Reviewed on Sunday July 7
There seemed to be nothing more fitting to do on the Queen’s Birthday weekend than to spend it with a bunch of queens at Heaps Gay X Vivid Sydney.
Vivid has put on such a diverse array of events this year that it should come as no surprise the stint with Heaps Gay was a well-executed affair that had on show all the best that queer Sydney can offer. Spread across several rooms, the party boasted a diverse array of bands, DJs, performers and lights. It had all the staples of a good Heaps Gay – plenty of local talent, a grungey feel, and a very attractive crowd.
Since its arrival in late 2013, Heaps Gay has always been committed to boosting the Sydney scene, and showing off all of its best bits. With fantastic performances from the likes of Kim (The Presets), Black Vanilla and performance outfit Hissy Fit, this party was no different.
The Factory Theatre proved the perfect location. Tucked away in the heart of Marrickville, Heaps Gay was instantly at home in the larger venue. The Factory also recently played host to the House Of Mince’s Super OpenAir event, and a major difference between these two events – and which seemed to work better for Super OpenAir – was the location of the main acts. House Of Mince hosted its largest acts on the car park stage, which made the most of the lovely weather, the stairs and upstairs viewing space, and the room to dance and smoke simultaneously – something Heaps Gay regulars may have grown used to at its old staple venue, the Gladstone.
I found myself outside for the majority of the event, enjoying the lights, the unseasonably good afternoon, and the serene, if a little grungey, Marrickville atmos. While I had a great time doing all this and getting down to Levins and Del Lumanta’s pop-filled DJ sets, it would’ve been a lot of fun to see some of the bigger acts really rip up outside.
Overall it was a solid evening – the usual Heaps Gay good vibes and great acts, teamed with the Vivid aesthetic and the excitement of the gayest long weekend of the year meant that the evening was one big celebration: a celebration of being queer, of Sydney, of long weekends and good dancing.
