Word Up Homie!

Gay RnB and hip hop club night Swagger has gone from strength to strength with parties now being held in three states. As they settle in their new digs in Sydney, SX got the lowdown from Swagger’s very own Nelson De Sousa. 

Swagger has taken off since its debut in 2011. Are you surprised at how it's been received by punters?

We knew there would be an audience that would appreciate a party that played RnB and hip hop music. You only need to look at the charts to see that it is dominated by urban artists. However, we are surprised with how quickly Swagger has grown, with it now running in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The support from the different cities has been overwhelming and Swagger just continues to grow.

Why do you think there is such an appetite for it?

I think there is an appetite for Swagger because when it started there were no other regular gay and lesbian parties or clubs that played RnB and hip hop music. It has also found an audience that grew up listening to this music and still do listen to it, but have never had somewhere to go and hear it. At every Swagger, we see them dancing and getting into the music like no other events I have seen.

In Sydney, Swagger is now at a new home, Nevermind. Tell us about that.

We are actually every excited about the next step for Swagger in Sydney. Swagger started at the Oxford Hotel and our time there helped to shape and nurture Swagger from the beginning, but it has outgrown the space. We had been on the lookout for new spaces where we could take Swagger when were approached by Nevermind. For us it is the next logical step as the venue will allow us to introduce new exciting live elements, whether it be dancers or singers. Nevermind is a great club with great sound lighting so it will add another element to Swagger that we haven't had in Sydney.

Photo: Hamid Mousa for In The Dark

The next Swagger in Sydney is on Saturday, April 14, 10pm, at Nevermind, Darlinghurst. For Melbourne and Brisbane dates, go to www.swaggerparty.com