HEINEKEN BAR MOSCOW

A summer fest that laster for half a year
                                             The Village

In May 2016, the Unity and Journey agencies teamed up and won the bid to design and organize a summer pop-up bar for the Heineken brand. We studied many sites and locations in Moscow and ended up choosing a backyard in Stoleshnikov Side Street, where the Good Enough café used to hide once. We got the backyard and gave it a total makeover; while it had used to be seriously cluttered, we cleaned and polished it into a great summer party space with several distinct levels as one of its key features. All in all, the space included a dancefloor and a stage, two separate bars, a few balconies, and a basement bar to use as a hideout from bad weather.

Every weekend, an extensive music line-up was put together, with each day different from the rest. Just one summer at Heineken Bar Moscow has seen numerous guest artists, such as: DJ LEFTO from Belgium; the legendary Benji B from BBC Radio 1; the talented LA-based soul musician Andrian Younge; the Australian beat-maker TA-KU; the Californian DJ duo Soulection; Joseph Mount, Metronomy lead singer; the techno generation’s idol John Talabot; and many others. The stage was placed under an original arch, and it hosted live performances by instrumental bands; funk, reggae, techno, disco, soul, and hip-hop flowed from the stage, while jazz was played in the basement bar on bad weather days. All in all, it was a great summer, and one filled with great music, too!

In keeping with the best traditions of a bar in the capital, the Heineken Bar Moscow offered original menus with street-style food and drinks. The bar menu was developed by Vladimir Korganov, the bartender-in-chief from the Pinch restaurant, while George Troyan, the chef at Severyane restaurant, was in charge of food. Cocktails in noodle takeaway boxes, or even in small plastic bags, became the ultimate hit of the Moscow season.