Gay listings
Edinburgh Fridays
Bars
Polysuper—Camp at Newtown Bar. 26b Dublin Street. 538 7775. l()pm 2am. Free. Weekly. I)Js Polysuper Pete. .-\li and guests whip tip a storm of camp classics and new sounds. Sally I: and DJ Michelle go a wee bit alternative down below.
Clubs
Blaze at iigo. Picardy Place. 478 7434. lst. 3rd 8Q 4th Iiri of each month. 2.3 Jul. 1 Ipm 3am. £3 before midnight; £4 after. DJ James Longworth. is guaranteed to ignite the gay weekend with a chart and commercial/funky' house soundtrack. Lovers of the best queer and dyke tracks in the nation’s capital will doff their caps at the super sexy sounds from the coolest of all track (rippers on the decks. l‘eel the heat and boogie to the beat.
Edinburgh Saturdays
Clubs
Joy at the Venue. l5 ('alton Road.
I Ipm-3am. Monthly. 3l Jul. L'lt); £8 members. Popular club night held on two levels and featuring l)Js Maggie Joy. Alan Joy and Brett King in the main room. 'l‘rendy Wendy and Sally l5 in the (‘ooleli
Polysuper—Mix Up at Newtown Bar. 26b Dublin Street. 538 7775. l()pm 2am. Free. Weekly. New (light of chee/ee disco pop and charty hits for boys and girls with [Us Polysuper Pete. Ali and guests.
Fever at ligo. l4 Picardy' Place. 478 7434. llpm-3am. Monthly. 24 Jul. L'll); £8 members. Free to 'l'aste Members before I l.I5pm. 'l‘aste's spankingly new monthly night features its resident I)Js l‘isher & Price and Martin Valentine in the ballroom and the Visitor and Kaupuss playing in the ('octeau Lounge. There will be a pre-club party at Planet (hit from 9pm.
Edinburgh Sundays
Clubs
Taste at the liquid Room. 9c Victoria Street. 225 2504. lem 3am. Stilt IS Jul. 1.5 before I l.3()pm: £8: to members after: L'll) non-members on guest I)J nights. \Veekly. Sample the superb and tasty brew of house and garage from Main Room residents I‘isher ts Price in this weekend celebration of all things queer and dy key. Back Room resident I)Js Martin Valentine and Steven \Vanless play deep house. If you want to shake your booty to the best sounds in the capital. then make this a ham do‘. BootyLUSHous at Medina. (under Negociantsi 45 47 Lothian Street.
l()pm 3am. £2 before midnight. £3 alter. \Veekly'. .-\ Block Party hosted by DJ I)ale lush and residents Sitmnone Black. Pimpster 6’; (ice and 'l'rendy \Vendy. Karaoke at (‘(‘ Blooms. 23 (il'eensitle Place. 556 933 . (rpm 3am. Free. This two lloor jewel in the crown of lidinburgh’s scene. Down to earth and unpretentious. the bar staff are friendly while karaoke is a riotous affair. Disco every night from I lpm.
Edinburgh Monday
Clubs
Polysuper-Cheez at Mood ('lub. ()mni ('enlre. (ireenside. 07788 474 414. l()pm 3am. L‘l before I l.3()pm: £3 alter (£2 with membership card or discount pass). \Veekly. l)J Polysuper Pete. Ali and gttests do the honours.
Edinburgh Tuesdays
Clubs Vibe at ligo. Picardy Place. 478 7434. llpm 3am. £3: £2 members. \Veeklv. James I.ongworth prov ides the sounds upstairs at this popular. sparkly. charty party while Nathan Scantlebttry plays an 66 THE LIST 7? .ltil 7';
Aid) 7’)" i2
R&ll mis downstairs. The best of the Vibe acts including Beverley Rainford and the Vibe Dancers.
Health and Support
Body Positive 3 Park Quadrant. 332 5010. Support for those affected by HIV/AIDS.
Sandyford Initiative 2 o Sandyford Place. Sauchiehall Street. 2| 1 (i700. (‘entre providing support. counselling and information for women also hosts a monthly lesbian health clinic (contact
2| I S l 3() for more details). a lesbian counselling service and one—off support (contact centre for information or appointment) and the Steve Retson Project's twice weekly sexual health and counselling service for gay men (contact 2l I 8628 for appointment).
Glasgow Lesbian Line Po Box 686. (i3 7'I‘I.. 847 0547. Advice. Glasgow Women’s Library lot) 'l‘rongate. 552 8345. Open 'I‘ue I‘ri
I opm; Sat 2 5pm. \Vomen's literature and the lesbian archive. also host to meetings of the LIPS group for lesbians and bisesual women under 25 (fortnightly I and the new I.|PS group for women aged IS or under (contact Shona Bruce on 552 S345 for more details on meeting times).
Reporting Homophobic Crime (’ontact S47 “()47. Open 7 l()pm daily. Phace Scotland 4‘) Bath Street. 332 3333. The service ill \Vesl of Scotland for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Strathclyde Gay and Lesbian Switchboard PO Box 33. (i2 2Qii. 847 (I447. ()pen 7 l()pm daily. (‘onlidential advice.
VividYouth S‘I't'(‘ ('entre. 333 \Voodlands Road. 248 1342. Meetings weekly on Tue 7 9.30pm for yottng people aged I5 25.
Shopping
Clone Zone 45 Virginia Street. 55.3 2mm. Mon Sat llam 0pm: Sun
Noon 9pm. ('lothing. videos. maga/ines and toys.
Joys-4-Us LUB'I‘ ('entre ll l)i.\on Street. 22l 72ll3. .\'oon Spin. .\'ew lesbian run shop stocking goodies galore.
