Hello… New Zealand! Christchurch is where we are tonight, and since the earthquakes of 2010/2011, the entire city nightlife has disappeared. Imagine Sydney’s CBD, Kings Cross, and Darling Harbour decimated and fenced off because of an earthquake. That is the equivalent of what has happened here. The former city is rebuilding, and pretty much if you wanted to go for a dance, you have to make do with DJs playing at local bars or go out in the suburbs. It is quite sad.
Anyway, I asked a foreign backpacker where the place to be is at on a Thursday night. “The Rimming Bull”, he proclaims! I’m sure in proper English that meant “The Running Bull”, which is, coincidentally is across the street from where we rented our hotel. So much win! Let’s check it out!
Crowd 11:30PM
Thursdays @ The Running Bull, Riccarton, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Assessment Time: 11:10PM – 12:45AM
Opening Hours: Open during the day as a restaurant / Grill – 12:45AM
Lockout: Unknown, but there was one a lockout at 12:30 when I checked
Address: 1 Riccarton Road, Riccatron, Christchurch City, Canterbury, New Zealand. Map: http://g.co/maps/njtg8
Venue Website: http://www.runningbull.co.nz
Event Website: http://www.facebook.com/TheRunningBullBar
Promoter Website: Self Promoted by the venue
Occurrence: Every Thursday. DJ events also available on Fridays and Saturdays here
Outside Line: 2 people in front but we were in within seconds. We had to use our passports to be accepted entry. The drivers licenses were not accepted.
Dress Code / Door Policy: Boys are pretty casual, with a handful with collared shirts with jeans. Girls in most part did wear their going out dresses and heels for a dance here. It is encouraged for guys to wear collared shirts and to not smell like B.O, and for girls to wear dresses. (According to the facebook page anyway)
Entry Fee / Cover Charge: Free all night.
Guestlist: None
Inside: Walk into the bar / dining area where tables and stools are aplenty. Bar is at the back opposite wall. This are has about 4-8 tables. To your left are some lounge spaces for 10 or so people. On the right is the “dance room” is how it is best described. It really is just a walled off room from the rest of the bar, where you can walk in and suddenly you are in a rectangular box to hold maybe 100 or so people where there are lights and a podium.
Cloak Room: None
Bar Prices / Line: Didn’t drink.
Bathroom Facilities: Pretty clean.
Eviction Count: None spotted
DJs: Sole DJ tonight. No song repeats thank god.
Music Style: Mostly Top 40, RnB and probably after 12:15ish the reggae / some other esoteric music was put on. Total mood killer, but it was apparently approaching closing time so that was how it was done.
Crowd: A mix of Christchurch locals and backpackers such as Marty and I, with the Irishman and his friends as well. But definitely a majority would be locals. Ages varied but mostly we are dealing with a young crowd – teenagers, low 20’s.
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Prologue
A friend wouldnt mind going to Bondi Beach. I heard of a Hotel that goes off down there, so let’s go down! Well, we did find a Hotel, but there was no dancefloor. It was just a classy pub with lots of people drinking. (12/01/2011: This was the wrong Hotel – we were meant to go to Beach Road Hotel, which is the place to be before it’s early closing time)
But look across the road, for a mysterious place called “Thru the grapevine” is found. A local has told us this is where White Revolver is. I read an article that it was extremely difficult to get in! I have M, and 2 chicks with me. They are pretty good looking, but would it be enough? We are immediately let in past security without question Ok, here we go!
A small wall in the chillout room. That's a spare door on the left for dramatic effect
Fridays @ White Revolver Nightclub, Bondi Beach, Sydney
Assessment Time:12:30AM-01:15AM
Opening Hours: Unknown
Lockout: Unknown
Address: Entrance is in the side road through the “Thru the Grapevine”. There is no signage indicating that there was a club named White Revolver inside. From the outside, it just looks like a very small chillout bar, with a blue light highlighting the open room. Kind of like looking into a small house party.
Venue Website: http://www.whiterevolver.com
Promoter Website: Self Promoted
Occurrence: Every weekend.
Outside Line: No line outside as we approached.
Dress Code / Door Policy: When we were told this place was White Revolver, Instantly my memory recalls reading an article of a reporter getting into White Revolver’s underground club only by having two hot chicks by his side (Inside sydney’s secret nightclubs: Link). My fears of a classy snotty crowd run through my mind.Casual is allowed. We were all wearing pretty casual clothing. I had a collared shirt. M had a t-shirt on with big bright white basketball-like sneakers. (It appears that White Revolver has undergone some transformations/renovations since the aforementioned article, allowing more casual patrons inside the unique venue)
Entry Fee / Cover Charge: $10 flat entry fee all night
Guestlist: no
Inside: Walk inside the door through to the blue-light lit drinking / smoking area for 15 or so people. Turn left through the door frame into the bar area – about triple the size of the blue-lit area. It’s a dark bar with lounges/seating at the back. Turn left again through another door frame into the dancefloor to hold roughly 50 or so patrons. It’s in a kind of wide wedge shape, with the DJ in the pointy corner bit of it. See walkthrough video below for an idea on what’s up. The whole place looks like it’s from a time bygone, with various furnishings and furniture items from an old period. The website says it has a 1920’s feel to it.
Cloak Room: none
Bar Prices / Line: I didn’t drink tonight, but it was quite easy to get a drink. Either no line or one person in front of you ordering something.
DJs: Unknown
Music Style: Classic retro remixed in a house fashion, then later after 1AM they played much more RnB. It may have been a DJ changeover, I do not know. Listen to the short music sample I took below.
Music Sample Compilation Video: (My first time doing this – its to give you a better indication of what music to expect)
Crowd & Ratio: Mostly older, local Australian crowd. Aged from late 20’s and above. The ratio was pretty even here.
Entertainment: No extra entertainment.
Atmosphere: In the dancefloor area, the place was pretty dark, and first impressions were that it was pretty warm, physically. Then it was pretty dark. Like this is the kind of dark that is just enough light to see the other person you are making out with. . We ended up hanging out near the 2 reverse cycle air-conditioners that were installed at one wall. There was also a fan here blowing warm air. On the other side of the club, there was no such devices to help cool you down. Guys are making out with girls here non stop inside thanks to the dark nature of the club. Yup, its this kind of relaxed club. People are allowed to dance with drinks in their hand.
Walkthrough Video: With captions!
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Empire Hotel was $20. Nope. We wanted to go to Kit & Kaboodle but we accidentally walked into The Sugar Mill and paid $10, thinking the entry fee covered both venues. Apparently not. I am really upset that I didn’t get to go to K&K, as Art vs Science were playing a DJ Set, but being asians, we just stayed here for the rest of the night..
With Fans of our dancing @ The Sugar Mill, Kings Cross, Sydney
KX Marks the Spot@ The Sugar Mill
Assessment Time: 11:00PM – 01:30AM
Opening Hours: Unknown – 04:00AM+
Lockout: None
Website: http://www.sugarmill.com.au/
Address: 33-37 Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross, Sydney
Dress Code / Door Policy: Casual OK. Hats OK. Most wore casual. Men had jeans and collared shirts. Girls had a form of dress on.
Entry Fee / Cover Charge: $10 standard. No guestlist. A surprise, as it was previously free for all once upon a time. They’ve caught on. Two groups in front of us were told “$10”, and scoffed at the idea, and then turned around to discuss walking away. In both cases, the bouncer and cashier respectively told them “wait”, and offered them free entry. So, what a great idea to try it as well. When we got to the cashier, we were told “$10” and we immediately discuss the possibility of leaving. Meanwhile, I am waiting for the dude to say “wait, come in for free”, but NO, he doesnt do it! Like what the fuck. Assholes really don’t want us in their venue.
Guestlist: None
Occurence: Every Friday and Saturday
Inside: More of a bar for drinks, as you enter, there are tables and stools all around. Bar on the far end in front. DJ booth on the right. A small opening where it looks like a table or two could have been, is the quasi-dancefloor.
Cloak Room: None
Bar: Did not purchase tonight. The wait is no more than 2 or 3 minutes.
Music: A mix of house, pop, rnb.
Crowd: Mix of backpacker, locals. Mostly caucasian. Mostly an older crowd 25+.
Entertainment: It’s just a pub, no extras.
Atmosphere: Average. you just come here for a drink and dance, and just happen fork out $10 in the proceess.
Video: 360 of the quasi-dance space
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119 @ St James Hotel
Friend has a farewell party and I’m a lucky 3rd invite. Unluckily the chosen event is 119, which has moved to St James Hotel, from the old location of Space Nightclub. Tonight is the opening night. So here we go!
119 @ St James Hotel Sydney
Assessment Time: 12:00AM – 04:00AM
Opening Hours: 10:00PM – 04:00AM
Lockout: None
Website: http://www.infinityproductionz.com (At time of writing the website is not operational yet)
Address: 114 Castlereagh St, Sydney
Dress Code / Door Policy: Casual ok. Hats ok. People here are wearing mostly collared shirts and dresses.
Entry Fee / Cover Charge: $25 Full Cover Charge. $20 on guestlist before midnight. Free before 10:30pm if on guestlist (usually only the first 10-15 people in line manage to get in before 10:30 for any of these type of promotions)
Guestlist: info@infinityproductionz.com
Inside: St James comprises of 3 levels but tonight’s event was only held on the top level. Enter via the middle level for the bar and chillout area, where there are tables and stools aplenty. Upstairs walk to the main carpeted area, where there is a wooden dancefloor to hold about 100 people. A DJ in the far corner. More lounges around the place to sit down and chat. Bar on the opposite end of the dancefloor.
Cloak Room: $5 per item.
Bar: $21.50 AUD for three shots of absinthe. The wait was about 5 minutes.
Music: Contemporary RnB tonight
Crowd: One of the last remaining places where every single person is asian. Usually there is one or two unlucky white people who either have yellow fever or accidentally walked into here, but none could be spotted. The crowd is a half mix of locals and internationals. You can spot the fobs by their fobby hairstyles.
Entertainment: No MC, but a photographer. My favourite photographer Will the Kill was here tonight. He’s surprised that there are so many non-local fobby asians here tonight.
Atmosphere: If wasn’t that good. Previously when Urban Agent promoted, it was packed out like sardines and hot as hell. Tonight, it wasn’t that packed. I would say the dancefloor was pretty much filled out the entire night, and the lounge seats were taken, but you see, the dancefloor and seats only took up half the entire floor space, there was lots of standing room, and, only a few were standing around. Despite this, there were enough people here to warrant staying here the rest of the night. Still, there was something in the air that didn’t make it a lively atmosphere, it was kind of muted – it wasn’t as wild as you would expect a crazy club to be. It might be that there wasn’t an MC.
Video: Walkthrough to the main room
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