Two of the country’s gay men’s venues will be home to events that are a little off the beaten track this month.

Auckland bear bar Urge is hiring its space out to Velvet Alley for a women’s event, and Wellington’s Emperor’s Bathhouse is opening its doors to anyone in the GLBT community.


Velvet Alley at Urge


Auckland’s Urge Bar is opening up its doors to a new market for one night only this month. Velvet Alley will be holding a women’s Sunday Session on 25 March.


The women of Velvet Alley are really excited to be using Urge Bar for this event and say it’s high time there was something out there to replace the regular club nights that many middle-aged lesbians are missing.


“There aren’t a lot of events out there for women like me,” says organiser Selena Clarke. “The most regular event that a lot of middle-aged women went to was Kings and Queens, and now there’s a bit of a gap in the market with that gone. We still head along to things like Dykes on Mics, but there’s nothing in the bar scene for us.


“It’s not easy to get this crowd out often, so we’re not thinking it will be a regular thing – we’re hoping this one-off event will be enough to get people out and about.”


Velvet Alley is holding a Sunday Session at Urge from 5pm on the Sunday and hopes that many women will see this as a return to the old days. 


“Back when we were younger, the Sunday session was the best time to go to the bars. So in the interests of catering to that crowd, we’re starting early on a Sunday.


“We welcome anyone from the lesbian community who wants to come, especially women into leather, S&M, uniforms and tattoos.”


Urge Bar co-owner Alan Granville is happy to be hiring the space out to Velvet Alley


“We’ve thought about it over the years and our ‘sister bar’ The Laird in Melbourne lets women in on certain evenings but no one’s ever approached us to use the space before. Urge will always be a gay men’s bar and that will always be our priority, but we’re glad Velvet Alley chose us for their event.”


Velvet Alley Sunday Sessions at Urge, 5pm Sunday 25 March. 


Bathhouse Disco at Emperor’s Bathhouse


Wellington’s queerest dance party since Glitter will hit the capital on March 24, and it’s being held in a bathhouse. 


Bathhouse Disco, presented by Get It On! and Aaron and Andy.com, is an all-inclusive event to be held at the capital’s new gay sauna, Emperor’s Bathhouse.

The event will mainly be held in the venue’s opulent Roman-themed ballroom, where a DJ and performers will keep everyone pumped from 10pm – 6am. Party-goers can head into the Bathhouse Zone for a steam or spa, or venture upstairs to the Dark Zone if they’re feeling a bit risqué, where there will be a secret bar, pumping music, and special performances.
Co-organiser

Andy Boreham says that the event, despite being held in a gay men’s sauna, is open to everyone: “Lesbian, gay, bi, trans and those who don’t fit into a particular box!”

He says the whole venue needed to be hired out in order for this to be possible.

“This is an exciting and progressive venue for a queer dance party and we hope all of Wellington’s queer guys and girls, and those who are neither, come and take advantage of this unique event”. 
Bathhouse Disco tickets are on sale now through dashtickets.co.nz.