Thomas begins by explaining the L&O carapace room for room. The building is one large warehouse divided into two and a half different businesses.
“One and half being ours and the other on ground floor,” he says. “The rooms within the top level are massive, perhaps even over 150 square metres each, and within those rooms we have stripped back everything to reveal the bare metal structuring, the 20-foot ceiling and the 125-year old brickwork that frames the structure.”
There within lies a huge, glowing bar dubbed ‘the grocery store,’ a smoking courtyard with direct sunlight during the day and star light in the evening, and a dining room fit out with chairs and tables made from recycled vintage basketball courts by local designer Red Fox & Wilcox.
“That’s a lot of space considering we haven’t mentioned the bandroom that comfortably holds over 200,” he exclaims.
The Warehaus parties make full use of the array of spaces, creating different experiences depending on the mood of a patron. The smoking area is a sound-insulated, glass-walled oasis, where one is, in reality, only three metres from the dance floor. They’re able to chill on soft Astroturf with the stars above (a welcome alternative to other Melbourne clubs where smokers and fans of the outdoors have to convene in a carpark or laneway to get respite). Conversely, in the main dance hall, there’s an impressive arrangement of club lights, strobes and smoke machines that pair perfectly with the bangin’ beats emanating from the DJs.
“Oddly enough, the best Warehaus parties we have thrown are the ones without big name acts, that is when the party becomes more about the people at the party and less about provided entertainment,” says Thomas. “The vibes are more lucid, it is like a dream-scape with all of your hot friends. Gigs these days are so stale, and the party is where we can truly let go knowing that there is no one pushing some kind of agenda or selling some sort of creative exercise. While we have had party people like Greg Wilson, Fantastic Man and heap more ‘names’ in the scene come through, it is all pointless when we can get people like Nile Delta from Riot in Belgium and Turkish Prison from Midnight Juggernauts to keep it fun with a fraction of the ego,” explains Thomas.
To conclude, Thomas explains how the Beat The Hunger free meal initiative will work on Monday nights at the venue.
“A partnership with a print magazine is crucial for spreading the word and spreading the love. It almost sounds stupid offering free food at a former grocery store-come-social club, however when it’s broken down, you can see the passion behind it.
“Food has been the driving force behind all of human evolution and now that conversation has outweighed fighting for food in a Western world, the free food we offer combines the two: food for life and conversation about it. It works simple each week, we provide around 1,000 small meals, all you have to do is turn up, head to the ‘grocery store’ and begin a conversation with the crew of staff and diners.”
The soundtrack for Beat The Hunger is provided by certified modern Melbourne punk legend Al Monfort – a member of bands Dick Diver, UV Race, Lower Plenty he will only play underground punk music.
BY DAN WATT
