Queerantine was booked entirely through an open call. Open call-outs allow us to discover new artists and to uphold our mission of fostering new queer creatives. I love dressing up to the nines when I go out, but I think that vibe can be really alienating for people, especially younger people and people who are new to going out.ĪC: How do you choose your performers and keep the party safe(r) for party-goers?Īvery: We run half on an open call-out, and half on a "I've been listening to this person's SoundCloud for seven days we must book them," basis. In Montreal, it often ends up being very alternative, borrowing from the 90s club kid and Berlin fetish scene aesthetics, meaning it's a very "see and be seen" atmosphere. When I created BLUSH, I was coming from the queer party scene. BLUSH started out as a disco party, but now the only rules are no techno and no top 40. The focus is really on getting people to dance, that's why we have gogo dancers and bring a wide variety of queer DJs. I wanted to make a high concept dance party with more than just a DJ, but that feels welcoming to, say, a "baby gay" who wants to kiss her first girl on the dancefloor under soft pink lights. How would you describe your parties and performances to someone who really wants to come, but is too shy/hesitant to dive into the world of queer nightlife?Īvery: I always get the same comment from people after a BLUSH: "That was so cute!" If I had to describe it succinctly, the vibe we're trying to create is a supportive, safe space where artists can experiment, and queers can dance and mingle, and no one feels judged. The Vice Versa mission is to build connections throughout the queer community, and this event is our way of doing that when people really need it the most.Īlso Cool: You're known for your iconic BLUSH dance parties. Queerantine is our effort to bring the queer community together during this crazy time and raise money for our most vulnerable. We run two bi-monthly events, Queerlesque Night, (the aforementioned queer burlesque show), and BLUSH, (a lesbian* dance party), and have tons more ventures planned. I replied, "I've already booked NDQ for this exact concept and was about to ask if you wanted to help me host." From there, a synergistic magical queer baby was born. About a year ago, Élyanne sent me a Facebook message asking if I wanted to collaborate on a burlesque show with an entirely queer cast. I'm Avery, one of the co-founders of Vice Versa Productions, along with my beautiful co-producer, Élyanne. Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: Tell us a bit about how Vice Versa Productions got started, and why you're hosting Queerantine.Īvery for Vice Versa Productions: Hi! Thanks for having me.