Words by Kinga Kusyk
Photography by Martha Clough
While standing in a queue waiting to enter the gates of paradise, I overhear many embarrassed, hushed voices whispering ‘what is Ponyboy?’. As I listen, all I can think about is how completely unaware they are that they’re about to step into a creative utopia, meticulously crafted by Dill and Reece. The party began with the launch party of a queer-led hair salon, which specialised in eye-catching, high-impact hair. The momentum from this never ceased, leading to a series of themed events. Notably their parties such as ‘Hell’, ‘Klub Kid’, and 2024’s Halloween, which marked Ponyboy’s second birthday, sparked a colourful celebration of queer joy, bodies, and expression.
Ultimately, this question, which I hear in the thrum of human bodies, and over the sticky, sexy, pulsating bass which throbs from the club’s double doors, has countless answers. Ponyboy is a kaleidoscopic performance. Ponyboy is theatre in a sweat-licked basement. Ponyboy is a collective of creatives. Ponyboy is an ode to SOPHIE and the trans community. Ponyboy is a safeplace – it is inclusive, and it is unapologetic for all it stands for.
So. You’re now in a room of sweating young adults. Dancing, two-step, swaying to a beat at the fingertips of a DJ. Dark strobe lights sync waves of beats as you rise to a crescendo. A spike of lunacy as you magically catch a rhythm. Come. Step into a world where the music pulses to the beat of your identity, and the dancefloor is a canvas for self-expression. With inclusive clubbing experiences hiding between the winding streets and blocks, Ponyboy is a star in the sky guiding you to a good night out which stays authentic in the face of the commodification of queer culture. A place where ‘over the top’ loses meaning.
gender utopia
drag royalty, wild fashion statements, and live art that pushes boundaries.
Ponyboy is unapologetic and aims to create a space in which everyone feels welcome! So buy a ticket and stomp your feet to the beat of a gender utopia
Photo by Martha Clough
With the release of Ponyboy’s documentary soon approaching, the talk is loud, and it is exciting. Ponyboy has now featured in Dazed Magazine, MixMag, and our very own Glasgow University Magazine, and this can be seen in the desperate effort to capture what exactly happens between those 4 sweaty walls. In the bustling of varying sized cameras and makeshift photo shoots, it is clear that as we come together to experience the event, we are left unearthed at the possibility of the existence of such a place. At the heart of this magic is the creatives collaboratively document the experiences backstage, as they each bring something invaluable to the experience. Whether they develop film or plug their USB into the decks, stomp and bang their head to the beat, or stand mesmerised in the smoking area, it is clear that the collaborative documentation of Ponyboy is essential to its success. Its inclusion is its triumph. Ponyboy wants to see the artists that they work with succeed. This queer party is providing an outlet which seems to be constantly disappearing and struggling to remain underground.
Ultimately, there is no ‘I don’t know the people’ or ‘I don’t know the artists’. The event is crafted and curated in a way that leaves those questions obsolete. You may come seeking a singular DJ but instead complete a 180 turn, leaving with your eyes opened to another musical spectacle. The residency list is long and promising for those wandering eyes which constantly try and find the best place to be. You can be certain that you’re already there – you’re at Ponyboy.
Photos by Kinga Kusyk
AT ANY COST
Despite each event being sold out, tickets on Resident Advisor for the upper price bracket of a night out, funds remain an issue. Despite lots of buzz both through word of mouth and official publications, the grasp on stability is weak and future success is unpromised. The founders in the past have faced troubles of homelessness. They report going over budget and having to often pay out of pocket. This is a price worth paying, but whether it is fair that this is Ponyboy’s commitment to creating safe spaces extends beyond the physical realm of the club and salon. The duo works tirelessly to ensure that their events are accessible to those who need them most. They have implemented sliding-scale ticketing models, ensuring that a significant portion of their tickets are reserved for the trans community, sex workers, and other marginalised groups. “If we know we wouldn’t be able to afford to go to our own event, that’s a problem,” Dill says. “We always want to make sure that the people our events are for can always be in the room.” Finding a place you belong shouldn’t be a luxury. People before us have fought for our right to party already. So surender and dance! Because Despite each event being sold out, the idea of profit in creative industries is largely lost.
All club events fade out in the end, with music venues quieting down across Glasgow, and spaces such as Exit adopting the line “not here forever” one must be grateful at the cultural survival of the image and message of the event and must enjoy before it falls between the lines.
