Oxford Street bar Ching-a-Lings is relaunching its Thursday night drag competition ClapBack this week with a fresh coat of glitter, a bigger stage presence, and a new queen in the mix.
The weekly event – known for its loud crowd and louder looks – returns on April 10 with resident host Michelle Mayhem and long-time co-host Amyl now joined by Space Horse, a dazzling addition to the ClapBack Haus.
Designed as a platform for emerging drag talent, ClapBack sees performers battle it out in front of a rowdy Oxford Street crowd. The prizes? Bar tabs – and for first place, a paid slot in the following week's show.
ClapBack runs on a two-week cycle: week one is the comp, where drag artists each perform a spot and, at the end of the night, the crowd picks the winner by cheering for their favourite.
Week two is "winner’s week", where the winner returns to co-host and perform alongside a ClapBack Haus member. The night also features an open mic segment, welcoming drag performers and other artists to take the stage – and those who hit the mic receive a free drink, a small but sweet nod to community participation.
"The reception of ClapBack has been amazing, so we decided to extend it with a new host … and bring a fun, fresh vibe to the event," Michelle Mayhem said.
"It's been so heartwarming having newer queens and kings join ClapBack on Thursdays and to show off their talents. I'm really looking forward to this new era."
The relaunch comes as drag performers across Sydney continue to call for more consistent stages and safe spaces to perform. For newcomers, it's not always easy to get stage time in a scene that can be both saturated and highly curated.
While drag comp Slay 4 Pay recently wrapped up after six years at Universal Sydney – where performers battled for hundreds of dollars in cash prizes each Wednesday – the venue still hosts Sunday Shenanigans, offering a stage for up-and-coming and established drag artists alike.
But unlike ClapBack, there are no winners or prizes.
Universal also typically holds a yearly 12-week comp called Slay 2 Stay, which awarded last year's winner $10,000.
In July last year, Poof Doof Sydney also held a three-week drag competition with a $3000 prize, while Palms had a comp called Little Miss Palms that lasted six weeks and awarded the winner with $500 cash and a gown and a wig worth $1000.
Little Miss Palms' second-place winner won $250 while third-place won $100. Each week's winner also received $100.
The Imperial Hotel, owned by Universal Hotels – the parent company of Universal Sydney – also holds a drag competition on the last Thursday of every month called Ruby’s Royale Rumble. From May 15, host Ruby Royale will turn it into a 12-week drag competition called Ruby's Rumble Battle Royale, with a prize pool of more than $5000. Competitor applications are open now until April 17.
Outside of longer competitions, the Imperial previously hosted a weekly competition called Lip Sync Heroes but axed it in August 2023.
The Newtown Hotel, also owned by Universal Hotels, used to host a weekly talent show called That's Entertainment, but that too was axed in July last year after it ran for two years.
Meanwhile, Stonewall Hotel hosts an open stage for amateur drag performers every Sunday, called Showgirl Sundays, led by drag queen host Dakota Fann'ee.
While the winner walks away with a paid gig at Ching-a-Lings' ClapBack, the second and third place winners score $50 and $25 bar tabs, respectively.
As for how performers are judged? ClapBack puts the power in the audience’s hands – each week, the crowd decides who's coming back based on volume of cheer.
Ching-a-Lings' bar owner Tosh Lanyon says the idea was to offer both consistency and opportunity: "Having these up-and-coming drag performers get an opportunity to host and perform for their fellow queers is just so much fun – and there's not many events like this at the moment!"
With queer venues under pressure from rising rents, changing nightlife habits, and the looming presence of redevelopment along Oxford Street, ClapBack's refresh marks a win for grassroots drag and DIY queer performance.
ClapBack runs every Thursday at Ching-a-Lings. The bar opens from 6pm, with $5 happy hour drinks from 6–8pm, $12 signature ClapBack cocktails from 8–9pm, and shows kicking off shortly after.
Ben Grubb is the founder and editor of Gay Sydney News, an independent publication covering LGBTQIA+ news. A journalist with more than 15 years' experience, he has reported and edited for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, WAToday, Brisbane Times, The Australian Financial Review, News.com.au, ZDNet, TelecomTimes and iTnews, primarily on the topic of technology. He previously hosted The Informer, a queer current affairs program on Melbourne’s JOY 94.9 radio station, and contributes to LGBTQIA+ media including Stun Magazine. Ben has also appeared as a technology commentator on Channel Ten's The Project, ABC RN’s Download This Show and commercial radio stations 2UE, 2GB and 6PR. Contact Ben: [email protected]
