IT training QX magazine TruePDF 13 march 2019

clubs t bars t cabaret t life

No 1253 13 March 2019

RYNBHB[JOFDPN
t
RYHBZMPOEPO

Gay Sex
Through
The Ages
We go behind the
scenes on the BBC's
groundbreaking
new doc

Eagle
Goes
2-4-1
Two
for one
drinks?! In
London?!
Oh em
gee!

PrEP
Guide
A handy handbook
to the HIV
prevention drug

Plus your guide to London's hottest queer events

The

Informer.

Equal marriage bill set to pass in Chile
Though recognizing same-sex
civil unions for the past four
years, gay marriage is still
not legal in Chile. That could
be changing very soon as the
new president of Chile’s upper
house of parliament, Jamie
Quintana, has promised to
pass a marriage equality bill in
this legislative year. Quintana
is set to take office on the 12th
of March, and he took the
opportunity on Sunday to tweet
out “Chile is in full cultural change, demands wider freedoms and rights”.
He shared that there is “no doubt” that an equal marriage bill will pass this
legislative year. The South American country is overwhelmingly in support of
LGBT equality, with local media outlets characterising the fight for marriage
equality as a ‘clear horizon in sight’. The country has also been making strides
with transgender rights with the passing of a Gender Identity Bill back in
September which allowed anyone over the age of 14 to legally change their
name and gender without undergoing surgery.

Lucille Ball revealed to use poppers

in her later years
Poppers have a distinct place within the
gay community, and it has recently been
discovered that they also held a prominent
place in the life of a beloved gay icon. Lucille
Ball was the television star best known for her
turn as Lucy on the sitcom I Love Lucy which
still regularly appears on American television.
Her brand of camp humour and sharp wit
made her ripe for drag queen fodder, with
countless queens noting her as a huge
inspiration. On a recently aired episode of a
series called "Autopsy, The Last Hours of…" it
was revealed by investigator Dr Michael Hunter that the comedienne frequently
used poppers to treat chest pains in her final few years. A friend of Lucy who is
interviewed shares: “I remember we were playing backgammon one night, all
of a sudden she had a shortness of breath. She took out poppers, which were a
certain type of sexual thing people did back in the eighties.”

Education Secretary
backs LGBT lessons in
Birmingham school
Parkfield
Community school
has been the focus
of a slew of news
articles after 600
students walked
out of lessons
in protest of the

LGBT-inclusive
lessons that were
being taught
at the school.
The school’s
‘No Outsiders’
program was designed to encourage
children to be ‘happy and excited’ about
living in a diverse community, but its
teaching on embracing LGBT identities
didn’t sit well with some parents, who
disagreed with the program’s promotion
of homosexuality, and staged a protest
were they sported slogans reading
“indoctrination, not education”. Following
the controversy, the UK Education Secretary
Damian Hinds has backed the school’s
teachers and their anti-bullying lessons.
Speaking to Schools Week about the
controversy, Hinds elaborated on new
guidelines that were published last month
which states that “we expect all pupils to
have been taught” about LGBT issues.
He shared: “I’ve always been clear that I
support headteachers to make decisions
and we believe in school autonomy, that
school leaders are best-placed to make
decisions.” He also went on to state that it’s
also important to “consult with parents” on
these issues, which is “just good practice”.

Family of famous drag kid respond to abuse allegations

@qxmagazine
qxmagazine.com

Editor
Dylan B Jones

Editorial Assistant
Ifan Llewelyn

New Business Sales Executive
Steve Gregory
020 7240 0055

Senior Designer
Janne Öijer

Designer
Suren Gunpath

Classifieds
020 7240 0055
classifi
Director
Chris Colman
020 7240 0055

Distribution /

M.R.DISTRIBUTION
Printers / Acorn
Published by
Firststar Ltd. New House,
67-68 Hatton Garden,
London EC1N 8JY
Cover: Matt Spike

Desmond Is Amazing has become a known name within the drag
community online for his performances in drag, and his outlandish looks.
Being just 11-years-old he has been trying to make drag more childinclusive. This week Desmond’s parents were the recipients of letters
from both Child Protective Services and the NYC Administration of Child
Services which were issued following reports of child abuse, exploitation
and maltreatment. In an Instagram post, they took the opportunity
to respond to these allegations, sharing that they had been “under a
microscope since December”.The parents shared: ”We had announced
visits & unannounced visits to our home nearly daily & at all hours &
Desmond’s school. Our family was probed more intensely than any other
case before. All allegations were “unfounded.”’ It was revealed that there
are “extra security measures in place” at Desmond’s school following the
abuse he has faced online and several death threats. The parents insist
that they are a “loving and supporting family” who are letting their son
be himself and do what he loves.

