Connections Nightclub celebrates 50 years as a pioneer of inclusive nightlife culture with big party

Imagine this. It’s a Saturday night at Connections Nightclub in the 1980s. The club has been open for five years and the pumping dance floor is truly sticky, bathed in sparkling light from hanging mirrored balls and the drinks are flowing.

Shoulder pads were big, there were mustaches everywhere, and clubgoers wore non-breathable fabrics, but that didn’t stop people who desperately wanted to take action.

There aren’t many photos of Connections – or Connies, as almost everyone in Perth knows it – from when it opened on December 11, 1975, or from its early days because photography was prohibited inside the club at the time.

At a time when homosexuality was still criminalized across the country, people didn’t want to be seen browsing one of Australia’s first openly gay venues (decriminalization didn’t happen in WA until late 1989); A time when people were condemned for being who they were.

Fashion has certainly evolved and our society has become more accepting and respectful of the LGTBQIA+ community, but photos and videos are now more than welcome.

What has remained constant for 50 years is the spirit of community at Connections. People who feel included and safe are always allowing themselves to let their hair down and be their authentic selves.

Connections have been a safe haven for a repressed community from the very beginning, and that mantra endures even 50 years later.

As Perth’s iconic and beloved gay club celebrates its half-century milestone, The Sunday Times spoke to those who helped keep the club alive, sharing their memories and visions of what the future could bring.

Tim Brown has owned Connies since 1991 and said he couldn’t believe a gay club in an isolated city on the other side of the world was still here – loud and proud.

“It’s pretty amazing that any business can last 50 years; it’s even more amazing in the hospitality industry. And it’s incredible for nightclubs,” he said.

“Because this is a small town and the Links were a constant element of it. All the women, men, young and old were forced to come together, and I think that worked to our advantage, because it was already about a large group of people, even though that group as a whole was in the minority and often hidden. But as time went on and the world changed, I think a bed was built for a place that was about tolerance of differences.”

“In the world we live in, we’re not in a position to say you can’t get in because you’re not gay, and we never want to say that, but you have to be tolerant of differences.”

Mr. Brown said the idea of ​​tolerance creates the ability to be free, relax and have fun; This sentiment goes back to the club’s origins, founded by James Philips, Dennis Marshall and Walter Furlong, when a group of people just couldn’t be themselves.

“By honoring that, we are creating a space for another generation, a space for people to move into the future,” he said. “As it says on the back of our cocktail menu, there are only three basic rules: Respect yourself, respect others, and don’t fuck my shit up.”

Another reason Mr. Brown believes the club has survived so long is that it is tied to a dance music legacy that began with disco.

The Connies have become synonymous with infectious, feel-good music from all eras; The club’s 20 rotating DJs – including Mr Brown when he “came into the lineup” – work hard to create wide-ranging playlists.

Another thing that makes Connies stand out from the crowd is the club’s incredible drag productions.

One of the artists who put the ‘Q’ in Queen is Barbie Q, who started working at the club in 1999 and has served as the club’s entertainment director since 2010.

“It’s really nice to see the club celebrated in a way that a lot of other gay venues around the world can’t, because a lot of these things don’t last,” Barbie said.

Barbie shed a very bright light on how much work goes into putting on a show and promised the best of the venue. 50th birthday party December 13 is a celebration not to be missed.

Barbie and her glittering squad rehearsed for multiple party night shows for over three months, working on a variety of outfits that promised to be more than dazzling.

DJs Dean Misdale, Tastie, Henny, JJ, Henny, H Sailor, Amanda Power and Scout are also preparing to take their guests on a 50-year journey, from the last days of disco in 1975 to current pop anthems.

Barbie said, “I don’t think there is a place that produces like us.”

“We always have large-scale productions with great actors, always new costumes, different types of music. And there’s always something for everyone.”

Performing is in Barbie’s blood. After all, he’s been doing this since he was 13.

“I love music. I love people. My goal at shows is always to be able to look into the audience and see people smiling,” he said.

This is a far cry from her days as an 18-year-old cashier chick. Barbie said she fell into the performance world by chance after winning a drag contest in 1998.

“Links is my home, and I think it has a lot of pull for other people,” he said.

Scott Telfer, the venue manager for 13 years, shares the same sentiment.

“Links allow you to enjoy this sense of fantasy, music, and excitement in a place where you can be as gorgeous or introverted as you want, and people will accept you for who you are,” she said.

Mr. Telfer believes the world has come a long way in terms of acceptance since he was a young gay person who aspired to “go where you want and be who you want.”

“I think the world has moved on so much that we’re now at a place where people want to be a part of our community, and they see the warmth and hospitality that’s inherent in it, they want to be involved, and it’s taken a long time to get there,” he said.

“I don’t really care what you are, who you are, what you look like, how you dress, how you talk. Will you be respectful of our place, our institution and everyone here, because if you are, then you are as welcome as anyone else.

“But I think it’s a good sign of how far society has come; you can work FIFO and go to the odd bar on the weekends and no one will look twice. Who cares? Life’s too short.”

Mr. Brown took over Connections at a low point during the height of the AIDS crisis.

“Another nightclub had opened down the street. They did most of the work,” he said. “And you have to remember that 1991 was the height of the AIDS crisis. And this club, both the people who worked there and the customer base, were gutted by that. I think that’s often forgotten again. It seems like a lifetime ago, but it was really dramatic for the gay community.”

However, the club prevented this. Just like Mr. Brown is “stuck here.”

“Yeah, I don’t know what else I would do,” he said.

“I love the fact that this place is more than just a nightclub, it belongs to its own community.”

As for what the future holds, Mr Brown believed Perth would always need the ability to come together as a group of people and let go.

“There’s something really primal about getting together and dancing or DJing with a group of people, especially your community. Having a dance floor full of people in the same zone is one of the greatest feelings,” he said.

Mr Brown hoped Connections would still survive the next 50 years in a world “where we are desperate to connect”.

“I think we need this more than ever.”