Light up the night

Melbourne music fans are used to enduring dodgy venues to see their favourite acts. But with Kubik, a temporary venue appearing in Birrarung Marr for Melbourne Music Week, the surrounds are as much the focus as the acts on stage.

Constructed from illuminated industrial water tanks, the modular structure is designed to complement the acts playing within, among them Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts.

“It’s as much an art piece as a stage,” Starr Guzman, one of the directors of Markthespot, the creative producers bringing KUBIK to Melbourne, said.

“It’s a French café right by the river during the day, then an illuminated venue at night. We looked at how we could stretch it so it’s not just a techno temple for two weeks.”

While some events are ticketed, many are not, and Guzman encouraged Melburnians to explore the venue at any time of the day.

“The café’s open all day with free entry, and we also have several free night-time events showcasing different acts. Even during ticketed events, people will be able to stroll down and see how the whole structure operates from the outside.”

Guzman acknowledged that an open-air venue in Melbourne was a gamble, but said the city’s partygoers had grown accustomed to variable weather conditions.

“The bonus with Melbourne is we all know how to continue having a good time if the weather turns crap. We can get beyond it and make a party happen.”

INFO: Kubik Melbourne, November 18 – 26. www.kubikmelbourne.com