Pawn Shops and Late-Night Haunts: Explore Melbourne’s Diverse Nightlife

Aussie-born, Melbourne-raised DJ Will Sparks is a familiar name to dance music heads down under and across the world. Crowned Australia’s number one DJ by In The Mix magazine in 2014, he has channelled his idiosyncratic electro house/Melbourne Bounce style into a global success story. Growing up in Melbourne’s Eastern suburbs, Sparks dropped out of school to pursue a burgeoning career in music and dropped his first EP Another Land in 2014. Now regularly booked on world tours, Culture Trip caught up with him in between shows for a quick chat about his favourite spots in the city that defined his career.

For Sparks, growing up in Melbourne was fundamental to his growth as a DJ and artist. Some of the clubs he started at in the noughties that defined his progression as a DJ are sadly no longer operating; places such as Wah Wah Lounge on Lonsdale Street for example, which Sparks reminisces about fondly: “It was set in the heart of Melbourne CBD. This was the birthplace of my career. I was there every Thursday and Saturday, playing a set between 2am and sometimes even 9am! It had two floors, both with the best vibe and sound systems you could imagine.” Then there was Korova, another gem at the top of Bourke Street, near Parliament. “With multiple levels and in the heart of the city, it was a place you would end the night at. I would play there every Saturday from 6am onwards for what we’d call ‘recovery’. I don’t remember a time I ever left that place without the sun beaming,” Sparks says.

Sparks’s name is synonymous with Melbourne Bounce, a sub-genre that emerged out of the electro-house music scene in the 2010s. Pioneered by a number of Melbourne DJs with Sparks at the helm and shaped by the likes of Joel Fletcher, Djuro, Laidback Luke and Deorro, it’s a sound that has spread well beyond its Australian roots. “It’s about a nice groove, a catchy lead and heavy bassline,” Sparks says. “It originated from the dark minimal/techno style, but progressed because of the talented Melbourne underground producers.”

Melbourne is undoubtedly a musical and creative hotbed, producing such talent as Nick Cave, Kylie Minogue, Tash Sultana, Courtney Barnett, Cut Copy and The Cat Empire. With an impressive array of clubs and gig venues across the city it’s no wonder there is such a thriving scene. In fact, a 2018 study conducted by Music Victoria and the City of Melbourne found that Melbourne has more live music venues per capita than any other city in the world. Melbourne had one venue per 9,503 residents – better than London, New York and LA. “If I hadn’t grown up in Melbourne, I wouldn’t be where I am today. The culture of music and club scene is like nowhere else in the world,” Sparks says.

Some of Sparks’ top late-night Melbourne hotspots include: