Fun club Flash is celebrating its first birthday this weekend with some special guests in tow.
Flash launched this time last year at its old venue on Oxford St but has been trading from KX Hotel since September.
“We only planned to run for six weeks to get through winter, so making it to 52 weeks is crazy,” said one of the founders, Rojdar Zengin.
Started by Rojdar, Ryan Marshall and Joel Siviour, the weekly party has frequently sold out its Sydney venue and has since also launched a weekly event in Melbourne.
There are many personalities that have emerged from Flash, including the Cooked Flash Pigeon and the piano-splitting twinks.
Yes, twinks—because there were, in fact, multiple twinks who can lay claim to splitting on the piano.
One of them is Daniel Cooke, a professional dancer who told Gay Sydney Daily that the infamous photo was just a one-off, thanks to a bit of liquid courage.
“I was behind the DJ and I saw the club photographer taking pics and, with a bit of liquid courage, I think I may have waved them over and dropped into a split. Then the photo was on Instagram in the following days,” he said.
Cooke said it was always fun to do the splits, but it has since become a common party trick.
“Who knows how I’ll top the iconic split, but I think more people can do the splits than you’d expect, so I might need to find a new niche trick to keep people entertained.”
Cooke said he was excited about the big bash and would be coming straight off a flight to make it.
“You best believe I’ll be pregaming on the flight and heading straight to pres, and worry about unpacking the following day!”
The other piano twink is Daniel Maxwell, also a professional dancer, who unfortunately won’t be at the celebrations as he is overseas, but sent a message to partygoers.
“I’m devastated to not be celebrating the first anniversary. I just hope Flash misses me as much as I miss it. I just know the piano misses me,” he said.
“When in Rome… or when Rome is in you. Party for the girls that can’t be there and be the goddamn twink who does the splits on the piano.”
As for what made Maxwell do the splits, he said he saw a piano and knew he could do the splits, so it was a “logical thought process to me.”
“Some may say I’d been training for that moment from the age of two, being sent to my Saturday morning dance classes. The tuition was worth it.”
Tickets are on sale now for Flash’s first birthday, with Zengin telling Gay Sydney Daily there was one thing he’s noticed in a year of operating Flash.
“An increased use of the word ‘sweat’,” he said.
As for what they have in store this year…
“We might turn the air cons on, shake things up a little. + NYE BUT GAY will be returning for its second edition,” he said.
Among the DJs celebrating the first birthday, titled “One year of ruining your Sunday plans”, are Adam Thomas, AND.E, Arbain, Dingo Disco, Citrus, James Queen, Flash Club DJs, Ryan Lovell, Shoop DJs and Tinah.
The night will run until 8am, with a “breakfast menu from 5am.”
