St Kilda has a reputation for being many things. It’s always a bit gritty, a bit chaotic, and the undisputed headquarters of seagulls with zero boundaries. But when the weather behaves and a world-class duo comes to town, it transforms into the only place in Melbourne you actually want to be.
RIVA, aka the Riviera Beach Club, is the undisputed king of the bayside day party, offering that rare combo of waterfront glamour, stunning palm trees and the occasional reality check of a passing kite surfer. We arrived while the sun was still doing its thing, watching it dip over the bay in a display that was almost distracting enough to make us forget we were there for the music. We were here to see CamelPhat on their very brief Aussie tour.
The afternoon started with a roster of local warm-up acts, Samantha Loveridge and Oliiv, who understood the assignment perfectly. They eased us in with some breezy, melodic house before cranking the tension as the sky turned that dusty Melbourne pink, ensuring the crowd was properly primed for the main event. By the time the Liverpool legends, Dave Whelan and Mike Di Scala, stepped up to the decks, the energy was nuclear. CamelPhat are the absolute masters of the melodic slow burn, and their drops perfectly complimented the stunning waterside venue.
The real highlight of RIVA is the transformation once the sun goes down. Those iconic palm trees are lit up with fairy lights, and the stage lighting casts a glow over the crowd that makes everyone look significantly better. Hearing their iconic tracks like Cola while the warm salty air hits your face and the palms sway above is a top-tier local experience. It was loud, it was moody, and it was exactly the kind of high-voltage Saturday that makes the Monday morning commute feel like a distant, terrible dream.
We left with slightly sandy shoes and the realisation that you don’t need a plane ticket to find a world-class party, you just need a tram to the 3182 and a duo that knows how to rattle a shoreline.
CamelPhat played at the St Kilda Riviera Beach Club on Saturday 17 January, 2026. Check out their full tour here.
The venue is accessible.
