02/09/12: To write an adequate review of all the sights, sounds, shocks and sparkles we experienced at Shoreditch Park last Sunday, we’d need another two pages – and trust me, this bitch can waffle on! Summer Rites was a plethora of aural and visual delights of the homosexual persuasion.
Do we start with mash-up queens going loco on a bunch of fairground rides, all set to a joyous 80s soundtrack? The man in tighty whities singing Lady Gaga songs in Spanish? The midget gogo dancers of War? (Can you say midget, or is it ‘little people’? Discuss.) Or the fact that June Brown (The legendary Dot Cotton!) introduced Mutya from the Sugababes on stage? A sentence I never thought I’d write in my life!
Every single tent brought something special to the party; from the ice cool DJs of Dalston Superstore, the ram-packed slabs of man meat in the XXL big top, 80s Carpet Burn campery, The sight of Sister Bliss and Jodie Harsh shocking out in the Room Service Hotel, the rough around the edges Hoxtonistas Instagramming the shit out of each other in the Shoreditch Mess Tent, the booty bumpin’ bitches of Bootylicious and, of course, the East Bloc All Stars.
Where Gutterslut, Dish and War all went head to head, comin atcha (but sadly no Cleopatra) in a cacophony of trannies rocking retina-searing frocks, hard bodied party boys and not one but SIX stellar DJs back to back.
Thankfully, the main stage action didn’t disappoint either, with Boy George doing a gorge Lana Del Rey, Cazwell being rather fucking awesome, Amanda Lepore being… well, Amanda Lepore, she doesn’t really need to do much else and we’ll love her, and a slew of top homegrown and international acts, all held together by hosts, performers and entertainers from various gay villages.
And that was the best thing about Summer Rites… Not only did it comingle all corners of our massive London scene, but it perfectly joined up the Rites revellers from back in the day with the new generation of raving benders. To Wayne Shires and everyone else involved in organising this massive event – you created an amazing event, an electric atmosphere and a joyous end to Summer 2012. Nice one!
Words by Lee Dalloway
Photos by www.Joel-Ryder.com
