Connections (Nightclub)

Last updated

Connections
Connies
Logo of Connections Nightclub, in Perth.jpg
Connections (Nightclub)
Full nameConnections Nightclub
Address81 James Street, Northbridge
Perth
Australia
Coordinates 31°56′56″S115°51′30″E / 31.948837°S 115.858454°E / -31.948837; 115.858454 (Connections Nightclub) OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
TypeNightclub
Opened1975;49 years ago (1975)

Connections, known colloquially as Connies, is a nightclub in the Northbridge suburb of Perth, Western Australia. [1] It opened in 1975, and is believed to be the longest-running gay club in the southern hemisphere. [2]

Contents

The club is on the City of Perth heritage register for its significance to the LGBTQIA+ community in Western Australia. [3]

Description

Connections has been described as having "played a pivotal role in the evolution of Perth's gay community." [2] The venue regularly hosts DJ nights, cabaret shows, and drag shows. It features a main dance floor, a rooftop terrace, and an upstairs lounge. [4]

History and operations

Prior to Connections, the building served as a cabaret bar and illegal gambling den. [2] Denis Marshall and Walter Furlong opened Connections upon the suggestion of one of their gay friends. [2]

The venue originally served as an underground venue where illegal relationships were shielded from public view. Cameras were banned inside Connections "for its first 14 years", [2] necessary in part because of Western Australia's ban on homosexual relationships until 1990.

Celebrities who have partied and performed at the club include Boy George, Elton John, Rod Stewart and Mel Gibson. [2] [5] [6] [7]

The venue caught fire in 1981. According to legend, the DJ on the night queued the track "Disco Inferno" before the evacuation. Patrons of the venue danced and cheered on the firefighters from nearby Lake Street. [2]

Reception

The venue has been described by local media as "Perth's premier LGBT+ nightlife destination". [8] An ABC profile of the venue in 2015 described it as iconic. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Haçienda</span> Former nightclub in Manchester, England

The Haçienda was a nightclub and music venue in Manchester, England, which became famous during the Madchester years of the 1980s and early 1990s. It was run by the record label Factory Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise Garage</span> Former discotheque in New York City

Paradise Garage, also known as "the Garage" or the "Gay-rage", was a New York City discotheque notable in the history of dance and pop music, as well as LGBT and nightclub cultures. The 10,000 square feet (930 m2) club was founded by sole proprietor Michael Brody, and occupied a building formerly located at 84 King Street in the SoHo neighborhood. It operated from 1977 to 1987 and featured resident DJ Larry Levan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gay bar</span> Drinking establishment catered to LGBT clientele

A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBTQ+ communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Saint (New York City)</span> American gay superclub

The Saint was an American gay nightclub, located in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It operated from 1980 to 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Melbourne</span>

Tourism is a significant industry in the state of Victoria, Australia. The country's second most-populous city, Melbourne was visited by 2.7 million international overnight visitors and 9.3 million domestic overnight visitors during the year ending December 2017.

The Zap was a beach-front nightclub and performance arts venue, in Brighton, England that became known in the late 1980s and early 1990s particularly for its acid house nights. It has been described as an "influential ... club which pulled together many of the underground strands of visual art, fashion, music, design, comedy, cabaret and theatre which were circling at the time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasty nightclub raid</span>

The Tasty nightclub raid was an incident on 7 August 1994 during which 463 mostly LGBTIQ+ patrons of the Tasty nightclub event in Melbourne, Australia were detained for seven hours, strip searched and cavity searched by members of Victoria Police. A class action ensued, resulting a total payout of around A$6 million to the complainants, and in 1994 Acting Chief Commissioner Lucinda Nolan apologised to the LGBTQI community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The EndUp</span> Nightclub in San Francisco, United States

The EndUp is a nightclub in San Francisco, California. Opened in 1973, the club is located at 6th Street and Harrison in the South of Market district. Known for its status as an afterhours club, the venue has hosted a variety of benefits and events during its time as part of San Francisco's nightlife community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berghain</span> Nightclub in Berlin

Berghain is a nightclub in Berlin, Germany. It is named after its location near the border between Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain in Berlin, and is a short walk from Berlin Ostbahnhof main line railway station. Founded in 2004 by friends Norbert Thormann and Michael Teufele, it has since become one of the world's most famous clubs and has been called the "world capital of techno."

