Venues: Booms, Signings, Collapses, Funding

Melbourne Welcomes Gravity Club, PICAS, Mill Place

Melbourne’s live sector continued to expand with three new venues.

The folks behind Sub Club set up the techno and house nightclub Gravity Club at 420 Little Collins Street in the city centre. It has a 400-capacity indoor dance floor, futuristic purple and blue décor, an astronaut mural in the 350-capacity courtyard, a retractable roof, and a Funktion-One sound system.

Once an airport hangar, the new 5,500-capacity live music venue PICAS (Port Melbourne Industrial Centre for the Arts) comes with a 26 x 12-metre stage 10 minutes from the CBD. Bookings are through Ben Thompson, who also books the Northcote Theatre and did the same for ten years at 170 Russell Street until this year.

Mill Place Merchants is a 60-seat bar and acoustic music venue at Mill Place in the CBD. It’s in a 19th-century heritage building once home to the rag trade and a meat preservation company. The interior fit-out reflects that era, with the bar hidden behind a dressing room mirror.

Farewell, The Zoo

Earlier this week, beloved Brisbane space The Zoo and its sister venue, Stranded Bar, announced their imminent closures. Stranded will close its doors on Monday, 6 May, while the final day of trade for The Zoo will be Monday, 8 July.

In a candid statement posted to Instagram, The Zoo owners wrote that the venue reached its highest ticket sales in its history last year, but that still wasn’t enough to combat “rising operational costs and decreasing returns”.

“The cost of supplying alcohol is rising, and bar sales are going down, likely due to a mix of lifestyle changes and cost-of-living stress for our patrons,” the statement said. Owners declared the “hard truth” of running The Zoo at a loss for over three years.

Since the news about The Zoo’s closure was announced, QMusic rounded up Queensland venues in similar situations to share their challenges. You can find what they said here.

More Concerts For Penrith Stadium

More concerts and other entertainment are expected at the sports and entertainment Penrith Stadium in Western Sydney when its $309 million redevelopment is tied off in 2026 after work begins later this year after the NRL season. 

It will have a new seating capacity of 25,000 and First Nations artwork, and faster pedestrian flow in and out. The stadium has quality open plazas for outdoor community, sporting and entertainment events, with more events eyed for non-match or showtime days.

TheMusic.com.au sat in on a community service update from architects and designers. Most of the changes are for sports teams and fans. However, for concert-goers, the biggest change is that Venues NSW will take over as its operator.

That brings Penrith Stadium in the same room as Sydney’s Accor Stadium, CommBank Stadium, SCG and Allianz Stadium, Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium and Wollongong’s WIN Stadium. One speaker said that would facilitate “a greater variety of entertainment” heading to the venue.

There will be more food and beverage outlets and less queuing time. The number of toilets will be doubled, with more turnstiles, more colourful trees, and shade areas. Modern accessibility spaces will be increased to acceptable standards, expanding from the current 18 wheelchair spaces and eight accessible toilets.

Grandstand seats will be closer to the action and steeper for better views. Function rooms for cocktail events, 21 corporate boxes, and radio and TV broadcast rooms are boons for the entertainment industry.

Minister for Sport and Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said: “When complete, Penrith Stadium will be a first-class sporting and entertainment venue for everyone to enjoy.

“Whilst this stadium will be purpose-built to host women’s and men’s NRL games, it will also cater to rugby union, soccer, live music, and other entertainment events.

Boost In Brisbane 

New venues keep springing up in Brisbane. Aside from Dream Valley, already reported in TheMusic.com.au, the $5 million Eclipse launched in Brisbane with Lil Pump and Will Sparks.

It has over 100 metres of cutting-edge LED audiovisuals, space for 1,500, photo moments in an old elevator, exclusive VIP entry, a VIP Sky Lounge with 180-degree views of the venue below, a private bar and bathrooms, and two 20-person private booths.

Director of Luna Group Hospitality Trent Redman said, “Eclipse isn’t just a nightclub. It’s a destination where music, technology and innovation converge to create an unforgettable experience for our guests.”

Music and arts space LiveWire will be among 50 restaurants, bars and cafes on display when Brisbane’s $3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf development opens in August, expected to attract almost 1.4 million visitors every year.

Two Late Night Stopovers For Adelaide

Two more nightspots opened in Adelaide. Towballs launched in the industrial area of Lonsdale with a poster proclaiming, “Live bands will take you back to the heady days when live rock bands ruled the social scene".

