The idea for CLOSET sprung from a chance encounter between hosts, Anna Whitelaw (a.k.a.LEZBELLAH) and Mason Browne (a.k.a. MAISONdeMASON). A Melbourne-based lesbian journalist and publicist, Anna began thinking about throwing a gay party when she began writing an article about the lack of alternatives to the mainstream Commercial Road gay clubs.

“After a couple of years on the scene, I was so sick of going to the same old gay bars and lesbian nights. A lot of my friends are gay guys, but we never wanted to go out to the same places, and I found I had more fun going to straight clubs or festivals half the time. Over and over again, I had conversations with my gay friends complaining why was it so hard to put on a gay night that was both gay, and cool?”

Then through a chance encounter, a mutual friend introduced Anna and Mason, a Sydney ex-patriot, production designer, stylist and gay man-about-town who had frequented Sydney’s GAY BASH. Mason had just moved to Melbourne, and he was also looking to throw a party. It was the beginning of CLOSET.

“After moving to Melbourne, I realised this was something missing from the gay scene, somewhere that really brought everyone together, and somewhere everyone would want to go,” says Mason.

CLOSET is for all the discerning gay boys and girls, and their friends, who’ve been looking for an excuse to party — all the art fags, twinks, marys, straight-acting homos, hags, lipstick lesbians, tomboys, baby dykes, bisexuals, curious straighties, fresh out-of-the-closets and scene queens, from both sides of the river — so long as you’re up for getting down and dirty on the dancefloor.

“First and foremost, CLOSET is a gay disco inferno, not just a gay-friendly mixed night,” says Anna, “but it’s also about the music. Basically, we just want to throw the kind of party we’d always wanted to go to.”

Unlike the same old gay bars playing the same old cheesy house and pop with the same old tragic drag shows, CLOSET has brought together a lineup of some of Australia’s finest DJs—gay and straight— playing a mash-up of dirty electro, disco, house, hip hop and breaks. ”We sought out DJs who we knew could pack out a dancefloor playing the kind of dirty, sexy electro we’d hear on a Sunday morning at Revolver, but who also aren’t afraid to throw in the odd funky hip hop track, an ‘80’s or ‘90’s classic, or a pumping gay house anthem.”

Closet opened to 1,100 gays, lesbians and everything in-between at it’s inaugural Coming Out Party on February 27th, 2009.

*CLOSET is not affiliated with TROUGH or WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM.