Viva La Queer Bar (Pride 2026)

Kenzie Tartaglione:

Hello everyone and welcome back to queeRPG. Happy Pride. This is our second one shot for Pride Month, and today we'll be we will be playing Viva La Queer Bar. My name is Kenzie Tartaglioni and I am the creative director of queeRPG, so you've heard me a lot, but I have two new guests on the show.

Queon:

Hi everybody, I am Queon. I got my bruthaqueon across all the internets. I am a TTRPG performer, streamer, and a RPG host as well now. I use they/he pronouns as well.

Stellaluna:

Hello, hello. I'm Stella Luna on Twitch and StellaLunaTV everywhere else. I use any all pronouns, and if you see it say she/they, it's because I'm way too lazy to update all of the things. But you can use literally any pronoun, it's totally fine. I am a TTRPG producer. I also work in TTRPG outreach and I love doing this all the time, every day. So thank you so much for having me.

Kenzie:

Very excited to have both of you on to play this game. For our audience who doesn't know Viva Quee Bar, let me give you a little rundown about the game. Viva La Queer Bar is a slice-of-life story game about a queer bar and the team who runs it. It's a game about the pleasures and struggles of being part of the queer community. It welcomes players of all genders and orientations who are willing to take on the perspective of a queer character for the duration of the game. This game requires no preparation.You just need the zine and a regular deck of playing cards and you're ready to go.

We do have safety tools that we have already gone through as a cast, and those will be implemented during play if needed. And then the game starts by taking turns drawing playing cards and answering the questions associated with them. You will hear all these question prompts throughout the game. And over the course of the game, our queer bar, our main characters, some side characters, and the details about the surroundings of the queer bar will be developed through the answers to those questions. And the game culminates with a final question that we will all have to answer, which is: What is your most important wish for the future of the queer bar?

Kenzie:

Oh, that’s so sweet.

Stella:

Yeah.

Queon:

Yeah, I love that. That's actually really nice.

Kenzie:

All of the prep in this game is collaborative and it is really only setting up our relationship to each other, the setting for the bar, and the tone. So our queer bar can be anywhere. Some of the options that the game gives are a medieval tavern, a cyberpunk underground club, or just the real world that we live in today, which is any any are good choices. I don't personally have a preference for this, if we want to do something wacky, that is totally cool. If you want to do something more grounded, that is totally cool.

Stella:

Oh my gosh, there are so many options.

Queon:

Ooh. Yeah.

Kenzie:

There are a lot of options.

Stella:

The second that you mentioned that this could be anywhere, I don't know why, but I just kind of imagined very Cowboy Bebop kind of like -

Queon:

Thank you. Oh my god.

Stella:

Did you also?

Queon:

I've been in a futuristic rut for the past little like two-week stint. So yes, I've been watching like Cowboy Bebop, Bubblegum Crisis, all of that. Like, I've been stuck.

Stella:

Oh my god.

Kenzie:

I don't know anything about Cowboy Beebop. So can somebody explain what the vibe is?

Stella:

Okay, imagine space, like corporate space, right? And then you've got sad bounty hunters, cowboy kind of wild, wild west vibes out in space, but it's like like junky, derelict, like diners, gas stations. You know, like everyone is trying really hard to scrap by because just capitalism sucks and it's in space, but sometimes you gotta move between space stations or different planets.

Queon:

It’s very scrap metal make it work type of vibes. And I - it’s so good.

Kenzie:

Yeah, I love the sound of that. Okay, so we're space cowboy bar owners.

Queon:

That's so good. Like yes.

Kenzie:

What type of bar are we? So is this like it feels like it feels like we should be like a kind of general queer bar because, you know, we could be more specific if it's just like a lesbian bar, if it's a leather bar, if it's for gay men. It feels like maybe we wanna open it up to all genders and orientations here.

Queon:

My brain. It's just because my brain went to this is the place you go for the afters. So it's like you go here because it's like they have enough like space for everybody. and then also it's like there's also food.

Kenzie:

We're the like we're like the industry bar. Okay.

Queon:

Yeah, kind of like we're we're like like is it's the place you go to after like the con. After like this is the place where you go to hang out after everything has already happened, and it's just like this is the place to like decompress, debrief, and actually hang out with your people.

Stella:

I like that. I like that a lot.

Kenzie:

Big community base, then

Queon:

Oh, one hundred percent.

Kenzie:

Which honestly I think all queer bars sh should probably be in general, but great.

Queon:

So everybody here went to like their had their first queer bar, right?

Kenzie:

Yeah.

Queon:

What was the name of yours?

Stella:

I don't remember because mine was in Germany and it was a long time ago.

Kenzie:

I feel like also the problem is like a lot of bars are just like queer sometimes, you know?

Queon:

Which is fair.

Kenzie:

Like even even like gay bars, even gay bars feel sometimes like they're just queer sometimes.

Queon:

Queer on occasion. I can never forget mine because it was very formative for me. and it's in the middle of Oklahoma City and it was called Tramps.

Stella:

Oh my god, I love that.

Queon:

So absolutely.

Kenzie:

It was called the Interbelt.

Queon:

That sounds accurate. That also sounds like a good name for this bar too.

Kenzie:

You know what? You're you're kind of right.

Queon:

Yeah.

Kenzie:

Interbelt.

Stella:

We're going back, Kenzie.

Kenzie:

Oh know, it’s happening.

Stella:

We're taking it to space

Queon:

Interbelt re-do.

Kenzie:

I actually love that. I think that's great. That would be the name of the bar. It's community based, it's for like people congregate there after events. So that feels like it it could bring a a sense of chaos to the game in terms of there's a wide array of clientele kind of. If we're like after concerts, after cons, after all different events, it feels like it can bring in a a wide array of individuals.

We should also talk about our relationship to each other and then what our like specific jobs are at the bar. So, you know, are we like college friends who opened a bar? Were we regulars who got who bought the bar out? Were we just kind of lost souls who wandered across this space and got jobs?

Stella:

So Kenzie, a really big thing. I mean, obviously we don't have to be explicitly Cowboy Bebop inspired -

Kenzie:

We're in it now. We might as well continue.

Stella:

Well then, Kenzie, let me tell you, one of the most important things about Cowboy Bebop, especially the name, is because music is such a huge part of it. So I think it would be really cool if the Interbelt, but Cowboy Bebop version has like a lot of music built into it. So maybe it could be like queer artists are encouraged to come here and they hold their shows here. or even like just a reprieve from like the torturous corporate, like droning, you know, atmosphere everywhere else. And this place is meant to be more lively. It's meant to be a lot more of everyone going off of their own drum. You know, it's maybe it's like, when they throw events here, it isn't one genre of music. Like maybe it's just a kaleidoscope of all kinds of different songs and artists and maybe even like slam poetry, who knows, you know? Yeah.

Kenzie:

Spoken word - I was about to say spoken word poetry.

Stella:

Yeah.

Kenzie:

Yeah, I love that. I love that.

Stella:

So with that in mind, who do we want to play?

Kenzie:

Yeah. Who do we want to play?

Queon:

I don't know why when you started saying all of that, my mind went to like the musical Chicago. So I'm thinking like it's us like running the bar, but I also like the idea of us getting the bar from somebody else and like keeping it from closing because a lot of queer bars now are closing down. I would like for us to be able to revitalize this one and give it like a new spin. So us taking the music twist on it and making it a music hub for people to come to, I like that idea a lot.

Stella:

Maybe like the actual physical location was something else and we acquired it and we've built it into this new thing.

Kenzie:

I like this idea that we were maybe like traveling I don't know, it's space. Do they travel around space in Cowboy Bebop?

