by admin | Mar 9, 2014 | DOB Member News, DOB News
Although the rain was coming down hard when we woke up it had tapered off to the occasional drizzle by the time the committee arrived at Moore Park to get ready for everyone to arrive. A well oiled machine swung into action with KD, Gail and Lyn getting names and Nat ticking everyone off. The ride leaders had everything well in hand directing bikes, taping gels and generally keeping everyone organised. There were some fantastic outfits, some funny, some sexy and some truly out of this world.
We have some great photos of each group which are all up in the gallery. There are also some fantastic shots before and during the parade thanks to Helen and Lisa. The ride down the parade route went well with a lot of girls saying it was one of the best in many years. Apparently the police bikes as the turning circle looked great and worked well.
We had a couple of issues with bikes but only two ended up on the utes with Jay & the boys. As always a big thank you to Jay and SMW for helping anyone who needed it. Although after travelling on the back of the ute and watching the boys I think they believe the parade is all about them.
The after party was fantastic with DJ Kelly Chrome (aka Melinda Kelly) rocking the decks until the wee hours of the morning. Our entertainers, Sparky Malone and Coco, had the girls in a frenzy. Thanks to all the girls who participated on the night.
by admin | Feb 20, 2014 | DOB Member News, DOB News
This Mardi Gras, it’s all about the girls
Posted February 6, 2014 by Paul Gregoire & filed under City Hub.
Original article shown here: http://www.altmedia.net.au/this-mardi-gras-its-all-about-the-girls/89185
Women are playing a more central role at this year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival, an event that has been criticised in the past for being too male-orientated.
The Dykes on Bikes are celebrating their 26th year in the parade and media officer Lyn Doherty expects to assemble about 180 women ranging from their early twenties to their late sixties.
“As always we will be starting the parade off with a huge roar,” Ms Doherty said.
“You know it’s about to start when you hear Dykes on Bikes coming down the street.”
Ms Doherty said the biggest change in women’s involvement is not who’s in the parade but who’s putting it on.
“The Mardi Gras committee and the organisers had a very male focus and there are a lot more females actually involved in all the hard work that goes into putting on the parade.”
DJ Sveta is co-curator of the HiFi bar space for women and gender-diverse people at Mardi Gras Party, which will feature an all-female DJ line-up.
“I’m trying to curate so there’s entertainment for and by not just women but trans-people,” she said. “I’m trying to introduce some music that people don’t normally associate with Mardi Gras.”
Ms Sveta told City Hub the Mardi Gras organisation now has more equality in its representation of genders.
“I feel like there’s been a really conscious change to be more inclusive not just of women but of trans-people as well,” she said.
But Mardi Gras is not all about the parade and the parties; there’s also a range of cultural and entertainment events.
Pinball is showing at the Tap Gallery as part of Mardi Gras. It’s a play about a lesbian mother who is fighting for the custody of her son.
Sarah Vickery, director of Pinball, said Mardi Gras had never appealed to her because she had thought of it as a male focused parade, but on realising it was a larger festival her attitude changed.
“It’s going to be a great experience for me because I’ve not actually been part of the festival,” Ms Vickery said.
“I’m going to go to Fair Day, which I’ve not done before. So really it’s all new for me.”
Emma Harris, who plays the lead in Pinball, said she has been in Mardi Gras plays before, which have tended to focus on men.
“It’s really exciting to be a part of one that really is about the girls. Lesbian couples do make up a large part of the community,” she said.
Women Say Something will be held at Sydney Town Hall and Steph Sands, the organiser, said women from diverse backgrounds will talk about the theme ‘dancing on the ceiling.’
“‘Dancing on the ceiling’ is a very loose and fun way of looking at success. [It’s] looking at celebrating some of the challenges we’ve actually got through,” she said.
Candy Royalle, performance poet, is part of Revolver which features a diverse range of women in the arts at the Paddington RSL.
“I really commend Mardi Gras this year in their efforts to be really inclusive and more than that to be really promoting queer women in the arts,” she said.
by admin | Feb 10, 2014 | DOB Member News, DOB News
We we’re back at the Hampshire Hotel for our Bike & Tattoo Show and the day was glorious..
