Do It Yourself: PONYBOY VS INFERNO

Lewis: I see queer nightlife dying… especially in London. We've lost two-thirds of our spaces over the last ten years. The site of [Hackney nightclub] The Colour Factory has been bought by property developers… they're gonna knock everything down for some overpriced luxury flats. Clubs are essentially our community centres and have been for over a century now. It’s about what we can learn from each other to future-proof our industry. So, I’m actively looking outside London to see who else is doing what in different cities.

Dill: It's become apparent why we need these spaces. Seeing the community of people around me go on a mental, physical, and spiritual transition, while also going through the same process… it really pays off, as much as it's tricky having it be nightclubs with alcohol and different components involved.

Lewis: When you put on a club night, you become a leader. You have responsibility and power – which I don’t think is addressed properly. There’s a duty of care, especially when your communities are comprised of marginalised people.

Dill: Absolutely. It’s important that people feel comfortable to challenge me and know there’s always a conversation to be had. Do you remember the initial conversations that contributed to what became INFERNO?

Lewis: I come from old-school gay club land. I was so bored with the music and attitude of people. I’d just left art school and decided to bring art back to the club. There wasn’t a queer techno party at the time, which right now, in London, is like 40% of nightlife. I was gonna ask… how you started Ponyboy?

Dill: It happened by accident. We started as a salon for trans people to have haircuts and styles. We needed a launch party, and I realised the things we’re exploring are quite necessary here in Glasgow. We’ve always had the same intentions, it's just taken shape in different ways. Why do you choose the concept of hell through which to build the worlds within INFERNO events?

Lewis: Our first two years at Dalston Superstore, there was pop music with drag queens upstairs, performance art and techno in the basement. It was like heaven and hell. Being queer is joyful and something to celebrate, but there’s darkness which predates that. Especially ten years ago… we didn't have the conversations we're having now, about class, accessibility and race. Kindness, care and empathy are at the centre of what we do. That means making sure we're learning and growing.

Dill: I’ve found it a cathartic process exploring trans rage. I've been thinking about hell a lot recently… but I just started hormones. Maybe I'm just a bit pissed off.

Sgaire Wood. Image: El Nine

Lewis: I’m so happy for you!

Dill: I started like three months ago off the back of our last event… I was like, oh I’m trans. Speaking of caring and growing, why do you think your INFERNO family call you mother?

Lewis: I was living with my big extended family when it started… and we’ve just added to that over the years. INFERNO was the first time I felt comfortable experimenting with my gender and identity, so it’s beautiful to witness that for so many others. Obviously, people have moved out of the city, and lots of my friends from the early days, we’re all sober now. But we still go out, dance, and socialise. It's important to have honest conversations around being sober in nightlife. You don’t just have to do things because everybody else is, and you can get support from NA and Safe Only.

Dill: Through the process of putting on nights, I've actually stopped taking drugs, and haven't really drank in a while. It can quite quickly become a dangerous pattern. If the space that you're in, and people you're around are amazing, it's not needed.

Lewis: There’s no other job you get drunk or take drugs at. If anything goes wrong, and you're off your nut, you can't solve the issue… and therefore, you're doing a shit job as a leader. Drinking doesn't make the problem go away, it just pushes it down further. Staying up for days and not sleeping… it has an impact on your well-being. Who would have thought?

Dill: After this collaboration, I’m definitely planning on coming to an INFERNO event with a Ponyboy fleet.

Lewis: Saturday 27 July is Trans Pride in London. Next year is our ten-year anniversary. We’re planning on releasing a book, compilation albums, and a big celebration.

Dill: We’ve got our pride party on 13 July with Juliana Huxtable, Opia, and Princess Xixi. We're also working towards the second issue of Ponyboy, and there'll be a documentary following us over the course of a year. Typically queer people have fewer resources as a result of how society's structured, but I think this births the most interesting ideas. I see each event as its own contained world… a utopian lens of how I want society to look outside of the club.

Lewis: My ethos for life is don't wait for things to change. It's great sitting around and complaining about something, but that doesn't fix problems. What fixes the problem is going out there and enacting radical, systematic change for future generations. Do it your fucking self.

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PONYBOY vs INFERNO, Exit, Glasgow, 4 May