Queon:

100%. Absolutely.

Stella:

Yeah.

Kenzie:

Yeah, okay.

Stella:

Your ship is like your home basically.

Kenzie:

Nice. Where we were like traveling around and we landed the ship in the space of this other place and then built built our ship into the bar?

Queon:

Oh,I like that a lot.

Kenzie:

So like the land was something else and we acquired the land, landed the ship. Ship is now the gay bar.

Stella:

I love that.

Queon:

b I like I love that a lot. When yeah.

Stella:

That would mean that our ship, our home is now the bar. Like the bar is partially our home too.

Queon:

And that is the gayest thing possible because gays love living above something.

Kenzie:

We do love living above something.

Queon:

Like we love living above like yeah, I live above like a a bagel shop. I live above like a music bar. Absolutely.

Stella:

I live on top of a cafe right now.

Kenzie:

Nice.

Queon:

Yes.

Kenzie:

Seeing as I'm a bartender in life, I'm gonna give myself a promotion and be the bar manager.

Stella:

Ooh yes I love that for you.

Queon:

Ooh. Pretty fancy schmancy.

Kenzie:

Somebody’s gotta be the event coordinator for having all these artsy types.

Queon:

I already do that in my day job. I'm not doing it -

Stella:

I was literally thinking the exact same thing. I'm like, that's basically what I do right now. Do I actually wanna roleplay that?

Queon:

Do I want - oh, god. Just the thought of like, yeah.

Kenzie:

I mean we could have other we could have other employees if we so want.

Queon:

II'd rather be a mechanic than be the event coordinator.

Stella:

One of us needs to have been the pilot.

Queon:

Pilot it is!

Stella:

Alright, screw it. I'll be the event manager.

Kenzie:

You don’t have -

Stella:

No, no, no, no, no. It was literally my first instinct while we were talking and thinking about it. I was like, do I do it? I think I do, but I'll also give myself a promotion, alright? I'll be Ed. I'll be the coder. I'll have like an intrinsic understanding of like software and like fixing the physical things. I also fix the schedule.

Queon:

Somebody’s got to.

Stella:

Somebody’s got to.

Queon:

Wait, so are we like a are we are we mobile -

Kenzie:

I don't think we're mobile.

Queon:

- or are we stationary right now?

Kenzie:

So I was gonna say what as the pilot slash mechanic does that translate into like the sound engineer for the shows and like the handyman around the bar?

Queon:

Oh, yeah. absolutely. Like I'm probably like when when it's slow nights, I'm probably up there doing my own thing, like doing my own little slam poetry nights and stuff. but for the most part, yeah, I'm probably doing like the pyrotechnics and all of like our shows are full -

Kenzie:

Just imagine there's fireworks coming out of the ship.

Queon:

- it’s like yeah, full on thrusters and everything. Absolutely. And mind you they're just doing slam poetry and out of nowhere, there's sparks and everything flying off.

Stella:

My expertise of like, you know, coding things is now updating inventory lists. Make sure we have synthetic limes for our cocktails.

Kenzie:

You are fluent in every scheduling app and software that there is.

Stella:

Yeah.

Queon:

Oh, that’s so good.

Kenzie:

I feel like that answers all of my questions about, you know, the bar itself and what we do. Do you guys have any outstanding questions that we before we jump in?

Stella:

I think my question is from my experience of queer bars, usually there's like a theme, right? Like just like even if it's just aesthetic, right? What do we kind of imagine our aesthetic to be? Like it could even just be like a primary color that's found, like it could be like, do we lean into like plants or I don't know why, but like when I was living in DC, there were so many queer bars that were like baseball oriented. It was so random. Maybe it was the neighborhood that I was in, but it you know, that, but what a we.

Kenzie:

I know that solar punk is technically a not real genre because of the actual like etymology of punk, but maybe that sort of vibe. So like the mixing like we have a big ship, so we've covered it in plants. Maybe we've like opened opened up the top and there's like a sunroof for during the day and then at night the moon roof.

Queon:

Thank God there's a hot gardener. Yes. Yes.

Kenzie:

There is a hot gardener, their name is Soyl.

Queon:

There’s a like - yes.

Stella:

Oh, my god, I love that.

Queon:

Send me the non-binary.

Kenzie:

So yeah, maybe it's like full of plant life. and maybe like kind of crazy plants too from all over the solar system. Maybe people like come and like that's like a thing with the bars, like you come and like first drinks on us if you bring a plant that we don't have or something.

Queon:

That’s nice. And then like maybe we have like cause a lot of queer bars, they also have like a patio and everything as well. Maybe we have like a full botanical garden inside as well that people can go and sit and drink in into.

Stella:

I really love that,

Queon:

I love this so much.

Stella:

Especially because I I can just imagine like, especially since like queer bars are so community oriented, someone moving into the area, you know, and it's like, okay, they're new to the community, they don't really know anyone. Someone says, All right, look, just bring a plant, go to this bar, you know, you would instantly have connection. Cause it's like, okay, you know, you bring something and then that place like you know, assuming they t they accept it, that joins the dirt, right? It's like, that's part of the garden. You've become part of the garden.

Queon:

Oh, that’s sick. That's sick.

Kenzie:

Okay guys, so when we're done playing this game, we're gonna create an LLC and a business plan and -

Queon:

Oh, yeah, this is actually happening.

Stella:

We’re opening a bar.

Queon:

So I know I said I was gonna be like the pyrotechnics of it all, right? But then we mentioned that there's now a garden here. Can I be the head gardener instead?

Kenzie:

Yeah.

Stella:

Yeah.

Queon:

I think like as a pilot, one of the big things now he's like, I want to set up roots, and this is his way of setting up roots. So I think that that's very thematic for him.

Stella:

That is so funny coming from the pilot. Like I mean, I think like that's such a great story hook, right? It's like you're as a pilot, you're used to moving around, but it's like trying to set roots.

Queon:

Now it's just like, yep. Now I just get to sit back, watch my plants do. I'll still do the pyrotechnics on like the weekends, but - just cause it's fun. But for the most part, I think he really does just like enjoy the slow life with his best friends.

Why did we come together? Yeah, like w we know how we got here, but why did we all come together? What were we doing before this?

Kenzie:

Flying around on space adventure. No, I don't know. I don't know. It could be

Queon:

Hey, it could be like 'cause we could be like bounty - like we could be on refuge where it's like we're hiding out here. This is us like trying to like -

Kenzie:

I mean it would be super interesting if we like came from corporate work -

Stella:

We were part of the machine and we escaped the machine.

Kenzie:

- and we escaped the machine, yeah. And now we have a garden bar in the middle of nowhere. That's just so gay of us.

Queon:

Yes. Yes. It's like, all right, cool. We're not doing this anymore. absolutely. Love that.

Stella:

Hundred percent.

Kenzie:

Now the story begins. You are part of the queer community. You are a lesbian, gay, bi, pan, non-binary, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, aromantic, and or some other kind of queer. The queer bar is also part of this community. You are part of the queer bar team, or have been working at the queer bar in another role. The queer bar is a home for you.

Today is an important anniversary for the queer bar. You're sitting at the bar waiting for the other so you can celebrate together. You look around the room and remember your experience at the queer bar - which I can now stop referring to as the queer bar and call Interbelt. And now whoever wants to draw the first playing card can do so. If you would like me to begin, I can do so. If you want me to break the ice on the cards.

Queon:

I think it's only right.

Stella:

Yeah.

