US singer and songwriter Slayyyter will headline the official Mardi Gras Bondi Beach Party, as foreshadowed by Gay Sydney News in November.
However, Mardi Gras says a “final performer” will be announced on February 14 — just over a week before the event is due to be held.
Slayyyter is behind songs such as “Mine”, “Hello Kitty”, “Daddy AF” and a remix of Britney Spears’ “Gimme More”.
Other performers who have been announced for the Bondi Beach Party include DJs Zooey Gleaves, Jay Jay Revlon, Corey Craig, Josh Harrison, Beth Yen, Tyoow and Mama De Leche.
The Bondi Beach Party is being held on February 24 and will cost 242.95, which includes a $3.95 booking fee.
Last year’s Bondi party was headlined by Nicole Scherzinger, who is part of the Pussycat Dolls girl group. Tickets to that event sold for between $179 and $289.
In comments and messages to GSN, many people from Sydney’s queer community have expressed frustration at the ticket price for both the official Mardi Gras After Party and Bondi Beach Party.
They have also expressed frustration at how long it has taken for the list of performers to be released, and criticised a leaked list of the after-party lineup published on Friday by one of the artists said to be on it. The list was later deleted.
As of Monday, the official Mardi Gras after-party lineup had not been released.
The version published on Friday included Adam Lambert (“Ghost Town”), CeCe Peniston (“Finally”), Ultra Naté (“Show Me”) and Keiynan Lonsdale (“Kiss the Boy”) as performers for the after-party.
At the recent Mardi Gras annual general meeting, Mardi Gras chief executive officer Gil Beckwith noted that the cost of running events had gone up significantly in recent times thanks to inflation and certain security costs imposed by the government, among other reasons.
It comes as unsubstantiated rumours swirl that Mardi Gras will cancel the Bondi party due to poor ticket sales. But Mardi Gras denies it will be cancelled.
“There has never once been a discussion of cancelling Bondi Beach Party,” a Mardi Gras spokesperson told GSN last Monday.
“Ticket sales have been going really well and are in line with our expectations for this stage of the campaign and we think our audience will be very happy with the acts we have confirmed.”
What do you think of the Mardi Gras Bondi Beach Party lineup for 2024?
Let us know in the comments.
Editor’s note: GSN editor Ben Grubb pays a $50 annual fee for access to Mardi Gras membership discounts.
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