SOCIaI
LGBT Centre I I Dixon Street. 22! 7203. Main gay centre hosting Beyond Barriers. Stev e Retson gay men's sexual health ads ice ('l‘hu 5.30 8.30pm). Holistic Healing (iroup (Mon
7.3(I l()pml. Perl'ornutnce (iroup (Mon 7.3llpmi. (‘ommunity Leadership workshops (Inc 7 9pm) and the monthly meetings of ()l.(}.v\ (social group for older lesbiansl. Icebreakers (for those new to the scene). iii-(ilasgow. ('rosslyn\ (il'ollp. (hit on Sunday informal I.(ill'l' group. l.l(' lesbian social group. Speakeasy poets and writers.
Spon
Gay and Lesbian Badminton Group ('onlacl 07985 ()2l ()57. Thu. \Veekly.
Glasgow GOC Swimmers ('ontacl 04‘) 5396. 7.30 ()pm. Thu. \Veekly. Informal session.
Gay Rambling Group ('ontact ()5() IIISI. Monthly.
GOC Cycling Group (‘onlacl ()4‘) 5890. Monthly.
EDINBURGH SCENE
Health and Support
Lesbian Line 55/ ()751. Mon & 'l‘ltu 7.3l) l()pm. llelpline.
Health
LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing. 0 How e St. 523 Hot). 4.30 7.30pm. 'l’ueil’hu. The Hub is a drop in Ior friendly access to lesbian. gay. bisesual or transgender info. contacts and services. .'\n easy. friendly and welcoming environment is
Centuries ago, the British Empire colonised countries across the globe. Gay pleasure seekers are not even nearly its modern day equivalent, but type in the words: ‘gay holiday resorts’ and it’s curious how many European locations are flagged up as havens for gay and lesbian hedonism. At this time of year holiday agents are competing for carefree gay and lesbian singles and couples to join the ranks of the restless, while even gay travel companies have mushroomed in recent times. Some areas of Europe now harbour commercial gay resorts which offer variations on the Three 05: dancing, drinking and, not least, debauchery. Mykonos is the most famous of the Greek Islands, and one of its most popular holiday resorts.
Lying almost in the centre of the Cyclades Islands, Mykonos has a large selection of beaches and beach types which are all gay friendly and many which are predominantly gay and lesbian. One of these is the gay nudist beach, Super Paradise, where German guys are the least bashful, given their national characteristic of dropping their kecks at the drop of a Loden Huete.
And for girls who are not averse to armpit hair, German women make up a large part of flockers to the island. The general rule here is that the more rocky a beach, like Super Paradise, the more likely potential partners will be to join you for a quickie behind them. The beaches can be reached by bus or boat, both departing from Mykonos town. But while there are many hotels close to (or in some cases, on) the beaches, avoid staying there as you’ll find it impossible to find transport to the town centre for clubbing, bar hopping or cruising at night. For water sports fanatics an added attraction is the Watermania in Elia beach, a club featuring pools and waterslides mixed with restaurants and bars.
Europe’s Number One gay playground, however, is undoubtedly Gran Canaria. Located just off the coast of north-west Africa, it has built up a cult following among gay and lesbian travellers over the past 30 years. Sun worshippers are guaranteed subtropical beat all year round, but the queer contingent adopts the sleeping habits of the vampire on this island. Snoozing till early evening, they rise from slumber en masse and transform the Yumbo Centre in Playa del Ingles into a carnival of lights, music and action. There are 47 gay and lesbian venues in the centre, but only one exclusively lesbian - the Ladies Only bar. While Playa del Ingles is a pleasure dome within a concrete jungle, the bungalow suburb of Maspalomas offers quiet accommodation and one of the most spectacular beaches in the Canary Islands.
Mykonos: Manchester’s Canal Street without the rain. Gran Canaria: Soho with fewer lights. Come, see and conquer! (Brian McGeachan)
I IOI more information wsv.’ ii't'wt'»./.rt~>speet-/tolidz1ys.<:o.t/k and www.throb.co.t/k
40. Meets nionthly' to plan social events. ('all for more details.
LGB Centre (to Broughton Street. 478 706‘). Important gay centre hosting the Women's Group Drop-In ('I'hu). (lay Dads Scotland (monthly I as well as Bi— lidinburgh the social/support group for bisexuals and those questioning their sexuality (monthly I.
Scottish TV/TS Group The Phoenix ('ellat' Bar. 46 Broughton Street. 557 ()234. Monthly.
Spon
Caledonian Thebans (‘ontact 07074 343220 for information on training and matches. Scotland's lirst gay and gay friendly rugby club.
Gay Men’s Swimming Group (‘ontact 226 4476. Mon 8pm. \Veekly'. GOC Cycling Group (‘ontact ()870 32I 5804. Montth
Gay Outdoor Group ('ontacl 556 3705. Monthly.
guaranteed (coffee on tap).
LGBT Police Link l.(;l& ('entre. (ll) Broughton Street. Mon (3 7pm. \Veekly. ('all (i2() 5 I 3S/(i2l) 5 l4() if you want a chat with your community officer. Lothian Gay and Lesbian Switchboard 55o 404‘). 7.30 l()pm every titty. Ilelpline.
LGBT Youth Scotland ('ontact ()22 2266 (()flicel or 0845 “30 ()()5 (Vouthlinei. Social events for l.(ill'l' under 26.
Waverley Care Solas. 2/4 Abbeymotmt. (ml ()082. liree. Various services including Juice. a weekly social group for gay men affected by HIV/AIDS (Fri 2 4pm).
Shopping
0-Store 5 Barony Street. 477 4750.
Scotland's only gay licensed sex shop.
Social AD ('ontacl 55o 404‘). For lesbians over