Summer Rites festival returns in September, but before then, to whet your loins and get your disco on in anticipation, they are presenting a special club event at mega-super-club Pulse on Sunday 3rd June featuring all the big guns set to head the bill, including: [deep breath] Salvation, XXL, TrannyShack, Songs of Praise, Bootylicious, Bloc Party and East Bloc with GutterSlut, Dish & War. Phew! Cliff Joannou spoke to Summer Rites/East Bloc promoter Wayne Shires…

ARENA 1: SALVATION & FUSION

Salvation makes a welcome return in the main arena. What can we look forward to on the night?

Well all the Salvation team very excited to be doing both the festival in September and the club event on the Jubilee Bank Holiday Sunday. They will be bring the unique style of music and visuals, plus an amazing stage show with custom made costumes and the hottest gogos in town.

Fusion is also part of the mix. Will the two brands be mixed in or are they on at different times?

The Fusion guys will be opening and the Salvation DJs will take it through ‘til dawn.

What DJs can we expect to hear from each brand?

Fusion will open with Cristian M and then the Salvation All Stars take over the floor with Oliver M, Paul Coals, Miss White and Pier Morrocco. Plus, there’s a special guest slot from War’s Kris Di Angelis… all the big guns!

ARENA 2: XXL

XXL is taking over a new space at Pulse that is being transformed into a New York style club zone. What can we expect?

Mark from XXL is an amazing club promoter, and he always pulls out all the stops! So, I think we will get his twisted humour mixed in with a sexy underground NYC feel… I cant wait to “take a walk on the wild side”! LOL

It’s part of the Bear Pride weekend! Tell us about Bear Pride and what it’s all about.

Mark started Bear Pride in 2002 and it’s been a regular high point on the international bear diary since, attracting hot bears from far and wide, no pun intended! They are always packed and super fun, he never disappoints. That’s what has them coming back year after year, and with the Summer Fusion closing the weekend it will sure to end with a big bang! DJs will include all of his regulars as well as the lovely Joe Egg and a slot from the man himself, Mark Ames.

ARENA 3: TRANNYSHACK, SONGS OF PRAISE, BOOTYLICIOUS & BLOC PARTY

This is a crazy club space! There are four clubs involved! How will it all work out? Will they be on at different times to each other?

It’s going to start with the TrannyShack girls, hosted by the one and only Miss Dusty O, and sex kitten Lady Lloyd. Munroe and Tasty Tim will provide the tranny soundtrack.

Then the sexy Songs of Praise boys take over with The Sugarlow Boys, Neil Prince and hot east end bear David O’Brayn! It’s going to be a pop and R’n’B orgy! Holding court over the proceedings will be the lovely Seth.

After that, the Bootylicious and Bloc Party gangs take control ‘til 8am! Club legend Jeffrey Hinton will be joined by rising star Kartel Brown, and keeping it ghetto real will be Mark-Ashley Dupe, Jake Cook and the ‘queen of the Bloc’, Miss Barbie Mirja!

What room is it taking over at Pulse?

It’s the Middle Arch between the main room and the underground room.

ARENA 4: EAST BLOC WITH GUTTERSLUT, DISH & WAR

The underground house space features some of the best of East Bloc’s Saturday nights. What can we look forward to?

It’s going to be like we moved East Bloc for the night! NYC superstar Larry Tee will open, then Borja Pena and Tom Stephan will rock the room with the Dish sound, while boy about town Kane Luke and Latino tranny goddess La Pequena look after all the hot East End studs.

We have a very special guest Severino filling the War slot with sweetheart Jonathan Bestley hosting.

Then it all gets super messy and full-on with the GutterSlut boys Per QX and Nic Fisher with MC Crystal on the mic. They are gonna close that room down! I’m so excited about that!