ex-directory is a new weekly newsletter for artists and the world’s music industry, curated by a group of friends and colleagues in cities across the world. Each month, we’re dedicating one post to photography or campaign creative.
Today, member of the ex-directory team and photographer James J. Robinson takes us on a night out in Melbourne. With much of clubland still shuttered, what does nightlife look like in the countries that never stopped dancing? And what can we look forward to when our local scenes finally spring back into life?
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Colour Club
JAMES: “This was the first party I remember going to after lockdown finished. It was somewhere between a dinner and a club night: Colour Club in Carlton had turned its dance floor into a makeshift, partitioned restaurant to survive the lockdown. But everyone knew that if you booked the last 11pm dinner slot with friends we could stick around the club for the rest of the night by ourselves and play your own music. It was the first time reuniting with old friends and being able to wear nice clothes.”
Le Fag
JAMES: “One of Melbourne’s best queer parties was celebrating its 5th birthday this summer. It was the first night for most people returning to a proper club at full capacity - no ego, no shallow greetings, no cliques. After a year with no dance floors, coming back to a queer space like Le Fag was a cathartic release for so many people. Community never felt more important.”
Renaissance
JAMES: “One silver lining from the past year was that so many close friends from Melbourne who had moved overseas had all returned home for this summer, meaning friendship circles that had never fully reunited were now together in the same city for the first time in years. My friend’s Renaissance-themed birthday party was the first time most of us had seen each other in Melbourne.”
House Party
JAMES: “Our first house party happened after the government had changed restrictions to allow 100 guests per home. A return to clubs was expected at some point for sure, but the idea of dropping restrictions on homes felt like a distant dream. Going to our first house party, we remembered exactly what we loved about them: the open invitations, the bonfires, the suburban addresses. Even the things we used to loathe like bottleneck dance floors, noise complaints and long toilet lines we had developed a newfound gratefulness for.”
Warehouse Party
JAMES: “In the small slither of time between indoor venues having no capacity restrictions and homes having a 15 person cap, warehouse parties were on every weekend; some free, others for donations. While we loved when international acts played in town, this lineup with local legends like Sleep D and Jennifer Loveless reminded us how diverse and exciting a full summer of local acts can be. This party thrown by Kayser was nestled somewhere between a panel beating business and cleaning supply wholesalers in Preston.”
Park Party
JAMES: “With house guests still restricted at 15, outdoor parties were allowed in quantities up to 200 people. The night started with a pin drop somewhere deep into Yarra Bend park, with a lineup of noise artists starting in the evening, before moving into some deep house and techno by midnight. Nothing like going on a 20 minute hike back to the carpark to find your late-arrival friends.”