Kenzie:

Okay. I'll do it. You twisted my arm. Oh, the first one we are starting out strong. Someone left the queer bar team. Someone left the Interbelt team. What conflict in the group was the reason? I think that throughout the years. I feel like this is an important anniversary. So I wanna say like maybe five years, the five year anniversary of the queer bar.

There was a consistent artist who would perform at Interbelt was dating one of the bartenders. And there was the conflict actually wasn't the breakup. The conflict was that the bartender started to not think that the performance fit the vibe of the bar. And so I feel like as a team the conclusion was that the performer would stay and so the bartender decided to leave the bar.

The artist was like poetry, like spoken word. And maybe maybe the poems actually got too personal about the bartender and their relationship. And so the bartender was like, Can we not do this at my place of work? And it was like, But it's art. So we gotta support art.

Queon:

It’s art, babe.

Kenzie:

It’s art. And so that person was like, for my own sanity, I do have to relieve myself from this position.

Queon:

I wonder if they started working at an opposing bar across the galaxy.

Kenzie:

They’re telling stories about Interbelt and their ex on a different planet.

Queon:

Yeah, it's like you don't go over there. Yeah, like a whole different planet still talking about Interbelt.

The Interbelt has a special beverage on offer. Who is the best at making it? Who orders it regularly? I feel like, of course, like the bar manager is the one who came up with the drink. However, our star bartender, what are we gonna name? What are we gonna name the bartender?

Kenzie:

I feel like you can if it's if that's the character you want to go with, I think you can name it.

Queon:

I think I'm gonna give them like - I'm looking at like a a card right here and it says Mystic on it. So I think their name is Mystic. Kenzie, your character made the drink, but Mystic perfected it. So like they are like they are turning and burning and making like the best of these. I think it's probably like - it is the most alcoholic drink you can think of, but it tastes like cotton candy. It is very dangerous, but it is delicious.

Kenzie:

I literally at work the other day tried to create a blueberry pineapple tequila sour.

Queon:

b What?

Kenzie:

Which turned out not terribly. So it looked great too. It's it was like a purplish blue color. It was great.

Queon:

Oh that sounds delicious. my God. And honestly, hmm, I was about to say I think I'm I might order it the most. Who orders it regularly? I think it might be my go to drink. It's called the Mystic Sour.

Stella:

Ooh, Mystic Sour.

Where in the queer bar do you like to be the most? Why?

We have like seating essentially. I like to think that there we have like corner seating where there's like some benches that are built into the wall and then there's like a round table in front of it. The benches are very comfy. They have these luxurious cushions that we've collected in our journeys. So they're all kind of mismatched, but they're very plush and we have hanging plants kind of over the corners of the the room as well. And like I imagine like between the corners, like in the very back, there's probably part of that glass solar roof, moon roof kind of vibe that we've got going on as well. And so it has this sort of just air of come sit and relax.

And I think like the quiet times when it's the during the day and the bar is like technically open, but it's not like party time, it's not like time for jubilation, I think that's the favorite part and the favorite place because it's a reminder of where we are and what we came from because this is our ship, right? And it's more of a reminder of like, you know, this is our ship. This is our house. This is where we live. And at night it transforms into something else.

Kenzie:

During the day is that where you do your scheduling and your planning in the corner booth with all your papers spread out?

Stella:

Ooh, yeah, I think it has to be just to keep the cortisol levels down, you know?

Queon:

There’s a couple of times where we've walked over and you're just snoozing in the corner, just like,

Stella:

Oh, yeah.

Queon:

Okay, like they put in they put in so much work. They deserve this. It's okay. that's so good.

Stella:

Especially 'cause like a lot of bar work is outside of like the actual bar hours. Like, you know, cleanup and set up, making sure we have all the things that we need, scheduling people to show up when they need to show up, you know. A lot of that happens when other people aren't around.

Kenzie:

The hallway in front of the restrooms at the queer bar brings up a strong memory for you. What did you experience there?

I feel like in my general experience, the lines for the bathrooms have a lot to do with the beginnings of relationships. and so I feel like maybe

Queon:

That’s a great way to put it. That's a great way to put it.

Kenzie:

And so like maybe it was like in the first year that we had landed here and the bar was open and I feel like maybe the like toilet was plugged up and so I was going back there with with a with a plunger and I was walking down the hallway and I met eyes with somebody in line for the bathroom and that is my partner and has been my partner since.

Stella:

Awwww.

Kenzie:

And so the experience was a first attraction that developed into a a love story.

Queon:

That’s so sweet.

Stella:

While you had a plunger in your hand.

Kenzie:

Just holding a plunger. Listen, you fall in love with people at the worst moments.

Stella:

Oh my god.

Queon:

That means they've they've been together since like the probably close to the beginning, right?

Kenzie:

Yeah, I’d say so.

Queon:

Oh, that’s so sweet.

Stella:

Almost five years.

Queon:

Aww. That's good.

Kenzie:

And it also it was embarrassing because I was carrying the plunger and that's not even my job. But like we were so busy and no one knows anything because it's like that first year is chaos.

Queon:

Oh, yeah.

Stella:

Oh, yeah.

Kenzie:

And so it's just like, who's who has a free two minutes?

Stella:

Yeah, and it was you with the plunger.

Kenzie:

It was me.

Queon:

It just happened and you're like this isn't even what I'm s I'm supposed to be behind the - okay, whatever. Scheitza.

Which regular guest at the queer bar, aka the Interbelt, do you dislike? Ooh, why is it still okay for you that this person is there? I think the person that I dislike here is my ex. And the reason why I I let him keep coming around is because he keeps bringing us the plants that we don't have. And I think it's his way of trying to make it like better for like our breakup. He's trying to win me back with these. And if it wasn't for these plants, he would not be allowed inside. He's brought us like snap dragons, actual dragons that snap its beautiful, all of these things. And it's just like, if you didn't have these, you would be nowhere near us.

Kenzie:

Was this - how did you meet this ex?

Queon:

I think he's from the corporate life.

Kenzie:

Okay.

Stella:

Ooh.

Queon:

I think I left all of that behind. Like we got into an argument and you two were probably already like trying to get me to leave, and he was the only thing keeping me to like stay. And it's like, okay, that happened. All right, cool. Hey, let's go. Like, I know we've been talking about this. We could go like right now. And then he figured out where the Interbelt was and's like, okay, so, hey babe, I'm sorry. I remember you loved all of these plants. Here are like 17 at first. He's been going at it for five years, by the way. So…

Kenzie:

When he brings a plant, is he like, okay, where's my free drink? Or is he just bringing the plants and ignoring the the enticement of the free beverage?

Queon:

I think he's ignoring the free drinks. Like, I still make him take the free drinks so he doesn't like, so it doesn't feel like it's just he's here because of me, even though I know he's here because of me. So make sure he gets his because if he keeps coming back, he’s gonna start thinking it's a thing and it's not a thing.

Kenzie:

Despite the fact that he followed you across space

Stella:

Keeps showing up.

Queon:

Keeps showing up. It's just like -

Stella:

The second that he steps into the bar, all of the staff are just like side eyeing like

Kenzie:

Oh, no, he's back.

Queon:

He’s back again. It's like -

Kenzie:

Just calling for - like somebody opens the back door just calling for you

Queon:

Yes! Oh, he’s back. Okay, cool. Bring him in. And I just take the plant. Like make sure he takes his drink and just it's like probably like once every six months he comes back. One of us has a good relationship in this bar.

