Since the closure of the Roost at the end of 2007, there has been a noticeable void in the gay club scene in Edmonton. On September 19th, 2008, Play opened its doors with the intention of not just filling that void, but becoming an entity all their own.
Still thrilled with the success of opening weekend, owner Cory Wyneff gave GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine a call to discuss all things Play.
“It took four or five months from the initial idea to opening - it was really fast. It was the meshing of two things: Bob Long and myself bring the community side of things, we know a lot about the queer community and the need to have a queer bar. We partnered with the Oil City Group, who own The Bank, Vinyl, and The Boathouse. They have a reputation of opening successful well-run clubs. There didn’t seem to be any issues. The guys from Oil City Group already had this spot in mind and we ended up getting it. The space leant itself to a lot of charm, there is a lot of brick and old fir wood pillars, with a contemporary feel to it.”
The decision to refer to themselves as a “Queer Bar” has already received some criticism. Some feel that the word is negative and should not be used, others feel it is an acceptable term. Wyneff weighed in on his view.
“Queer is a little more inclusive. Gay is usually associated with men, not a representative word of the whole community. Play is a safe place for everyone in the community whether you are gay, trans, lesbian, bi or questioning. Rather than listing all of the letters, queer is a word that encompasses everything,” he said, adding “It is a word that the younger generation seems to be using a lot more, and taking back. It is becoming a more progressive term. I know it used to have a bit of a stigma to it but we are trying to change that and show it is an encompassing term, not how it used to be used. It is a small percentage but when we use it, we really use it in a good light, to market it and brand it a little bit.”
The bar launched with a lot of buzz, and not surprisingly gathered lineups on both nights of opening weekend.
“Opening weekend was really good. It was on the busier side, there were tons and tons of people because it was new. The only negative I heard was about the lines. That is the nature of opening a club, I can only keep it at capacity and people had to wait. We tried to make it fun and I think most people have had fun but there are always people that will have issues with that,” he said. “The second weekend went smoother because we were ready for the amount of people. I knew it was going to be big because everyone is really thirsty for a [new] club, but I never expected it to be so big. It is great to have all that feedback and energy, and it does a lot for our community as well.”
Throughout the interview, the importance of community was a subject that frequently came up, and one that is very important to Wyneff and the rest of Play. Opening weekend saw HIV Edmonton and Edmonton Pride Centre both on-site, fundraising. As someone who was heavily involved in Calgary, including stints on the Pride Board and the GLCSA board, he knows how vital it is to give back.
“First and foremost that was one of our main missions. We have a meeting space, a board room for groups to meet. We have a bunch of fundraisers that we are working towards with different groups, that will always be a part of Play. We have a community board going up, and that is important because a club is a good way to communicate to the larger community and that is important to me,” he said. “The community advantage is an important one because it makes us one of the hubs for the community and allows us to give back as well. It is a synergy of things because by giving back to the community, they will in turn want to come out and have fun. And they need a place to fundraise and have meetings, so if I can do them both then I am doing something good.”
The novelty factor will likely have Play as the “hot new thing” in Edmonton for a while. But the club industry is fickle, and today’s top club can quickly become yesterday’s news. Play has no plans of falling into the traps that can lead a bar to close its doors.
“A big part of that is being a big part of the community, which puts us in everyone’s mind all the time. We change things up here all the time, bringing in bigger DJ’s and performers from across Canada. It isn’t going to be the same show every week, the same energy. Sundays is kind of a showcase featuring local artists all the time from piano players to dancers to singers to cabaret. There is going to be something all the time. A lot of clubs get complacent and stuck in the same formula and people get tired of it.”
The last time a new club opened up in Alberta was in 2004 when The Twisted Element opened its doors in Calgary. The buzz generated by Play has already resulted in comparisons, which Wyneff says aren’t valid.
“I think they are two different venues, and I think our philosophy is different than Twisted. We have a big strong community side to us and I don’t know if Twisted still does, I know they did at the beginning. Our expectations for ourselves are very high. We are trying to be a bigger gay club, we are drawing on the successes of The Roost and Detour and successful Vancouver clubs. We really studied the market and what made those clubs really successful.”
In the gay community it can be fairly common for some individuals to put up stark resistance to new businesses (that may compete against their favorites), finding any reason to criticize without necessarily giving them a fair chance. The location of Play has been discussed as “being too close to the homeless and drug users” while others were not impressed with security measures that include pat downs at the door. Wyneff was happy to address those statements.
“It is the nature of downtown Edmonton. We are closer to the Grand, but if you look at the police reports there is very little crime that happens down our way. We have a really great relationship with the Edmonton Police Service, they have a foot patrol that comes by a couple times a night. They are very supportive and have increased their presence in this area as well. The reason for the security is just a safety thing for everyone. I have a sign that says ‘be prepared to be felt up and patted down.’ We make it fun and play with it and my security staff is great for that. Some of them are bigger guys but they aren’t those guys that stand there with their arms crossed trying to look tough. They are used to things like crazy twinks coming and wanting to hang off their arms. Everyone here has a really good attitude. One of the most positive things people have been saying is that they feel really comfortable here, that it is nice to belong again to a club. They were ready for a place to go where they could be safe and can just be themselves and I am seeing that a lot.”
Although Play has only been open a few weeks, their goal is to support the community as well as have longevity and leave a lasting legacy in Edmonton.
“I think we are just going to keep building on our model of being part of a community. We are going to be the ones who start bringing in a lot of DJ’s and acts. I pay a lot of attention to the feedback people give, because I think that is a key to success. If you look at the trends and follow what people want, you will be in business longer.”
Play Nightclub
10220 - 103 Street Edmonton
Open Thursday to Sunday, 8pm to 3am
www.playnightclub.ca
