It couldn’t have been a more stark contrast to the chaotic pictures and videos that set social media ablaze over the weekend.
Erotic entertainment group Pleasure Boys XXL made a “special” Valentine’s weekend appearance at the Belfast bar and restaurant, leading to a number of clips being posted online showing nude male dancers mimicking sexual acts for their female patrons.
The group seemed positive over the response they received, saying they had “definitely left our mark” on Belfast.
Appearance: Jack Wilson is one of the Pleasure Boys who performed at The Devenish
For the local residents out and about yesterday, it’s fair to say there was a mixed reaction to the scenes which unfolded.
One woman speaking to this newspaper outside the venue said it was a “disgrace” to the area.
“It’s absolutely disgusting. Disgusting and disgraceful. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to carry on like that,” she said.
“And then to film it, you should keep it to yourself, it was disgusting, especially in Lent.”
Another woman argued it was inappropriate, but accepted the group may return again, having already held two events at The Devenish.
“It was despicable and it shouldn’t have happened at all, never mind again, but there’s no way places are going to stop doing nights like it, especially if they are getting the money for it. They are going to keep putting nights on if people are going to pay for them, ” she said.
The event, which cost £15 a ticket, was advertised as a “Valentine’s Weekend Special” in a post by The Devenish last month, with the venue calling it “a night filled with exciting thrills, perfect for a girls’ night out”.
Much of the footage from the evening has been shared across Facebook and X.
Clips of the performance show the group’s dancers fully nude alongside attendees, while other videos depict male dancers mimicking sexual acts with some women in the audience.
Despite disapproval from many locals, others were more forgiving, with some even finding it humorous.
One woman said: “There is nothing wrong with it, it’s what happens on those nights.
“If I was there I would have joined in — it’s all just part of the fun.”
General view of the Devenish bar venue in west Belfast on August 6th 2023 (Photo by Kevin Scott)
Another felt the incident is being exaggerated and the women in the videos are being too heavily criticised.
“I don’t really know what anyone was expecting. When you go out for a girls’ night and you have a drink in you, things like that happen,” one woman added.
Others said they weren’t offended, but felt it was unfair that the images were shared so widely online.
“I think it was funny but shouldn’t have been put up online,” a woman said.
“You know yourself, a load of girls out for the night, it can get a bit mad.
“But it doesn’t need to be put up for the whole world to see. Those poor girls are probably mortified today and it was just a silly night out that went a bit too far,” the woman added.
Location: Devenish Complex in Belfast