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© Copyright in the UK and worldwide,
of the publishers Firststar Limited, Qx
(ISSN 1356-6903). QX is published

every Wednesday. Deadline for editorial
and display advertisement inclusion is
Thursday, six days before the relevant issue
cover date. Sorry, but we cannot be held
responsible for any unsolicited manuscripts,
illustrations or photographs. Inclusion in our
images, is no indicator of sexual preference.



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Dom
Holmes
Bar Staff, The Glory

Hey Dom! Describe
yourself in three
gorgeous words.
Full of myself
What’s your fave
Grindr emoji?
Gri
What are you most
guilty of?
Weeing in the shower
Shag Marry Avoid Boris Johnson, Nigel
Farage, Jeremy
Clarkson.
Burn them all (I’d hate
fuck Clarkson though)
What’s the most
important thing in
the world right now?
The Cock Destroyers
If you could have a
kebab with any spice
girl, which would it
be and why?
Whoever pays for it. So
probably Victoria.

Hangover meal of
choice?
There’s an amazing
Gözleme place near
where I live. They’re only
£2.50 aswell.
What’s the trashiest
thing you’ve ever
done?
How long have you got?
And finally…when do
you get off work?
3am, see you near the
bins!

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The Glory is at 281 Kingsland Road, E2 8AS.
Open 5pm – midnight from Monday to Thursday,
5pm – 2am Fridays & Saturdays
and 1pm – 11pm on Sundays.



Have We Met Before?

T

GAY SEX

THE AGES
H

R

O

U

G

H

Chronicling how men meet other men
for sex, filmmaker Oliver Mason dove into half a
century of the UK’s sexual history, looking at the
impact the internet had on our sexual culture.
Through intimate interviews recalling
first-hand accounts, he weaves together
a brief history of gay sex, from the caravan
clubs all the way through to the apps.
We caught up with him ahead of the short
film’s premiere to pick his brain about the impact
the world wide web has had on our sex lives.
Hey Oli! How did you go about finding your subjects;
people that were willing to openly discuss their sexual
escapades?
Well, I guess that was one of the problems. I specifically wanted
it to cover hooking up through the ages. It wasn’t going to be
about romance and partnerships. I’m in my early-mid thirties

and I have a lot of gay friends my age with a little bit of variation,
so my biggest concern was that I wanted to have a breadth of
ages for it to feel reflective of the UK. I started panicking about
finding much older gay men, so my mum suggested a friend of
hers who I did interview. He opens the whole film.
Must be awkward the next time he’s round for tea.
Yeah! He’s a bit older but I still wanted to try and get men with
different stories, say, from the 1950s. I heard a great story from
a friend about a couple who met cruising in Piccadilly Circus
just after WW2 and stayed together ever since until one of them
passed away 10-20 years ago, and the other died last year. A
week or two into interviewing men my age and a little older I had
a panic of finding people at the younger end of the spectrum.
I wanted to cover men around the age of 20 who would have
grown up with a mobile phone.
So do you start off in the ‘70s?
There’s a prelude which covers secret gentlemen’s clubs which,
from my limited research around them, existed in the ‘20s, until
possibly the ‘70s or ‘80s. We start properly in the ‘70s with
the Hanky Code and the first Gay Pride in London. The hanky
code was a way of singling sexual tastes or interests, where the
colour of your hanky might indicate the type of sexual interaction
you were looking for, be it anal or fisting, to more complicated
fetishes you might want. The original published guide was maybe
eight colours, and then by the time it was put on the internet in
the ‘90s there were about 50 colours with very specific interests.

