Vancouverites may soon have a new gay night or space to play in, but party promoter Adam Dreaddy is being coy about the details.

“It’ll be gay, gay, gay,” he promises, though who won’t reveal the club’s name or location, except to say that it’s in the downtown area.

Look for a new or newly renovated nightclub opening March 24, 2016, he says. It will host a monthly gay night called Hotbox featuring gay talent, gay bartenders and gay security guards.

“It’s a huge club with a capacity of over 350 people that’s fully equipped with lights and sound,” he says. “It’s going to be something once a month at this point that will offer the community a club where they can feel free without any drama. This will be a great spot for people to go off the beaten path of Davie and it’s not on Granville so they can feel safe about that.”

Asked if the newly renovated club will be in Five Sixty’s old space at 560 Seymour St, Dreaddy says no. (After a checkered five-year run, Five Sixty closed in August 2015. There’s still a “for lease” sign on the premises and no signs of renovations.)

Daily Xtra called a few other clubs with past connections to the gay community in an attempt to identify the new space but came up with no leads. City planner Kevin McNaney says he’s not aware of a new nightclub either.

For now, the new space remains a mystery. Dreaddy seems to be relishing the intrigue.

“I want everyone in the gay community to be themselves,” he says. “Come in a harness, come in drag queen. Come out and come in.”


Drag queens in face, he notes, won’t have to pay cover.


“I do believe drag queens add a lot of flavour to the evening,” Dreaddy says. “People go into the bar and see drag queens and they know they are in a gay space.”

Hotbox will be launched by Dreaddy and then hosted by nightlife socialite Berlin Stiller. The inaugural event will feature DJ Etienne Ozbourne from Montreal and local DJs Quest and Mr Riley Cox.

(Editor’s note: This article was corrected on Feb 2, 2016 to accurately reflect this quote: “People go into the bar and see drag queens and they know they are in a gay space.”)

Hotbox launch

March 24, 2016

Location to be announced