The queerest of the queer: sexuality, politics and music on the Brisbane scene

Abstract

Brisbane's queer scene is relatively obscure; outside those who actively participate in it, little is known of it and practically nothing is written about it. Broadly speaking, queer culture works in direct contrast to the coherent and commodified culture of the gay mainstream and collectively rejects conventional 'gay music', favouring instead a multiplicity of musical styles and performances. This is particularly evident in the local context where queer clubs and events were born to facilitate the musical desires of those dissatisfied with the music spun weekly at mainstream gay venues. The present paper demonstrates how the local queer scene's musical eclecticism corresponds to its multifarious performances of queer sexuality, suggesting that queer musical performances and events produce a musico-sexual synergy that accommodates an array of sexual perversities and musical tastes. The paper looks at both the musical performances and related identity performances that occur in Brisbane's queer club scene and queer social events, focusing particularly on the scene's accommodation of 'alternative' musical tastes. Supporting material gathered from interviews with scene participants provides the basis for a critical examination of Brisbane's queer music scene and is placed in the context of contemporary discourse on both queer and musical identities.