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“In the
past, you
had to
physically
be there
to show
you were
interested,
whereas
now you
can be as
anonymous
as you like
u p.”



“it was a
subversive
punk act of
rebellion. I
thought that
was fucking
awesome.”
Where do you go on from there?
Whilst we move chronologically forwards, I’ve
carved out prevalent behaviours from each
era. Moving to the 80s you have cottaging and
cruising, back to back. I had this phenomenal
contributor who was very intelligent and clear in

expressing his feelings, saying that mostly when
he was cottaging as a teenager in the early
‘80s, for him cottaging wasn’t just a sexual
act, it was a form of rebellion. It was a way of
fighting against heteronormative society. What
he was doing was illegal because the age of
consent was 21, he was 17, plus it was a public
space. For him, it was a subversive punk act of
rebellion. I thought that was fucking awesome.
Then come the nineties!
Then we move on to the arrival of the internet,
which was ‘89, but computers weren’t really
in the home until the late ‘90s. There was a
very clear cut gay use of the internet with the
launch of Gaydar.com in ‘99. I was chatting to
my mum’s friend who mentioned there were
other ways they had of meeting men before
Gaydar, with ICQ and other messaging sites,
forums and chatrooms. By the ‘90s on forums,
you could be a little less coded, a little more
obvious in what you were looking for. What I
found really interesting with people who were
using all these digital spaces, a lot of the time it
was for community and connection, as well as
being for sex or relationships. Decriminalisation
happened back in ‘67 but it only became
somewhat socially acceptable in the 80s and
90s, but even then it could be quite isolating.

And after the Internet came the App.

Grindr launched back in 2009. Based on the
interviews (and personal experience) the fact that
you could have access any time anywhere was
very different. It wasn’t a case of only when you
were at home at your desktop, or at work as a lot
of people did, you could be on the tube, walking
down the street, going to the doctors, it was
always there. You didn’t have to go to a cruising
ground or a toilet. A point quite a few people
made was whilst it opened up the access to men
having sex with men, it also made it possible to
be even more secretive. In the past, you had to
physically be there to show you were interested,
whereas now you can be as anonymous as you
like up until that point of meeting.
Having looked back across the decades,
what do you think the future holds for
men meeting other men for sex?
Technology is ever changing. I’m sure there
will be crazy virtual ways for meeting but
not physically meeting men in the future.
I personally would always like a physical
experience, but who knows, suddenly porn
becomes more interactive, a lot more
interesting. My personal hope is that the gay
community and queer spaces do still exist. It’s
interesting seeing that other spaces are trying to
open, spaces not just for drinking and clubbing.
Have We Met Before is on BBC 4
at 10pm on Sunday, the 17th of March.

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CL UB

NE W S

For our Musts & Maybes listings, see pages 36-40
or visit the What’s On section at www.qxmagazine.com

A:M
Friday 15th March
Here’s something to
NOT bring your mum
to. A:M starts, fittingly,
at 1am and goes on
until 10am. Crikey!
Brings a new meaning
to the phrase “afterhours”. It’s so late that
it’s almost early. How
metaphysical. A:M
is the place to go for
euphoric, shirts-off,
neon glowstick gay
clubbing. There’s lots
of ripple-muscled
boys, if that’s what

you’re into, and lots
of thumping house
music. It’s generally
a friendly, easygoing crowd – maybe because it starts in the wee hours and
everyone’s usually in a bit of a happy daze. Love a happy daze!
Protocol, 6A South Lambeth Place, SW8 1SP. 1am - 10am.
£8 before 6am with flyer/concession.

Brüt
Friday 15th March
Listen up you BRÜTS! Brüt is swaggering into Bloc South this Friday
night for another installment of its weekly party. It’s all about thick hairy
forearms (maybe with those rings tattooed around them) and harnesses
and boots. Think Vauxhall clubbing meets Castro Street sensibilities. A
leather waistcoat or two certainly wouldn’t go amiss. Bloc South is dark
and cruisey, with lots of murky corners to get sexy and salacious in. Plus
some of the scene’s best DJs! Can’t ask for more than that on a Friday
night can you! Sex and music. Gorgeous.
65 Albert Embankment, SE1 7TP. 10pm – 5am.
£5 before midnight with QX ad/screenshot. £10 after.

