It was a gilded age, reflected in the term ‘Brisvegas’ - a tag first struck by the Courier Mail in 1996. The Valley was for the non-conformist lover of obscure electronica. Everywhere else was for the drinking crowd who rarely lasted beyond 1am.
When you crossed The Valley’s boundaries, you took your own chances. Technomadiscotech handed out the indie, while hard dance was at The Beat, Morning Glory, The Tube, The Step Inn and Empire with Freestyle, Angus, Edwin, Kesson, Barking Boy, JenE and Matt Kitshon. You raved at Headfunk, Adventj*h or Strawberry Fields. You admired Ministry of Sound for their tight annuals at Butter Beats, Rocking Horse, Central Station, HMV or Sanity. Live bands held court at Festival Hall, The Zoo, The Tivoli, Babble On or The Entertainment Centre.
Then, from the top of Ann Street, Monastery opened their doors with JenE, Gracie, Matt Kitshon and Jason ‘Rousey’ Rouse. It had all the polish of a cocktail bar with a definitive club ambience. Events like NYE 2001 and Fiesta 01 transformed the rooftop into a magical destination.
Jason Hirt and Steve Lee oversaw proceedings as residents Baby Gee and Matt Kitshon preached from the electronic pulpit. Sets from Miguel Migs, Pnau, Danny Howells, Jeff Mills, Lee Burridge, DJ Dexter, Judge Jules, Groove Terminator and Carl Craig remain as historical highlights. Anything from MOS to obscure techno could be dropped. Lines were blurred: murder on the dancefloor had invaded The Valley.
But 2005 saw a serious change altering the face of Queensland nightlife forever: the 3am lockout. This meant impending doom for live music, with revellers herding into entertainment precincts before 2.59am. People taking things too hard and packed to the gills with alcohol were kicked to the curb with little security control, little access to public transport and lengthy cab lines. Smirnoff Blacks became all the rage, smoking in clubs was phased out and Mono’s décor was replaced for a raw, edgy warehouse feel.
Clubbing was distorted as a harder and more demanding clubber was born. The Mono claimed them all. Monastery’s character changed with new management from Premier Bars and youthful marketing manager Steve Papas. An innovative concept was launched: Dirty Thursdays became the new start to the party weekend. Students swarmed into The Valley for The Stafford Brothers, Baby Gee and Habebe on a Thursday night.
To the refined clubber, this new crowd obnoxiously thumbed their nose at authority and glitz. They were labelled ‘Mono Rats’, scorned for their seeming lack of sophistication and discrimination and wild party ways. Certainly, the music spilling onto Ann Street encouraged such behaviour: four-to-the-floor tech house beats ranging from 125–140 BPMs, abrasive leads and deep dark basslines. Benny Benassi, Dirty South and Kaskade were on high rotation on set lists. But what the polished clubber failed to see was what Mono had become: where Rowers or Fridays had previously acted as the clubs to educate the young and inexperienced, Mono had taken on the responsibility of instructing those coming-of-age into the club world.
Dirty Thursdays would gain momentum as an incredible brand, hosting acts like Felix Da Housecat, Crookers, Mr Oizo, Tiga, M.A.N.D.Y and The Bloody Beetroots. Brisbane was not prepared for this new wave; not seeing that it was paving the way for today’s electro. It is therefore with no surprise that the same person responsible for launching Dirty Thursdays and thereby changing the face of Queensland clubbing would come full circle to where it all started. Steve Papas - with Adrian Mezzina - as The Arcade Creative have earned their stripes across a decade embedded in a shifting social scene.
The Mono has often been misunderstood and often misrepresented. Monastery has come a long way since JenE, Matt Kitshon, Rousey and Gracie first opened the doors to what has been a grand adventure. When we farewell Monastery, do not say goodbye. Instead, reflect on what it was: A Good Journey.
Monastery says farewell this weekend with the Pornstar Party on Friday, before the curtains come down for the final time on Saturday July 16.
