The Gaso To Reopen Thanks To Aussie Chef Scott Pickett

Following a few months of amplifiers at half mast and band shirts work as black armbands, there’s some rare good news in the Victorian music scene, with word that Collingwood-based music venue The Gaso will be reopening as a music venue soon.

With a storied history going back all the way to 1860, The Gaso has long been a sanctuary for live music lovers across the country. However, the news broke earlier this year that the venue would be shutting up shop at the end of March after its director has stepped down after three years.

After disputing claims made by 3AW radio host Tom Elliott that the venue’s closure occurred to owners “going woke” and booking diverse line ups, it was revealed that The Gaso would be no more after the building owners “rejected the offers” from interested parties in taking over operations.

“As of the 30th of March, the venue that you’ve come to know, love, hang out at or danced all night in, will cease to exist,” it was announced. “This is not the outcome we had hoped for, and we’re left disappointed that we are unable to pass the torch on.

“So, we’re treating this as the end.”

However, a new report from The Age on Monday, July 28th has revealed that The Gasometer will indeed continue as a live venue thanks to new owner, chef Scott Pickett.

According to Pickett – who also operates restaurants such as the nearby Smith Street Bistro in Collingwood and Longrain in the Melbourne CBD – the building will be separated as part venue, part dining, with the latter dubbed Picko’s.

“It will be leaning into a cool dirty dive bar, but clean,” Pickett explained, noting that standard pub fare such as burgers, pies, and parmas would be on the limited menu.

“I want to pay homage to what the Gaso has been for so long,” he told The Age. “The back room I will keep for live music, but seven themed nights, one night comedy ... one night uni night, an open night mic that can be any kind of performance, there will be a jam night for young up-and-coming artists, then three nights of big live music.”

Noting a desire to “support live music and be a pub for the people,” Pickett claims he’d love to get names like Spiderbait or Regurgitator on hand for some of the first events back.

According to the report, Pickett has already begun opening The Gaso’s front bar on weekends, with the remainder of the pub to reopen in stages.

It’s unclear, however, whether the venue will only operate as a live music venue with its downstairs main stage, or if its smaller upstairs stage will also be involved in the future plans to host live events.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on where you stand), the venue will be receiving a small makeover by way of removing its trademark sticky carpets.

“We have ripped up the carpets and started again,” Pickett tells The Age. “I have carpet squares coming as I am sure we will have to replace them every year.”