NOTE: The old H is about to undergo renovations. Everything is open as normal, except that most of their night time bands and DJs have moved to Brass Monkey. Shed 7 will be open for the next few weeks.
The Hallam stands as a very good suburban nightclub. Their Friday night is probably still their biggest night, although their Thursday is catching up. Max's favourite band, Adam 12 have taken over the gig, and the crowds sees why I like them, which is why the place is full again. Adam 12 has given the night the new energy it needed. A year ago it was easily the biggest Friday in Melbourne, and it is close to regaining that title. The addition of a two free drinkcards (if you have a pass) has also helped.
The crowd is fairly young, with heaps of students, but a mix of under 26s. You get a great band, a duo and a couple of reasonable DJs, for $9 and you get two drinkcards if you have a pass.
The crowd is not all that old, but primarily aged 18-24, with plenty of people outside that bracket. As a bonus, it is also dressier than you expect at a pub. The crowd arrives a little later than on a Thursday, although it is busy from 9.30 . It is a fairly local crowd, but some people travel from all over Melbourne.
The main room is L-shaped and is a bistro by day, with plenty of tables, three bars, and some video games. It doubles as one of the largest band rooms in Victoria. The footy game of the week is shown on the big screen, unless they put on wrestling, or music videos without the sound. All of this, though, is secondary to the real entertainment.
Adam 12 play a great mix, with an incredible amount of energy. They play everything from party classics, to top 40 to alternative, and they do it enthusiastically. Granted, it is a little weird to hear a bunch of blokes cover Lady Marmalade, but you get over that. However, when they jump around the stage, the whole crowd goes with them, and they all have a great time. The support comes from DJ Albert and duo Voodoo Dogs. Voodoo Dogs play a good sing-along mix of popular, pub, and party tunes to warm the crowd up. The highlight for me, though, is the DJ, playing a great party mix, with a slight R&B and commercial leaning. I love the mix, because on a good night, it is one of the better ones anywhere in Melbourne. The biggest weakness is the dancefloor, which is simply not big enough for the crowd.
Added to this, there is Shed 7, offering a great alternative for those of us who are not into bands. DJ Brad (Star Bar/Next Blue) provides some very deep RnB tunes, with a commercial edge, and a touch of House. This keeps the dancefloor, in the loft, rocking. The room is a little like a barn, with a loft above pool tables at one end, and a big bar down the side, and a beer garden opposite.
You won't find too many nights with a better entertainment line-up. Adam 12 are the best band going around at the moment, and DJs Albert and Brad are fantastic. Then, of course, there are two complimentary drinkcards if you have a pass. You cannot go too far wrong with that. Definitely a night worth checking out.
