As body glitter reserves run empty and the percentage of crop tops at Australian airport terminals skyrockets, it’s clear that once again, queers from across the country are making the annual pilgrimage to march, dance, and love on Gadigal Country for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras!

Alas, with the whole ongoing ‘cozzie livs’ crisis and rising inflation (not the fun kind), a lot of us don’t have the spare cash to splash on a trip down – particularly when the costs can quickly spiral with flights, accom, outfits, transport, food & party tickets/treats.

Thankfully, Shandy has the solution for you! We don’t believe your bank balance should stop you from connecting with queer family on the dancefloor, which is why we’ve partnered with the fabulous folks at Felons Barrel Hall to throw a festive, fabulous, and frugal celebration of Mardi Gras right here in Meanjin that we like to call…

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🪩💸 '2 Broke 4 Mardi Gras' feat. Horse Meat Disco 🏳️‍🌈💃

friday 1st march | 8:00pm – 1am | felons barrel hall

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Calling all fellow broke bitches! It’s time to break open those piggy banks and don your finest low-cost looks & thrifty fits as we convene on the banks of the river at Felons Barrel Hall for a euphoric and ecstatic evening under the biggest disco ball in town!

We’ve worked hard with the venue to deliver this discount disco – with First Release tickets starting at just $20 a pop – so you don’t have to dip into your savings to enjoy some raving.

And we even snagged an international act to play for you exclusively before they even touch down in Sydney - we are thrilled to welcome back legendary international party starters & maestros of disco…

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HORSE MEAT DISCO

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Horse Meat Disco (HMD) is a club night and DJ collective whose legend is bigger than just about any niche you could try stuffing it in. Originally based out of The Eagle in South London in 2004, HMD has quickly evolved into a powerful force in queer and club culture as a whole, while staying local to its original home, each and every Sunday.

A typical HMD set blends classics, italo disco, house, oddities and punk funk, to conjure their initial spirit of “a queer party for everyone”, including, but not limited to, “Homos and Heteros, club kids, bears, fashionistas, naturists, guerrilla drag queens and ladies who munch.” Their music, along with the inclusive and enormously fun vibe, struck a chord both in and out of the gay scene - and in the ensuing years, they've gone from strength to strength, with a series of seminal compilations, a New York residency, a wholly unique party at Glastonbury and hordes of DJ gigs (from residents James Hillard, Jim Stanton, Luke Howard and Severino Panzetta) - all of which have turned Horse Meat Disco into a decidedly international concern.

Taking inspiration from a diverse, counter-cultural history of clubs and DJs, as well as from the sprawling, ever-expanding musical collections of its resident crew, the sound of HMD is impossible to place. Nonetheless their style is undeniable, as is an amyl-scented air of sheer authenticity. Rooted in hedonism, rhythm, freedom and emotion, a Horse Meat Disco set reinforces everything invigorating about disco, as comfortable as shattering old-school mirror ball cliches as basking in their light.

But that's not all! Not content to remain within the boundaries of the club, you can catch them across the airwaves - whether it be on Rinse FM, where the crew hold down a weekly residency every Sunday afternoon, a series of expertly curated and acclaimed compilations for reissue label Strut, or their album released in 2020 featuring original music from the collective with collaborations including the Phenomenal Hand Clap Band & disco legend, Kathy Sledge.

But it doesn’t stop there: we’ve asked some of the city’s finest DJs and performers to join us on stage to serve up shows and music to keep you delirious with delight all night long including (in alphabetical order):

🎧 DJs 💿

Cr Black Amex
djmikeyb

💃 PERFORMERS 👯

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🎟️ TICKETS 🎟

First Release: $20 + BF
Second Release: $25 + BF
Final Release: $30 + BF

You can also choose to make an additional donation via Humanitix to help subsidise & cover the cost of a ticket for someone on no/low income, or even just to show us some love and help us pay the bills 😘

PLUS:

there is free entry for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people & Trans Women (Femme Queens) of Colour; and
we will do everything we can to accommodate & welcome anyone with no/low income who wants to party - shoot us a message on the Shandy Facebook page or Instagram and we'll work something out with you.

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🎵 NOTES FOR THE EVENING 🎶

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we hold this event, the Turrbal & Jagera/Yuggera peoples and pay respects to Elders, past and present - and also pay respects and offer our love to the First Nations community attending our event. We recognise that Sovereignty was never ceded and that we live and gather on stolen land.

We will be asking everyone
As always, try not to assume gender, sexuality, or pronouns – if you’re chatting and vibing with someone, it’s probably worth briefly asking for their pronouns - and don’t make it into big deal if you get ‘em wrong: just say a quick sorry and move it along.
Consent is key – ask before touching and await a clear response; fuck yes or no thank you!
Be respectful and considerate – do your bit to make the space safer and more comfortable for others: a party is only as good as the people attending, and we all have a role to play in having the best night ever!
Racist, sexist, ableist, homophobic, or transphobic behaviour/attitudes will not be tolerated. Please see Shandy team members, barstaff or security if someone is making you uncomfortable.
We want people to feel as safe and welcome as possible, so please feel free to message the Shandy Instagram or Facebook page with any queries or concerns.

Last but not least, look out for your friends and other party-goers & stay hydrated!

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♿️👁 ACCESS 👂🔊

The majority of the venue is wheelchair accessible and there are wheelchair accessible toilets.
Strobe lights will not be used during the event and we endeavour to ensure no strobe effect will be used in any lighting design on the night.
The dancefloor is polished cement.
With regard to sensory concerns, the venue is essentially a fairly large open-air space. But there are lots of outdoor areas where you could go for a quieter space.
If you have any further questions around access and whether the event will be suitable for you and your needs, please don't hesitate to message our page for more info.

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Graphic Design by Maz Devita (@rockthemazbah)