If you’ve been to certain gay clubs in Glasgow or Edinburgh, you’ll know that there can be a certain whiff of cheese in the air. Not so with Hot Mess, held at Wee Red Bar every two months and fast gaining a rep for being one of the coolest off the beaten track nights in the city.

Organiser and DJ Simon Eilbeck explains: ‘It’s essentially a dance party for queer kids and their friends who are looking for an alternative to Edinburgh’s mainstream gay scene. You don’t have to be queer to come to it but you probably will be by the time you leave.’

Although Eilbeck has been a DJ since his time at university in the 90s, he was more familiar with a laddish club crowd or gay nights that worship Gaga, Rihanna and other chart hits. Discovering creative and alternative Glasgow clubnights like Menergy and Lock Up your Daughters inspired him to start something similarly anti-establishment in Edinburgh.

‘I wanted to do a night that was quite obviously geared towards gay folk. The posters nearly always have a guy with pants on them. Straight people are welcome but they’ll know if they come along that anything goes.’

From techno, electro and house to Donna Summer and 80s treats like Kate Bush, Prince and Depeche Mode, Hot Mess is eclectic to say the least.

‘These days, I think there’s an expectation of a lot of clubs that they should have a guest appearance or there should be some live acts and it’s not a proper club if there isn’t. I don’t agree with that. I wanted to make a party where music came first and foremost – where people could dance, have a good time and not get any funny looks if they were getting off with someone of the same sex.’

Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh, Fri 2 Dec.