Velvet Underground, located in the basement of the King William Hotel, hosts everything from burlesque and cabaret to rock, jazz, country, comedy, and poetry. It was founded by Annie Medlen and King William Hotel and Icarus co-owners Darren Brown and Sam Stoios.

Gigs Boom Set For Sydney’s Ryde

The City of Ryde in Sydney is expecting a boom in live music following the release of its four-year live music plan put together under the guidance of Live Music Office’s John Wardle.

The plan aims at “facilitating live music in new and existing venues, nurturing community well-being, and shaping the built environment, including enabling permanent live music venues and supporting the night-time economy.”

There is support for all-age music, culturally diverse musicians (49 per cent of residents were born overseas compared to 39 per cent in Greater Sydney), young audience participation, rehearsal spaces, and community ownership.

Throb In Liquidation

Darwin’s first gay nightclub, Throb, went into voluntary liquidation. Set up in 2000, it closed its doors in 2023 after the multi-tenant building was condemned for “fire safety hazards, non-compliances and unauthorised building works, including the removal of walls.”

The other tenants returned. But Throb owners Tim Palmer and Mark Marcelis, who tried to buy the liquor license and transfer it to another location, voted last month to put an end to it. The liquidator is Adelaide-based Tarquin Koch Accounting and Insolvency Services.

How Much Henchman Owed

Henchman Miami on the Gold Coast, which went into liquidation on February 26 after four years, owed the Australian Tax Office $642,835, according to a report from liquidator Glen Oleman of Oldham Advisory.

The music showcasing bar, solely directed and owned by Jared Fairall, 35, also owed a further $65,000 to electricity, ad and beverage companies, and musicians The Friday Guys, Blue Iris, Greer Sullivan and Kent Tonscheck.

Crown & Anchor Inducted Into Hall of Fame

While 15,000 signed a petition, and 3,000 people turned out to rally to save Adelaide’s Crown & Anchor, as reported in TheMusic.com.au, it became the fourth venue inducted into the AMC SA Music Hall Of Fame for its commitment to original live music.

It joins The Grace Emily, The Wheatsheaf and The Governor Hindmarsh (The Gov).

Music SA Chair Dr Enrico Morena noted the Crown & Anchor was the last remaining venue of its size in the east end, and added “Long may this legacy continue, giving a voice to the creative expression of SA’s nascent musicians.”

In the latest roundup, on May 1, SA Parliament fell short of backing a call to change planning laws to save The Cranker. Two of the Greens’ motions—for the SA Government to step in and oppose redevelopment plans by developer Wee Hu Holdings Ltd and to amend the heritage—were scrapped when the Liberals shifted their support to the Government’s amendments after telling the rally they were “working to support it”.

Casablanca Denying Staff Underpayment

The Casablanca nightclub on the Sunshine Coast is denying claims it underpaid staff and owes money to contractors and warning they weren’t tested in court, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

An electrical company’s ex-director claimed he was out of pocket $87,000 for electrical fitout work, event promoter Ezra James Abraham Leausa claimed his firm The Trot Events was owed $11,800 for events at Casablanca Surfers Paradise and Brisbane, staffer Eduardo Jimenez claimed $1100 in bar booth commissions, and photographer Jarred Schot claimed he’s owed $300 for work at Casablanca Brisbane.

The Bulletin put these claims to Alex Said, of the venues’ operating company Xlea Investments Pty Ltd. His lawyer, Ron Behlau, said Said “wholeheartedly denies these allegations”.

Signings: RAC Arena, Melbourne Town Hall, ICC

Hyundai Motor Company Australia extended its partnership with Perth’s RAC Arena as the venue’s Official Motor Vehicle Partner until 2027. The car company came on board in 2019.

The arena’s General Manager, Michael Scott, said, “With an adventurous philosophy driving them, an extensive range of high quality, appealing cars on display at the venue, and a variety of engaging patron activations, they have been the perfect fit for RAC Arena, and we look forward to continuing our great relationship.”

Showtime Event Group secured the catering and venue management tender for Melbourne Town Hall. Director of Experience Brad Dabbs stated, “As a company deeply rooted in Melbourne's vibrant cultural landscape, we are honoured to have been selected.”

ASM Global extended its deal to operate ICC Sydney for another ten years. Its APAC Chair and Chief Executive, Harvey Lister, said the ICC injected $3.9 billion into the local economy after drawing 6.4 million to 3,665 core events.

SA Music Venues Get Funding

Twenty South Australian music venues shared in $850,000 of grants, the State Government’s response to a dozen closures in recent times.

