Tag Flashback

• Darrin Hagen and Ron Byers
• December 10, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 3 minutes Read

Flashback Neon Sign

On June 17, 2023 a new sign was added to the City of Edmonton’s Neon Sign Museum. This marked the first time that a gay-owned business for “gay people and their friends” was acknowledged in such a public and immortal way. A ceremony was held on 104 Street with owner John Reid, dignitaries and friends of Flashback who chanted “Light it up, Light it up” and cheering as the power was turned on bringing the blue glow of the sign to Edmonton’s downtown once again. In the Fall of 2024 a new plaque was added to the building. The…

• Brendan Roy
• October 21, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 2 minutes Read

Forty Years of Fabulous: The Story of Twiggy and Edmonton’s Drag Evolution 

In this captivating documentary interview, we sit down with Twiggy, an iconic Edmonton drag queen who has been performing for over 40 years. Twiggy shares her journey from the early days of drag to the vibrant queer scene in Edmonton today. Explore the origins of her artistry, the evolution of drag culture, and the changes within the local LGBTQ+ community through her eyes. This is more than a personal story—it’s a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the enduring spirit of drag.

• Darrin Hagen
• August 29, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 1 minute Read

THE FLASHBACK FILES: Posters, Calendars and Billboards Part Two

A collection of promo posters from 1984-1991 All artwork by Gloria, Twiggy, with occasional help from Iris. Archives digitized by Kevin Hendricks & Jim Bilodeau.

• Darrin Hagen
• August 27, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 1 minute Read

THE FLASHBACK FILES: Posters, Calendars and Billboards Part One

A collection of promo posters from 1984-1991 All artwork by Gloria, Twiggy, with occasional help from Iris. Archives digitized by Kevin Hendricks & Jim Bilodeau.

• Darrin Hagen
• July 12, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 1 minute Read

The Flashback Files: Sister Neon

One of the most memorable and enduring Flashback personalities – larger than life!
Edmonton’s only Divine Approved Divine Impersonator – Sister Neon (Terrie Grieve)

Footage captured by John Reid or whoever was free to run camera.

VHS videos digitized by Jim Bilodeau.

• Darrin Hagen
• June 30, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 1 minute Read

The Flashback Files: Dance Marathon!

Archival footage from the legendary Flashback nightclub. Video from 1981-1983 recorded by Patrick Monaghan. All other footage 1983-1992 recorded by John Reid or whoever else was available to run the camera. VHS Files digitized by Jim Bilodeau. Thanks to Darrin Hagen and Chris Fassbender with the support of the Edmonton Arts Council and the City of Edmonton – Local Government here is a video that captures a few moments of the fun.

• Darrin Hagen
• June 13, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 1 minute Read

The Flashback Files: Twiggy

Drag Legend Twiggy: Mz. Flashback 11, Entertainer of the Year VI, And Empress more times than one can count!

• Ron Byers
• June 12, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 16 minutes Read

Loading Dock to Farm Pasture: The Annual Flashback to Tofield Migration

Two lesbians and a drag queen bought a small farm near Tofield in the early 80’s. There they kept chickens, ducks, a pig, a cow and a horse named Africa – who became the Baroness Regent of Tofield. Then one weekend 350 people from Flashback and Edmonton’s LGBTQ+ community showed up to party.

• Darrin Hagen
• June 6, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 1 minute Read

The Flashback Files: B-52’s Beach Party 1990

The second location of Flashback on 104 street closed in late 1990 before opening a while latter on 105 Street.

This is the final show performed at the iconic Flashback 2 location was on December 1, 1990.

Starring Twiggy, Mandy Kamp, Dorky and Gloria Hole (Darrin Hagen).

Footage from the vaults of Darrin Hagen.

• Darrin Hagen
• May 20, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 2 minutes Read

The Flashback Files: Gloria Hole

Every once in a while, a queen is born. Whether through osmosis or immaculate misconception is still mostly a mystery, but they appear. Suddenly and without warning, a new pretender to the throne stands in front of you. Under the terms of the Sisterhood of Unrecognized Royalty, they all get their grab at the tiara at some point in their career. Darrin HagenThe Edmonton Queen: The Final Voyage – 2007 July 1982 a young man ventured out on his own with a few clothes, a love letter from an older (33) man and his accordion strapped to his back…

• Darrin Hagen
• May 17, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 2 minutes Read

The Flashback Files: Masters of Ceremonies

From the stage of the legendary Flashback nightclub we present a montage of various live unscripted moments of hilarity and confusion from some of the outstanding Flashback event hosts ever to grace the stages. From Gloria Hole (Darrin Hagen) to Rhoda B. (Ron Byers) then the icon and face of Flashback John Reid. There is even Millie (Paul Chisholm), Neon (Terrie Grieve), Trash (Terry Robison) plus many more that you will be sure to remember. Thankfully this video is not rated NSFW!! Patrick Monaghan – a consulting producer on the Flashback Documentary Film – decided to start filming drag…

• Darrin Hagen
• May 16, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 2 minutes Read

The Flashback Files: Drag Races

One of the most fun events put on by Flashback was held on the May Long Weekend. Annually the Mz Flashback Contest was held and part of the weekend fun was the Drag Races – invented long before RuPaul came along. In fact it was Mz. Flashback 4 Bianca Bang Bang (Lee Denning) and Mr. Flashback 4 Mr. Vera (Daryl Broyles) that came up with the idea after they saw a video from the US. way back in 1979. According to Mr. Vera “it was an actual drag race on like wild world of sports and some old drag…

• Gwen Tonack
• January 21, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 6 minutes Read

Big Joey – Another Look

In the mid-seventies, Big Joey – who was born Janet Wilkeson – was a character slightly larger than life. Though she was a founding member of Club 70 as well as a huge supporter of Flashback, she is primarily remembered for her no-nonsense behaviour and the power of her physical presence. It may surprise you to know she was also a dog loving softie.

For some reason Joey and I were ‘roommates’ for a short time sharing a house with John Reid – a founding partner of Flashback. I think it was his house, located in a totally cute, blue-collar working-class neighbourhood in Edmonton.

• Rainbow Story Hub
• June 15, 2023
• 0 Comments
• 4 minutes Read

Relight The Neon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mark Scheuer working restoring the Flashback neon sign in the workshop of City Neon PHOTO BY Peter Hays/Tangerine Productions Historic Edmonton Gay Bar Sign Joins Neon Sign Museum Edmonton – June 15, 2023 “Never in the history of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Edmonton have we ever had such a visible, prominent and permanent display of our community” says Ron Byers, Director of the Rainbow Story Hub Foundation. “Come out and listen to some great disco supplied by Flashback’s own DJ Mikee (Michael Brennan), hear from the man behind it all – John Reid and cheer with…

• Rainbow Story Hub
• April 9, 2023
• 0 Comments
• 1 minute Read

A Flashback to Flashback

History of Edmonton’s Gay Bars, Part 2: A Flashback to Flashback Author Ron Byers and Rob Browatzke | September 30, 2020 The impact Flashback had on relations between LBGTQ people and straight people was enormous. With LGBTQ members bringing friends to the club (many of them straight), Edmonton’s young adult crowd was quickly changing their opinions on how they viewed the LGBTQ community. As John Reid says, “How better to get to know people than to party together and feel safe? We were proud of [Flashback] becoming a melting pot of differences that found harmony.”  To read this story on the Edmonton City As…