Cherry Bar, Space Invaders, Spooky Parties, Architecture Fest & Dragons this Weekend

Halloween is really starting to grow in Melbourne, it’s still got nothing on its overseas cousins but its arrived.  It’s a time for house parties, dress-ups and mixtapes. This is one of my faves. It’s also introduced me to Dead Man’s Bones and left me feeling both completely in love with Ryan Gosling and like I will never come close to his brilliance and have failed in life as an artist and a man. It’s enough to make you want to drown your sorrows.

CHINA AT CHERRY
The Good China are heaps fun and haven’t played a show in a year!  They make a mighty return at Cherry Bar this Friday. If you like happy indie pop with a touch of wit and intelligence you should go.
What: Music
Where: Cherry Bar, ACDC Lane, Melbourne
When: Friday 28 October, 8:30pm
Web: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197141383684699

THE JACK O’ LANTERN BALL
Red Bennies has a wonderful mix of geek and class and sexy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. They were always going to have something special for Halloween. The Jack O’Lantern Ball is an evening packed full of bands, DJs and a touch of ghoulish cabaret. Bands playing The WooHoo Revue and The Cumbia Cosmonauts.
What: Halloween party
Where: 373 Chapel Street, South Yarra
When: Monday 31 October from 9pm
Dress – Formal /  Halloween Debutante
Tickets: $18 +BF from redbennies.com.au
Web: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168191199936449

BUILDINGS ARE COOL
I didn’t manage to read all of The Fountainhead, It was too long and I got distracted. That’s not because I couldn’t relate to Howard Roark’s choice to struggle in obscurity rather than compromise his artistic vision or because I don’t like buildings. I like buildings. Melbourne is home to a vast and wonderful array of buildings from the Ghostbuster-esque JB Hi Fi on Chapel Street, to the Dr Who-esque RMIT Storey Hall. It’s also home to people who are responsible for designing them, and talking about how they are designed.  Some of these people are getting together for a festival. If that sort of thing makes you erect, you can check it out here.
What: Festival of buildings and talking about them and stuff
Where: Melbourne
When: Now till October 30

SPACE INVADERS
You know street art’s progressed from casual act of defiance to bonafide artwork when a collection is drawn exclusively from the vaults of the National Art Gallery (that and the film about Banksy). Space Invaders details the evolution of street art in Australia over the past decade, which kicked off during the Howard years when plenty of people were pissed off. There’s stencils, posters, paste-ups and zines from 40 local artists plus a nearby wall has been jazzed up with street art for good measure.
What: A short history of street art
Where: RMIT Gallery, 344 Swanston St, Melbourne
When: Now until Nov 5
Web: www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=dzuj63yix9pw

DRAGONS!
OK I know it’s months away but tickets are on sale and you should get yours this week, today, now, because this sounds freaking amazing! From the team behind Walking with Dinosaurs and Dreamworks comes the How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular which they intend to be “the best arena show ever, full stop”. The show includes 24 dragons, including five big ones weighing 1.6 tonnes each with wing spans up to 14 meters. Oh, and they breath fire! Plus there’s a fun heart warming story with some positive message about being yourself or something… DRAGONS!!! The world premier is taking place right here in Melbourne!
What: Future Dragon Awesomeness
Where: Hisense Arena, Melbourne Park Precinct
When: March 15 – March 25, 2012
Web: www.allphonesarena.com.au/Event_Calendar/How%20To%20Train%20Your%20Dragon.aspx