Perth, the major city in Western Australia, has given rise to a number of notable performers in popular music. Some of the more famous performers include Kevin Parker, Troye Sivan, Rolf Harris, David Helfgott, Luke Steele and Tim Minchin. Notable artists in genres including rock, classical, and electronic music have lived in Perth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nightclub</span> Entertainment venue at nighttime

A nightclub is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a bar and discothèque with a dance floor, laser lighting displays, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who mixes recorded music. Nightclubs tend to be smaller than live music venues like theatres and stadiums, with few or no seats for customers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northbridge, Western Australia</span> Suburb of Perth, Western Australia

Northbridge is an inner city suburb of Perth, Western Australia, historically separated from Perth's central business district by the Fremantle and Joondalup railway lines. It is part of the City of Perth local government area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Portland, Oregon</span>

LGBT culture in Portland, Oregon is an important part of Pacific Northwest culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesbian bar</span> Drinking establishment catering to lesbians

A lesbian bar is a drinking establishment that caters exclusively or predominantly to lesbian women. While often conflated, the lesbian bar has a history distinct from that of the gay bar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court Hotel</span> Heritage-listed hotel in Perth, Western Australia

Court Hotel or The Court is a music venue and bar in Perth, Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Picabar</span> Bar in Northbridge, Western Australia

Picabar is a bar and music venue located in Northbridge, Western Australia, within the Perth Cultural Centre. It is situated adjacent to the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) for which the bar is named.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Club Cumming</span> Gay nightclub in New York

Club Cumming is a gay bar and nightclub in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It frequently hosts cabaret events, Broadway-style shows, dance parties and drag performances. Celebrities, especially Broadway actors, often make pop-up appearances there. The club opened in 2017 and is co-owned by actor Alan Cumming and promoter Daniel Nardicio, who founded it with the owners of the space's previous establishment. The bar was ordered to temporarily halt its shows in 2018, when it was discovered that its liquor license did not include a provision for live entertainment. The matter was resolved swiftly and with community support. The club was shuttered in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it continued to host cabaret and comedy shows via live stream for most of the year. The venue reintroduced on-site outdoor events in December 2020 and reopened at full indoor capacity in May 2021. Club Cumming has generally been well received by critics, who cite its eclectic entertainment repertoire, its inclusivity and the spontaneity of its atmosphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Q (nightclub)</span> Gay nightclub in Manhattan, New York City

The Q was a multilevel LGBT nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Backed by celebrity investors including Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto, the club was billed as "the largest queer-owned and -operated nightlife venue in Manhattan". It was known for its five distinctly themed rooms and for its entertainment selection, which featured A-list comedians, prominent local drag queens, burlesque acts and jazz bands. The establishment was originally set to open in 2020, but its debut was pushed to June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2022, Frankie Sharp—one of the club's three founding owners—filed a lawsuit against the other two, Alan Picus and Bob Fluet. The club shuttered in March 2023 in the aftermath of the legal proceedings. During its operation, the Q garnered praise from critics, who have described it as innovative, inclusive and chic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brass Monkey Hotel</span> Bar in Perth, Western Australia

The Brass Monkey Hotel is a bar located at the corner of James and William Streets in Northbridge, a suburb of Perth in Western Australia.

References

  1. "Connections reveals reopening date". PerthNow. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hamlyn, Charlotte (2 December 2015). "'Longest-running gay club in southern hemisphere' turns 40". ABC News. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  3. "Connections Nightclub". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  4. Tiki, Red. "Connections Nightclub". Connections Nightclub. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  5. Brown, Tim Beresford (1975), Connections Nightclub: collection of promotional materials, Connections Nightclub, retrieved 10 June 2023
  6. Clark, Darren (2008), Patrons at the bar inside the Connections Nightclub, Northbridge, Perth, Western Australia, May 2008 , retrieved 10 June 2023
  7. Brown, Tim Beresford; Fitzgerald, Criena (2019), Interviews with Tim Brown in 2019 , retrieved 10 June 2023
  8. Ryan, Clare (7 November 2022). "Perth's Best Dance Floors". Perth is OK!. Retrieved 10 June 2023.