Words: Sam Howard

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All of those who are a part of the Melbourne underground electronic scene have been very spoilt recently. Beyond The Valley over New Years saw one of its best dance line-ups to date, and then Pitch Music & Arts Festival knocked people’s expectations out of the ball-park when it announced an electronic dance line up comparable the world’s best including Dimensions and Dekmantel.

Roar Projects, consisting of masterminds Simon Digby, Tony Perna and Nick Vas, have listed the help of some of the best in the industry to create a new underground club to mirror the success of what our city has offered to Melbourne dance music fans this year. Michael Christidis (Beyond the Valley/Pitch) stated that it’s important to provide quality music from across the whole electronic dance music spectrum. The positive response after Pitch showed that there is a hunger in Melbourne for all the different kinds of sub-genres of electronic music from industrial techno to Chicago and Detroit and everything in between. This is something that the team has strongly taken on board when deciding to begin a Saturday night weekly club with ranging quality music in Melbourne that can satisfy all dance music lovers’ needs rather than just one type of sound.

So what is Xe54 and how will its fresh injection influence the Melbourne club scene?

Not only have Roar Projects, the team behind Xe54 (a crew who boasts over 60 years of hospitality experience in the scene) enlisted the help of the promotional team behind Beyond the Valley and Pitch, they are also collaborating with renowned interior designers International Worldwide. Considered the prime instigator of Melbourne’s laneway revolution, International Worldwide’s influences have created memorable and favourite dance spaces including the iconic Honkytonks, Sorry Grandma, Third Class, The Bottom End, Survivor and Poof Doof.

“They think outside the box,” said Simon Digby, “and we wanted to think outside the box with this space.” Xe54 can be described unique industrial meets future technological aesthetic. Expect exposed concrete and pipes, with LED walls with top quality sound and lighting. Visuals are incredibly important to the team, who have organised everything from the physical spaces, the staff uniforms and even the vessels in which the drinks will be delivered. The street artwork throughout the venue have been incorporated to give a feeling of authenticity of a very real, underground club.

Sound and production quality is the first and foremost important thing that the team has factored in to the night.

“We aim to create something that regardless of the time of year, or which specific week you attend, there will be a Saturday nightspot for electronic music lovers with the right attitude to come together and enjoy good music,” explained Christidis.

“What we are about is to be now, be in the moment, don’t worry about later (and) be present,” said Digby. “We love creating memories for people and hopefully we can do that with Xe54. It’s going to be a moment in time that you look back on and feel some strong emotion about.”

Xe54 launches on Saturday August 12^th, 2017.

Xe54 on Facebook here.