Stella:

During a party at the queer bar, you gave an embarrassing performance. Who cheered for you nonetheless? I think it was like open mic karaoke. (Laughs) Oh my gosh. There was this one time I went to a bar and like the setup was basically like three U-shaped couches and they were all facing towards like the eastern wall. And the eastern wall had a bunch of TVs on it. And there were two mics that floated around the room. So it was basically one karaoke machine that like a whole bar of people had to like basically like pass the mics around. It was so chaotic. Like I kind of imagine because like we're not a karaoke bar, when we have our karaoke night, it's something similar to that. And I think I I gave an embarrassing performance. I think maybe just feeling really inspired one day. Essentially, you know, my character is in charge of scheduling people and getting like some of those performers in. Maybe even having to like wine and dine people when they come through to like try to help make those like all-star evening performances that try to sell tickets and all of that. And like maybe they they were like, yeah, you could definitely sing this song. And my character just absolutely off key, just cannot give a single good note. Voice cracking.

It was probably the bar staff that cheered me on, nevertheless. Like maybe one of your characters, or if not both.

Queon:

Oh, absolutely.

Stella:

Because like especially if it was like during a karaoke night where we like all star singers, they're all gonna be like, you know, trying to like sing their hearts out and like make it beautiful and memorable. But like we live there and like we know that the event's just to have fun, right? The thing about karaoke is like you don't have the point isn't to sound good. The point is to just have a good time.

Kenzie:

I’ve decided that my character's name is Sammy. So Sammy definitely cheers and then we'll also slide a shot across the bar to you immediately once you're finished.

Stella:

Yes! I love that. Oh my god. Sammy!

Kenzie:

What smell always makes you think of Interbelt? I think, crazily enough, because there are so many plants in here, like the earth, dirt and soil and that fresh scent that plants give off in the mornings, like that is, you know, outside of the stench of alcohol and spilled drinks and that sort of thing, it's really the the rooting source of the bar, which is the garden, and the life that we kind of grow here.

Queon:

I love that. That's so that's so sweet. Oh goodness.

Stella:

Oh my gosh, wait, if the if if like we have so like literally so many plants, that would probably mean that we have to keep it kind of warm and humid.

Kenzie:

Oh no!

Queon:

Or at least in the area, yeah.

Kenzie:

You know they're space plants. It doesn't matter. They're space plants.

Stella:

Kenzie’s like, no, I don't want humidity.

Kenzie:

I hate that. I hate the idea of humidity in a bar. I hate it.

Queon:

Hey, like some places you just gotta have a sheen of sweat in. And I don't want that to be our bar.

Kenzie:

Yeah, it gets sweaty enough in there when there are dance parties. We don't need humidity. I also think because we have so many rooms though, like the actual bar itself, like the plant life in there can probably be a little bit more sporadic. But then like the lounge rooms or the other the gardening rooms, like with the abundance, we can probably, you know, change the temperatures around and stuff. Yeah.

Queon:

I’m also thinking of like all the clubs that I've been to that are like three separate floors of three different club environments. That's what I'm picturing right now. It's like, okay, cool. This one is like the the smooth music. Then above that we've got like the loud music and this just like the lounge area up at the very, very top.

There was a self-defense workshop at the Interbelt. Who did you go home with afterwards?

Kenzie:

God damn if it's not your instructor, Queon.

Queon:

Oh god. Ooh, actually, wait, hold on. Ooh. So I have decided that my character's name is Chicago because I thought of the movie earlier.

Stella:

That’s such a great cowboy bebop name, by the way.

Queon:

Right.

Kenzie:

I’m gonna have to watch Cowboy Bebop now.

Stella:

You do, you should.

Queon:

It's so good. It's so good.

Stella:

Watch the anime.

Queon:

Shameless plug.

Stella:

Queon, we got her.

Queon:

We got another one, lets go!

Kenzie:

Okay, wait, I haven't washed it yet. Okay.

Queon:

Nah, nah, nah, you’ve broken.

Stella:

Listen, we have recorded proof that you're gonna watch it now.

Queon:

Everybody who listens to this, check in to see if Kenzie’s watched yet yet.

Kenzie:

Oh, no, I can't cut this part out now. It's

Queon:

I think I because of somebody who has been brought up already, I think the person who I went back home with was Soyle. And I think Soyle was originally the self-defense teacher. Like, and now he just works here and we definitely have a poly relationship. Which is the reason why he does not care about my ex coming around. He's like, whatever, do what you want to do. But now he still hosts his self-defense classes, but he also does help out with like taking care of the plants and taking care of like specifically the ones that might try to fight back.

Kenzie:

While I did sh say soil because of plants, I feel like the name should be spelled so egregiously not the way that it's supposed to be. It's like S-O-Y-L-E or something.

Queon:

There’s a random pH. Oh it is definitely S-O-Y-L-E. Hey, if y'all see a character named Doyle spelled like that, don't ask.

Stella:

Who is your favorite guest at the Interbelt? Why? Hmm. The favorite guest is not even human. It's definitely like someone's dog or something. We'll be a little more creative.

Kenzie:

We allow all pets, all space pets in the bar, so it could be the weirdest looking creature.

Stella:

Yeah, yeah. I'm not gonna we're gonna make it a little more creative than just Einstein the Corgi, which is the a famous character from Cowboy Beepop. Okay, it's gonna be the rattiest looking thing ever. Like, I'm imagining like a grizzled kind of like terrier something that just like crawls through the ducts of someone's ship and like just makes sure that there's no pests there. Like a little rat catcher kind of thing. his name will be Meatball, and he's just like like, you know, if i you turned this little dog into a person, he'd definitely be like a a veteran soldier of some kind, you know, that kind of vibe.

Queon:

He’s seen some shit.

Stella:

Yeah, he's seen some shit. Just like smash cut to this, like he's like in the vents, and you just see his little face and he's looking out of the vents and he's witnessing some like horrific space scene in the cargo bay of his ship, and then (scratching noises) his little dog nails as he's going down the vents. Yeah, for sure. Meatball has seen some stuff.

Kenzie:

Meatball the rat dog.

Stella:

But he's like retired now. So he lives a comfortable life. He comes visit with like his mom, who’s probably a really sweet person. yeah. I think like maybe we even like have like a little like we carry like a small stock of like dog treats just for meatball when he visits.

Queon:

Just for meatball, absolutely.

Kenzie:

We have a water bowl and it didn't have a name on it, but now like in really bad handwriting it just says meatball across it. Yeah.

Stella:

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Queon:

Yep, it's just like scribbled into it. He's got his own like little dog bed.

Stella:

I love it.

Kenzie:

Actually Queon, I think it'd be funny if your character tried to like laser cut engrave Meatball into the into the bowl and it's just the worst handwriting ever.

Queon:

It’s like, yeah, it's like, listen, I'm not good at I'm not good at the laser cutting. You guys know that, okay? This is the best I got for you, Meatball.

Kenzie:

In a crisis you found support at the Interbelt. What happened?We we were talking about like not to bring the vibe down, but we were talking about like corporate entity capitalism being the bad guy. I think maybe like I had like family living in a nearby neighborhood and you know, a large corporation came in and stole like the property out from underneath people who had lived there for a really long time. And so in the crisis of like having to like rehouse people and the land wasn't bought, it was just like taken. So like there wasn't any financial gain for the people there. So like in that chaos of like trying to rehouse, trying to fight back against the sale of the land, I probably came and honestly got support from you two mostly, because we've known each other for so long. But I think I feel like there is this community. at the queer bar where Stella you mentioned earlier where we're like open during the day but it's not like party time. And I'm wondering if there's like a facilitation here of maybe not like really therapy of that sort, but like people are around, like civil servants kind of working to help the community and people can actually come during the day and like try to find those social services and support for those things. So I think maybe maybe that was an inciting incident for us to build that into the space.

