The Shadow Electric is one of the most hot and cold venues in Melbourne. The concrete smothered venue, surrounded by the lush atmosphere of the Abbotsford Convent gardens, has earned a special place in the hearts of show attendees. People can go on an evening walk through the gardens, enjoy a meal at Lentil as Anything and then catch a show at the venue. But the site is also somewhat isolated from the bustling music hubs of Melbourne, making it hard for people to get there, which results in some shows being bigger than others.
Take for example the first instalment of Citizens of the Streets, Speaker TV’s new monthly arts and music event. While pitched as an interesting night of live music, DJs, art and photography, the night suffered from a small turnout – perhaps due to the venue’s isolation, or the fact it was a Thursday night during the turbulent uni exam period.
Admittedly, while the photography and art were of good quality – Dan Soderstrom’s photography and Instagram are well worth looking up – the layout of the pieces (in a room to the side of the stage) seemed too spacious and empty compared to other exhibitions around town. On the bright side, it was a great night to meet people. Members of the Speaker TV team were interviewing attendees and the team knew a lot about upcoming shows and the local music scene. Beyond that, the photographers and artists were walking around the venue, casually chatting to punters or potential buyers (depends on how you look at it, really). From an industry and a social point of view, it was nice to interact with people who knew what they were doing in their own field of business.
Music-wise, the line-up of My Elephant Ride, Breve and Flyying Colours, broken up by sets from DJ RKDA, weren’t too bad and fit in well with the overall feel of the event. Over the course of the three bands, there were all sorts of psychedelic sounds and projections shot throughout the gig hall, generating feelings of mystery and intrigue, which the event seemed to deserve.
All in all, the event seemed like the beginnings of a great idea, though still only an approximation of a finished product. Should Citizens of the Streets continue and gain momentum, there’s no reason why the series won’t become a larger and respected night. That said, the hurdles of the location, timing and lack of attendees need to be addressed.
BY THOMAS BRAND
Loved: Meeting people around the venue.
Hated: The weather. Getting sick of freezing already.
Drank: Coopers in a parking lot. What of it?
