At Connections 40th birthday celebrations there were many treasured moments.
A trio of high profile politicians from across the political spectrum hitting the dance floor arm in arm, drag shows filled with feathers and frolics that brought together performers from across the decades, and a moment in time when a performer gently swung from a trapeze above the crowd to the words of Home from the musical The Wiz.
A reminder that for generations of people Connections has not just been a place to get a drink and show off your dance moves, but a place where people find family and create a home.
It’s the biggest party of the last decade, so expectations are high for Saturday night’s celebrations which will mark the club’s 50th birthday – a remarkable achievement for any venue, so much so for an LGBTIQA+ space that began it’s life years before homosexuality was decriminalised.
DJ H Sailor is one of the talents who’ll be bringing the party to life. He’ll be starting the party providing the sounds for the VIP event before a cavalcade of much-loved DJs take turns throughout the night.
“For more than twelve years, Connections has been my creative home.” he told OUTinPerth.
“DJing here is never just another set – it’s a privilege that never fades, no matter how many times I step behind the decks. To open the club’s 50th birthday and set the tone for such a historic night is an honour beyond words. Expect disco decadence from the very first beat.”
Also brining the beats will be Tasty and Scout. Out on the terrace will be Amanda Power and Cooper Cooper, while inside Dean Misdale, JJ and Henry Boles will be spinning their favourite tunes.
Drag legend Barbie Q has created two special shows for the night, and they’ll be surprise pop up performances to look out for. Some much-loved identities including Strykermeyer, Val Nourished and Sheila Mann will be returning.
Tim Brown, one of Connections ownership team, spoke to OUTinPerth recently about the venue’s longevity.
“It’s quite remarkable to think particularly a gay venue that opened in 1975 in a small city at the end of the earth could hang in there for that long. And maybe ‘hang in’ is a better way of putting it.
“Everyone always assumes that the club is busy, and it’s always been busy and it’s always been full. But like any business, it has its ups and downs.” Brown shared, noting that while there’s lots of good nights, there’s been a fair share of dud nights too.
He also said the secret to the club’s success is staying relevant to the world of today. A balance between being relevant to what queer means now, against that incredible legacy.
“I think that’s the key reason it survived.” Brown said, “That really interesting interplay between the two of those things. Certainly the world, broadly in the West, has changed dramatically for queer people. It’s a very different world for somebody coming out now to the world when I started at Connections in 1991 to the world of connections in 1975.
“It’s really maybe not what’s changed with Connections the most. It’s what’s changed with the world and then the world of queer. And I think queer is the best word to use people and how they fit in that world, and then how Connections reacts to that and creates a product that that is relevant to that.”
Connections 50th Birthday: 1975 – 2025 is on Saturday from 6pm. Tickets still remain for the Midnight entry option.
