2016 has been quite the year for many different reasons. To find out how this year will be remembered and what hopes people have for 2017, we pulled together a group of scene stalwarts including here Jeremy Joseph of G-A-Y and Mark Ames of XXL.
Jeremy Joseph and Mark Ames
Jeremy Joseph – G-A-Y owner
How will you remember 2016?
The thing that affected me most this year was the shooting at Pulse in Orlando. It was the strangest few days as obviously we live under the threat of something like that happening here, knowing that could happen here at any time. Then it did happen – in another gay club in another city – and it felt really close to home.
But out of that came the Soho Orlando Vigil. Being involved in the organisation of the two-minute silence on Old Compton Street was amazing. It started with a Facebook chat between a group of people who work on the scene and within just one day it turned into this huge event. It was incredible; no one knew how many people would come or how it would go, it just got busier and busier and the amount of people there was phenomenal. I’ve never seen anything like it, it beat any Pride and the atmosphere on the street was amazing. The support from the police and everyone was incredible, so from the low point came the high point for me.
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
I have the same New Year’s resolution I make every year. To find a boyfriend and then by the end of the year not be on stage while everyone has someone to kiss on New Year’s Eve. I make the same one every year and it never happens.
If you could choose one act to perform at G-A-Y in 2017 who would it be?
There are loads of acts I want for the club – Dolly Parton would be the campest thing ever. Obviously I’d love Beyonce and I’d like Rihanna to come back as most people have forgotten she did G-A-Y because it was so long ago. But if it was just one act, then Dolly.
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
I have the same New Year’s resolution I make every year. To find a boyfriend and then by the end of the year not be on stage while everyone has someone to kiss on New Year’s Eve. I make the same one every year and it never happens.
If you could choose one act to perform at G-A-Y in 2017 who would it be?
There are loads of acts I want for the club – Dolly Parton would be the campest thing ever. Obviously I’d love Beyonce and I’d like Rihanna to come back as most people have forgotten she did G-A-Y because it was so long ago. But if it was just one act, then Dolly.
Mark Ames – XXL owner
What are your three highlights of 2016?
Bear Pride was a great event – the collaboration of all the artists who performed at it was great to see and the cabaret was exceptional.
Another highlight was DJ Paul Morrell joining Alex Logan, Joe Egg and David Robson at the club each week. Now we have without doubt the strongest resident DJ line up that any club could boast.
And on a personal level, I loved travelling to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat and then scuba diving off the coast of Thailand with manta rays.
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
To worry about others less and me more. To stop holding back my tongue and tell people exactly what I know about them, and the rest of the scene what I think about them.
And what are your hopes for 2017?
That skinny unloved people will become fat loved people. That Prada will make a fat range *claps hands with excitement*. That Boyz will ask intelligent and exciting questions like what does Jeremy do with that dog at night – and get the dog’s side of the story as an exposé! And what does Myra DuBois and La Voix do in that changing room that takes so long?!
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