Stepping over the threshold of a queer space in Brisbane’s West End, you might expect a burst of rainbow paraphernalia, walls draped in pride flags, and floors covered in glitter; however, you come face to face with Billerwell Daye.
Daye sports a ZZ Top-style beard, wears leather pants and a heavy metal T-shirt, and has a bald head that glistens under the mirror ball above him. He stands at the bar, grinning from ear to ear with a welcoming smile, holding a beer gun in one hand and the spout of the coffee machine steamer in the other, offering up drinks, delicious food, and fabulous entertainment to anyone walking through the door.
The venue is surrounded by forest green walls, with comfy brown leather button-tufted couches and a stained-glass feature piece setting the scene, where he sits down to chat about his life and the safe space he has created – not in a stereotypical way, but in his own image: DADDY.
Growing up in Sydney, Daye discovered an indie/alternative LGBTQIA+ crowd that fostered his love for metal music. Playing bass in a band during his formative years allowed him to explore one of his many artistic interests: being a musician and singer. This led him to be invited to become the frontman of a favourite 90s Australian band, Friendly.
Chatting with Daye about this experience, he fondly recalls that time in his life. “They’d already recorded and released the album. Their singer had left, though, about to go on tour, so I was basically brought in just as their live singer.”
“I think I was with them for nearly a year. We played The Big Day Out, Homebake, Liberty, and all those kinds of festivals, which was great.”
His music career then ran in parallel with his journey of self-discovery in Byron Bay, where he worked in bars while pursuing his art. During that time, the confessed artistic chameleon met a group of friends living in Brisbane and decided to make the move across the border.
He found his husband and continued working in hospitality, managing bars and venues across Brisbane, where he employed members of the rainbow community, until he finally took the plunge and opened Come to Daddy in May 2024.
However, taking on this significant task was not without its challenges and still presents obstacles. Last week, a Global Citizens Solutions study ranked countries based on their appeal to LGBTQIA+ individuals, considering factors such as acceptance, healthcare, nightlife, and more; however, it barely mentioned Australia.
The LGBTQIA+ nightlife scenes locally have been decimated by the proliferation of ‘dating’ apps and the sale of many queer venues to heteronormative corporations.
When asked about competing with these conglomerates for space, rents, staff, and clientele, Daye said, “Yeah, like it’s really tough and just trying to make sure that I can keep the doors open week to week… It’s like, have I made enough money to pay bills, to pay staff, let alone try and pay myself something, so it is financially really struggling as a business owner.”
“But the acceptance and the love and that I get back from the community is mind-blowing. It’s incredible. It really, really is incredible.”
It’s not just the financial side of the business; the recent Brisbane floods threatened Daye’s venue, and the community rallied to help sandbag the venue, saving it from the rising waters. It is a community through and through, from its diverse employees, the venue’s entertainers, and the audiences that turn up night after night to support one another and this space.
“It was always about making sure that everyone felt included and safe,” Daye said.
“The fact that it’s called ‘Daddy’ implies a nurturing figure and suggests unconditional love. And no matter who you are, you know, you should be respected and loved and nurtured and supported.”
A kid in Australia proudly discovered his tribe at different life stages. Billerwell Daye now provides that experience to anyone looking for a fun, safe space, all within the cosy comfort of the community’s social club, Wednesdays to Sundays at 208 Montague Rd, West End.
The venue can be found on Facebook and Instagram, @cometodaddy_brisbane.
Weekly what’s on listings can be found at https://cometodaddy.au
This feature was written to the constraints of an academic publication and reproduced here with permission.
Rob is the founder of GTG. Launching the GTG-Sydney brand in 1995, it has gone from a VHS tourist guide for Sydney to a global phenomenon, partnering with Pride events and special events and charities all over the world, raising millions of dollars for the LGBTQIA+ communities and showcasing our big gay world to anyone who wants to join in the fun.
Rob is a trained marketer and journalist. An Emmy award winner, a NIDA-trained TV Presenter who has been on digital channels, cable and terrestrial broadcast television globally as a presenter, producer and creative.
He is currently editor-in-chief and producer of GTG and the co-host of The Unfashionably Late Podcast.