22nd May 08

What:
I Dream of Derby, Toxic Avengers vs Dead Ringer Rosies

Where:
Puckhandlers, cnr Blake and Davis Sts, Reservoir
After party at Cobra Bar, upstairs at The Tote, 71 Johnston St, Collingwood

When:
Sat May 24, Doors open 7pm, derby starts at 8pm
(Tote after party, um, later on)

How much:
$10 from Route 66 or online at Roller Derby Victoria, some tickets on the door

What is always better than violence? Correct: violence on wheels. And Roller Derby has been flying this flag in various American states since at least 1922. Luckily, men have been sidelined over the years because they always want to wear bulbous padding, which goes against the whole Xanadu spirit of the activity. This has left all-girl derby at the forefront of the world's noblest sport.

What are the ‘rules' you ask? Here, we look to wikipedia:

"After a lead jammer has been established, both jammers have the option of passing the star. This is done by removing the 2-star helmet cover and handing it to the pivot. The pivot then becomes the jammer, and vice versa. If the original jammer was the lead jammer, the position is forfeited for the remainder of the jam."

Yah.

Anyway, people wear li'l shorts and zoom around, knocking each other down. It's like disco night at Caribbean Rollerama, 1989, but without the DJ. So roll down to Reservoir this Saturday night to see Violet Rage of the Boston Derby Dames and Berzerker of Baltimore's Charm City Rollergirls join forces with the Victorian Roller Derby League, whereupon the girls will "pitch their unique brand of bone crunching, flat track mayhem to the Melbourne public."

By Penny Modra

Ambience: Indoor

Difficulty: Start training like, last month