Poof Doof Sydney is moving house music downstairs at ARQ and pop bangers to the larger upstairs area during April in what appears to be a test to see if the change should become permanent.
Poof Doof marketing director and resident DJ Nic Holland said the change, effective from this Saturday, came about after flirting with moving pop upstairs in the past “through our Snap Crackle Pop XXL special events, including Club Eras after the Taylor Swift concert in February – one of our busiest nights ever”.
“Pop stans are always packing out the downstairs dancefloor, so giving them a little extra room to move on a regular basis is something we are keen to try out,” Holland said.
Poof Doof said the change in Sydney brought the club night into line with its Melbourne event at Chasers nightclub.
“At both venues upstairs is more Poof (pop, party, commercial), and downstairs is more Doof (house, rave, dance),” it said.
A Poof Doof DJ, who wished to remain anonymous so they could speak candidly, said the change had “been a long time coming”.
“The crowd at Doof seem to be enjoying pop and have been asking for more of it,” they said.
“I also think Doof has lost their house [music] crowd to other events.
“It will be interesting to see if this swap of rooms will help at all.”
From this Saturday, Poof Doof Sydney is also promising new production elements including confetti and CO2 cannons upstairs, and “a darker, sexier vibe downstairs”.
Poof Doof Sydney operations manager and resident DJ Tosh Lanyon, who also co-owns the Ching-a-Lings bar on Oxford Street, noted that when the club night hosted Josh Harrison’s Outhaus party downstairs during Mardi Gras, which features tech house and vocal music, the “feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive”.
“The DJ booth in the middle of the room with hot and heavy dance sets by our top-tier local and visiting artists was what our patrons have asked for more of,” Lanyon said.
Poof Doof founder and owner Anthony Hocking said his club night was always looking for ways to better serve the community, and to keep the party “fresh and exciting”.
“Combining the excellent summer we had and collaboration with our new partners from Home nightclub [the owner of Home The Venue is the new owner of ARQ Sydney], we felt the time was right to explore an updated format for the club in a new era for Poof Doof Sydney,” Hocking said.
In a 2023 music brief distributed to DJs and obtained by GSN, Poof Doof described its upstairs Sydney main room as the “home of house” music.
“We do NOT play circuit music, or straight up radio pop in the main room – unless you are booked for a Snap Crackle Pop XXL special event in the main room.
“We love house music you can sing along to, house music you can dance to, house music that is accessible and inclusive and house music that is not too niche or an acquired taste. Top-tier house has always been part of our DNA.
“This is not the room to lean on pop remixes, that’s downstairs in Snap Crackle Pop – this is the queer Home of House. Take our Doofers on a journey, to exhilarate and excite, but never isolate.
“Main room Poof Doof DJs know that if they’re playing something well known, always serve it with an elevated twist. We lead, not follow.”
Meanwhile, Poof Doof has announced that it will offer a $5 discount to those who arrive before midnight in April, which brings the cover charge down from $25 to $20.
Poof Doof’s upcoming events include Club Eras on April 20, featuring Taylor Swift again, and Mel C of the Spice Girls DJing on May 4.
What do you think of the change?
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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: ben.grubb@gaysydneynews.com.au
