If you were looking to get your Melbourne Cup Celebrations off to an early start, the Prince Bandroom was the place to be.


Perhaps it was the novelty of partying so hard on a Monday night, or perhaps it was simply the open bar, but the night’s atmosphere was electric. Hosted by Royal Elastics and Onelove, DJs including Para One and Larry Tee kept the dance floor packed all night long. The drinks flowed free and fast, giving partygoers all the encouragement they needed to take full advantage of the following day’s public holiday.


The Royal Elastics’ backroom was the hotspot of the night. With the Acid Jacks at the turntable space was so limited that some (i.e., my supposed photographer) resorted to dancing on tables instead of the dance floor itself.


True to form, the fashions at Prince were a mix of eclectic, quirky outfits, sophisticated cool and more casual, relaxed garb. Many Melburnians chose to forgo their traditional black outfits for a more colourful look.


Those heading to the Cup the next morning were likely to have felt the need to resort to oversized sunglasses to hide the effects of the previous night’s escapades.