A co-founder of the straight Oxford Street nightclub Noir has confirmed for the first time that he intends to take over the gay club Arq, saying he plans to rebrand it as Aura nightclub.
“Aura is the name I propose for the reinvention of Arq planned for later this year,” Dave Auld, who is a co-founder of Noir, told Gay Sydney News.
On Monday last week, Auld shared a video to his Instagram announcing that a venue called Aura nightclub would be launching in autumn 2025 (between March and May).
The post featured a black circle with light appearing from behind it. In front of the circle, words appeared that said: “A presence. A feeling. A new era. Launching Autumn 2025.”
The video was posted as an Instagram collaboration post between Auld (@daveauld), DJ Riccardo Monfardini (@almared.music) and a new Instagram account named @aura.club.sydney.
Speaking to Gay Sydney News via text, Auld confirmed the video was about his plan to rebrand Arq as Aura.
Auld wanted to point out that while he was “a silent partner in Noir”, “NO partners, Operators or Promoters from Noir” were involved with his Aura plan.
“I am the managing partner of Oasis Cruising, which is the company behind Seadeck and Oasis,” he said.
“I do a lot of work with the LBGTQIA+ community and have done so for many decades and will continue to do so. I will provide more information on the plans for the venue in due course.”
Auld said he couldn’t comment “on anything contractual or dates etc” for when the new venue would open.
Approached for comment, owner of the Arq property, Shadd Danesi, said: “I’ll make a comment when I know myself exactly what’s happening.”
He added: “A deal is not done till things are signed.”
Sophie Kollmorgen, the daughter of Susanah Page, the current tenant of Arq, declined to comment in her capacity as owner’s representative.
Page also runs Home The Venue in Darling Harbour, which regularly hosts GAYM Entertainment’s Morning Glory and FINALE Mardi Gras closing party. It also hosted Trixie Mattel’s Solid Pink Disco recently during Mardi Gras.
Auld’s plans for Arq come after Page acquired the venue on April 1 last year. His plans for the club raise questions about the future of Poof Doof’s regular Saturday parties at Arq.
Poof Doof said it “has been aware of discussions around the transfer of the lease for ARQ for some time. We look forward to commenting once any such transfer has been made official”.
This Saturday, Arq is not hosting Poof Doof – the first time the event has taken the week off in a long time.
Poof Doof said this was so people could recover from Mardi Gras and that it would return on March 15 for Club Gaga, to celebrate Lady’s Gaga’s new album Mayhem released on Friday.
“Every year it’s very quiet the week after Mardi Gras – we had an incredible season so thought it was a good idea to give our DOOFers the weekend off,” Poof Doof said.
“They’ve earned it!
“We are doing Club Gaga in Melbourne on Saturday (and we were doing Club Gaga in Brisbane on Friday but this has been postponed by a week due to the cyclone) and it was operationally easier for us to do them on separate weekends.
“It gives the Little Monsters an extra 7 days to learn the words for [Lady Gaga’s new album] MAYHEM.”
Aside from Club Gaga, Poof Doof is hosting a regular Poof Doof at Arq on March 22, Club Dua on March 29 (Dua Lipa is performing in Sydney on this night) and Red Rave on April 5.
On his Instagram, Auld lists himself as a “Co Owner / Co Founder” of Noir and the boat-for-hire businesses Seadeck Sydney and Oasis Brisbane.
Company records for Noir, which trades as TSC Sydney Pty Ltd, show Auld does not currently have a registered shareholding in the company and is not a director.
Auld’s new vision for Arq prompts questions about the direction he would take the club, given his affiliation with Noir – a venue on the gay strip that has attracted criticism from the queer community over the type of patrons it brings to the area.
Despite the negative sentiment from some, Auld’s various businesses have supported queer parties.
This includes hosting party promoter Nic Holland’s Pop Yacht events and some of GAYM Entertainment’s Morning Glory events on Seadeck.
Auld’s Brisbane boat Oasis has also held DJ Harry Katsanevas’ events. Influencer Jay Fisher also ran the gay Lavendr Lounge pop-up bar at Noir during Sydney WorldPride.
Gay Sydney News editor