Smaller and less illegal than warehouse parties, larger and more organised than house parties, studio parties are an opportunity for a whole host of creative people to let loose and create something for themselves. No clients, no briefs, no rules. They’re generally weird, well decorated and with an exceptionally stocked bar – I’ve only been to one studio party in my life, which I was not invited to, when I was 17, in an office on Oxford Street, on Mardi Gras.
What happens when the creative dudes at Second Story Studios let their hair down? Funk, psych, live art, marching bands, projection mapping & more!
Second Story is a creative space for hire in Collingwood and is celebrating its first birthday this Saturday (5th April) with a warehouse spectacular – a whole day of live music, performance art and projection mapping. Headlining this affair are Melbourne musicmeisters The Cactus Channel, a group who make something a little soulful, a little jazzy and hella funky. Give their single Emanuel Ciccolini a spin, and check out the utter tightness of that brass section. Also why don’t more bands have brass sections? Surely there must be orchestra members who want to break out of the classical mould and need some output other than Ska…
Alongside them are psychedelic drone collective The Grand Rapids who put on an amazing, noisy, intense live show, with a truly unique singer. It’s not often that I comment on the vocalist in a psych band, but there’s just so much meat and body in Sasha L Smith’s voice that it really needs pointing out. In classic creative style, the space has booked something that you’d never normally see on a regular night out – an all girl marching band called The Red Brigade, who do Cake covers. Don’t worry, it’s actually a lot better than it sounds.
The non musical delights are even more diverse, featuring space bending projection mapping from VJKS, drinks from The KO-OP, performance art from Awkward/Amazing and a heap more cool shit. Check out the facebook event for a full list of the weird and wonderful fancies that these Melbourne creative types have come up with.
Tickets are strictly limited and cost about $25 a pop, doors open at 7:00pm and festivities will continue till the very reasonable hour of 1:00am – no need to chuck a sickie on Sunday for this one! While they say this is a one off event – but if the guys can muster together a lineup this good, I’d cartainly be looking at putting on a party like this a little more regularly…
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