Program

All travel directions given are from the city, specifically Flinders St station.

Thursday 25th Nov

MLX Pre-Event Welcome Drinks

The first thing to kick off the weekend! You’ll need a gentle introduction to the swing locals before diving straight into the intensity of a 4-day-long swing exchange. Have a beer with an old friend and rub shoulders with friends you’re about to meet. The Grandview Hotel is the truest of suburban locals with it’s rootsy, rough-edged charm. A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, a whole lot of laid-back.

Raiders of the Lost Connections – Opening night

Enjoy the first of many dances that you’ll have at MLX10 to the syrupy sounds of Yvette Johansson Band.

Travel by tram: Tram 55 stops directly outside Estonian House. Route 1: Get the 55 tram from William St, towards West Coburg, then get off at stop 35 on the corner of Melville Rd and Victoria St. Route 2: Take Tram 59 on Elizabeth St towards Airport West. Get off at stop 17 (Royal Children’s Hospital) and change to Tram 55 towards West Coburg.

Travel by train: Take the Upfield train. Get off at Brunswick station. Walk a little further up along the train line to Victoria St. Turn left and walk down Victoria St towards Melville St. Cross Melville Rd and turn left. You will see Estonian House a few doors down (a 20min walk).

Friday 26th Nov

Choc-Topped Vintage Shopping Tour

  • Time: 10am to 4pm
  • Venue: Meet at QV Centre (cnr Lonsdale and Swanston Streets)
  • Required: Fare for a the tram or train. We use Metcards in Melbourne, which you can buy on trams, at train stations, and at newsagents and 7-elevens.

The ultimate mashup of decadence. Ruth Jelley is your guide on a tour through the CBD and Prahran where you can shop your heart out, then fill your heart-shaped hole with chocolately goodness.

If you want to join the group halfway, we’ll arrange for Ruth to be at the MLX rego desk on Thursday where she will give you her contact details. Otherwise, just look out for a smiling face framed by glossy purple tresses.

The plan:

  • Max Brenner for chocolate sustenance. Brunch is calling.
  • Royal Arcade for op-shopping and chocolate elevenses at Koko Black.
  • Retrostar for vintage heaven — you won’t believe the size of this place!
  • Degraves St to soak up that chocolate with lunch (Bah)
  • Flinders St Station to head to Prahran. We’ll do Greville St and Chapel St, including the wonderful Chapel St Bazaar
  • Last stop is at the Lucky Coq on the cnr of High and Chapel Sts. Chocolate pizzas and Black Coq on tap, anyone?

Hellzapoppin’ and the Tempo of Doom
featuring The Australian Hellzapoppin’ Prize

  • Time: Doors open 7pm, competition starts 7.30pm, on till 12am.
  • Music: Jason Downes and the Tempo of Doom
  • Venue: Ormond Hall, 557 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004 (opens in Google Maps)
  • Cost: $35
  • No BYO Alcohol. There will be booze for purchase at the venue.
  • Dress: Eye-popping colours are the way to go on your way to the Maharajah’s palace! Or blend into your natural environment as you explore the deepest, darkest tropic jungles. Pith helmets are go.

We’re proud to be hosting the Australian Hellzapoppin’ prize again, baby! Details on competing on the Hellzapoppin’ page.

Travel by tram: Take tram 3, 5, 6, 16, 64 or 67 on Swanston St, get off at stop 26 at Moubray St (the Belgian Bier Café), walk about 180m down Moubray St.

Friday Late Night

Travel by tram: Take the 70, 78 or 79 tram on Flinders St to the corner of Church St and Swan St in Richmond.  Walk up past the the 7-11 (or stop for a caffeine hit of your choice), past Der Raum cocktail bar, turn left at the metal gates and go up the stairs.

Saturday 27th Nov

Treasure Hunt – Quest for the Holy Grail

  • Time: 1pm picnic, 2pm hunt starts
  • Venue: Meet at Carlton Gardens / Exhibition Gardens near the fountain

Shortly after lunch, Indiana (aka teams of 2-4, minimum 1 Melbournite and 1 out-of-towner) is introduced to the wealthy Walter Donovan (aka Jen Makin, except I’m not a baddy), who informs him that his estranged father has vanished while searching for the Holy Grail, using an incomplete stone tablet as his guide.
Indiana (that’s you) travels to Venice (aka Lygon St), where he discovers a complete version of the stone tablet that Henry used (and also gelati. and coffee).

Once completed, the directions on the tablet explain exactly where to go to find the Grail. But that appears not to be an easy task as Indy needs to get past three deadly traps protecting the Grail…


Wartime Hangar Dance

  • Time: 8pm – 11.30pm
  • Music: Esstee Big Band
  • Cost: $35
  • Venue: Hangar 5, Wirraway Rd, Essendon Airport, Essendon (opens in Google Maps)
  • Specific location of Hangar 5:
  • Map of Hangar 5, Essendon Airport
  • No BYO Alcohol. There will be booze for purchase at the venue.
  • Dress: Aviation, army, navy, wartime! Leave your slippery shoes at home, this floor is slick.

Travel TO: It’s best to share a cab, drive, or grab a lift from one of the locals. Call 13 CABS (13 2227). A taxi fare from the city should be less than $10 per passenger. We’ll also make sure that we do a lift organising session during the Hellzapoppin’.

Travel FROM: We’re hiring a bus! The bus can fit 100, but priority will be for interstaters who are less likely to have their own transport. To make sure that it’s as fair as possible, you will have to book yourself a spot by putting your name on a bus list at the door on Thursday and Friday nights.

Saturday Late Night

Same deal as Friday night. But perhaps with more familiarity and fatigue.

  • Time: 12.30am till late
  • Cost: $15
  • Venue: Forever Dance, Level 1, 432-446 Church St Richmond, Vic 3121 (corner of Church and Swan St)
  • Yes, you can BYO booze and food!
  • Dress: Casual
Sunday 28th Nov

Swing Mafia Poker Pub Crawl 2010

The uproarious Swing Mafia Poker Pub Crawl is back! Starting in the bustling Little Creatures Dining Hall, we will wind our way through the streets of Melbourne and finish up at Y dance for the last event of MLX.

This is a Poker Pub Crawl. Over the day you will collect cards and try to get the best or worst poker hand you can by collecting a new card at each pub. You can buy as many hands as you want to play ($2 per hand). But you got to know when to hold them and, of course, when to fold them.

We’re doing less pubs this year for more time to enjoy a leisurely meal.

Kingdom of the Flying Charleston – the last hurrah

  • Time: 8pm till LATE
  • Music: JW Swing Orchestra
  • Cost: $25
  • Venue: Y dance, 909D High St, Thornbury (opens in Google Maps)
  • No BYO Alcohol. There will be booze for purchase at the venue.

The JW Swing orchestra ends a fabulous MLX10 weekend on a high note. Save the last dance for an MLX organiser or volunteer!

By Train: Take the Epping train to Thornbury Station, then walk 400m to High St.

By Tram: Take the 86 tram from Bourke St, get off at stop 42, corner of Miller and High St.

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