Favela Rock is an institution.

Anyone living in Melbourne, that likes Hip Hop and getting loose, that hasn’t scraped themselves off the dancefloor of Miss Libertines at 4.30am is quite simply missing out.

Looking back at a photo taken in May 2006 I realise its been over three years of getting loose for the Opulent crew at Favela Rock. Back in the days when Miglet and myself stumbled onto a heaving crowd of sweaty well dressed people at Loop, for a gold coin donation and some serious dancefloor related shoe damage, it has evolved into the reasonably epic monthly night at Miss Libertine’s that it is today.

Will Bond and Evet Lean brough the fun back into clubs and hip hop with their boutique little offering. Before Favela you could either go to a Hip Hop gig with a bunch of dirty boys with ratstail’s or go to an RnB club at Crown where the boys were just as repulsive only they gelled their rats tails and polished their shoes.

Favela Rock was a hip hop event that paid little attention to the conventions of the genre, finally you could wear heels and a ridiculous amount of gold and even throw in a bandana and some teef but you could still jump around screaming wu-tang and spilling your beer on unsuspecting patrons and generally just forget about the worries of the world. The attitude went, everyone got as loose as each other and a beautiful event was born.

Meet the boys behind the party …

Will: We’ve just been working (aka getting old). On top of that we’re getting ready for this weekend – we’re helping Provider throw their fifth birthday party. It’s looking like it’s gonna be pretty big and maybe even the weather will be kind to us as well.

Evet: And we’ve finally started getting around to re-doing our site. Keep an eye out for that.

Tell us a little about how Favela Rock started.

 

Evet: Well, this was back in the day when Opulent Magazine was a printed publication, those were the days, or were they? Anyway, we wrote a lot about styles of music that weren’t really getting played in the clubs, so our solution was to start Favela Rock.

 

Will: The first official Favela Rock was at Loop Bar. Loop was good for a fledgling club night – it only holds 170 people so it doesn’t take much for it to look full and little more for it get crazy. It got to the stage where there was a 45 minute wait to get in and while that’s rather good for your ego, you have to know when to expand. After we outgrew Loop we moved to Laundry for a few parties then to our current home, Miss Libertine, which had only been open a few months. People still talk about those Loop parties though so maybe we should move it back there.

 

 

If Favela Rock was a person, who would it be?

 

Evet: Duff Man from the Simpsons or sometimes Akira, but at the start of the night it is Bambi.

 

Favourite Memory/Story?

 

Evet: One of my favourite moments was The Cool Kids playing, it was just a great show, and the YouTube of it is a testament to that. But amusing things happen every time, it’s just kind of hard to remember a lot of them.

 

Will: I remember being lifted up and bodyslammed by a girl once at Loop. It was actually friend of mine giving me a really enthusiastic hug – I came down right near the edge of a table, my head missing the corner by about 2 inches. They tried to kick me out for that.

 

Strangest thing witnessed so far?

 

Will: I’ve never caught anyone having sex anywhere, but working the door taught me a lot about people – drunk people especially. NO, YOU CAN’T COME IN FOR $4.

 

Evet: Someone trying to stage dive and it ending horribly wrong and DJ Young Steezy from The Apollo Kids on the mic (aka headphones) in general.

 

Why do you think so many nights have died and Favela has survived nearly

four (?) years?

 

Evet: I don’t really know, we tried to keep it fresh, and try some new things, if they work we add them, but we just try to focus on people having fun, and not let egos get in on it.

 

Will: A huge part of it is the DJs – our regulars are all seasoned veterans who truly know how to read a crowd and rock a party. But really it kind of just slowly built and we hustled promo too.

 

Is there anyone that hasn’t played that you would like to book?

 

Evet: Heaps! Diplo has played with us before, but not at Favela, that would be great for him to play in a smaller club. Or someone older like, Egyptian Lover, 2 Live Crew (although I’m not sure if they could manage it now), Blaqstarr, DJ Marlboro, DJ Rapid Ric.

 

Will: J-Rocc, Biz Markie, Theophilus London. A New Orleans Bounce dude like Fifth Ward Weebie would be awesome too. And if Black Flag re-formed I’d definitely put them on.

 

Any Favela plans for the future we should know about?

 

Evet: A few things coming up – a joint party with a Melbourne retailer, and the big 4th birthday bash in October.

 

Secret skills:

 

Will: I got 9,500 doing Creep by Radiohead on Singstar the other week. Step up!

Evet: A strong liver.

 

Can’t leave home without:

 

Will: A good book and my stupid iPhone. (luv u iPhone).

Evet: My bag, although I’ve probably forgotten to pack it.

 

 

What’s in your Go Bag?

 

Will: A bottle of Highland Park, a deck of Uno cards and some good cheese.

Evet: Peanut butter.

 

Any last words?

 

Will: RIP MJ.

Evet: Thanks for the support!

 

Shout out’s to:

 

Evet: Mayoress crew, our regular DJs – Mafia, Apollo Kids, Oohee, Mexi, TPC.

Never Now, Provider, Heist, For The Homies, Don’t Come, HearNow (RIP). And

Thanks to anyone who has come to Favela and who put their drinks up.

 

Will: My girl! And also to Emma our door girl – get better!

 

 

Favela Rock kicks off this weekend, Saturday 22nd August at Miss Libertines.

Email favelarock@opulentmagazine.com to get in cheap!