Ruby Assembly @ Melbourne Music Week - Aesthetics of Sound

Ruby Assembly Consultants were excited to discover Melbourne Music Week’s series of pop-up installations, courtesy of an afternoon laneway adventuring with Limelight PR. Named ‘The Aesthetics of Sound – An In Store Experience’, this element of MMW is a series of artistic installations in several of Melbourne’s most innovative businesses. Today’s blog brings you on our journey on steamy Melbourne afternoon, discovering creative jewels and sipping on Pimms by the Yarra. Enjoy!

We started our ‘Aesthetics of Sounds’ Journey at Bar Americano on Presgrave Lane – the image inset is looking up from outside the bar. I was struck by its tall, 1940’s design and the potted plants on the balcony. I wonder who lives there? I was happy to be joined on the tour by the chic Sarah of Style Melbourne, and we were both excited to venture inside Bar Americano to enjoy their hospitality.

Bar Americano is a tiny euro-chic, serious venue with a simple 1950’s aesthetic and a true passion for cocktails – you could imagine Frank Sinatra or Don Draper (both imaginary gentlemen, in my estimation) winking at you from across the bar. Bar Americano have interpreted ‘The Aesthetics of Sound’ by offering a range of 10 iconic drinks immortalised in song from the golden era of cocktails. Nifty, eh?

Americano cocktails waiting at the bar – this bittersweet drink was the precursor to the popular Negroni.

Bar Americano also do a fine line of humble snacks elegantly executed casalinga style – such as these cannelini beans with sage, olive oil, lemon and crusty bread.

The debonair owners of Bar Americano told us about some of the cocktails featured and their song inspiration – Floradora hearkens from an 1899 musical, Orange Blossom is essentially a gin and juice mixture (popularised by hep cat Snoop Dog), Cuba Libre is a song by Gloria Estefan and Pina Colada… well it really needs no explanation. Enjoy a few pina coladas and getting caught in the rain by hitting ‘play’!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVdhZwK7cS8]

Next up we travelled to the GPO to Where Lovers Lie – a pop-up shop with an interactive installation which combines bespoke fashion and sound. As the installation itself suggests – squeeze me! It was a little steam-punkyish and a bit Ladyhawke too. The garment (made by Where Lovers Lie designer Annelies Love-Linay, below) has touch points so that the participant may create a soundtrack to the fashion. Where Lovers Lie can be discovered on Level One at Melbourne’s GPO.

Looky-here! It’s GPO all wrapped up for Christmas! A view from our ‘ The Aesthetics of Sound’ tour as we made our way to… Lenko Boutique!

Dana from Lenko (right) spoke to us about their window box installations on the theme ‘The Aesthetics of Sound’. Lenko ( Shop 5/37 Swanston Street) invited a group of artists to respond to selected music of her choice. These include a tapestry of a soundscape by Michelle Hamer – made whilst she listened to John Abrahams. There is also a mysterious picture made by Jaclin Smith, created whilst listening to The Pixies. Enjoy, below.

On to… Alice Euphemia! Victoria spoke to us about their intepretation of ‘The Aesthetics of Sound’ brief. Collaborating with Polyester Music, Alice Euphemia creaed an in-store soundscape called ‘Shopgirl Sounds’. This consists of Melbourne artists and friends of Alice Euphemia who they admire, listen to and see live. In-store you can experience – HTRK’s ‘Work’, Atlas Sounds ‘Parallax’, Dick Diver ‘New Start Again’, Total Control ‘Henge Beat’ and Geoffrey O’Connor’s ‘Vanity is Forever’.

Alice Euphemia’s current windows featuring Romance Was Born.

We then ventured under Flinders Street Station to Corky Saint Clair (terribly blurry image, but you’ll get the vibe!) – Shop 3, Degraves Street. Corky Saint Clair invited six local jewellers to create work for ‘Every Mix Tape Is A Love Letter’ which is an exhibition that celebrates music and its role as muse. There were a range of wonderful pieces on display which I encourage you to discover – but my favorite is a witty necklace by Fashion Hayley – inspired by Rasputin no less!

Necklace by Fashion Hayley – inspired by Rasputin. You know – “Ra, ra, Rasputin – lover of the Russian Queen” etc.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvDMlk3kSYg]

Our very last port of call on ‘The Aesthetics of Sound’ tour was to Ponyfish Island – which by some wild twist of fate I’d never heard of before. Ponyfish Island is on the Yarra Pedestrian bridge between Southbank and Flinders Street station. Literally – a little island full of chilled Pimms, Melbourne Bitter and stylish hipsters. Ponyfish Island is named after a fish from ‘The Life Aquatic Starring Steve Zissou’. The brainchild of Grant Smillie, Jerome Borazio et al, it’s a perfect place to let the breeze from across the Yarra cool you down.

Inset: The very beautiful Yuka serenaded us with sea-shanties and told us about the upcoming range of events for MMW at Ponyfish Island.

On the menu for Ponyfish Island during MMW are events such as a live reading of Dylan Thomas’ ‘Under Milkwood’, and a pirate themed music bonanza. What’s not to like? Thus ends Ruby Assembly’s enjoyable afternoon touring ‘The Aesthetics of Sound’. Get amongst it and enjoy the Pimms, interactive clothes, window-box installations and Americano cocktails!