Sparks Fly In Gay Pride's Blast-off To The Future
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday January 1, 2000
Karen Carpenter singing `Calling occupants of interplanetary craft" was the refrain as 50 dancers, clad in silver skirts and fluorescent spirals headgear, flung their arms into the air to usher in the new millennium at the gay and lesbian dance party Pride.
The theme to the show, led by performer Pat Gently, was 1950s sci-fi blast-off, and the thousands dancing around the stage in the Hordern Pavilion, next to Fox Studios, cheered as jets of sparks shot up in the countdown to 2000.
Ten thousand tickets for the Pride party, which was to run on two dance floors until 8am, sold out three weeks ago.
Gently, who performed on Oxford Street for 13 years and retired in 1993, was convinced by artistic director Gillian Minervini to make a comeback for the first show of the century. ``I feel like I am in a whirlwind from The Wizard of Oz; it's totally fabulous... I just wish we had all our friends who are not with us any more."
Minervini said she wanted a safe and comfortable environment for people of all ages, and had 25 doctors and nurses on standby.
The mood was upbeat, with volunteers talking of how the new century would bring more acceptance of gay and lesbian people. Dancer Kat Shields said: ``We are going to be equal to heterosexual people, and no-one is going to think about it .. Halfway through the millennium it's going to be over. Hopefully I'm praying for it."
Party co-ordinator Mr Neale Craker said there was a lot for gay people to celebrate, and Sydney should lead the world in showing acceptance and equal recognition of gay and lesbian relationships.
Leather-clad Mr Paul Nicholson, a founding member of Pride, said the gay community had gone in leaps and bounds since the '70s, and professionals could come out to their colleagues as ``gay, straight, whatever".
The theme, Queer Time, was based on ideals of the future, and partygoers were advised to come with dress that was intergalactic, futuristic, atomic, metallic, scientific or just idealistic.
The gay and lesbian community drug action group had members roving the dance
floors making sure everyone was all right.
© 2000 Sydney Morning Herald