TFN

Illustration by Fredrik Sven Knut Andersson

Saturday 16th
March

Sodom & Begorrah
Saturday 16th March

Gird your loins and guard your Guinesses because Sodom &
Begorrah is BACK! One of The Glory’s most audacious nights (in
a hotly contested field) S&B is an homosexual homage to all things
Irish! You’ll be finding green glitter in your underpants for months
afterwards, Sinead O’ Connor ringing in your ears at unexpected
points at your desk. Of course, this is in honour of St Patrick’s Day,
and it’s all overseen by Ireland’s LGBT Entertainer of the Year,
XNTHONY! They’ll be careening through the night with a series of
cabaret stuff, comedy stuff, drag stuff and loads more, with the help
of special guests. Great craic!
The Glory, 281 Kingsland Road, E2 8AS. 10pm – 2am.
£10 entry, tickets only available on the door.

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In an unassuming
spa in Covent
Garden, a steamy
party happens every
Saturday night! As
the shopping throngs
of tourists buy pointless
candles, mere metres
away there’s sodomy going on! The
brainchild of fetish partystarters
Jamie HP, TFN stands for
“Totally Fekking Nude” (a very
appropriate inflection given
the fact that it’s St Patrick’s

Day). And as the name
suggests, it’s a naked
party. So get down
there and get yer kit off!
They’ve got cabins, a spa
pool, lockers, and more.
The Covent Garden Health
Spa, 29 Endell Street, WC2H
9BA. 9pm – 2am. £15
entry, includes first drink
and coat check.


ATHENA
Saturday 16th March
If you haven’t sauntered down to Eagle London’s bitchslap of an 80s
party yet, then you should! The sassy spawn of DJs Paul Joseph and
Gareth Hackney, it pays tribute to the music, attitude and aesthetics
of possibly the campest decade of the 20 th century. Lots of hairspray
and big shoulderpads are a must! Playlist-wise, think Grandmaster
Flash, Paula Abdul, Prince, Miami Sound Machine, Blondie and lots
more stuff of that ilk – if you haven’t belted out OOH BABY DO YA
KNOW WHAT THAT’S WORTH with a pint in one hand and a man
in the other, you haven’t lived dahling!
Eagle London, 349 Kennington Lane, SE11 5QY. 9pm – 4am. £6 entry.

XXL St Patrick’s Day
Saturday 16th March
Another St Paddy’s celebration, this time at the
notorious XXL. They go all out for events like this –

you can guarantee there’ll be glitter cannons and
pyrotechnics galore! It’s an “anthems” theme which
we’re guessing means they’ll be playing…anthems?
Who knows!
Pulse, 1 Invicta Plaza, SE1 9UF. 10pm – 7am.
£15 guests, £10 members.

SBN / nbn - NEW LOCATION
Sunday 17th March
Didn’t get your fill of men over the St Patrick’s Day weekend?
Well head down to SBN to offset that end-of-the-weekend
dread. It’s a naked cruise party by, yep you guessed it,
Jamie HP, and it storms into Union this Sunday afternoon.
It’s got fetish equipment and a play zone designed by fetish
connoisseurs UK Red, plus there’s a live XXX stage show by Kai
Davis (pictured) & Good Lad. Steamy!
Union Nightclub, 66 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, SE1.
2pm – 10pm. £14 members, £17 guests.

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A:M
08/03/19
Protocol,
6A South Lambeth Place, SW8 1SP
Photos by Zefrographica
A:M was AWASH with gorgeous club
kids on Friday night. Well, it was

more like Saturday morning to be
honest – 5am is when it really gets
going. And everyone looks fresh as
a daisy and very energetic! Must
be something in the water down in
Vauxhall. No but seriously though,
it’s always good vibes down at
London’s most notorious after-hours
establishment. Raven Mandella (up
there in the top left corner) was on
hand, sporting her signature purple
look, as well as a bunch of other
reprobates. And we say “reprobate”
with the utmost love. Reprobates are
our favourite kind of people!

