‘A truly auspicious night’: Asia TOPA’s Opening Nightlife kicks off Club 8 party with drag stars and DJs
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15.01.2025

‘A truly auspicious night’: Asia TOPA’s Opening Nightlife kicks off Club 8 party with drag stars and DJs

Opening Nightlife
Photo by CPAK Studio
Words by Juliette Salom

Asia TOPA’s Club 8 is launching with Opening Nightlife – a party of explosive music, electrifying performances and some of the best music makers and shakers from across the Asia Pacific.

When Asia TOPA asked to collaborate with Big Bao for Opening Nightlife – a party to launch both the festival and the hotly-anticipated Club 8 – Vivan Vo says “it was an obvious yes.” As an artist manager, producer (Big Bao), radio host (Mooncake on Triple R 102.7FM) and DJ (Small Fry), Vivan knows an epic project when she sees one. 

After spinning tracks for Friday Night Social at Naarm’s Science Gallery for Asia TOPA in November, Vivan got a taste of the delectable party vibes that Asia TOPA serves up, deeming it her “favourite set of last year.” On Thursday, February 20, Vivan will be reigniting the party for Asia TOPA’s Opening Nightlife at Club 8. 

Asia TOPA’s Opening Nightlife

  • With AnSo, Aurora Labeija (Thailand), kāmna, MaggZ, Rainbow Chan, Scarlett So Hung Son (Scotty So), Small FRY and Yeo
  • Thursday, February 20, from 9pm ’til late
  • Club 8, Arts Centre Melbourne
  • Tickets here

Explore Melbourne’s latest arts and stage news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

 

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A post shared by Asia TOPA (@asiatopa)

 

A takeover of the Arts Centre, perfectly located on level 8, Club 8’s Opening Nightlife is kicking off the triennial with a club night emblematic of Naarm itself. As the late-night element of Asia TOPA’s sprawling program, Club 8 is set to run over nine exhilarating nights, bringing experimental art, musical mavericks and a handful of surprises.

The name, inspired by not only the club’s eight-floor location but also Chinese numerology, represents luck, prosperity and success. Across three weekends, the space will host the INAMO Kiki Ball, a celebration of Naarm’s Ballroom culture, 乒乒乓乓 pin-pin-piàng-piàng, a gender-fluid rave, THE B_B, a “transcendent dance ritual” and so much more.

But first, Opening Nightlife will christen Club 8 with a bang. Both leading and playing at the event, Vivan will be swapping out her producer hat for performer hat for party hat throughout the night. While the balance of so many hats may sound to some like a struggle, for Vivan it’s the diversity of the different roles that “tend to feed into and inform the work of each other.” 

Presenting Mooncake on Triple R 102.7FM probably inspires me the most,” she reflects. “On the show, I’m known for my wonky but well-rounded music taste and for championing Asian music and artists of the Asian diaspora. It influences the selections for my DJ sets as Small FRY  and curation of artists for lineups as an event producer for Big Bao.”

Working alongside Angela Schilling and Yeo Choong, Vivan’s work in Big Bao centres around curating for venues and events to produce the kind of lineup that dreams are made of.

“We love working with organisations who recognise excellence in the Asian artistic community, looking to support local musicians and DJs,” Vivan says.

“A Lazy Susan of Asian excellence”

 

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A post shared by Big Bao (@bigbaoclub)

 

Taking the reins of Club 8 for Opening Nightlife, Big Bao has collaborated closely with Asia TOPA to “present a Lazy Susan of Asian excellence across music, drag and performance,” Vivan says.

With many months in the kitchen, the theme to the curation was serving an exploration of sounds and visuals, blending tastes and colliding art forms.”  

Planning an opening night party as epic as the three-week triennial of arts and culture that will follow is no small mission. In the hands of Big Bao, though, with their network of creative peers, friends, influences and “wild cards”, the lineup for Opening Nightlife doesn’t get much better than this. 

The first musician of the night is touching down from Gadigal, experimental artist AnSo,” Vivan says. “We have Naarm’s finest in Rainbow Chan and Yeo, who will be dropping surprise performers in their sets as well.” 

“In between, roaming performances from MaggZ, drag masters Scarlett So Hung Son (Scotty So), and Aurora Labeija gracing us from Thailand,” she continues. “At the top and tails of the night, Small FRY and kāmna are on the decks with specialised niche sets.”

Not only does a party not get better than this, it doesn’t get luckier either, Vivan points out. “It’ll be a truly auspicious night to kick off Club 8.”

From producer to performer to party legend

 

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A post shared by Vivan Vo • Small FRY (@smallfryhq)

 

As mentioned, not only will Vivan be producing the event with Big Bao, but she’ll also be gracing the decks of Club 8 with a set as Small FRY.

I’m planning on playing a full mix of high-energy K-pop with a splash of V-pop: think NewJeans, CL, TWICE, aespa…” she says. “I’m hoping for a large roll call of Asians in attendance so I’ll be catering to their tastes.”

The way the night is shaping up, it’d be a shame to have to miss out on a dance, even if you’re running the event. Rest assured, Vivan knows how to balance work with play. “I’ll be dancing the whole time from behind the decks, supporting all the performers,” she says. 

“But once kāmna takes over with her Punjabi/Bollywood/South Asian closing set,” Vivan continues, “I’ll make it to the dancefloor.” Whether on the dancefloor or behind the decks, you can catch Vivan as she brings the party to Arts Centre Melbourne for the launch of Asia TOPA at Cub 8.

Asia TOPA Club 8 Program:

  • Feb 20 – Opening Nightlife  w/ Big Bao, Scarlett So Hung Son (Scotty So), Rainbow Chan and Aurora Labeija
  • Feb 21 – INAMO Kiki Ball w/ Kianna Oricci of the House of Oricci and Mirasia Silky of House of Silky
  • Feb 22 – Shapeshifters w/ Phasmahammer (Justin Talpacido Shoulder) and PANELIA
  • Feb 27 – Aari? Aray! w/ Fateeha, Miss A of Moro Beats and Réjizz
  • Feb 28 – 乒乒乓乓 pin-pin-piàng-piàng curated by Harrison Hall and Cloudy Ku
  • Mar 1 – BLAX: ACT ONE curated by YIRRAMBOI, w/ Soju Gang, Katayanagi Twins and nudibranchia
  • Mar 6 – The Prey and The Ruler curated by ROOM40
  • Mar 7 – Club 4A: Night Vision curated by Club 4A
  • Mar 8 – THE B_B w/ Betty Apple and Betty Grumble

Grab your tickets to Asia TOPA’s Opening Nightlife on Thursday, February 20 here.