    Wheatsheaf Hotel (Thebarton)

    Ancient World (CBD)

    Grace Emily Hotel (CBD)

    Jive (CBD)

    Semaphore Workers Club (Semaphore)

    Rhino Room and Lowlife Bar (CBD)

    Murray Delta Juke Joint (Goolwa)

    The Three Brothers Arms (Macclesfield)

    Exeter Hotel (CBD)

    Big Easy Radio (Aldinga Beach)

    Lion Arts Factory (CBD)

    Unibar ADL (CBD)

    The Gov (Hindmarsh)

    Arthur (CBD)

    Woodshed (Royal Park)

    Nexus Arts (CBD)

    My Lover Cindi (CBD)

    Confession (Port Adelaide)

    Prompt Creative Centre (CBD)

Official! Sensory Room At Optus Stadium

After a soft launch last year, Perth’s Optus Stadium officially unveiled its Purple Hands Sensory Room near aisle 149. 

Designed with Autism Association WA and the Purple Hands Foundation, the stadium stated: “Visiting a stadium can be overwhelming, with large crowds, noises, bright lights and unfamiliar situations contributing to sensory overload.

“The room is an escape from the crowds, sounds, and lights and provides a calming environment for those with sensory sensitivities.”

It features noise-reducing carpet, bean bag seating, sensory toys and visual and communication supports. Private booths with curtains offer a quiet retreat, with a soundless TV allowing patrons to still watch the event.

Barlow Park To Triple Seating Capacity

In the run-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, Cairns’ sports and concert space Barlow Park is going through a $44 million revamp that will see its seating soar from 1,700 to 5,000 by end of 2027.

Change Of Owners

Could Newcastle’s Cambridge Hotel return as a live music venue? Like the current reaction to Brisbane’s The Zoo's closure, plans to knock it down for student accommodation for 650 unleashed a torrent of emotions. It closed as a live music space in June 2023. 

But the development didn’t go ahead. The building went back on the market last month for a price tag of $10 million, with expressions of interest closing on May 1 at 4 pm.

The Great Western in Rockhampton, Qld, was sold for $2 million. Best known for its bull riding arena, it’s had a long history of gigs—Lee Kernaghan (once an owner), Icehouse, Midnight Oil, The Screaming Jets, Jon Stevens, who’s booked there on May 24, and Disco Revolution on June 1.

Endeavour Group confirmed plans to acquire The Cavenagh Hotel in Darwin’s CBD from Salsa Holdings. It already has Nightcliff’s Beachfront Hotel in Rapid Creek (bought last year), Jingili’s Airport Tavern, Parap Village Tavern, and Palmerston Tavern, all of which support live music.

The Daily Telegraph revealed on May 2 that plans to put Empire Hotel in Annandale, in Sydney’s West, on the market for $40 million were pulled. The Tele said lenders pulled back as owner Jon Adgemis put together a deal to alleviate the $500 million debt of his property portfolio.

Bluesfest’s Green Room Celebrates First Year

First conceived as a backstage sanctuary for artists during Bluesfest, the 1,600-room Green Room has evolved “into a dynamic venue that continues to captivate audiences long after the festival gates have closed,” said Festival Director Peter Noble as it celebrated its first anniversary.

With its festival-like atmosphere, complete with food trucks, it showcased Xavier Rudd, The Cruel Sea, Charley Crockett, Ziggy Alberts, Mahico Festival and Om Fest, with Dirty Three locked in for June 29.

Closed! Gone Fishing

After 12 years, during which it launched a new generation of DJs, Ferdydurke Bar in Melbourne’s Tattersalls Lane served its last daiquiris, saying, “We've supported live, independent and underground music consistently.”

Confession in Port Adelaide closed, with owner Shane Hryhorec calling the rise in alcohol tax “a kick in the guts”, and with calls to various levels of government unanswered. Its accessible facilities included no stairs and braille menus.

Executive Moves @ Substation, BREC, Adelaide Oval

Melbourne multi-arts venue The Substation welcomed KPMG tax partner Ursula Lepporoli as Chair of its board, and Anna McDermott to the newly created role of Executive Producer.

Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre (BREC) brought in Amanda Yip as a new Chair, replacing Simon Jacob, who is stepping down mid-year after serving on the board for 22 years.

Fast reigniting as a concert hub, Adelaide Oval appointed Jo Thomson as General Manager of Partnerships & Sales, Emily Stearne as Senior Events Manager and April Stringer as Senior Business Development Manager.

Adelaide Oval has incidentally become the first major Australian stadium to welcome cryptocurrency to pay for food and drinks.