Plenty of bikes turned up to compete in the four categories – bike bikes, learner legal, best dressed and rat bike. There was also the people’s choice award. Jay and a couple of the SMW boys had been asked to judge so they put their head together and came up with the following awards. KT won Bike Bike. Karen Magick won Learner Legal. Linda & Precious won Best Dressed and also carried off the People’s Choice award.
After we handed out the bike awards, brilliantly created by Jenny, and also a small token to Jay and the boys for their support it was time to head back into the lane for the coin toss and the infamous wet t-shirt competition. Fran from Mardi Gras was the judge and we even had two boys in the line up (one being Paul, the co-chair for Mardi Gras).
We had a raffle were the first prize was a double pass to the Mardi Gras Party and the runner up prizes of 3 double passes to Women Say Something. Although Steph Sands twice won the tickets she had just donated the final winners were Junior, Bad Jill, Hats and Lynnie. The raffle was drawn by current and past presidents of the club.
While the tops getting ripped off out back the music was getting pumped up inside with our DJ Kelly Chrome playing some great tracks from early in the afternoon through to early in the morning. It was a fantastic set that had people singing along and dancing all over the place.
We came inside for the Tattoo section and some great drag acts. Antonio Mantonio knocked over a couple of number in a very revealing pair of pants and had everyone rocking along in the choruses. Neddy Mercury showed her Bad Habits about her Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Rusty Gate went all country and had a couple of girls show them to him. Lady V from Venomous Ink judged the tattoo comp and was a hard act to beat. There were some fantastic tatts and again some brilliant awards created by Jenny. The big award of the night was the best overall tattoo which was the inaugural trophy donated by Lady V and won by Angie Scerri.
We ended the evening with some old videos to remind us what we used to look like.
It was a great day and a big thanks to everyone who donated their time and who came along to make it such a great day.
by admin | Feb 10, 2014 | DOB Member News, DOB News
We had a later than usual start to the day but it still meant the volunteers and committee were all on site by 8.30am. The stall allocated by Mardi Gras was looking forlorn but it wasn’t long before we had it all dolled up. The bikes were lined up in a row looking good, We had three marquees of our own to put together as well.
The merchandise was displayed beautifully with the tea towels flapping proudly in the breeze. Linda gave all of our bikes a quick polish ad spent special time on Nic’s bike that was being used for the photo shoot. Plenty of old friends and new filled out their forms, chatted and picked their colours for the Mardi Gras Parade.
The weather was fantastic all day with a breeze coming through helping to keep it a little bit cooler. At around 5pm we started packing up and at 6pm we were throwing boxes over the back fence to load up the vehicles. By 6.30 the site looked as empty as it had when we got in there at 8am. It was a long day but a good one. Thanks to everyone who helped out or just came by to say hi.
by admin | Dec 16, 2013 | DOB Member News, DOB News
We were back in our old stomping grounds at the Hampshire Hotel for the DOB General Meeting and Xmas Party.
The Grrls had done a great job of getting the beer garden turned into our Xmas fairyland. After the formalities of the General Meeting were over we got to the serious stuff – the Gingerbread House competition. Dykes on Bikes gets all competitive when there is a craft challenge on and the teams came out with icing bags firing.
Just as we finished up with the gingerbread, Santa and her elves (Elf Elp and Elf Azzard) arrived to hand presents to everyone, naughty and nice. Give a dyke a toy and watch the fun start.
Later that evening the Karaoke Machine got fired up. What we lack in tune we make up for in enthusiasm.
A great night was had by all.
by admin | Aug 5, 2013 | DOB Member News, DOB News
Silver sequins, white suits and big hair. Thanks to all of our Disco Divas who attended the Black & White Ball. Mind you we also had a lot of stunning folk in suits and gowns as well as lashings of leather.
It was our first time at the Red Rattler and the staff made us feel exceptionally welcome. We had some wonderful performers who volunteered their time on the night. The committee found some old dress ups in the back of their closest and even did a number. Belle organised some brilliant girls to fire us up – Coco, Jedda and the amazing Chilli Rox.
We also had some great competition for the best dressed events and fantastic judges with Bruce & Sonya from MaXXX Black.
I can’t wait until next year
