Are Queer Spaces under threat in Perth’s DJ Scene? – A chat with 3RAS3R
By Zai McCabe
I got to sit down with Perth DJ 3RAS3R/Guillaume Manfrino (they/them) who has become an institution in Perth’s underground DJ scene. As a queer artist they are invested in the protection of queer spaces in Perth and how it has seen some changes over the last couple of years.
Zai McCabe: The Pelican is a pretty broad magazine and some of us maybe haven’t interacted with the DJ scene much, so for someone who’s totally new to that scene how would you describe your music?
3RAS3R: I’d say it depends. I’ve made quite a lot of stuff that can be considered in the darker, sounder stuff – ranging from experimental ambient stuff to hard techno. But also, more club-friendly stuff that people can dance to. I feel the stuff that I’ve been making and working on constantly evolves. I don’t like being put under a genre label; it’s kind of free to do whatever I feel like making. So, it just depends how I feel on the day.
ZM: Changing with when you’re playing? Who you’re playing to?
3RAS3R: Yeah, when it comes to DJing and stuff, it does also depend on events. There are events that are focused around darker, underground stuff, but also events that are in line with euphoric music, that’s more enjoyable to a broader audience.
ZM: Do you think your ability to adapt to the event comes from your understanding of the scene or is it the promoter asking you?
3RAS3R: It does depend on the event. Some promoters can be picky with that kind of thing. They may force you into playing a certain genre – depending on whether the event is surrounding a certain genre, which is quite common in the mainstream stuff. But when it comes to events such as locally HYDE PARK HIFI, Garbage TV, Nest FM, it’s fair game. It’s more-so about expression, you can play whatever you feel like playing, rather than having to play for a promoter or a crowd.
ZM: In relation to the DJ scene as a queer space, do you think that the people who give you freedom tend to be queer spaces?
3RAS3R: A hundred percent! I think the rave scene as a queer space is definitely still in the underground. Because it aligns with the way that a lot of queer spaces are supposed to be for everyone. Free. So, you have more creative liberties to explore dark or more interesting stuff rather than having to hold back for a crowd. The underground is definitely more of a queer space than the mainstream events.
ZM: Do you consider yourself a queer artist?
3RAS3R: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just based on my sexuality in general, I consider myself queer which by default makes me a queer artist.
ZM: So, you already made the distinction that there are spaces in Perth that we would call a queer scene. Do you think those are being challenged?
3RAS3R: What do you mean by challenged, like is the space being used by people who aren’t queer?
ZM: Yeah, as in an example you gave earlier that playing Garbage had that feeling of freedom, but they’ve done bigger and bigger events over the last couple of years. Has that changed the experience?
3RAS3R: In saying that though, there have been events like Garbage that are more so in the mainstream but there is still a lot of those events that lie in the queer scene. For example, getting a DJ like Unique, who revolves around the ballroom community and the club music, which has always had roots in the queer scene. Promoters do have to make money, so in order to make a space for queer events, they have to appeal to a mainstream audience as well. However, I do think that Garbage as well have definitely upheld the roots in the queer scene. There aren’t many events in that game that are doing big stuff, but they’re staying true to their initial goals of creating safer spaces for queer people.
ZM: How do you think they’re facilitating that? What makes those sorts of spaces queer or a safe space?
3RAS3R: I think it’s a matter of booking DJs that represent those aesthetics and represent those things. Booking more queer artists in order to create more diversity in the scene, rather than just having a lineup of full straight white dudes. It’s still prevalent in mainstream events, but I feel like a lot of these events that Garbage TV, Nest FM, Hyde Park HIFI were making important ground in trying to create space for queer DJs and queer artists and making sure that their voices are heard, instead of booking the same f*cking straight white dude.
ZM: From the other side of the decks is there a difference when you’re playing at queer events than when you’re playing an event that’s more mainstream?
3RAS3R: I would just say from the outset, crowd respect. From the perspective of someone on the other side of the decks. Sometimes people don’t understand that some DJs just want to be left alone to play their music. They just want to play their set. They don’t want to be talked to. They don’t want to have someone hovering over their shoulder or a bunch of dudes f*cking screaming in their faces and holding drinks over the decks. From personal experience, I remember playing at Geisha once and having these guys constantly, as well intentioned as it was, cheering and sh*t like that. Also not respecting personal space, putting their hands over the decks, mimicking DJing and holding drinks over the decks to a point where I have to intervene and push them. That stuff is almost non-existent in spaces that are catered for queer people. There’s a degree of respect and understanding for personal space that a lot of events catered for mainstream clubs don’t have.
ZM: Within that vein; from the other side I’ve noticed the dancing is very different. For you, not just a DJ but also a patron at DJ events, have you found the dancing to be very different?
3RAS3R: I’ve felt that, yes. I find that it also depends on the people’s understanding of the music. At a lot of mainstream events, you see people lightly dancing or on their phones recording it. Meanwhile, at these safer spaces where a lot of people go for the music, they don’t use their phones. They’re fully immersed in an experience rather than capturing the moment in itself. It is interesting to see the contrast. But I’ve also been pretty staunch about the way that European clubs work where people put stickers over phone cameras in order to stop filming so that people can enjoy it as an experience. I think that we can learn quite a bit from that. People have tried to do that here and it has worked to an extent, but you can see the difference between a crowd that is immersed rather than a crowd that is just there to put it on the story and the crowd that is really there to dance, they give it their all. Also, the pressure of people using their phones as well can turn people off that don’t always want to be caught on camera. One thing as well is it’s inevitable at these sorts of events that people do drugs. So, filming people and having a phone out and then posting it on social media can make people extremely uncomfortable. That stuff does follow, like digital footprint is very real. It infringes on the space and it also infringes on personal life. It’s something that shouldn’t really have to happen in these environments and things like that.
ZM: People shouldn’t go to an event and worry about the rest of their life.
3RAS3R: Yeah, exactly! Like it’s a place where people kind of let loose, have a bit of fun, enjoy music. Not a place for people to film it or people to post like a thirty-second clip to their story about the DJ or whatever. I feel like a lot of social media has had quite a big negative impact on the scene.
ZM: If someone is interested in interacting with the queer spaces we have talked about today, what are some events coming up that they might check out?
3RAS3R: Oh, in Perth we don’t really have underground venues like they do in Europe where clubs consistently put on events that cater to queer people, it’s more-so looking at collectives in Perth. So, I’d say the best collectives to look out for are stuff like Nest FM, which always create great safe queer spaces – super respectful. Garbage is really solid if you’re trying to find a starting place to get into it. I’d say Hyde Park HIFI isn’t as active as it was, but the crowd it drew was very young, kind of queer, very much on the abrasive side of music, but the goals are very similar in creating a safer space for young people and dance music. I’d say a collective like Midnight Elevator do a lot of really good stuff and platform a lot of great queer artists and things like that through their releases and events. Off the top of my head, those are the best ones I can kind of think of to follow or to look out for because they’re consistently doing events promoting underground music, creating safe spaces for queer people.
ZM: Well, thanks so much dude!
Guillaume and I then sat for a while chatting less formally about music, friends and peaking at Charli XCX’s killer Laneway set over a couple of beers. If you want to meet 3RAS3R and support the DJ scene in Perth go check out the Garbage Gallery in Old Shanghai.