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Circa The Club
09/03/19
Hungerford House,
Victoria Embankment, WC2N 6PA
Photos by Zefrographica
Circa on a Saturday! It’s a bustling
gay oasis in an increasingly sanitized
Soho, a welcome respite from Prets
and Pizza Expresses. Circa’s most

distinctive feature is the big disco
ball DJ booth, which really is exactly
what it sounds – a huge disco ball
with the DJ booth INSIDE it. How
camp. Circa’s other distinctive
feature is that it’s always full of
gorgeous men, which is always nice.
Certainly not to be sniffed at, dear.

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XXL Fetish
09/03/19
Pulse, 1 Invicta Plaza, SE1 9UF
Photos by Zefrographica
It was a fetish special edition of XXL
on Saturday, and the leather lotharios
and harness homos were out in full
force. Fetish has seen an explosion
in popularity over the last few years,
with lots of young guys getting into
it, and fetish companies turning over
huge profits. Why? Who knows!
Let’s not overthink it. It’s fun and it’s
escapist, and god knows we need
both those things right now. One of
our fave DJs Paul Morrell was on the

decks as well – oh and the dark room
was, as the kids say, LIT.

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WHEN

2 BECOME 1

Yes, you heard us! No, it’s not another Posh-less leg of the Spice
Girls reunion tour we’re announcing. Over at the Eagle, they’re
serving up all of your favourites, where you can get two drinks
for the price of one! 2-4-1 drinks will be pouring out from behind
the bar throughout the week between 9pm and 11pm, and yes,
even on weekends! Get twice as sloshed for the same price.
This will be a feature at all of their upcoming events, of which
there are MANY. They keep themselves busy over at the Eagle,
with a fresh mix of disco, R&B or those house classics busting
out of their speakers ever weekend. Here’s what you have to
look forward to this week:

Athena
– The March Party

Soul On Saturday
– 1st of Birthday Party

Horse Meat Disco
– Jim & Luke

16th of March

17th of March

23rd of March

Whenever we hear Athena we think euphoria.
When you have a double vodka in hand
and your fave ‘80s disco bop is on, it really
is damn euphoric. Taking over the decks
are Paul Joseph and Gareth Hackney who
live and breathe throwback, fist-pumping
hits. Everything from Abba to Salt-N-Pepa,
Whitney to Kylie.

A London living, breathing legend. Horse
Meat Disco has a stellar reputation that it
somehow always lives up to. They have carved
out Sunday nights in their image, whipping
their fiery manes to the beats of the freshest
disco funk mixes. This week it’s in the hands of
HMD staples Jim Stanton and Luke Howard,
so slip into your tightest jeans and roll up
those sleeves. It’s time to get grooving.

So when you’re near me, darling can’t you
hear me. Soul on Saturday! Celebrating a

whole year on the scene, they’re cranking up
the volume to eleven. Let Roy Inc. take over
your Saturday night, and gorge yourself on
this feast of Soul music. Riding into those DJ
decks on a white swan is Terry T-Rex, with
Jeanie Crystal riding closely behind in a cloud
of eco-friendly glitter.

9pm – 4am. Free before 10pm with
OutSavvy ticket, £6 OTD.

Paul Joseph

8pm – 3am. £6 before 10pm, £8 after.

Luke Howard

Jim Stanton

Recon Cabaret
After the success of the first Recon cabaret
in August and comedy night in November,
Recon will be back at the Royal Vauxhall
Tavern throughout the year with more fetish
social events.
Recon’s first social takes place on
Wednesday 27th March bringing you a night
of fun, cabaret and fetish. This social event
is open to all fetishes, so gear up and put
on your latex, leather, sportswear, uniforms

or skinhead gear- all fetishes are welcome,
although Civilian clothing is fine too.
Hosted by the rancid starlet Baby
Lame, who will be thrilling and terrorizing
everyone with her twisted brand of punk
horror drag, expect dark comedy and bad
taste from start to finish.
There will be performances from three
great cabaret artists, all bringing acts with a
fetish twist.
International multi award winning
burlesque and sideshow performer Lou Safire
has been performing around the world since
2008 and was voted in the top 50 burlesque
performers in the world and top 10 In the UK
in 2015 and 2016. Not one to shy away from

