Sad news, as The Chateau, a Pop Up LGBT+ bar and cultural space is set to close at the end of April.
The bar, which started life in Camberwell, London made the announcement that it’s due to close at the end of April.
The statement said, “we’ve held on as long as is humanly possible, but the time has come to move on…”
It added, “The Chateau is an entity without and we will continue to live outside of the basement.
“Thank you to all who have supported us over the last two years, it’s been stunning”.
The bar was planning a raft of events up until the last date in April, however, a further message from the organisers wrote,
“In light of the current situation, we have taken the decision to cancel all events scheduled this week at The Chateau.
“We will keep you posted with our plans going forward. Sending lots of love and strength to all the artists, promoters, djs, freelancers and queers right now and thank you for all your support for the chateau team at this tough time. “
Nottingham‘s only dedicated LGBT+ club has sought to reassure its customers that they doing everything they can to keep customers and staff safe during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The club took to Facebook to say that all their staff were “fully trained on strict hygiene practices” and that there were “constantly checking for updates and further advice from the NHS and government”.
Club bosses also advised, “Antibacterial hand soap remains in our soap dispensers (and we have plenty of it!) so please do use it. You may find our team members wearing latex gloves on shift, so please do not be alarmed if you see us sporting the sexy blue gloves. This is our way of protecting you and us”.
It added, “In line with government guidance, WE REMAIN OPEN and welcome you to join us at Propaganda”.
The show was “well underway” according to a source but has been postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Drag Race UK has apparently been placed “permanently on hold” according to The Sun – after a show source admitted that they’ve had to “pull the plug”.
The source said,
“At the moment the plug has been pulled completely on the show and as it stands, the second series of Drag Race is permanently on hold.
“It’s awful for everyone involved, people aren’t working and the studios are empty. But obviously the health of everyone on the show comes first.”
Fans of the first series had rejoiced when the BBC announced, along with the Drag Race production company, World of Wonder, that there was to be a second series of the hit BBC 3 show.
Drag Race UK isn’t the only show to be halted. A number of shows have been suspended or delayed since the outbreak of Covid-19.
Today the BBC announced a raft of postponements. In a statement the corporation said,
“In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, it has been decided that filming on all BBC Studios continuing dramas will be postponed until further notice. The decision was made after the latest government update.
“We will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the World Health Organisation and public health organisations.”
THEGAYUK.com has reached out to World of Wonder for comment.
A bar, popular with the LGBT community in Cardiff for 25 years is set to close in May 2020.
Minksy’s showbar in Cardiff is set to close after 25 years after the new owner of the building decided not to renew the lease, according to the bar’s management.
Speaking about the decision to close the doors, the bar’s owners, Owen Sendell and Nathan Barker said,
“It is such a shame that we are having to close our doors at our current premises, we are going to miss providing top quality entertainment to Cardiff and our visitors from further afield”
However, all is not lost as the pair are looking for another venue in Cardiff to continue the legacy, they added,
“We’re currently looking for another venue so that we can continue to provide Cardiff with amazing shows.
“We’re currently looking for another venue so that we can continue to provide Cardiff with amazing shows. Entertainment Manager Gavin Wilson said “We’ve lined up a top evening of entertainment for our big send off.”
The last shout
The last night Minsky’s will be open to our customers will be Saturday 9th May 2020. We’ll have entertainment from Opal Fruits, Jolene Dover, Dr Bev, and Mary Golds and a whole host of other entertainment starting from 7:30pm.
Tickets are £5 for standing, £10 for silver and £25 for gold. For more information visit www.minskys-showbar.co.uk
This stripped-back piano-led ballad is probably one of the purest ballads of all time. It perfectly showcases Mariah’s vocal quality – and one epic vocal run (that sounds like the prettiest car alarm in the world) towards the end.
Emotions
“Can’t Let Go”
After a string of number 1s in the US, “Can’t Let You” didn’t manage to reach the coveted top spot – which we think is a travesty. Plus the accompanying music video is one classy affair.
MTV Unplugged
“If It’s Over”
Originally from the album Emotions, it marries MC’s songwriting with Carole King’s. Strong. Strong. Strong.
Musicbox
“Anytime You Need A Friend”
This song is pure power and quite different from anything Mariah had released up to that point. Its dark chord structure in the verse opens up to one glorious chorus, filled with a gospel vibe that truly inspires – and don’t get us started on that whistle note at the end of the song. The whole Musicbox album is the ultimate MC balladfest, it has so many good options.
