All quiet in the west no more thanks to Misfits in Footscray
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Walking into Misfits in Footscray reminds me of the gallery openings and house parties I used to go to with my artsy friends in Brooklyn (gatherings I was definitely not cool enough to be at). Multicoloured factory windows, steel beams and art-adorned walls give the space a warehouse party vibe, helped along on a recent evening by the old school R&B, volume up, thanks to DJ Cristal No. 5. I dare you not to bump your head to The Neptunes' remix of *NSYNC’s “Girlfriend.”
It’s been All Quiet on the Western Front in Melbourne this winter, without a lot of new venue openings here in Footscray. But I hadn’t been out west in ages, and last time I stepped into the space occupied by Misfits it was home to wine bar Baby Snakes, which I was sad to see go, so it felt like I was overdue for a visit. Doing so reminded me it’s well worth the trip from my northside home turf.
I’m not alone in feeling like the trek to Footscray, and to Misfits in particular, is worth it. On a random Thursday night in the depths of winter I ran into some (non-hospo) mates from Fitzroy and the CBD who came out here to see their friend Cuddles spin. It seems like everyone here is catching up with mates. Out the back in the spacious smoking area, a group of friends is absorbed in a game of UNO. This part of the venue looks like what might happen if some young revolutionaries had a post-apocalyptic commune; rusted bars in bare brick windows puncture walls painted in shades of bright pink and blue, and the music from inside is still loud and clear.
Footscray seems to foster a uniquely community-focused vibe, with venues like Misfits, Migrant Cafe (more on that below), Hail Lilith and Mamma Chen’s; places that are actively trying to create comfortable environments for diverse communities, and doing the number one job of hospitality (in my mind anyway), of providing positive third spaces in an increasingly fractured world. Misfits really leans into that mission by hosting events like The Migrant Chess Club which, “reimagines the traditional chess scene by melding gameplay, music, community, and creativity into a vibrant, inclusive experience.”
The Misfits soundscape is carefully curated, too, with live DJs at least twice a week, focusing on mix-masters of colour playing far from average tunes. A recent event was described as, “a night where the decks are sacred, the genres are shapeshifting, and the emotions are uncensored. This is a genre-bending gathering of POC DJs and artists who play not to perform, but to purge, remember, and resurrect. No boxes, no binaries — just open-format frequency healing.”
Stick that in your Spotify playlist.
Owner Jerry Poon says they “want Misfits to be a platform for new talent, a stomping ground for the local community and a home to people who love music and hospitality.” There’s also a heavy focus on visual art, featuring “pieces from all around the world, representing the diaspora that we live in, including some pieces specifically made with the venue in mind as a talking point and a connection to land,” he says.
Much like Footscray itself, Misfits is creative and cool and diverse — a place where people can be themselves, even if they often feel like misfits.
Around the Bars
Mr West turns eight! Still by far one of the best places in Melbourne for a craft beer, a mezcal, a bottle of low-fi wine or a cracking cocktail, Mr West in the heart of Footscray is celebrating eight years in operation with a two-day party later this month. On Friday the 29th they’re tapping two special collaboration beers brewed especially for the occasion, and on Saturday the 30 there’s a Good Good Burger pop-up from 1-5PM, then the real party starts from 5pm with guest DJs, free jelly shot and special party drinks to keep spirits high. Get the full details here.
Come for coffee, stay for community. Another amazing community-focused venue out west is Migrant Coffee, a cafe and event space run by a couple of best mates who are also, like so many in this brilliantly diverse area, the first generation daughters of migrants. Apart from cracking coffee and bagels, they also hold regular — and often free — community events, and they’re always open to cool ideas if you have an event you want to put on outside their regular business hours. As they say, “Are you looking for an exhibition or party space? If you need a fully staffed bar, kitchen and indoor and outdoor space, we've got you covered. You bring us the idea and we make it happen. Email hello@migrantcoffee.com and let's organise something amazing together.”
Play with your whisky. For those closer to the east side than the mighty west, Hawthorn’s recently opened sound and saké venue Bar Selecta is hosting weekly whisky and music pairing nights throughout the month of August. Join in for The Sounds of Whisky: A Whisky-Music Pairing Experience, every Wednesday & Thursday evening at 5:00 PM through the month, and see how the top-notch team here interprets the flavours of whisky through sound, and vice-versa. Register here and get your tickets fast because space is limited.