LGBTQ culture in Singapore: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:47, 13 July 2005

Revision as of 14:54, 13 July 2005

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====Historical====

*[[Le Bistro]]- Singapore's first gay bar, as far as many gay Singaporeans can recollect. One retired [[New Zealand]] serviceman, in a chance encounter with [[Alex Au]], claimed that in the early 1960s when he was stationed in Singapore, there was a [[Golden Venus]] bar in the [[Orchard Hotel]] onalong [[Orchard Road]]. This claim has not been corroborated by Singaporeans. The old [[Orchard Hotel]] has since been reconstructed beyond recognition. [[Le Bistro]] and [[Golden Venus]] no longer exist.

*[[Pebbles Bar]]- located on the ground floor of the now-demolished [[Hotel Singapura]] along [[Orchard Road]], it was the most famous gay bar operational in the 1970s. It was patronised largely by the English-educated, upper-strata gays of Singaporean society. Its main draw was the live band [[Tania]], whose lead singer, [[Alban de Souza]], was decked out in glitz, painted his face à la [[KISS]] but with red makeup instead of black-and-white, and entertained with energetic camp. ItAlthough it was the only one of Singapore's first 3 gay bars to have a dance floor, no homosexual dancing was allowed. However, it was a common sight to behold men pecking each other on the cheek or lips, incidents which raised nary an eyebrow.

*[[Treetops Bar]]- located at the now-demolished [[Royal Holiday Inn]] along [[Orchard Road]]. Gays also adjourned to [[Café Vienna]] after a night of hectic discoing in the 1970s.

*[[Vincent's]] lounge (at [[Lucky Plaza]])- opened on 18 May 1989, the forerunner of the present East-meets-West bar at [[Duxton Road]] in [[Tanjong Pagar]].