Merry Christmas
“Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)”
When Mariah stips it all back we get to hear the jewel that is early Mariah’s bell-like soprano range. This song is the perfect opposite to the campery fun that is Mariah’s all-time greatest (or best-selling anyway) hit, “All I Want For Christmas (Is You)”.
Daydream
“Looking In”
I love songs like these from MC. We really get to understand her story as an artist. “Looking In” feels deeply personal and from a songwriter’s perspective can feel very exposing but ultimately freeing.
Butterfly
“Butterfly”
This is pretty much a standard Mariah ballad, but the lyrics are just so powerful and on the first album of Mariah’s to be pretty thin of ballads this is the obvious choice, following by “My All”.
Rainbow
“After Tonight”
There are a couple of great ballads on this album – and you may be surprised that I didn’t choose “Can’t Take That Away” but the vocals in “After Tonight” are actually next level when you listen to them. Unfortunately the album’s other ballads like “Against All Odds” and “Thank God I Found You” (don’t hate) sounded just dialled in, I’m not a fan. Don’t get me started on the duet version of “Against All Odds”.
Glitter
“Lead The Way”
Back in the very early 2000s, when most of the world had seemingly written Mariah off, there’s the gem of an album the Glitter soundtrack. “Lead The Way” is just beautiful. The album showcased a newer style of singing for the diva – as she started to use her breathier lower register to great effect – allowing her to let rip towards the end of songs – giving a greater contrast to her performances.
Charmbracelet
“I Only Wanted”
Maybe an “After Tonight” part 2, but MC’s vocals are on point in this song and she does the Spanish guitar sound so well. This gets the top spot on from this album, because the chorus is so strong. I would have gone with “Through The Rain” but the use of Mariah’s softer, breathier vocal style gets tiresome. It’s not until the last chorus that she really opens up and lets fly – which is a shame.
TEOM
“We Belong Together”
This album is very thin on the typical Mariah ballad, so the only choice is either “We Belong Together” or “Mine Again” luckily WBT is an epic song – particularly when she goes up the octave towards the end of the song.
EMC2
“I Wish You Well”
Back to the piano-driven ballad, Mariah lets her stunning vocals shine.
MOAIA
“I Want To Know What Love Is”
Mariah isn’t really known for her covers (why would she, as she’s probably the most accomplished song-writer in the world) but when she does one it gets noticed (remember “Without You”). “I Want To Know What Love Is” is, dare I say better than the original. And totally uplifting, you just don’t want it to end – and well in Brazil, it nearly didn’t! It was number 1 for an incredible 27 weeks.
Merry Christmas II You
“O Come All Ye Faithful”
I have to say, I’m not a fan of this album, when compared to her 1994 release, it feels a little underwhelming, but getting a duet with her Mumma is pure excellence!
Me. I Am Mariah The Elusive Chanteuse
“Cry”
Unfortunately, the traditional MC ballad has all but disappeared for this album, aside from the cover of George Michael’s “One More Try”, which I never thought was a great song from GM. To note, this is one of Mariah’s worst-selling album so far. The album peaked at number 14 on the UK Albums Chart, selling just 6,547 copies in its first week.
Caution
“Portrait”
This song feels like a late-90s end-of-album Mariah ballad and that’s a lovely thing. On the whole, the album Caution album is underrated and under-selling. It really deserved to do better.
So how did we do? What are your favourite MC ballads? Use the comments below to let us know.
Prepping takes time. It’s a dark art. It’s a f*cking ball ache. So don’t cancel.
Bottoms of the world will surely and utterly get this tweet, which we think totally sums up that feeling when you’ve organised your Grindr hook up and then at the last minute, once you’ve done all your prepping, your top, pulls out – and not in a good way.
Bottoms after their tops cancel on them after they douched and starved all day pic.twitter.com/Ndwr58utMo
We don’t know whether tops realise the effort that goes into making sure you won’t have a poop incident mid sesh or any chumber nuts when it comes to that booty call.
[totalpoll id=”112599″]
The thing is, most bottoms aren’t just “oven-ready” as it were – nope there’s a process and if a guy is particularly careful he may even have skipped meals for the night’s events – hell, we’ve even heard of some porn stars who don’t eat proper meals for up to two days before a shoot!
Nottingham’s LGBT+ scene is growing and getting better. There are currently five LGBT bars and venues in the city and these are the best – according to your Google reviews.
