04 Gscene Apr2020
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We’re online only this month but still with all the news, updates and features to keep you informed and entertained APR 2020 CONTENTS GSCENE magazine www.gscene.com @gscene LEGENDS GScene.Brighton PUBLISHER Peter Storrow TEL 01273 749 947 EDITORIAL [email protected] ADS+ARTWORK [email protected] EDITORIAL TEAM Jaq Bayles, Craig Hanlon-Smith, Graham Robson ARTS EDITOR Michael Hootman SUB EDITOR Graham Robson AMSTERDAM BAR & KITCHEN DESIGN Michèle Allardyce FRONT COVER MODEL Harry Clayton-Wright PHOTOGRAPHY Libertipix - Leading LGBTQ+ Images CAMELFORD ARMS Email: [email protected] D www.libertipix.com I instagram.com/libertipix P pinterest.co.uk/libertipix CONTRIBUTORS Simon Adams, Jaq Bayles, Jo Bourne, Nick Boston, Matt Boyles, Brian Butler, Richard Jeneway, Craig Hanlon-Smith, Samuel Hall, Frances Hubbard, Enzo Marra, Eric Page, Emma Rylands, Gay Socrates, Michael AFFINITY BAR Steinhage, Glen Stevens, Duncan LEGENDS Stewart, Netty Wendt, Roger Wheeler, NEWS Kate Wildblood, Stephen Wrench 4 News PHOTOGRAPHERS Creag Aaro, Steven Chantrey, Nick Ford, Craig Hanlon-Smith, Jack Lynn, SCENE Manel Ortega, Simon Pepper 26 Gscene Out & About ARTS 38 Classical Notes 40 All That Jazz 40 Arts Matters © GSCENE 2020 41 Page’s Pages All work appearing in Gscene Ltd is FEATURES copyright. It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the REGULARS magazine unless otherwise stated on the 18 PUBERTY BLOCKERS EXPLAINED page concerned. No part of this publication 37 Dance Music may be reproduced, stored in an electronic or Dr Sam Hall, GP and trustee for The Clare Project, gets behind the headlines other retrieval system, transmitted in any 37 DJ Profile: form or by any means, electronic, 20 HARRY CLAYTON-WRIGHT mechanical, photocopying, recording or Morgan Fabulous otherwise without the prior knowledge and The quirks and weirdnesses of Harry Clayton-Wright by Craig Hanlon-Smith consent of the publishers. 45 Shopping The appearance of any person or any 22 HITTING THE RIGHT NOTE 48 Craig’s Thoughts organisation in Gscene is not to be construed Jaq Bayles talks to Al Start about being a role model through her music as an implication of the sexual orientation or 49 Wall’s Words political persuasion of such persons or organisations. 23 POP HEROES 49 Gay Socrates Craig Hanlon-Smith in praise of the gay musicians who broke stereotypes 50 MindOut 24 FROM THE JAWS OF ADVERSITY 51 Yaya Knows Best Chris Gull tells Jaq Bayles what makes him an advocate of community work 51 Stuff & Things 25 STAY STRONG 52 Village MCC Eric Page catches up with inspirational fitness trainer Carmen McDonald 52 Positive Focus 37 TEN FOR TEN 53 Scene It, Done It Nick Boston chats to tenor Ian Farrell who celebrates 10 years sober 40 QUEER THE PIER INFORMATION Eric Page explores Brighton Museum’s new LGBTQ+ exhibition 53 Classifieds 44 VALENCIA 54 Services Directory Brian Butler spends time in Spain’s third largest city 55 Advertisers’ Map CHARLES STREET TAP 4 ) DAILY NEWS UPDATES ON WWW.GSCENE.COM OUR COLLECTIVE CHALLENGE ….and how Gscene is responding to support our LGBTQ communities and businesses. ) An enormous “hello” and virtual hug from us all at one we felt vital in order to focus our resources on Gscene. Although as events accelerated over the final reaching as broad a readership as possible online. weeks of March to the predictable and inevitable, the The online version of the magazine is read by news on Friday 20 March was no less devastating to thousands, and will be read by even more thousands so many within our communities. At Gscene we want this month through our own promotion of the website to take this opportunity to share our understanding of via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and links to the our collective difficulties but to also show our magazine on Issuu. If you know people who have unwavering support to you our readers, and also our never read the online PDFedition of the magazine local businesses and regular advertisers, during this because they always have the printed copy, please challenging time for us all in Brighton & Hove and encourage them to access the magazine through one across the world. of these channels. We now know that our venues will be closed during April and possibly for longer, but appreciate what a NEW GSCENE FACEBOOK GROUP lifeline these have been for so many of us for so many ) We know that many within our communities access GSCENE MAGAZINE years, and how they remain such an integral part of the website news stories through the Gscene Facebook BECOMES A SOCIAL who and how we are today. As a result we’ve made page, but we’re also aware that FB algorithms mean some changes