the heat, Lou’s fire performances and lust for
the darker side of vaudeville brings a unique
take on traditional freak show stunts.
Fierce, feisty and flabulous! Smashlyn
Monroe will be dragging their fat ass out of
Hades and back to the RVT for the Recon
Fetish Cabaret. Most recently winning the title
of Hamburger Queen, this brazen siren of the
sideshow underworld will be bringing their
own unique performances combining military,
fetish and an insight to what happens at home
when the husband’s away.
There will also be performances from

model and performer Sadiq Ali. Sadiq has
previously represented the UK at Mr Gay
World in Malta. His solo acts combine circus,
theatre and dance, and will be bringing his
pole skills set to the RVT.
Expect a night of fantastic performances
and games from some of the best in the
London cabaret scene, as well as the chance
to gear up and socialize with other kinksters.
All genders welcome!
Wednesday 27th March, 7pm-12am
£10 on the door.

Photos by Raf & Way

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9pm – 4am. Free entry until 10 pm, £6 after.

Roy Inc



RAISING
CMYK Bar

THE BAR

The Two Brewers

105 - 109 The Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1QG
Following their massive opening (stop it), CYMK bar is enjoying its first
week of being the FIRST gay bar to grace the borough of Wimbledon.
It’s not just strawberries and cream anymore deary! Well… unless you
find yourself a gentleman who’ll gladly cream your dimpled berries. It’s
forging its way ahead into new territory, serving up that relaxed, stylish
vibe where you can grab a glass of wine and listen to some funky club
mixes. They’re open seven days a week, which our calendar tells us is
every day of the week (we’ve never been awake to see this thing they
call ‘Monday’). Hop on that quaint green District line and ride over to
Wimbledon for a night of drinks in London’s newest queer venue!

The best bar
stuff this week!

114 Clapham High St, Clapham
SW4 7UJ
A South London staple. This is the place
that cultivated the ‘Clapham gay’ as
a breed of homosexual. It’s busy most
nights of the week, with each night
bringing another evening of hooting
hootenannies. They’re going all out this
Sunday, celebrating St Patrick’s Day
with the Power of FOUR! It’s usually the
Power of Three, but this one’s extra lucky,
just like a four-leafed… we see what
they did there. First taking to the stage
is the incomparable Myra Dubois who’s

storming in with a cloud of cynicism
at 6:30 pm. Then it’s Michael Maouri
who’ll be taking the rains form 7:30 pm, only to be followed by crowd
w
ffavourite Mary Mac at 8:30 pm. Closing the night with her own brand of
bewilderment is Sandra. Keeping the crowd riled up will be DJ Demon,
b
who’s a master of those camp classic and pop bops.
w

The Old Ship

17 Barnes St, Limehouse E14 7NW
There’s some mischief in the barrel of this ship. All
you need is to head over on a Sunday and you’ll see
exactly why we’re all at sea with this East London
pub. Welcoming the finest drag delinquents London
has to offer on Sunday night, it’s the perfect place
to nurse a hangover. The crowd is a mix of friendly
locals, and people who’ve followed its reputation
over to Limehouse as you should! This week it’s
Mandy Gap who’ll be berating and tantalising
audiences, strutting across the deck of this good
old-fashioned gay British pub. If you just fancy
grabbing a pint and a game of pool, it’s
great for that too! Grab a few friends and
take over a table for the evening.

Little Ku

25 Frith St, Soho W1D 5LB
The itsy bitsy gay bar that will have you wetting your water spout!
Wait, does that sound naughty? To hell with it! We’re obsessed
with this tiny Soho bar, and want to squeeze it a little too hard
like the big guy from Of Mice and Men. It’s the fluffy baby rabbit
of Soho’s drinking scene and is where you should be heading
on a Friday night. They have the cutest little guys behind the bar,
it makes grabbing a drink just an excuse to grab their eye for a
few heart-fluttering moments. Before you know it you’re on your
6th and you’re unclear how long is too long to be staring at a
barman. Whether it’s a few drinks before going clubbing, or
some post-show bevvies, Little Ku is always a good go-to.