Newly redecorated the Lord Roberts comes out on top with a rating from Google reviews of 4.3 and we’re not surprised. The bar staff are incredibly friendly and if you go on a Wednesday night you’ll be able to sample the fun and games of a pub quiz and Sticky Fingers.
Perhaps Nottingham’s newest bar, it receives a great rating of 4.9 but only has 8 reviews, compared to The Lord Roberts’ 435. That said the drinks are cheap and has got its regulars!
Next on the list is the newly updated New Forresters which receives a 4.1 rating on Google. It’s a friendly, welcoming place with a zero attitude feel amongst staff and clients and the drinks are cheap to boot! Nice.
Propaganda comes up as a 3.8 rating on Google Reviews, but it’s a lively LGBT venue open until 5 AM on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It is Nottingham’s only dedicated gay / LGBT+ club.
Not technically a gay bar, but a very gay-friendly vibe. It receives a great 4.3 rating from its punters. Check out the karaoke. Also supports LGBT+ charities during pride season.
It seems as though the numbers didn’t quite add up for the streaming giant Netflix as it looks to cancel a number of shows, one of which includes the RuPaul comedy, AJ and The Queen.
It’s also putting an end to Atypical and Insatiable, both include quite a considerable amount of LGBT+ representation.
Netflix has canned AJ and The Queen just two months after it premiered and RuPaul herself commented on the slay, tweeting
“Thank you for all the love & support. We’re so very proud of the work,”
AJ AND THE QUEEN
Of course, as it’s Netflix, no official numbers are stated, so we don’t know how well the show actually did on the platform, but clearly not as good as RuPaul’s other venture, you might know it: RuPaul’s Drag Race
Never heard of Thierry Alexandre? Don’t worry, sweethearts – you will! Arguably the uncrowned uber-queen of transhuman London, Thierry gorgeously violates every appreciative orifice wholesale!
Best loosely described as a stormingly pansexual performance artist, Thierry’s triumphantly usurped the f*ck-everything gospel of Leigh Bowery and protégé Transformer, and run with as if his dick’s been sheathed with queer, sacramental fire at the head of a non-binary marathon!
His closest rival, perhaps – if only in sartorial terms – is RuPaul’s latest darling, US drag diva Sasha Velour, but Thierry easily trumps Velour with an infectious lust for life that’s the pansexual pandemic that this dreary, strait-jacketed Brexit Britain is subconsciously screaming for!
And in a sense, Thierry – originally French, though thoroughly queerly baked in England – epitomises the French, national credo of liberty, equality and fraternity. Like some gender-f*cked jump-start cable, Thierry’s ultra-feisty sparks od deviant electricity have kick-started centres of queer civil resistance worldwide.
Drawing on and gaily re-imagining a huge array of disparate, quintessentially contentious sources – among them, clown, Commedia del’ Arte pantomime and – in a linkage that’s game-changingly unlikely – Paul Ruben’s Pee-Wee Herman – Thierry seals his unholy, provocative, queer witch’s brew with the steely, unflinching aesthetic of his adored Butoh dance form.
And briefly, it’s that audacious, impossible-on-paper marriage – fusing child-like innocence, openness and graciousness with the serene but unbending clarity that informs every gesture of Butoh, that ancient, Japanese performing art – that makes Thierry such a unique, irrepressible and fizzing presence in gay London’s crucial, inner circle of bohemians.
So, does he have one talent in particular towering above his poetic, avant-garde dance and kaleidoscopic, sartorial gifts? Certainly, and it’s perhaps one that Thierry himself has overlooked – master facilitator. Arguably, no other non-binary individual in town has energised so many delightful, cutting-edge events with such non-stop, bubbling ebullience, the giddy enthusiasm of a marvellously adult child still in touch with his primal, contagious innocence.
Intrigued? Of course you are, so – without further ado – please feast your eyes, desires and imaginations on Thierry’s self- written manifesto below! Au Revoir,
Lady Sasha XXX
SALON CRÈME ANGLAISE
A co-creative artistic rebellion where generosity, opportunity, unbridled self-expression and kindness collide in a psychedelic vortex of possibilities.
The sumptuous premises a refined members club above the iconic L’Escargot restaurant, it’s magical attic filled with decadent dreamers, impassioned geniuses and deliciously transgressive post gender spectators.
Feel the flush of freedom flowing through your veins, the thrill of youth filling your heart and soul at the sights of wondrous creatures clustering its Edwardian interiors, its bijoux salons transformed into blissful boudoirs of bohemian bonhomie, its historical walls perspiring with the bodacious breeze of impossible dreams suddenly made vividly realisable.
