Citizens of Melbourne cried, “When will this metaphorically bloody war end?” and “Seriously this is the dumbest rivalry ever, move on” until a brilliant compromise was proposed – a radical solution that truly embodies the Aussie way: open up twin bars on both sides of the city and hope that alcohol and $4 pizzas shuts everyone up.
Alcohol, it turned out, can unite much more than two lonely clubgoers – it united an entire city. Next to John So He’s My Bro, opening up virtually identical bars on both sides of the Yarra has been one of the best things to happen to Melbourne. Their names, Lucky Coq and Bimbo Deluxe, could very well sound like pornographic titles to foreigners, but to Melburnians, they represent entertainment, fantastic food, and a warm, casual atmosphere.
This Easter Weekend, from Thursday April 17 – Monday April 21, we remember the war and pay respects to those who lost respect when they overacted to the debate about which side is better, as Windsor’s Lucky Coq, Fitzroy’s Bimbo Deluxe and, joining the peace movement, Brunswick’s Penny Black will all celebrate the commonalities and uniqueness of Melbourne in the Best of Both Sides Festival.
Throughout the long weekend you can partake in workshops, experience hundreds of live music acts, sample exotic food and beverages and much more. There’ll also be a free shuttle bus provided between the venues from Thursday – Sunday between 8pm – 3am (Bimbo Deluxe & Lucky Coq) and Thursday – Sunday 8pm – 1am (Penny Black).
Feature artists include Melbourne Techno Collective (MTC), The Psyde Projects, Davy Simony, Prairie Nischler, Henry Shanks, Silversix, Spacey Space and DJ Ahab. RMIT Arts students will kick off the festival on the north side, at The Penny Black and Bimbo Deluxe, with their visual spectacle Melbourne Music Video Festival.
If you’ve never been to these iconic venues before, you’ll find them on Chapel Street, Brunswick Street and Sydney Road – three of the most famous streets in Melbourne, next to Punt Road, but that’s for its shitty traffic. So this Easter Weekend, don’t just come down to the Best of Both Sides, literally check out both sides, celebrate our city’s thriving festival culture and remember the historic time we tore down our imaginary, utterly trivial Berlin Wall.