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Cheer Up
09/03/19
Eagle London,
349 Kennington Lane, SE11 5QY
Photos by Richard Holland
Oh em gee! Pop legend Nicki French
descended on Eagle London for
a special show on Saturday night,
featuring hits from her adored 1995
album ‘Secrets’. It was partystarters
CHEER UP who brought Nicki along –
after Nicki’s set they paid homage to

Stock Aitken Waterman music for the
rest of the night, spinning ALL THE
HITS and no shit!

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Cabaret.
By Jason Reid

Getting to Know...

Romeo
De La Cruz

Who is Romeo De La Cruz?
Romeo De La Cruz is a trans, non-binary, energetic, enigmatic humxn
whose scintillating performances mash-up their craft of dance, drag and
boylesque to produce the twisted concoction of their majestic fetish. A softie
by nature but hardened by society. If you’re lucky you might just experience
the comedic side of De La Cruz
Describe your performance style in three words.
Extempore, majestic and personal.
What’s your aesthetic?
My aesthetic is developed around my personal insecurities as an introverted
drag performer; Romeo is a danceaholic who finds their voice through
movement - incorporating sexual fetishism, comedy and political statements
inspired by their offstage life.
Three artists who inspire you?

Jada Love paved the way for me in the burlesque world, and whilst we were
dating I was somehow incorporated into her act and she never left my side
- literally, because I married her. Performing with her helped me MASSIVELY
in becoming the true me. Lolo Brow and Lilly SnatchDragon were the first
womxn drag queens I saw perform and shared a stage with - they have a
presence, humbleness and genuine soul that hasn’t changed. These two
beings taught me without knowing.
What’s the biggest challenge you face as a drag king in 2019?
My biggest challenge is myself: stepping out my box to attempt opportunities
I’ve always been hesitate to do - anxiety can do many things to a human.
What are you listening to?
The Color Show Playlist (YouTube).
Fave new performers right now?
Silver, Clay Taurus, Trindad & TooGayThough and Carrot. You need to see
these performers in action!
What makes you happy?
My family, friends and their food. I may not eat a lot but I always take home
extras. Music, poetry and dance also has an impact on my happiness,

© Kaleido Shots

Variety is an integral part of cabaret; without a
rich and diverse mix of acts and styles a scene
will become hackneyed. Thankfully, our scene
- across the UK - is alight with engrossing
performance and art right now. One of the
performers who is part of this exciting wave is
Romeo De La Cruz, who has been performing
primarily as a drag, boylesque and dance
artist for the last six years. This week, Jason

Reid gets to know more about Romeo...

positivity and focused energy.
One piece of advice for new kings?
You are your only competition; compete with no one but YOURSELF as your
art is your ownership.
The world would be a better place without?
All the ‘phobias & ‘isms. Like biphobia, homophobia, femmephobia,
transphobia, xenophobia, ageism, colourism, genderism, racism, sexism and
more. I know we’re all made of skin, blood, muscles and bones but we can
be too focused on the outside, people need to look a little deeper.
If you could only read one book, watch one movie and listen to
one album for the rest of your days; what would you choose?
Book - The Black Dancing Body: A Geography from Coon to Cool by Brenda
Dixon Gottschild.
Movie - The Color Purple.
Album - The Divine Feminine by Mac Miller.
What haven’t you done yet that you’d really like to do?
Perform aboard and have my own merchandise. One day... I hope. Can’t
say when but I’m putting it out there in the universe.
What do you like to see when you go to a cabaret show as a
punter?
Diverse cultures; variety of talent/arts; venues and events that don’t
tolerate ‘phobias/‘isms; gender neutral toilets; all different bodies and
abilities represented.
Tell us something about yourself that not many people know.
I’m a medical marijuana supporter. This came after years of research and
seeing the benefits - physically and mentally - through close ones. I can’t
ignore the visible evidence worldwide that shows more positive effects than
negative for human life.

Romeo De La Cruz will be performing at The Apothecary Cabaret,
The Albany, 240 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5QU on
Friday 15 March.

“You are your only competition; compete with no one but YOURSELF
as your art is your ownership”
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qxmagazine.com