Come and slide down the feather filled rabbit hole that is Salon Creme Anglaise and bounce back as a reinvented and readjusted Earthling ready to unleash its creative juices well into the 2020s!
Leave your troubles and machinations on the marble steps, embrace your joie de vivre and insouciance, and the best version of yourself will emerge victoriously !
Welcome the waves of fearless creativity trickling down your analogue brain, breathe in the gifts of inspiring arts, become a muse, a model, a poet or a star, let yourself be whole again, if only for a night, unabashed, vibrant, resplendent. You may arrive a spectator, be charmed, be enlightened and leave an active contributor to this spiritual putsch against the political establishment. And irresistibly whip up your return for more, when Creme Anglaise pours down – sometime very soon! – on scintillating Soho once again.
ART PARTY EXTRAORDINAIRE:CRÈME ANGLAISE FRIDAY 13TH @ L’ESCARGOT PRIVATE CLUB RESTAURANT, GREEK STREET SOHO. Book tickets here
Everyone’s favourite big, gay bus is hitting the road again, as Felicia, Tick and Bernadette unplug their curling tongs and go bush, travelling across the Australian outback and making their way to perform a show in Alice Springs. Between the breaking down, bickering and bigotry, the trio learns about life, love and friendship whilst strutting their stuff in their high heels.
As Felicia says at one point in the film that the show is based on, “there’s nothing like new frock to brighten your day, girls.” The show has been re-imagined and like the bus itself, it is given a fresh coat of paint. But not every frock is made of satin and this production, unbelievably, manages to suck most of the fun out of what is, in reality, a superb show.
Joe McFadden is woefully miscast as Tick, hardly making any eye contact with the audience and flipping between being virtually inanimate to over-exaggerating every gesture, whilst Miles Western portrays transsexual Bernadette more as a gay man than a trans woman; with only Jordan Cunningham bringing much to the main trio as Adam and his drag alter ego Felicia.
The corrugated iron-based background set is bland, gone are the recreations of the Oscar-winning costumes (to remove the flip-flop dress is a crime) and the titular bus doesn’t fare too well either. There is an abundance of unnecessary creative decisions – the “comedic” shooting of a kangaroo, a flashing nun and the addition of a set of dancing hicks whilst Adam belts out La Traviata from the top of the bus – which simply don’t sit well within the show. The delivery of the script fell flat. There is an increase in the sexualisation in the show, containing more groin thrusting that is really needed and seemingly replacing the camp with a vague sleaziness.
The choreography was safe rather than outrageous, and the staging made the performance space seem almost empty when the ensemble cast were performing. Those who are seeing the show for the first time may well find much to enjoy, but disappointingly, this is an incredibly uninspiring production.
On the plus side, the Divas’ were able to belt out the tunes, the soundtrack comprising of a selection of disco classics is stomping and the musical numbers are undertaken with energy and enthusiasm by the ensemble. But sadly, the re-imagined show looked cheap, the costumes were disappointing and tacky, the performances from the main cast were broadly poor and the over the top camp felt sadly lacking.
It must be difficult to drain the life out of such a buoyant and uplifting show, but somehow, this production manages to do just that.
Rip the knickers off London and you’ll find gender-fluid gold, not dreary X-Factor clones! See, London’s not just a place, it’s an idea, inspiration, and way of life! Oh, and not just tedious, straight-living breeder lives – London, my dears, is arguably the world capital of killer diversity! Quite simply, it’s a city throbbing with a unique pulse found nowhere else, and London, unarguably, epitomises the German word
zeitgeist, the spirit of the times. And guess what? Right here, right now, we’re blessed with the pansexual Hostess with the Mostess, San-Franciscan uber-diva Holly Penfield!
Quintessentially American, so naturally extrovert and gregarious – think Katherine Ryan on crystal meth – Holly’s a living lifestyle transplant, importing San Franciscan exuberance in gorgeously digestible chunks for famished Brits!
Never scoped Holly on your Gaydar feeds? My God, you will! Scene queens, of course, will remember Holly’s awesome, kitsch-bitch residencies at the infamous Shadow Lounge and the Savoy Hotel, Oscar Wilde’s favourite, f*ck-buddy pad with twink partner Bosie!
