Oh hey, friend.

So here’s a regular segment idea. One of my gigs is researching and drafting content for the QCalendar section of QNews Magazine: Queensland’s (free) dedicated LGBTIQ+ street mag. My job is to discover local queer events blossoming in secret and expose them to our readers – which is just a responsible way of saying they pay me to geek out and fall in love with new things.

But the job’s not perfect. Sometimes I find myself writing content for gigs I care little for, and sometimes the bosses cut content I love or feel might be important for our readers to find. Then there’s the daunting task of writing about events that aren’t great at advertising themselves in the first place: collating incomplete details, looking people up who don’t use social media, and clawing my way to eighty words when I could do it in fifty.

Now that I have WordPress, my thought is that I can geek out as much or as little about events as I want without having to worry that my boss will cut them. It will also make it easier for me to direct you, the reader, to information in ways that I can’t through QNews. We’ll consider it a trial, but for now here’s some highlights from QCalendar:

The Goon Sax @ Bloodhound Bar
August 15, 8pm

Local legends The Goon Sax return from their tour of the UK, Europe, and USA to perform for home audiences once again. These badbois occupy the space between garage rock and indie pop, and have attracted a strong, queer following with their second single Boyfriend and support performance for Perfume Genius at The Zoo back in March. This time our favourite Goonies perform hits from Up To Anything, plus songs from their upcoming album We’re Not Talking (set for release on September 14). They’ll also be headlining 4ZZZ’s Radiothon gig on the 25th.

PASTEL Issue #3 Launch @ Betty’s Espresso
August 16, 6pm

Gold Coast local James Goldsworthy is PASTEL Magazine: a small-press literary publication for emerging poets, writers, photographers, and performance artists in South East Queensland. They’re also a friend of mine, so be nice. They’ll be launching their latest issue with a handful of local talents, with copies of issue #3 being sold on the night for just $4 (plus whatever you’re thirsty for waiting for you at the bar). Entry is free.

For those who aren’t familiar with Betty’s Espresso, James and I agree that it’s the height of camp couture with its pink walls, lush plants, and warm 70s furniture. In the last few years this watering hole has attracted a modest crowd of queers and creatives, with Kat at the bar showing nothing but love for Brisbane’s wanderers. Please join us as we celebrate James’s newest issue in this tres classy establishment.

Thanks for reading.

You can read issues of QNews by clicking [here] and going wild, or by picking a copy up from various locations around Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, and Gold Coast. As for this segment, you can expect updates on Thursdays, forgiving lapses. Feedback is always appreciated. If you’re organising or know of an event happening in Brisbane that would be appropriate to feature here or in QNews Magazine, please message me on whatever media platform feels right to you with details about the event.

Bless.
– Wolfram