Fresh from opening over the weekend, 2 Chambers has made its mark on Geelong as the place to be on Friday and Saturday nights for lovers of hip hop and RnB.
“[2 Chambers] was really well received by Geelong,” co-owner Tim Jinks says. “Especially with the line down the street most of the night – we hit capacity about 10pm.”
Having created a name for themselves for hip hop and RnB in their intimate venue on Chapel Street in Melbourne, owners Tim Jinks and Chace Harty decided to recreate what 56 Bricks offered. Growing up in Colac originally, with Tim currently living in Torquay, Geelong was the reasonable next location for their second venue.
“Not a lot of people do RnB and hip hop specially in Geelong,” Tim says. “And who doesn’t love RnB and hip hop? You can dance to it, you can sing to it and even just listen to it. And we both love it as well.”
“It’s a broad range as well,” Chace adds. “Whether you’re 8 years old or 35, everyone knows a song of either Beyonce, Biggie Smalls or A Tribe Called Quest. Hip hop has been around for years and years and it’s like the new ’80s rock.”
Playing hits from those Chace mentioned and more, it was a moment during a Snoop Dog track that made the duo realise they’d hit the nail on the head in recreating what their Melbourne venue had achieved.
“Snoop Dog was playing at one point and I looked around and it was something like, ‘Throw your hands in the air’ and nearly everyone in here, and that includes us behind the bar, threw our hands up in the air,” Chace says smiling.
“It had that 56 [Bricks] feel to it. It’s so comfortable and everyone can have a chat and a dance, it’s really safe as well,” Tim adds.
Now with the opening behind them, Tim and Chace both hope to bring the special events and tribute nights to Geelong that often feature at the Melbourne venue – the Beyonce Beyday Bootyshake being the most recent celebration.
“Everyone loves those big artists and everyone has a good time. It’s definitely something we’ll incorporate here,” Chace adds.
Ultimately, 2 Chambers is all about creating a safe, fun space for lovers of hip hop and RnB to enjoy, with a few popcorn shots thrown down during.
“That’s what we want too,” Chace says. “To have everyone walking out that door knowing that they’ve had a good time and they’ve been looked after. Having them thinking, ‘That was great, I can’t wait to get back there’. We nailed it on the head and the vibe we wanted to create we did.”
2 Chambers is located at 15 James Street, Geelong and is open from 7pm until late on Friday and Saturday nights. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram (@2_chambers).
Written by Amanda Sherring