Live music, quirky cocktails and boutique beer on tap are just a few of the reasons why northerners are flocking to this uber-cultured art hub.
If you like to be up close and personal with the band, the Afterdark is the venue for you. With a small stage plonked smack in the middle of this skinny little boozer, you're never more than 20 metres away from some of Melbourne's best emerging musical talent. Since opening in February 2006, the Afterdark has been providing northerners with live music every Thursday to Sunday.
Settle back with some freshly poured St Arnou from the taps, or sample one of the fine cocktails from the creative minds of the bar crew. The house special is a cracker - citron vodka, pineapple, lime and Red Bull - with enough energy to keep you dancing all night long.
If you prefer a more mellow session, you can recline in one of the many well-loved lounges and pit yourself against your mates with the array of board games, or the old-school table Galaga.
On Wednesdays, the Afterdark screens classic and cult films. The bar is also a gallery, and from the first Thursday of every month, a new exhibition is launched. If you like what you see, the pieces are all up for sale.
Ben Maas