If marginally older than Gaga, but easily predating and exceeding her in pumping charisma, song-writing chops and artistic extravagance, Holly must be seen to be believed. Working audiences with the assured, erotic prowl of a five-star cougar firing on every cylinder, she’s stunningly reclaimed her fabulous forties as an avant-garde hunting-ground for her restless, ever expanding muse.
If normally known to fans as a jazz and show-tune diva, French-kissing the ghost of her idol Judy Garland with a swooning, soothing breathiness that instantly sparks mass, spontaneous orgasms in the audience, the real Holly’s far more exotic, as radical in her image overhauls as Bowie himself.
And – make no mistake – Holly’s kaleidoscopic changes have been noted by the great and the good, from Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones to the haughty Simon Cowell himself, who famously described her as ‘a cross between Bowie and Minelli.’
He’s not wrong. This time around, Holly’s pressed the eject on her previous selves, and re-embraced the ferocious, challenging and musically precocious rock ‘n’ roll singer she started as. Imagine a furious mash-up of Billie Eilish and Lilly Allen and you’ll be half-way there, but new material – jaw-droppingly showcased in her new, Tree Woman – has a growl, grit and passionate ache of raw experience only Holly’s lifetime of exotic excess can give.
Shrewdly – and fittingly – Holly’s chosen to unleash her devastating lyricism on March 8th, International Women’s Day, highlighting not only her adoration of her own sex but also –like Marlene Dietrich – all the thrilling, sensual possibilities beyond outdated gender limits.
Which, naturally, brings us to another crucial aspect of Holly’s nuclear stage charisma; physicality. Sure, there’s an old opera queen cliché that ‘the show’s not over ‘til the fat lady sings”, and while that’s fine for opera, where it’s outstanding vocal technique that counts, rock ‘n’ roll lives and dies by gob-smacking visuals!
Just think; where would Prince, Jagger, and Bowie have been without iconic looks that instantly seared their brand into the collective consciousness? And it’s a no-brainer that to move, entice, seduce and beguile on stage, guys and girls must be super-fit and shockingly ripped.
No problems there for Holly. Toned tighter than an Olympic gymnast, she uncoils herself on stage like a hyperactive whirling dervish, the watching eyes of the audience instantly super-glued to her contagious exuberance. Better yet – even in a set as short as an hour – she executes bravura costume changes as startling as a Surrealist Hall of Mirrors.
There’s full-bodied skeleton suits, self-made hats crowned with stuffed owls that Alexander McQueen would double-take at, and random collisions of mediaeval chain-mail and boho chic Kate Moss would kill for!
Then there are the songs, light-years removed from paid-by-the-word pop drivel, and easily on par with Tom Waits, Noel Coward and Bjork at her quirkiest. No lightweight tales of easy shagging, obsession and resentment – virtually the sole subject matter of grime, drill and rap – Holly, instead, reveals tender moments of loss, acceptance, mortality and life-long, awe-inspiring love. This is the work of an artist quite simply at the peak of her powers, delivered with a remarkable voice that’s a virtuoso master-class in pitch, phrasing and the one quality shockingly absent in current pop-pap – conviction.
In that respect, Tree Woman’s as instantly addictive as some new, unknown Class A drug – you just have to have more! Simply clip on your ear-phones, and step into the singular, sonic soundscapes Holly’s thrillingly staked claim to. There’s the swooning, gypsy waltz of La Recoleta, the stomping, rockabilly shuffle of Diggin’ It, the sultry, insidious seduction of Love Dance, Tree Woman’s bravura engagement with mortality, and the devastating, emotional tsunamis of Stay with Me and The Last Enemy.
And sure, there are further jewels in Tree Woman’s embarrassment of riches, but arguably, they’re best sampled live, from the full, onstage, undeniable mystique of Holly herself. Why wait? Quite perfectly, Holly’s chosen to launch Tree Woman at London’s legendary and iconic 100 Club in Oxford Street, the absolute Ground Zero of cutting-edge, musical maverick dissent since the venue opened.
The flashpoint of Mod – all bug-eyed, feral and sexually insatiable, sartorially immaculate kids on speed – the 100 Club also nurtured the blues, Flower Power and Punk, and – if there’s any justice in Heaven – the ghosts of Muddy Waters, Brian Jones and Sid Vicious will be fist-bumping fellow-traveller Holly on her gig ight!
Our advice? Run, do not walk, to your keyboard ASAP, and lock down tickets now – this is one Tree Woman about to bloom in all her gorgeous, gender-fluid glory!
This Sunday, March 8th @ The 100 Club Oxford Street. Tickets: 100 Club
