Royal Derby Hotel's Rockabilly Sundays With Jump & Jive

[Jitterbug]

After last week’s grand opening, and from the glowing reports I have heard, just couldn’t resist fronting up on Sunday at the Royal Derby hotel in Fitzroy just off the Eastern Freeway. Incredibly, I was told the same hotel that had staged rockabilly gigs back in the 1980’s for which many old timer rockers still remember with great fondness.

I have never been to the Royal Derby, and I have to say I ‘m impressed with the venue. It’s fairly spacious inside but still retaining the cosiness of a pub. The bar is in the middle and adjoining it are the 2 separate dance floors. The beer garden is at the back of the hotel and I can see great potential for it to double up as the third dance floor during the warmer months and in summer. Drinks and meal prices are very reasonable and there’s easy & free parking on Brunswick Street and Queens Parade nearby.

Being a city venue, it draws in rockers from the city fringes and also especially those from the Northern and Western suburbs although today it didn’t stop many coming from the East and South of Melbourne. The other thing I like about the venue is its ability to attract attention from the passing traffic outside. Time and again, the music and dancing drew curious on lookers to its large glass windows and whenever the traffic stops, one could see people in their cars and in the trams turning their heads to have a look at the activities taking place inside the Royal Derby. It’s really great advertising for rock & roll music and dancing. The venue is in close proximity to a large university population in addition to Gen X & Y that resides around Fitzroy, Collingwood, Brunswick and Parkville areas so the potential is enormous to draw in new converts to our 1950’s style music, dancing and culture. Let’s hope word gets around and that there will be more advertising for the “Rockabilly Sundays” arvo at the Royal Derby. I hope too there will be R&R and/or rockabilly dance classes at the venue sometime in the near future.

Jump & Jive played today with a fairly good dance crowd in attendance. With the rain and blustery condition that we experienced in Melbourne today, I really didn’t think that many would actually come out dancing but I was wrong. Good to meet up with dancers from the other parts of Melbourne. Well done DJ Ashley for up starting a fantastic venue in the city area.

And finally, a couple of videos of Jump & Jive at the Royal Derby Hotel today ...........

[Bernie]

Another top Nite, Word will spread, You done it again, The Big DJ ASH SCREEN WITH PHOTOS IS BACK, Well done Paul with the Videos , I reckon this place will kick specially summer, wait till the bendigo hotel people find out about this, I talked to the owner about Saturday nights, Ash this could be the monash hotel in the centre of melbourne, and kids can come , plus u can go down brunswick st and have a coffee and a chat, the owner told me he is getting a coffee machine soon, place classy in brunswick st and it will attract that type of people, and all these years coming to brunswick st and finding a car spot, read the flyer where to park, plenty free parking, I think warmer summer time they might have to expect to extend, Location location it is the best, This place will get people walking in from the street especially summer time, I was very sad when the sunday scene at bendigo hotel closed down but like always the universe can only fill a vacuum, Royal Derby Hotel Rebirthing, Dances need dance floor space and this has got it all, the owner told me he is going to extend the dance floor, thisis growing bigger all the time

[djashley]

Another top Nite, Word will spread, You done it again, The Big DJ ASH SCREEN WITH PHOTOS IS BACK, Well done Paul with the Videos , I reckon this place will kick specially summer, wait till the bendigo hotel people find out about this, I talked to the owner about Saturday nights, Ash this could be the monash hotel in the centre of melbourne, and kids can come , plus u can go down brunswick st and have a coffee and a chat, the owner told me he is getting a coffee machine soon, place classy in brunswick st and it will attract that type of people, and all these years coming to brunswick st and finding a car spot, read the flyer where to park, plenty free parking, I think warmer summer time they might have to expect to extend, Location location it is the best, This place will get people walking in from the street especially summer time, I was very sad when the sunday scene at bendigo hotel closed down but like always the universe can only fill a vacuum, Royal Derby Hotel Rebirthing, Dances need dance floor space and this has got it all, the owner told me he is going to extend the dance floor, thisis growing bigger all the time

Thanks Bernie, The Derby icon is back & is here to stay, in the the coming months we will see some of our regular bands appear, Itchy Fingers, Ignition, Blachill Ramblers, Flyin Saucers, Firebirds, Atomic Hi Tones, Skyrockats, Coope Devine, Dirty Boogie, Phoenix, Benny & The Flybyniters, Hanks Jalopy Demons, Billy & The Headliners, Fenderbenders, Moonee Valley Drifters, Stringbusters, The Detonators & many more

As of next month 1st sun of every month i will have 2 bands on, time 3pm to 9pm, all other sundays 1 band 4pm to 8pm, as usual FREE ENTRY, cheap drinks, cheap meals, 2 big dance floors, beer garden, Ashcam & friendly people, coming soon Dance Classes every sun

Coming Sat 23rd July New "DERBY SINGLES" every Sat FREE ENTRY for those looking for a partner, music 70's, 80's Retro, Salsa, RnB, Dance, Techno, Trance & Top 40 with DJ Ashley