Cheated Hearts Is Getting Lucky
The queer party crew expand into an empire. Hear what they've got planned.
These days we take a lot of things for granted. For most of us there is always something to enjoy on a night out; places where we can fit in. Although we have a vibrant party community, sometimes we forget that there are those who find themselves unable to find a place that is welcoming or where they feel they belong.
Cheated Hearts is a monthly party night aimed at bringing together the queer community (and everyone else, they don't discriminate) for a good time. Playing alternative music choices and all the new genres, the crew behind CH have found huge success with each night getting bigger and better. The team is about to launch their third party brand, Lucky, this Sunday at Oh Hello. We spoke to mastermind Roxy Burt about how everything came together and what we can expect in the future.
When did the idea for Cheated Hearts come about?
I've been running events for over five years now and I felt like I needed to come up with a new idea. The event that I organised before Cheated Hearts was very similar to a lot of the events that were already happening so I scrapped that and started fresh.
What was the Brisbane scene missing that you thought you could bring to the table?
In the queer scene, it was definitely the music. A lot of the gay venues and events play mainstream/commercial music and my friends and I wanted to be able to go out somewhere that didn't play that music. We play so many different genres other than mainstream/commercial to try and cater to those people who don't like that particular type of music.
How has the response been over the past year or so?
The response has been beyond amazing. Cheated Hearts has grown so much in the last year. We started out at a 200-capacity venue and now have three different events in three separate venues. Our crowds usually reach 400-500 people. The support has been incredible as well — people have really responded well to what we stand for.
You have a new event, Lucky, to go alongside your other events. What sets each one apart?
We've been wanting to kick off a Sunday event for a while now and fortunately Oh Hello wanted to as well, so we've teamed up! All three events are different in terms of music. At Lucky, we play deep house and disco, Poetic Justice is hip hop- and R&B-focused and Cheated Hearts is trap, indie remixes and electro.
What is the key to your longevity? What do you do to keep things fresh?
Change things up! It's boring if we do the same thing every month so we like to have themes. People love dressing up. We've had so many in the past. We've had a Mexican theme, a moustache party, a prom (which we're doing again in June), Halloween and Christmas themes. I also like to book different DJs who always bring something fresh to the events.
Each of your events are queer-friendly, which is awesome. What would you say Cheated Hearts has done for the queer community in Brisbane since it began?
As I said before, it's definitely about giving the scene more of a choice in where they choose to go out. Cheated Hearts has also brought people together like a family. A lot of people message me and tell me how they love to be able to come to Cheated Hearts and feel comfortable and at home. I have transgender friends who feel the same way too. Because they are in the middle of transitioning, it might be harder for them to go out to an event or venue that's not queer-friendly.
What are your plans for the future?
So many plans! We applied for a government grant to run a festival so we'll find out in July if we've been successful! I'm also in the middle of organising to take Cheated Hearts to Sydney as well. We have lots of cool parties in Brisbane coming up too!
What you do think about the Brisbane cultural scene these days?
I think it's grown a lot but we still have a bit of a way to go before we're on par with Sydney or Melbourne. I still think people are too scared to go outside their comfort zones and are afraid to try something new because the scene has been the same for a really long time. In saying that though, it's great to see people actually come and experience Cheated Hearts for the first time and they always come back!
What are your favourite places to go out in Brisbane? Where do you eat, drink and party?
I'm really digging Southern food at the moment so Tippler's Tap is up there. I need to go and check out the Wickham since it's been renovated, and I only party at Cheated Hearts, of course.
Lucky is taking place at Oh Hello this Sunday. Read more about it here. The next Cheated Hearts party is taking place on May 10 at Coniston Lane and Poetic Justice is happening on May 23 at Ellement Lounge.
Images by Claudia Ciapocha, Thomas Oliver and Logan Shaw.
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