Drawing its concept and name from the location of legendary venue The Factory, the fifth floor of East Street, Midtown Manhattan, Fifth Floor is an underground movement of events that combines the best of psych music and visuals.
Channelling inspiration from underground movements past and present, the Fifth Floor collective hosts ‘psych-parties’ in its hometown of Melbourne and abroad, putting together one-time-only musical gigs at secret locations with amazing lineups.
The first Fifth Floor event was a huge success, hundreds were turned away at the door of the secret location while a sold out crowd of 400 punters or more enjoying some ofMelbourne’s best buzz bands and psychedelic visual projections. We have a chat with director Vlad Chant.
How long have you been involved in running events such as Fifth Floor?
Fifth Floor just started as an idea at the beginning of 2013. The Murlocs headlined our first sell out event at Tetris Warehouse and now we are on the move.
Was there a particular experience that highly influenced the Warehouse element to each event?
The 14 Hour Technicolour Dream was a one off multi-artist event that brought all the creative’s of London together under one roof. 14 hr was made up of lighting towers, psychedelic visuals, live art and experimental music with Pink Floyd headlining the event at 3am. The energy was electric, the people made it what it was and Fifth Floor is influenced by this movement.
What lead to adhering strictly to the garage/psych theme for Fifth Floor?
We are open to all genres and creative ideas, depending on where the event is taking place. In Berlin we are working with electronic artists and more experimental music. Manchester is more about the Hacienda sound, bands who have the Happy Mondays, Stone Roses new-wave influence.
How important do you think boutique events like these are to the exposure to both Melbourne’s arts and psych/garage scene?
Melbourne is a fast party, sleep and you’ll miss out. There’s always trippy art related events and great live music going on and Melbourne artists seem to always find space to collaborate. Great local artists are being exposed at all times, the best part is seeking them out.
Warehouse’s tend to really draw the Melbourne crowd in, can you see yourself or Fifth Floor expanding to different genre for events such as electronic music?
Experimental, electronic music and performance art is more the vibe we are bringing out in Berlin. Yet we are open to all styles of music, if there is some element of psych experimentation, we will always embrace it.
The first party was such a great event! Was any particular act a highlight for yourself?
Well The Murlocs really are something else, they killed it. When the band first hit the stage I was outfront and there were hordes of 100+ people coming in just to see them. Unfortunately we were at capacity and they had to be turned away.
Who are you personally excited for on this second bill?
Wolf & Cub recently tore up NSC, their new album live is another level. Damn Terran’s LP is great! ESC shred live, Meth leopard and New Pollution have started a neo-pysch movement like no other. Mangelwurzel are whack and live, a must see! All the bands are hand-picked and together they’ll make for a killer party.
You’re hosting a party in Berlin after the second Melbourne show, that’s pretty exciting, have you held similar events abroad before?
No, well I wanted the first trip to Europe to be a creative venture. The Berlin line up is great. The bands we picked are all making waves in Berlin. We have a few different psych visual performance pieces going on and the bands will bring quite a dark, brooding Berlin style vibe.
Will the Berlin event focus around the same of psychedlica/garage?
The psych element will always be apparent with each event, yet droning 90s [BJM] neo-psychedelia and electronic/experimental music is more the direction of the Berlin line up. It will be released very soon.
Post-Berlin, are there more exciting shows in the pipeline for Melbourne?
Yes we are currently planning a big multi-artists warehouse event here in Melbourne for early next year with many different styles of psych influenced music on multiple stages. The carpark of the space is huge and it will be lit with fire drums, roaming performance art and world music. Free jams will come alive and it looks like it may be BYO too, here’s hoping.
Is there a chance for Fifth Floor to be established into a monthly event?
No not really, in that we want to keep momentum and continue to travel, hosting events wherever we find the space. It would be great to do some kind of small Fifth Floor tour next year and visit Syd, Brisbane and Perth also.
Fifth Floor #2 Lineup
Wolf & Cub
Damn Terran
Hollow Everdaze
I, a Man
ESC
Warmth Crashes In
Meth Leopard
The New Pollution
Sooky La la
Mangelwurzel
Lands
Jack Barclay
Psych Visuals by Astral Projection
Fifth Floor #2 Dates, Tickets
Saturday 23rd November 2013 – Melbourne
Venue To Be Announced
Presented by Tone Deaf, Beat Magazine, Whothehell.net, & Faint Magazine
Only 200 tickets available, head to https://www.facebook.com/events/386989338100077/
