World AIDS Day, a world event that touches many of us and leaves the rest yawning returns again on Monday 1st Dec. Being frank, it splits us into two camps. The Blah Blah Blahs with no real interest and the Let's do Something Crew. You can see this exemplified and perhaps amplified by the venues and events over the coming weekend. The most prevalent are the generally well-meaning but often horribly cynical "me toos" that treat it like Halloween or the Eurovision - you know, a big excuse to make more money (for themselves) with minimum outlay and the pretence that the more people spend the more that'll go to charity! We bet the bar staff give it their all but at the end of the day, it might as well be a party for the results show for Strictly F*cking Bareback on 'Ice'. To be fair tho, so many have been so apathetic for so long we can barely blame them.
But we will. Why? Because there's the other type of night or venue and this is life-affirming stuff folks. Now, an important point: don't think the good venues that care about their punters splits down the lines of big commercial chains and gay owned businesses. Far from it. The unsung heroes out there are many and everywhere. Comptons (owned by a 3,000+ chain) always does its bit with Neil at the helm whilst the RVT will no doubt excel herself again and both will end up giving proper hard cash to a charity that they and their punters actually know have an on-going relationship with.
So, hats off to the venues and promoters who really give it their all. Now, there's an even bigger army of unsung heroes that come out big for World AIDS Day - that'll be the professional entertainers who give up a night of their earnings to help raise money, the folks that give up their day to dress the venue, the bucket shakers at the coal face, the guy dressed up to offer those vile jelly shots for £1 and last but not least, the many in the crowd being stoic despite the night being loaded with emotion for them. I could go on.
Right, there you have it. Who you gonna grace with your presence? The also ran me toos populated by the Blahs who'll have a dreary night AND the Stars of the Scene having a blast. The choice is yours... “Continue reading” for a list of venues that are having a WAD function and write a comment if there are any good ones we have missed.
(Lordy, didn't Cilla have her best china on display the other night... ?!)
GMFA say: The weekend kicks off on Friday 28th November with fundraising events or collections at the Black Cap, The Yard, the King’s Arms, and the Edge. Collections will also be taking place at Village Bar throughout the weekend. On Saturday 29th November, Barcode Vauxhall, Barcode Soho, Kazbar, Kudos, 79 CXR, Geisha, the Queen's Head, Ye Rose & Crown and Prowler Soho will all be supporting GMFA.
On Sunday 30th November, there will be an extra special SLAGS / CHILLOUT event at the RVT with the DE Experience and the 2Brewers, King's Arms, Halfway To Heaven and the Quebec Arms will also be helping raise cash for GMFA.
Finally, on World AIDS Day itself, King William IV in Hampstead, Comptons, Rupert Street, Admiral Duncan and the Duke of Wellington will be supporting GMFA and there will be further collections at Kazbar, Kudos, Village and the Quebec Arms and Popcorn / Heaven are having a fund raiser for the Elton John AIDS foundation.
As well as these events, there’s also the Gay Sex and Fetish Awards with Club Filth at Union in aid of GMFA on Saturday 6th December. And if you’re busy online trying to find that man, Recon will also be selling virtual red ribbons through their website, with GMFA being one of the charities benefiting from the sales.
“We would like thank all the organisations and venues that will be helping GMFA raise funds for us this year.” said Matthew Hodson of GMFA. “Gay men account for over 60% of HIV infections that take place in the UK. The generosity and support we get from the community ensures that we can continue with our work that receives no statutory funding, such as our campaigns for HIV positive gay men.”
