005. More 
Dancing in a circle with your friends, it's quickly becoming the
perfect night out. However amid the fifth round of drinks and
renditions of I Kissed a Girl, you can't help but feel a rift over the
dance floor.
From the Pride theatre and film seasons through to the Great Gay &
Lesbian Debate, Parade and Party, I thoroughly enjoyed this year's
Pride Festival. View footage from the debate and Parade and read about my festival highlights and the challenges I think Pride faces next year.
In winning today’s Presidential election, Barack Obama has provided the
world with the opportunity for a new beginning and his country with the
opportunity to put the disastrous Bush years behind it.
For some time now it's been popular among members of Generation Y to
declare that something is "so gay" to indicate that it's dumb, silly,
bad, ugly, unattractive, geeky, embarrassing, gaudy or even just plain
dull. That’s so gay. That’s so gay.
That’s so gay. It's the dull that hurts the most.
While I may not be the first person to go out on a limb and declare
that Barack Obama will win this year's Presidential election, I may be
among the first to declare that Sarah Palin will win the Republican
nomination and challenge him in 2012. That is, if she hasn't
bankrupted the Republicans with her wardrobe expenses first.
The global financial meltdown and impending economic Armageddon may
have an unexpected upside. For the first time in half a generation,
there may finally be a pool of people with the time on their
hands necessary to build exciting Parade floats.
written by Andrew Baietta, October 15, 2007 - 12:10:45 pm CDT
I think that we should be hearing more details about HOW they are going to make this party better.
Sure a new venue will help, but at this stage we are just being asked to trust that the party will be as good as they used to be. Of course I will be there, I wouldn't miss it for the world, but I just think people will be more comfortable forking out the $$ if they weren't being made to feel like pride will hurt if they don't.
People make purchase decisions based on what's in it for them, so more focus on the "features and benefits" of the party might be a better way to increase ticket sales.
You'd be surprised how the little details are the ones that impress people about these parties. Things like handing out bottles of water or iceypoles in the early hours of the morning... hot boys with no tops on going around fanning people with palm leaves throughout the night... etc etc... these are the things you don't find at night clubs but you should find at a pride party and these are the things that leave a lasting impression and show an attention to detail worth $60.
written by surrealist, October 29, 2007 - 4:19:37 pm CDT
I went to this and the party was great. Only issues I had were. 1). They held the Lick event the same night so most of the lesbians were doing their separatist thing...further splitting the movement it seems? 2). I would of thought Pride is about making us mainstream, that means flooding the straight bars of Northbridge and being seen and visible don't you think?
Thus from a social movements perspective, Pride failed on both counts. Unification and mainstreaming...