Night Out Receipts: Discount Dexies, Halloween House Parties, Early-Morning A1 Bakery

June, 26, Brunswick

Saturday, 3:30pm: I’ve been so good all week – no vape (maybe a couple of ciggies), no alcohol, no socialising – so it’s safe to say I have a lot of pent-up energy. I’m ready to get a lil silly. A lil crazy. A lil 〜lit〜. The day starts at 3pm with a shot from a leftover bottle of tequila ($0). 

I buy a heavily discounted dexie from my housemate ($5) and a friend picks me up in a rideshare ($0) on their way back from picking up dexies in Coburg. I’m currently unemployed (but looking for a job, I promise) and this friend says “they’ve got me” for the night. We’ve been friends for close to a decade, so at this point the saying “what goes around comes around” isn’t just some throw-away promise.

4pm: We get to Northcote where the inaugural Eighty-Six festival (which is completely free) is happening at dozens of venues all up and down High Street. Very Melbourne. 

First stop is the 1800 Lasagne Street Party at the Croxton Carpark where Kgomotso is DJing on stage. My friend grabs a falafel wrap and two canned margaritas for us ($0). After realising the vibes aren’t what we’re after – too many families, too many strollers, too wholesome – we make our way to Wolf and Swill where my friend buys us a shot and a watermelon negroni ($0). 

I pitch in at this point and also buy us a watermelon negroni each. $30. After chatting to some wayward friends who are also here to join in the street’s festivities, we decide it’s time to see some live music.

5pm: 24 Moons is our first destination. My friend buys us a vodka soda each and a sweet liqueur shot – I have no idea what’s in it but it tastes like shit. $0. Between seeing Sidney Phillips and Lil Ket, I buy us another vodka soda and a beer for $23 all up and we both take a dexie. 

7:30pm: We’ve come to the point in the night where hours are blurring together. My friend, who is a socialite about town, decides they want to meet up with some friends who are bumming it down the street. They’ve stopped in at a Japanese restaurant to grab food – so we do too. My friend pays for everything there – chicken kaarage, gyoza, two beers. $0.

8:30pm: A couple of acts we both want to see are playing at the Thornbury Theatre – Mulalo and VV Pete – so along with the big hoard of my friend’s friends we depart for a bar right next door. I buy a vodka soda ($12) and we sit and chat until the queens of rap themselves grace the stage. 

11pm: At this point we’ve accumulated a group of about 20 (?) people. I vaguely remember popping another dexie. Boiler Room has been happening simultaneously with the Eighty-Six and the afterparty is happening at a club in the city (don’t ask me what club, I have no idea). We go there and get in for free ($0). We navigate the maze of tunnels, stay for about an hour, then decide it’s house party time.

12am: After witnessing a petty fight between petty teenagers in the middle of the city, I peel off from the group and get in a car to another house party in Fitzroy ($22). I meet up with a friend who’s dressed like a zombie bride for Halloween. We stay for 20 mins before moving to another party in Preston.

1am: This next party is better. And makes sense because it’s a proper, ticketed event with a proper setup. It’s a big tin shed with a dancefloor and costumed, strung-out 20-somethings grinding on each other in the dark. I scab some ciggies, a vape, drinks etc. etc. 

I talk a lot of dexie-induced shit, dance a bit, talk some more shit, then try and convince people it’s kick-on time. 

5am: I’ve done it. We’re on the move. We go back to someone's house. Somehow I’ve found two watermelon seltzers (I stole them, I’m a bad person). We sit, chat, vape. Then I leave.

7:30am: I’ve slipped out. Ghosting is my specialty. A1 Bakery has just opened and with the remaining $7 in my bank account I buy a Za’atar bread with fresh veggies. I lose my credit card somewhere in the process but it’s ok it’s on the A1 Bakery floor. The lady runs out after me and I tell myself it’s time to invest in something that straps my belongings to my body.

8am: I’m in bed. My heart is pumping from too many dexies and I fall asleep to the meandering, docile sounds of Meredith Grey’s voice from my laptop.

Total: $99. Not too bad. Although if we add what my friend shouted, it would probably be in the $300s.

See more Night Out Receipts here.