Everyone's favourite container bar is turning 18 and they're throwing a bday bash reflective of the momentous occasion.
Section 8’s 18th birthday party
- Feb 29 – Mar 3
- 4 Day Party
- Free Entry
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The program
- 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐅𝐞𝐛 𝟐𝟗: Ukg, Jungle & Bass With Sadiva, Nokia 3210, Dresscode, Obliveus B2b Hendo, Tuff Trax B2b Coldpast
- 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏: LGBTQIA+ House Party With Blu Jay (Live), Tinika, Dj Freshxprincess, Garfie, Haus Of Ralph, Olita, Neesha
- 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐: Afrobeat, Amapiano & Dancehall With Dree The Beatmaker, Jazmine Nikitta, Dijok, Mrs Wallace, Anitra, Dj Daphne, Lorena Lee, Pk, Antagonize
and food by Senor BBQ - 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟑: Hip Hop & Soul With Jada Weazel (Live), Sachem (Live), Amin Payne B2b Taijae, Vincent Peach, Walla C, Tentendo, Kaira Cuvee, X8nder.m and an artist’s laneway market
Plus, visuals by Lava Brain, drink specials by Headline Acts, Jameson, Jagermeister and Coopers!
Section 8’s long journey (an old interview)
In March 2006 a former cafe manager and barman named Maz Salt got a one year lease on a carpark off Tattersals Lane in Chinatown, a space that he dropped in two shipping containers into – one for serving drinks and the other as toilets. This relatively cheap start-up was named Section 8 but for many patrons it was, and is still, known as ‘the container bar.’
Salt explained the inception of the idea in his own words to us many years ago. “A couple desperate bartenders with very little money had access to a carpark! When we started we had a one year lease and a one year license but the success of the place within the first year meant that the council supported the change of permit from one year to ongoing…”
That being said, as Salt explains, Section 8’s battle with noise complaints remains. “It’s a continuous and ongoing issue with Section 8 for eight years and it has at times felt like dog years. I have been to VCAT over it, I have probably spent somewhere in the vicinity of $50,000 over the eight years defending myself over various fines and charges.”
However, one of the venue’s early battles that has been resolved is that of power supply. “The first quote I got from city power to connect power to the site was $50,000 to $100,000. That was a lot more money than we had so the very good folk from Curtain House let us run a coaxial cable 100m from their stairwell for the great cost of two boxes of a wine a month for about two years until they opened Rooftop Bar. It was the end of our supply from them,” explains Salt with a wry chuckle.
In the ensuing years Section 8 ran its power via a rented apartment block but every time they had a DJ, the coffee machine on and the dishwasher on they blew a fuse! Finally this was all resolved when the shop that is now Ferdydurke came up for rent so Salt and his team quickly rented the space, firstly as a power supply and secondly as the space that would become Ferdydurke (said Fer-dy-dur-ka).
For all the info, head to the FB event here.
