My band of mostly straight men (like a dozen years ago) played a set at a gay bar every Thursday night for a year or so. It was great fun first of all, and maybe 15-20% of the people there were straight or mostly straight but just hung out there.
It felt really fun and welcoming to all, and was less about gay people finding other gay people than it was about no one caring much about your gender identity or sexuality (unless it was maybe to take you home, idk).
That’s not to say it’s one size fits all, probably depends on the bar and the area a fair bit
My band of mostly straight men (like a dozen years ago) played a set at a gay bar every Thursday night for a year or so. It was great fun first of all, and maybe 15-20% of the people there were straight or mostly straight but just hung out there.
It felt really fun and welcoming to all, and was less about gay people finding other gay people than it was about no one caring much about your gender identity or sexuality (unless it was maybe to take you home, idk).
That’s not to say it’s one size fits all, probably depends on the bar and the area a fair bit