Queon:

I think also because like at least for me, what I know about like the queer bars that I frequented, like especially when I was younger, they were the heartbeat of the community. So if anything needed to happen, or if like - I think that we also probably like put on like a benefit or something to raise funds for this, like for the people who are affected by this, that way we can give back and actually help the people who we are a part of. Especially supporting Sammy.

You admire a person on the queer bar team. What impresses you most about them? Who all do we hire here?

Kenzie:

I feel like we can have like a full you know, a full staff of bartenders, bar backs, probably are we selling some food here? Maybe we have a cook -

Stella:

A chef, yeah.

Kenzie:

- some kitchen staff.

Queon:

I think where my mind is going is like the person who helps coordinate all the all the things that we do to give back, that's who like I admire the most. And I think that might be Stella's character.

Stella:

I’ve decided to name my character L, like the letter L. It's just the letter L.

Queon:

I think it might be L. Like if you're the one like coordinating all of like everything, because I think for Chicago, it's like one of those things where it's like, I'm good with like flying a ship. I'm really good with my hands and things, but you have like the mental capacity to do all of these things. And that astounds me. I'm a simple farm boy from the from the asteroid two seven eight over there. So yeah, I really love like I think that I admire El so much.

Stella:

That’s so sweet. You once screwed up an important matter and thereby endangered the queer bar. What did you do? Oh my god.

Kenzie:

It feels like -

Queon:

This tracks.

Kenzie:

- it was unfortunately directed right at you.

Stella:

Yeah, it was just a matter of time.

Queon:

Whoops!

Stella:

Oopsie. Ooh okay. Maybe there was like an event going on, and we had a lot of interest in people wanting to like apply for the event, like show up as like talent or maybe perform or host something. And because of just so much busy work, L didn't vet everyone or didn't do it as well as they would have liked if they had more time. And it was just more of like an oversight issue and ended up bringing in someone who essentially like I don't know if we want to get like genre specific maybe like they have like a crime background, right? Like literal like crime syndicate, like maybe someone who was actually literally dangerous, like maybe a wanted person for like grand theft spaceship or something,

Queon:

Grand theft spaceship

Kenzie:

The Internet starts to move all of a sudden that evening.

Queon:

It's like actually yeah, like what if they did try and hijack the Interbelt?

Stella:

Yeah. Like what if what if they they ended up getting like maybe it was like a an event that required like multiple days of something, like maybe it was a week long or something, so that the individuals

Kenzie:

Pide.

Queon:

Pride.

Kenzie:

Pride events at -

Stella:

Yeah, so this one like this one sleaze bag is responsible for ruining Pride Week one time.

Queon:

What if the what if this sleaze bag is the one who was trying to buy the Interbelt off of the original owner?

Stella:

Oooh.

Queon:

And then it was like we came in and swooped it up, and this is his like trying to get it back out from under us.

Stella:

I like that. And we just didn't - like L didn't connect the dots of like who this person was and like why they're here and was just kind of went with the assumption of, you're here to like try to help out with this thing, right? And essentially they they get brought onto this team that's gonna be helping us for a week. And I actually really like that that they literally try to steal the ship fro out from under us.

Kenzie:

Who at the queer bar have you spent the most nights talking with until dawn?

Stella:

That’s such a wholesome prompt.

Kenzie:

I think I think in honor of old queers, there's an individual who comes into the bar as a regular, comes in like every day, and just has story upon story to tell. I'm gonna actually name this after a specific man that I know. Terry, who actually wears a shepherd's hat. Not a cowboy, but a shepherd. He's a shepherd and just like expounded to me when I was working at this dive bar in my city about queer history and his experiences in the leather community and at bars in the past and like how the community has changed and all that type of stuff. And I feel like just somebody like that who is just kind of telling stories about you know, where we came from and ha you know, where we're going.

Queon:

I like Terry. I like Terry a lot.

Stella:

What do you think is like one of the most profound like topics that you talked about?

Kenzie:

I think maybe about how identity used to really mean something, where it was the connecting factor between people. It was kind of what revolution was built off of. And the want or the urge to maybe find a place where that can happen again. And I'll say for the real world, maybe without all of the bad stuff that that came with. but without all the exclusionary aspects of that. But this idea of where like, as we've been talking about, like a gay bar should be a place where you can go and find community of any kind. And I think in present day that's not the case. And just like how important and how strong that made the community as a whole. and I think that kind of spurned Sammy into being like, well, that's the vision for the Interbelt.

Stella:

I love it. It's so nice.

Queon:

I love these characters. I love this place. I'm going to be honest. I'm stealing the Interbelt.

Stella:

Someone already tried doing that.

Queon:

And let's see how that worked out for him. What do we end up doing with him, by the way? Do we just like… (laughs).

Kenzie:

Mm, yeah, what is what is what are our moral thoughts on cops in in this in this world?

Queon:

Yeah, because that's why I'm like, notice I didn't say what, I'm like, did we call the cops? No, what did we do with him? Oh my god, he probably had to work it off.

Kenzie:

You made him sound like he's a bad guy. I feel like we should not I just mean he maybe we should not keep him around to work it off.

Stella:

I think we probably would have tried to figure out like, all right, why do you need our ship? Right. And like maybe try to like get to the root problem of all of it. Cause it's like you're not going to be taking the Interbelt. Like that's just not happening.

Queon:

Stella, love that you said get to the root problem because I said make them plant food.

Stella:

Yep.

Kenzie:

Hmm. Okay, okay.

Stella:

There it is.

Kenzie:

There is a dead man at the Interbelt. Okay.

Queon:

He’s plant food. He's mulch. Okay.

Stella:

Listen.

Queon:

What Interbelt project that is close to your heart has not yet been realized?

I think one of the things that Chicago really is pushing for, that it takes time to get there. I think he really wants at least one of the gardens to be a public garden where people can come and get food, where it's sustainable and that it's not - because we've said that this is kind of like a giant middle finger to corporate, whereas like they don’t - he doesn't want people to have to fight for food or anything like that. He wants it to be an open market for everybody. It's just taken a lot longer because everybody keeps bringing us dangerous food. Like instead of like, okay, so I need cucumbers, need tomatoes. So I think like he's been putting like out that we need more sustainable food that people can actually eat. And he just wants it to be running on its own. That way we don't have to worry about like, okay, cool. We ran through this and we don't have enough for anybody else. He wants it to be a year round thing and that takes time to build up.

God, I've turned him into a fucking humanitarian. I love this kid. I love him so much.

Stella:

I can't remember - it’s called weaponized incompetence like they're there I was trying to think of like because there are there are people who no maybe weaponized innocence. I can't remember. Basically the idea that like sometimes people are trying to do a thing where they're trying to help but they're not doing the research and they're not doing it carefully. And it's like they're trying to give us all this food and it's like some of it, you know, isn’t like healthy or clean or safe, you know, and it's like it doesn't actually help because it causes a new problem, which is something that somebody has to fix.

Kenzie:

It’s like it's like the people who complain that the food bank has like requirements for what you give them. They're like, Well, it's just food, I'll just give food and it's like, Well, no, it it has to be usable for the people that we're providing the food for. Thank you.

Stella:

There was a great theme party at the queer bar. What was the theme? What did you wear?

Kenzie:

I feel like maybe we should all answer the what did you wear question after you answer what the theme was.

Stella:

Yes, please, of course, of course.

Queon:

Absolutely. Because we need to describe what our characters look like.

Stella:

My immediate thought is obviously a Halloween costume party, but that's because my birthday is really close to Halloween and every party is just every one of my birthday parties has always been a costume party. But a theme, something more specific, might be fun. What would be a great theme party in the world of space cowboys?