to this month’s publication and to that any one post is only seen by a small percentage ENTERPRISE those in the immediate months ahead while as a of those who have ‘liked’ the page, so we’ve created a ) When James Ledward, the founder of and country we meet the challenges of Gscene LGBTQ+ Communities Group on driving force behind Gscene for 28 years, coronavirus/COVID_19. Facebook. News from the website will appear here, but received his devastating diagnosis late last As the listings for April are now redundant, we’ve those who join will also be able to post, to submit summer his thoughts turned very quickly to decided not to publish these pages this issue. The videos, vlogs, FB live, create watch parties, the future of the magazine. He was keen that scene photographs taken in March for all of our usual comment… it should continue to grow and flourish as a venues are now included in the Out & About section We also have a Zoom subscription which means that community resource. along with their details and social media contacts. Our we can organise events, or host yours… you just need Since his death last October, the remaining local businesses are a vital asset to the whole range of to join the group and download the free Zoom app. members of the small Gscene team, together our LGBTQ+ communities and we think it’s vital to with our advertisers and contributors, have support them and ensure continuing awareness with Let’s use this as an opportunity for our communities to worked to cover, and try to fill, the James- you, their customers. stay connected, keep informed, support one another, and maybe have fun together even when we’re stuck in shaped gaps and to honour his wishes. While some venue adverts with outdated event a room alone. On Facebook please find Gscene To that end we have just heard that we have information had to be withdrawn this issue, other LGBTQ+ Communities Group. Join the group, been successful in converting the limited venues have adapted their adverts to include a invite FB friends to join and download free Zoom app. company to become a Community Interest message to customers with details of any takeaway, Company (CIC). online service, etc. Follow your favourite venue’s We all wish you the best during these difficult times social media as well as checking Gscene’s website and assure you that we will continue to be there with This means that any ‘profit’ must be and Facebook page for all their news and up to date and for you to support you and hope that you will do reinvested into the magazine, or go to a information. the same for us. charity – in this case The Brighton Rainbow Fund, which James also created. It also For the first time in almost 28 years Gscene will not Although the circumstances were quite different, some means that the CIC, as a social enterprise, is be published in a physical format. Gscene is delivered might say that the LGBTQ communities have been able to apply for grants, if needed, to support to multitudinous pubs, clubs, bars, community here before. Once again we all need to get through this this community resource and allow us to centres, libraries, public transport stations and many intact, and work together to rebuild our businesses remain at the heart of the LGBTQ+ other venues, which are now closed for the and communities once we get to the other side. And communities in Brighton & Hove and beyond. foreseeable future. This was not an easy decision but as many of us in these communities are testament to, there is another side and we will survive. Thank you James. DAILY NEWS UPDATES ON 5 WWW.GSCENE.COM ) BRIGHTON BEAR WEEKEND SUSPENDS BEAR WEEKEND ) Brighton Bear Weekend (BBW) sent out a message to advertisers, supporters and attendees to express their disappointment at having to cancel their upcoming events: “We regret to announce that BBW 2020 scheduled to commence on June 18 will NOT now take place as a result of restrictions being put in place to mitigate the epidemic. In common with many other public events, and in the light of the Prime Minister’s statement in March regarding social-distancing and self-isolation, we don’t consider it feasible or sensible to continue with the planned weekend. We’re hugely disappointed at this outcome, especially as it was to be our 10th anniversary TRANS PRIDE 2020 CANCELLED weekend, but we have to play our part in protecting our ) As the city and LGBTQ+ communities reel from the announcements over teams and our communities from this virus. The picture the last month affecting key community events and milestones in our LGBTQ+ is changing daily, and we will continue to review the situation to determine whether lives it was announced that Trans Pride Brighton 2020 is cancelled.