Lost Spaces: Memories from Gay Bars, Lesbian Clubs, and LGBTQ+ Parties

Brandon Ash-Mohammed is a Toronto based comedian and event promoter. After graduating from comedy school (which is a real thing) he started to go out on the open mic scene, honing his stand up skills. One of the very first places he performed was Slacks, a lesbian bar in Toronto’s Village area, which was open from 1997-2013, and had a comedy night every Wednesday. We caught up to discuss thanksgiving flavoured chicken wings, bombing on stage, and how within that venue he made life long friends… Give Brandon a follow on instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brandonamcomedy/

Established in 2006 by Lynn McNeill and Will Munro, The Beaver was an alternative queer space in the heart of Queen West, Toronto. In 2020 the bar's owners made the tough decision to close knowing that they wouldn't be able to remain profitable with physical distancing rules in place because of COVID-19. I caught up with prawnographer, resident crustacean of crust-nation, and pencil-thin moustachioed Prawn Waters to discuss performing to well-dressed loungey gays, overcoming pee shyness, and what the bar meant to them... Be a dear and follow Prawn on insta - https://www.instagram.com/theprawnwaters/

Jamie Jamal is the Bristol based lead singer of electronic pick n mix duo This Human Condition, which has been described as early Depeche Mode meets a darker Erasure. We caught up to discuss Just, a nightclub which was open between 1994-99. Expect to hear about guncles (which are, if you don't know, gay uncles), ways to keep cool on the dancefloor, and a healthy debate about the age old conundrum - who is better, Kylie or Madonna? Find out more about Jamie's band This Human Condition at http://www.thishumancondition.com/. AND, he has a new act named Flux, which you can find out all about at https://twitter.com/fluxmusicuk

Eric Himan is an award-winning singer-songwriter, and has played with the likes of Ani DiFrance, Melissa Ferrick and Leon Russell. To celebrate his new single, Local Gay Bookstore, we caught up to discuss his favourite lost bookstore, Lambda Rising in Washington, D.C. (as well as other book shops like Outwrite in Atlanta, and the distributor Goldenrod). Before you listen, I need to warn you - we go ALL about the houses, with a bit of a peer support session in the middle of the episode all about the trials and tribulations of being a musician! Find out more about Eric by visiting his website - https://www.erichiman.com/

Darryl W. Bullock is the author behind books such as 'David Bowie Made Me Gay: 100 Years of LGBT Music' and 'Florence Foster Jenkins:The Life of the World's Worst Opera Singer'.  We met up in a previous episode to discuss Crackers in Gloucester, and throughout the interview Darryl kept bringing up Bath Tap, a bar that he would go on to frequent when he became a mature age student and moved to Bath in the mid-90s.  So... I invited him back to reminisce about life in his grotty, miserable bedsit, freaky sex with a fantasist, and enormous bags of free bacon.... Follow Darryl on twitter - https://twitter.com/dwbullock

Marcus Hunter-Neill, also known as Lady Portia, is Northern Ireland's First Lady of Drag, and has been charming audiences for the last two decades.  It all started when she, with two friends, formed their first drag troupe and convinced the owners of The Parliament to let them take over the venue on a Sunday night.  We caught up to discuss first times in drag, plucking up the courage to enter a gay bar, and tips for I get some tips about the best pick up lines! 

Smashing was a club night that found itself at the epicentre of the Britpop scene, and though it wasn’t a queer night, had what my guest and co-founder Martin Green calls a queer sensibility.  With regulars including Blur, Oasis, Pulp and Leigh Bowery, it was a club night that quickly became the place to be seen, and was thriving between 1991-1996 in various venues across London. To help promote his new compilation 'Martin Green Presents: Super Sonics – 40 Junkshop Britpop Greats', I caught up with Martin to find out about the club's origins, Oasis' first time there, touring with Pulp, and I embarrassingly fan-girl about the band Shampoo for about five minutes! Find out more about Martin: https://www.martingreensound.com/ https://www.cherryred.co.uk/super-sonics-available-to-pre-order-now-is-martin-green-presentssuper-sonics-40-junk-shop-britpop-greats-find-out-more/

Timberlina is back! We had such a fun, rambling, meandering conversation the last time that we decided to get together again to talk about another lost space and another time in her life, when she was nannying for a young family in Westchester county, north of New York City. On weekends she would mostly flee to the bright lights of the big apple, exploring the queer scene in Manhattan. But, occasionally she'd venture to an out-of-the-way bar called Triangles, in Connecticut. We caught up to talk about being queer in the 90s, chasing excitement, and to read over the online reviews for the bar. Make sure you listen to Timberlina's own podcast, Live from Rye!

This week we're going to do something a little bit different! Rather than visit a lost bar or club we're going to get down and dirty reminiscing about a lost cruising space with Conner Habib - author, lecturer, and sex workers’ rights advocate. In the late 90s and early 00s, whilst studying at the University of Massachusetts Amerherst Campus, he discovered a fun past-time to while away the hours between classes! We discuss the art of cruising, angry Pennsylvanians, and good ol' fashioned gloryholes.   Find out more about Conner by following him on social media: https://www.twitter.com/ConnerHabib https://www.instagram.com/againsteveryonewithconnerhabib/

Jess McAvoy is a Brooklyn based performing artist, songwriter and musician who was born in Perth, Western Australia. Before they moved to the big apple they lived in Melbourne for a number of years, forging their way in the Australian music scene... We kinda meandered all over the place, and, although we started talking about the lesbian bar Glasshouse we settled on the mixed night Queer and Alternative (or Q&A) which ran from 1996–2013 on Thursday nights at the Builders Arms on Gertrude Street in Collingwood, Melbourne. Find out more about Jess at www.jessmcavoy.com