By Ethan Benedicto
International music superstars retain those labels for a reason, through melodic prowess, musical discography, or even just their sheer aura to woo crowds from around the globe.
Travis Scott arrived in Melbourne for his Circus Maximus world tour, rocking Marvel Stadium and the CBD on 22 October with classics from Goosebumps to viral hits from his latest album Utopia with tracks such as Fein and Modern Jam.
Now, there is no question that such an artist’s presence would have its after-effects, with local radios and club DJs guaranteed to be singing their tunes for the next few weeks.
But what about just a day after the performance, and how about 40 kilometres to the southeast; and how about at District 14 in Narre Warren on a Wednesday night?
Live music venue and club owner Dominic said that having someone like Travis Scott come down to Narre Warren took a lot of effort from his team—an effort that is a leap forward in making the southeast the place to be for live music events.
“Look, to be honest, the southeast was missing a live music space,” Dominic said.
“We bought Empire as a nightclub but had the vision of changing it to live music and I believe we’ve been successful in doing that.
“As well as a club, people see the importance it has for the community, and we’ve had every single local artist you can think of performing at nights, and they will show up frequently because they see our vision.”
When District 14’s post first hit Instagram on 17 October, many could hardly believe it, with one commenter saying that “this might be the craziest night in the history of Narre” and another user who was more amazed than anything, asking “how has my home done this”.
There have been major steps previously taken by the City of Casey’s Live and Local campaign in bolstering the area’s potential as the beacon for live music, where in July this year many artists, local and from around the state, took to venues in Berwick and Cranbourne.
As for District 14, it has been steadily building its reputation since its rebranding from Empire, with Dominic and his team aiming to not only create an electric atmosphere for major acts but also to serve the community and build the foundations for that growing music scene outside of the CBD.
“Bringing these big artists I think is important for the southeast, because it’s creating and giving people an opportunity to be able to go out and see these people instead of having to pay for an expensive ticket at Rod Laver or Marvel Stadium,” he said.
“It’s important to us to make these experiences accessible; people don’t want to travel to the city, spend heaps on transport, and deal with the logistics of getting home at 5am, so bringing big artists here allows locals to enjoy live music without that hassle.”
Event and marketing manager Carlo echoed Dominic’s statements, where he also highlighted the positive impact towards local talent that these events could have.
“Now we’ve got the ability to facilitate these [kind of] shows, which gives these local artists a certain opportunity; like, how many DJs that live in Narre Warren or in the southeast can say, ‘I played before Travis Scott that week’,” he said.
“It’s cool being able to do that for people, it’s about giving those opportunities while also bringing in the big names.”
Hosting Travis Scott wasn’t just about booking the megastar, it was about proving that not just District 14, but Narre Warren and the southeast are worthy of world-class performers; and that outside of the city, it’s the place to be.
According to Dominic, the journey involved showcasing their track record, where the venue has hosted big names such as YG, T.I., Neo and PartyNextDoor.
“When Travis came on stage, I could see disbelief in the crowd’s faces,” Dominic said.
“It took them a few minutes to realise that yes, this was actually happening in Narre Warren.
“He was only supposed to stay for a short set but ended up performing for an hour and that’s a testament to the crowd’s energy and the vibe of the venue.”
The night is a recorded feat for the southeast, where international stars play their biggest hits in the little nook and cranny of Narre Warren, cementing the venue’s and the area’s ability to hold its own to the rap sheet of the inner city and the CBD’s capabilities.
However, the train’s going strong, with Quavo set to hit the venue on Friday 29 November.
Dominic said that they’re “not stopping”.
“We’ve got major plans for next year, from international artists to local bands, our goal is to keep bringing the city to the southeast.”
For Narre Warren locals and beyond, this was more than just an artist’s visit to a local venue, it’s a cultural shift, bringing world-class music to their doorstep and proving that the Southeast is no longer just a stopover on the way to the CBD.
