Night Out Receipts: A Party on an Island, Warehouse Kick-ons, K Pills from New York

Fred, 29, Northcote

Saturday: I land in Sydney on an early flight from Melbourne. I’m here for work next week but I’ve timed my trip to also fit in a festival today, to which I got a free ticket. 

I’m excited to see sunlight and ready to party. 

4pm: My parents live here so I’m staying with them ($0). I jump on the train ($2.80) to Circular Quay to meet my friend and his cousin for a drink before heading to the event, which is on an island. 

I have no drugs apart from two dexies wrapped in a receipt from a friend. I debate buying a vape considering I have no other highs available. I’m sure someone will have one so I hold off.

There are a bunch condom wrappers on the sink of the train station toilet. Shelving drugs is normalised here.

I walk past a huge group of cops having a briefing by the boats that take punters to the festival. Among them are a few undercovers, dressed surprisingly covertly. NSW Police love to be extra. I’m surprised to see no dogs.

4:30pm: No one has a vape. It’s fine, I’m trying to quit anyway. At the pub, I get an Aperol Spritz for $18.50 (wtf!). 

My friend asks me if I have any drugs but I don’t know dealers in this city and I’m fresh from a flight.

We have one cap between the three of us. I don’t bother, I’ll stick to my dexies. 

5pm: Our boat docks and the festival is already rammed and sweaty, wide-eyed people. I pop a dexie and go dance. 

5:30pm: We get the hook-up for free drinks through a friend. Score. We sink a few beers and seltzers ($0).

My friend's cousin has snuck in a few sippy pouches of vodka – kinda like those baby food things. I’m not usually a big drinker at festivals but fuck it, we have nothing else. We alternate between mixing it into seltzers and drinking it warm.

6pm: The crowd is pretty mixed; club kids, doofers, backpackers, normies. Everyone is having fun and it’s a great time. Sydney needs more of this.

I meet a cute boy and we make out.

7pm: Did I even feel the dexie? Does this mean I have ADHD? I pop a second one. The cute boy’s friend has a vape.

8pm: My new crush buys me a seltzer ($0). I still haven't spent a cent all afternoon at the festival. Unheard of.

The music and production is amazing at all stages and we bounce around taking it all in.

My friend starts peaking on his cap and we get separated. His cousin seems pretty lit too. 

9pm: I meet some people on the dancefloor and they offer a bump of K followed by some jungle juice ($0). 

10pm: I haven’t seen the others in a while. Turns out the cousin drank a few pouches of the vodka himself. He’s now spewing his guts out in the DanceWize tent. We pick him up before leaving.

11pm: We receive a link to a free (!) afterparty at a warehouse. I’m keen, but I really need some uppers – I’ve been awake since 5am. 

My friend gets the rideshare there ($0).

We hope the driver doesn’t notice his cousin clutching a sick bag on the back seat. 

12am: The afters is a little quiet so we walk 20 minutes to the nearest McDonalds. I order a double espresso and fries ($12.15). It does the job and I’m ready to keep going. 

I also withdraw $100 in small notes from the cashier. I hope there’s a dealer at the party.

1am: We head back to the party and it’s in full swing. It feels intimate and has a great setup. Even warehouses in Sydney are somehow flashy. 

2am: A friend arrives bearing gifts! She offers us shrooms or some ketamine tablets (?) from New York. It’s strong, apparently, so we split one three ways but she tells me to keep my money. 

The music has given me energy and the K feels floaty. 

4am: Another friend arrives from another warehouse party and gives me a warm beer from her handbag and more amyl ($0).

5am: The last few hours have disappeared in a blur of dancing, scabbing rollies outside and meeting new people streaming in.

I’m very impressed by this side of Sydney. The party is far from over. People settle into the couches for the real kick-ons to begin. It looks like it’ll be a long one.

I tap out and get a ride home with a friend who stayed sober and drove ($0).

6am: The dreaded run-in with parents who are already up. 

Total: $33.45. That’s got to be the cheapest night out in Sydney I – or literally anyone – have ever had. 

See more Night Out Receipts here.