Kenzie:

Cowboy Beepop You can make up a holiday if you want. Just some random -

Stella:

Ooh.

Queon:

Ooh yeah.

Kenzie:

This was the day in history where f frogs fell from the sky and then that was a really non binary thing of me to say as Sammy.

Stella:

Does Sammy love green frogs?

Kenzie:

I feel like now he does.

Stella:

We had a we had a theme party where everyone came in like some kind of animal costume. Like there was a theme of like like the zoo goes wild or like you know, basically like animals unleashed, right?

L is going to be a six foot tall transmasc Korean person, they/them, who came to this party wearing like a like a hippo onesie. I like the idea that like it's just like - they just did not have time to like get any kind of like elaborate costume. So they just bought this onesie and it's got like little ears and it's got like a big floppy like hood part. And I like to think that it's just way too short. So it's like riding up on their calves, you know, like down to their forearms. They just don't fit in it at all. But had to wear something to the party that they planned. And and that's just the vibe of L.

Kenzie:

Sammy's also transmasc, he/they Kind of like a really - like kind of like a short, skinny individual who unfortunately doesn't look like they've really aged up. Just s unfortunately like still looks a little bit kiddish. Kind of like just a mop of like curly brown hair, I think showed up as an I don't know how to pronounce this frog's name, but I think it's like Antelopes, which just like a full, like leather black skin tight suit with LED purple like circles on it, because that's what this frog looks like. So like pretty minimal costume, but was right on for what that frog looks like.

Stella:

Hell yeah.

Queon:

I’d say about like 5'11", nearing six foot tall black man, normally bald, but this time is like wearing like a piece, like a little toupee, a little situation with a little floof of blonde hair in the front. A very super skin tight, you can't tell where the skin begins and where the suit starts. But it's a full jumpsuit that is like in cheetah print, with this full big open collar. It's very fifth element coded. And it has like the actual like cheetah tail that is like, there's robotics in it where it swishes on its own. And it's just very much the life of the party because today I don't have to work with my hands. I could just be a people.

Kenzie:

You used to have frequent disagreements with someone at the queer bar. How with someone at the Interbelt. How have you since become close friends?

I think it's one of those things where they they were arguments about like kind of important things, but they weren't like life or death, and they were blown really out of proportion when the fighting happened. And I'm sure that the disagreements weren't helped by the introduction of alcohol into that equation. And so I think that it became one of those things where it was like,

I'm working here. I have to be here. This person obviously likes coming here. I don't want to like close the doors to anybody unless it's like an actual problem and this is becoming like a personal issue. And it was just one of those things where, like, when you start seeing somebody every day, you talk to them every day, there becomes a common ground with them where it's kind of like a co-worker relationship where it's like you could be like this person is so irritating to me, but if I really think about that, then it's gonna ruin my day. And I think it's kind of sort of a thing like that. And I think after it became more of a neutral thing where it'd be a this person's here again, rolling my eyes, but all right, what do you what are you having? What's up with you today? When the common ground was kind of set, then it was like, maybe we're not really disagreeing, maybe we're saying - talking around the subject or saying the same thing but in different ways and probably found some common ground in music and was able to you know, develop a a rough friendship out of that.

I have beef now with this in person that I haven't even given a name to.

Queon:

I was about to say sheesh.

Kenzie:

I have beef with an imaginary person.

Stella:

But you eventually worked it out.

Queon:

Yeah, it's like, it's a very strenuous common ground, but it's common ground nonetheless.

Your ex still comes to the Interbelt. How do you feel about that?

Kenzie:

I feel like it's gotta be another ex.

Stella:

Yeah, it has to be.

Kenzie:

feel like it has to be a different person.

Queon:

Okay.

Stella:

I love the idea that like none of our characters have ever addressed the fact that multiple of your exes keep coming back to our bar.

Kenzie:

Some things you don't have to talk about.

Queon:

They're not causing a scene at least.

Stella:

They’re still buying drinks.

Queon:

They're like, they're still buying drinks. They're not causing a scene. But boy, how does it get tiring seeing these people show up? And it's like it's to the point I think Chicago can like plan the day of the week around when they show up.

Kenzie:

You’ve lost track of what day it is, and that person walks through the door and you're like, I know now.

Queon:

Ah, it’s Tuesday. Got it. So it's like, yeah, it's just like, huh, all right.

Stella:

If they show up like clockwork and like on a certain schedule, that probably means that L knows it too.

Queon:

b It’s probably on your calendar. Just be like, all right, cool. They'll be here. Make sure we have this in stock. Oh my God. I don't even know why they show up this time. It's just, why me? Why me? God, come on. I just, I just want to be, I just want to be safe. I just want to work with my plants and not deal with exes.

I think it's just a patron at this point, like just to add some to it. I think it's just a patron who like, I saw you come from across the bar. I saw your vibe. I liked it. And yeah, it's just, it didn't work out for like very like nonsensical reasons. It's like, oh we can't see each other often. You're across the galaxy. I'm only over here. Like I'm staying here. I'm not piloting. I'm not moving around. This is where I want to be.

And yeah, it's just they just keep coming back. I don't think they bring the - they definitely do not bring plants, though, as a as a peace offering, which I don't approve. I don't approve that. Like if you're going to come around, at least bring a gift. But at least you are buying things in this bar. I guess.

Kenzie:

I think at this point, Sammy calls a team meeting and sits everyone down and goes, Okay, guys, I know that it worked for me, but that's kind of like an outlier situation, and I do think that we should stop dating our clientele.

Stella:

(Laughs)

Queon:

So first of all, that was like six times, but hey, let it go.

Stella:

(Laughs)

Kenzie:

I’m just saying, it doesn't seem to be making the space more positive. it seems to create some tension.

Queon:

I mean, they’re still buying drinks and also like, mean (deep breath). Fine, I will cancel my date tonight.

Kenzie:

You also I think maybe you should stop bringing the dates to the bar for your dates. I think maybe maybe take them elsewhere.

Queon:

This is also my house!

Stella:

No, no, no, no, no. Keep bringing them to the bar. We need that we need to sling drinks.

Kenzie:

We we need the money.

Queon:

I’m bringing in revenue.

Stella:

Encourage them to buy the special on the menu. We have this drink and plate combo going on.

Queon:

Absolutely, yeah, we'll make a dinner out of it. Yeah. So wait, do I cancel or do I keep it going?

Kenzie:

It’s not in the it's not in the code of conduct. I just - as a friend to a friend. Think about it.

Queon:

Fine. Soyle cancel yours too.

Kenzie:

Now, you're teaching bad habits.

Queon:

Hey, what do you mean? This is diabolical.

Stella:

L whispers like two drink minimum.

Queon:

I got you.

Stella:

An opportunity for cooperation that would have helped the queer bar out financially fall through. The deck is saying something to all of us. Why does this relieve you? Maybe there was an opportunity for us to get a partnership with the corporation that we all left. Maybe there was like a chance to sell out. maybe there were okay, there was a time where we were getting kind of desperate. We were starting to slide into the red and it was starting to cascade into something really bad. And -

Queon:

Year two

Stella:

- year two, yep. Yeah, and so L has sent out a bunch of space notes out to people 'cause space mail, you know, out into the ether. And heard back from someone who works at where we used to work. And it would have just financially been a huge umbrella. But I think L purposefully like missed the meeting or, you know, just like, oh no, connection dropped, you know, and it just did not commit to the conversation. So we never really got anywhere with it. And while I imagine like that made the next few months like extremely difficult for us because it didn't solve any problems. But L would have been so happy that we didn't sell out back to what we originally left, even through the hardship.

