The Bitch is back!
When clubbing biz wiz, Renee Schembri saw a gap in the market for gay women's entertainment she created a Bitch of brand to fill it. Andrew Georgiou reports
Renee Schembri knows women. Her homegrown brand Bitch has redefined the entertainment realm for Sydney's women, gay, curious or otherwise. Over the past decade the lack of a designated bar or club space for lesbians has spawned a handful of sporadically-run girls' nights which scratched the itch but didn't satisfy the Sydney bitch.
By recognising inconsistency as the Achilles heel of many a floundering club night, Schembri launched a weekly Friday night haven for women under her brand. "There was a period where the lesbian club scene lacked imagination," says Schembri. "Shows were very much about stripping or sex, rather than about music and talent. We wanted to showcase the broad female talent and the great music that's out there through a number of diverse club nights."
Inspired by live performance, Schembri first launched her Friday night phenomenon three years ago. After playing a round of musical chairs at different venues, Schembri's Bitch now enjoys a permanent home at Darlinghurst's Mars Lounge. The popular night offers a platform for emerging DJ talent as well and performers and vocalists to showcase their work before a supportive collective of women who are eager to see local live talent.
"We are here for women, but encourage them to bring their friends, we don't discriminate, but do put the girls first," says Schembri. Keeping her Friday night gigs regular has been the key to the evening's bitchin' success, which sees die-hard punters and first timers met with an ever-changing line up of weekly talent.
Schembri soon saw the potential to expand the brand to include niche markets such as the underground lesbian hip hop scene. "We would often get requests for hip hop music at Bitch - however, seeing the night was more house and funk based it wasn't the best fit so we created Badabing, a night which caters for that scene exclusively."
Badabing sees a diverse range of hip hop and R'n'B spunk fresh off the decks from the night's regular DJs. "There was nothing else out there for women who are into hip hop and R'n'B, so it has proved to be very successful." Local soul and R'n'B artist Charmaine Bingwa has performing live at Badabing since its launch and cites the interaction between the crowd and the performers as the night's strong suit. "I always love performing at Badabing because the crowd is so supportive and just keen to dance and get down. Everyone loves hip hop and this is a night where you don't have to stand around looking cool, you can actually have fun."
While cities such as New York enjoy popular lesbian bars like Clit and Henrietta Hudson's, Sydney has lacked a dedicated lesbian bar or nightclub for over a decade. Schembri hints that the dry spell is about to be broken with a full-time girls' space pegged to hit the scene in 2009. In the meantime she plans on showing the rest of the world what makes a good Bitch by taking her brand abroad. "This year for the first time we will be taking the brand on tour throughout the UK during July and August," Schembri says. "I'm excited to give our girls and their remarkable talent the exposure they deserve."
Bitch runs every Friday night at Mars Lounge, 16 Wentworth Ave Surry Hills 2010.
Badabing runs on the first Saturday of the month at The Flinders hotel, 63 Flinders St, Darlinghurst 2010. More on the Bitch brand at their website