Kenzie:

I feel like we would all be in agreement too on that.

Queon:

Oh yeah.

Kenzie:

Like understanding the like the reaching out and like the seeing of it all. But then when it didn't work out being like that like honestly, we were bad people. If if we had gone through with this, we we were bad people. Saved ourselves a little bit.

Queon:

I don't even think we like I don't even think Elle even like reached out to the old company. just like somebody from another company that you reached out to probably slid it over to them and was like, hey, do you want to take in this? And then when you saw that email, you were like, oh no, oh no.

Stella:

I think so. Especially because like if it had been like year one, like month two or month five, maybe L would have responded. But like into year two, we have started to plant our roots into the community and just kind of like understanding the importance of having that space and what we've created. And it's like, it would just destroy the spirit of everything that we're doing.

Queon:

And now look at us, year five.

Stella:

I know year five.

Kenzie:

And we made it. We’re in year five.

Stella:

Year five. I'm so proud of us.

Queon:

Oh, I love this.

Stella:

I’m so proud of us.

Kenzie:

Year five and we're sitting in our bar reminiscing. What's better than that?

Queon:

This is perfect, man. I love this.

Kenzie:

A certain song always reminds you of a special evening at the Interbelt. Why does this memory hurt? Damn, I was thinking it was gonna go in a different direction than that.

Stella:

This game's spicy, kinda giving you those twists.

Kenzie:

I think that this song comes on and I think there might have been, at the beginning, a part of the community who saw us as outsiders. Like we weren't from here. We came, we landed our ship, and we were like, now we're here and we're taking over this place. and so I feel like maybe at the beginning there was even some pushback on us for this thing that we were trying to do. We didn't have roots yet. We hadn't made those connections. and I feel like maybe there was some like vandalism to the ship during that time. and just Sammy just like has the biggest heart in the world and just like couldn't quite understand why people didn't get what they wanted to do.

While it's hurtful, I think it's a little bit more bittersweet too of like that moment when we opened the doors for the first day and we didn't know if anybody was gonna walk in and they like kinda didn't. And the thought that our venture had failed before it had even really started, So in the moment that hurt, in the moment that was stressful, that was worrisome, that was a rejection. And now looking back on that, it's just a little bit bittersweet because it's look how far we've come. Look at the minds we've changed. Look at the people who didn't want us here who now come every Friday night and hang out, and we've made this place their home too. Yeah, so a little bit less hurtful, a little bit more bittersweet, I think.

Queon:

So sweet. Oh my God. I love this place. Like, yeah.

Kenzie:

Hey, we talked beforehand about the tone being hopeful, so…

Stella:

Yeah.

Queon:

Yeah, it's like this is so sweet.

Stella:

Remember how we were like, ooh, chaotic, let's do Cowboy Bebop. And this has just been nothing but wholesome.

Queon:

Yeah, this is Cowboy Bebop with love. Like it's just like it's so sweet.

Kenzie:

We took the genre and the setting of Cowboy Bebop and then did some else.

Stella:

Yeah. Love it. I mean, that's what that's what every game should be like. Make it your own.

Queon:

When renovations are needed at the Queer Bar, you all often take matters into your own hands. What was the last big project you did to improve the Queer Bar?

I think it's when we've started getting way more busy. And then probably somebody came in and asked us, you guys should add a balcony area so people can walk up and sit and be a little away from the chaos of it all. So we just heard that, and we're like, OK, cool. We'll just add a whole new floor. So we built an additional story onto it. It again, this is the scrap metal solar punk of it all. like, it doesn't look cohesive between the pieces. But when you look at like the grand picture where you're like, oh, this like, this should not work. But taking a step back, you're like, oh, even though this is like spackled here a little bit of like, ship 2.5 here and like a little yellow spray paint there. It all makes it work together. And then when you're inside, it looks like it's one functioning unit. I think it's like probably the crowning jewel is the fact that you can look over the balconies onto the the botanical gardens that we built. So it's really beautiful.

Stella:

That would have been such an important decision to make too, because functionally the bar was a ship, right? And like when we're physically expanding on the bones of the place, we're making it no longer like air air safe. You know, it's no longer gonna be an airship. We can't take off with it anymore. We're grounding it like permanently.

Queon:

We’re going to be here for the foreseeable future. So hope you like this asteroid, babe.

Stella:

After a terrible day you went to the Interbelt in the evening. What cheered you up there?

I think one of the sweet things about our space is that we have like a great diversity in the different kinds of events we have. I think that's a feature that a lot of bars just in general, but especially community spaces do as well. They have to get kind of creative to make ends meet, honestly, and try to expand on the communities and trying to get more people into the space. So maybe we had like an arts and crafts night. Like maybe even something so simple as like making like friendship bracelets. Just like so many like little beads and like even like little crystals and like getting creative with stuff, just recycled. Like maybe like it's it was an event where it's like, okay, bring a cup full of random junk that you're never gonna use, right? We have a high power drill at the bar. We can put holes into things and turn them into jewelry, right?

Queon:

It was called Someone Else's Treasure.

Stella:

I love that. Yeah, and like you basically like have to come with this cup of stuff. We drill holes in all of it and then they dump it all into this like big bowl and then everyone like you can like you know, you just pick stuff out and you make whatever you want.

Queon:

That’s so sweet, I love that.

Stella:

That’d be so fun.

Kenzie:

I think Sammy took this so seriously that since that night has started like a side hustle of industrial jewelry and like like pounds metal into earrings and necklaces and is actually like pretty good at it.

Queon:

I love that.

Stella:

I love that.

Queon:

Oh my god. I definitely have a Sammy original necklace that I will not take off.

Kenzie:

Mm, everybody at the queer bar probably has a Sammy original because while they do sell it, they're not a very good business person and they do keep just giving it to people.

Stella:

That’s how that's how you know you're a regular. That's like like a a soft tell. Do you have a Sammy original?

Kenzie:

What traces did the last big event leave in the interstellar rooms?

I feel like it was a color party, and so every single surface is covered in different colored chalks and glitter and like body paint, and it's just everywhere. It has like tie-dyed spackled everything. And I think Sammy is just like standing in the middle of one of the lounge rooms looking around and goes, And I feel like their partner's name is… Faye's cool. Faye's fine.

So I think Sammy is just standing in one of these lounge rooms and Faye is like kind of just like, you know, if this was a camera shot, like kind of right over the shoulder, but like in the background, like kind of muffled. what's the word for visual? Out of focus. Out of focus. And Sammy just goes, You know what? I think that it would be easier if we just made this the tie-dye room and turns around and you just see Faye being like, No, no, and like spinning them around and like shoving a broom into their hand and setting them on course. But I do think that there might be like a booth or two that Sammy has made like when you splatter painted things, has like done that to those boosts and reminiscence of the color party that was so much fun.

Stella:

There’s definitely spots like up in like the top parts we can't reach that are just so colorful and they're just always gonna be that 'cause the ladder just doesn't quite make it all the way up there.

Kenzie:

I’m gonna ask a question on to my own question. What do we think was like do you think there was a party we threw that after the party we were like, we should not have done that? Because I feel like color p arty is really close up there on like things that a bar should not do. But do you think there was one that just like…

Stella:

Definitely a glitter party because like leading up to it in the moment, glitter, awesome, super fun, right? Just gorgeous, right? But when you don't want glitter and there is glitter, it is just completely the worst thing ever.

Queon:

Adding to that, because I think it was a string of bad party decisions. It's like, all right, cool. We kicked off and we loved the paint party that made that was amazing. Then we did. OK, so what about glitter next? And it was like, still have glitter. Can't do that. I think the next party was a bubble party in hopes of getting rid of the glitter. But people just were falling all over the place.

Kenzie:

And now everything's just kinda sticky.

Stella:

Oh no!

Queon:

And I say a bubble party because there's always a bubble party at like the queer bars or at these clubs. And I'm like, how do y'all do this? This does not logically make sense. But I think that that's what we ended up getting. It was like, OK, so that one worked. These are the two never again.

Which group always brings a good mood to the queer bar?

Kenzie:

That's so interesting that we talked we originally talked about this being the place that like people come after events and we have yet to really touch on that. So

Queon:

But I think the ones who, like, really make it like that they're having, like, the best time, I think it's the bikers. I think it's the bikers. I think that they bring their space bikes. They just like whenever they're in town, we're like, this is going to be the best time because they always bring the best stories. And like whenever they come in, we always get to hear like the most preposterous like that's not possible that that happened. But they have the receipts for it. I really I think that they make it. And they also probably come in and make it feel very warm and very like, just like they enjoy coming around because it makes it feel like a little bit more home of the chaos that we're like all used to. So yeah, 100% the bikers make it a home.

Kenzie:

We also talked about how this was kind of like a scrapping to get by thing. And I'm wondering if that means like news isn't necessarily the easiest to come by. And so they also bring like current events with them. and like we kind of know what's going on by them passing through.

Queon:

Absolutely, I love that.

Stella:

You held an event outside of the Interbelt space. What kind of event was it and where did it take place?

I think it'd be really cool if so we we collect all these plants, we grow all these plants. It would be cool if there was an event where we took the plants somewhere else, either temporarily or even like took cuttings of our own plants to help spread them. I imagine that it was definitely some kind of charity work.

Kenzie:

It’s like an adopt a dog event at the farmer's market, but it's an adopt a plant event event.

Stella:

Yes. I love that. I imagine that we we went to like maybe there was a fair of some kind at like the closest, largest like space station. And so we we had little like borrow like a little schooner because our ship can't fly anymore. And we just loaded it up with a ton of plants. I love that. And then like we probably like had these like made these like little handmade tags that we gently loop around like one of the stems of each plant, and it's like an invitation to take a plant, come grab a drink at our bar.

Kenzie:

Oh, that’s really nice. I love that. Sammy has stuck a Sammy original in each one of them.

Queon:

Meanwhile, Chicago is making sure that our little crest or insignia is stamped on the bottom of every plant. It's like, He's over here crying because he's like, you're going to have a great home. This is going to treat this one kind because this one likes a little bit extra water at night.

Stella:

And L just like counting all of them. Just

Queon:

Yep yep yep yep yep. Cool, alright cool. We got like, we got too many plants, not enough space in this place. Get ‘em out!

Stella:

It’s like of course like a really wholesome, really sweet and just like meant to be like a community connecting thing, but like secretly deep down, there's a shade of that where L’s just like, thank god we're getting rid of some of these. It's just too much.

Queon:

It’s just so much plant.

Stella:

Moderation.

Queon:

b It's because people found out that like, if we bring a plant, we get free booze. So they just really started bringing so many plants./

Stella:

It’s like it's a great problem to have, but

Kenzie:

It’s still a problem.

Queon:

It’s a problem specifically. It's a problem specifically, but we can give it back because I think we're like where we are. It might be like not the wreckage of like corporate greed or anything like that, but we can at least help bring some life back into this place. So I really do like that.

Stella:

What if that was one of the like five year anniversary like initiatives that we had?/

Kenzie:

Oh, yeah.

Stella:

Just to like we had a little table at the fair and we're just like celebrate five years with us.

Queon:

Oh, that’s so good. I love this fucking, I love this bar so much.

Kenzie:

Well, we have come to the final question of the game, which we each have to answer. What is your most important wish for the future of the queer bar?

Stella:

I wish that the Interbelt manages to sustain and fill all the hearts of the people that come through. I hope that it can live on and be itself without sacrificing what it is and what it's meant to be.

Kenzie:

I wish that the Interbelt becomes a sort of blueprint for other places because even though we may not actively be fighting against the corporation, our mere existence is a spark of rebellion. And I think that it would be really cool if those little sparks popped up on other planets, in other space stations, in other galaxies, and kept the work going.

Stella:

Do you mean sprout up? (Laughs)

Kenzie:

Oh no!

Queon:

That's one of the initiatives. It's the Sprout program.

Kenzie:

Sprout up. Yep.

Queon:

My wish for the Interbelt is that it continues to grow into this beautiful place and that it can continue to be a refuge for people. Because I think that's the biggest takeaway that I've gotten here from this is that no matter who, no matter what you are, no matter what you've done in your past, unless you've tried to steal the place.

Kenzie:

Only one person has been plant food.

Stella:

Look at all the good we've done. Taking out one person is fine, right?

Queon:

But yeah, unless you try to steal the place that you're welcome here and that no matter what, this is a safe place for you to be and that you don't feel like you have to put on who you are, that this is always and forever will be a place for someone to feel like they are at home and that they can put up roots.

Kenzie:

Those are lovely, lovely words to bring this episode to a close on. I want to thank everybody for listening to this one shot for Pride Month here on queeRPG. If you haven't listened to the other one shot we did a couple weeks ago, it's playing the game This Party Sucks, which I will say is a very, very different vibe than this game. So be aware of that, but it was super fun. You can go check that one out. but please my guests here today, please let the audience know who you are and what you're up to.

Queon:

Hi, everybody. I am Queon. I go by bruthaqueon across all the internet. That is B-R-U-T-H-A-Q-U-E-O-N. I am a TTRPG streamer, performer, and I also stream a little bit of indie games as well. You can catch me over at Role D5 where we particularly specialize in all indie TTRPGs.

And also I'm a little bit of an audio engineer and audiophile. So if you're looking for anybody to work on your TTRPG projects and do some audio editing, feel free to hit me up. My email's in my link tree. But yeah, that's me. But also if you've enjoyed any of the shenanigans that I brought over here, you can catch me being a GM over on Baddy Bards for World Replica, where it's a digital isekai where I get to bully my friends and they're having the worst time of their life. It's great. But yeah, thank you.

Stella:

Hi everybody, thank you so much for listening. This has been so sweet and so heartwarming. And of course, happy pride. You can find me as Stellaluna over on Twitch, Stellaluna TV, everywhere else. I am a TTRPG producer, performer, GM consultant. I also do TTRPG outreach. I basically TTRPGs is like my full-time job. So if you ever want to talk TTRPGs, feel free to message me. Let's talk. But as far as where can find me, you will be able to find me at conventions. So something like the Interbelt would be so fantastic for me, oh my god. I would love to have a decompression space where I could just let loose and have fun afterwards. But if you are heading out over to GenCon, if you're heading out over to PAX West or PAX Unplugged, please do a little shout out. Come see me. I'll be working with the Red Bull Table Tavern. And really excited to meet anybody in the space and hopefully I get to play a game with all these lovely people again. This was so much fun. Thank you for having me.

Kenzie:

Yeah, thank you guys so much again for coming on. my name is Kenzie Tartaglione. I'm the Creative Director queeRPG, and if you listen to this show, you know that and you've heard my voice all the time. This is the first time I've had the chance to play with Stella, but Queon and I did a Monster Hunters Club. You can go check that out. All of these links that we've talked about will be in the description box. But we play little like twelve year old monster hunters. It's super fun.

Queon:

Yeah, we're just good chaotic kids. It's great.

Kenzie:

But yes, thank you all for listening and happy pride, everybody.

Stella:

Happy Pride.

Queon:

Happy Pride.