Venues: New Arrivals, Alliances, Expansions & More

NEW OPENINGS

Finding Solace in Melbourne’s Chinatown

Solace is a 3-storey, 250-capacity bar and nightclub in Croft Lane in the Chinatown area, run by the team behind Static. It trades 5 pm – 1 am on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 3 pm – 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Its management says it is booking local and international acts of all EDM styles, powered through Funktion-One’s Evolution 2 system. Saturday is for techno, using outside promoters such as SHED, Dogmatic, Eucladia, Entered Records and Tokyo Love Hotel.

The site used to be occupied by a science-themed bar called Croft Institute, with three floors with lab-themed design, Bunsen burners and beakers, science-themed drinks, and live DJs.

Tin Shed Aims At Adelaide Hills Music

The Adelaide Hills get a new live music space called Tin Shed, courtesy of an expansion by Ian Schmidt & Vic Orlow's Tin Shed Distilling Co. It will host four live gigs weekly, between Fridays and Sundays, focussing on emerging original acts, mainly from the Adelaide Hills.

Venue Manager Jaime Fraser said the idea of the music space had been on the cards for a few years, helped by a Federal grant, and a crowd-funding campaign which raised the $16,145, which went towards the stage, lighting and sound system.

Arena For Townsville?

A $360 million indoor entertainment and sports arena is something that the civic leaders of Townsville / Gurambilbarra, in Far North Queensland, are pitching to the Brisbane Olympic Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority to get funding.

They argue that athletes could use this North Australia Arts and Entertainment Arena (Townsville Entertainment Arena is another possible title) to train before the Games.

In terms of music, Townsville has proven that international A-listers such as Elton John and P!nk can play there and sell out shows bringing in millions of tourism dollars.

Over a decade ago, Australian promoters mused a touring cycle of Darwin, Townsville, Cairns and Brisbane to connect with SE Asian cities such as Singapore, Manila, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur to entice major acts to this region.

In August 2024, Townsville City Council put the hammer on a plan to build a state-of-the-art concert hall and theatre due to financial reasons.

New Nightclub Proposed For Port Douglas

A new nightclub is proposed for Port Douglas (Qld). Local builder Angel Developments FNQ applied to turn the two-storey Douglas Manor building at 32 Macrossan St into a nightclub.

“(It) will add to the vibrancy of the local tourism industry,” the company says. The idea is that it will operate Thursday – Sunday and close by 11.30 pm.

CRANKER CAMPAIGN GETS AWARD

Of various Citizen Of Year Awards handed out by Adelaide Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith AM after the citizenship ceremony at Town Hall on the weekend, Active Citizenship of the Year went to the 2024 grassroots 'Save The Cranker' campaign to stop the demolition of the Crown & Anchor on Grenfell Street.

A six-person committee was set up, and 100 volunteers directly worked at building up a force that saw 20,000 signatures on a petition in five weeks, an unprecedented 300 letters sent to Parliament, and a street rally drawing hundreds.

The attention saw the venue saved, and the SA Government changing planning laws to protect other grassroots venues in the same predicament.

INNER WEST EXPANDING CREATIVE TOWN HALLS PROGRAM

Sydney’s Inner West Council is expanding its successful Creative Town Halls program. It was launched in May 2023 for its seven town halls to host free rehearsals and live gigs, as well as arts and cultural events.

It was an instant success, with over 1,100 bookings in the first three months. There has been a 260 per cent increase in the use of town halls for arts and cultural events, the Council revealed.

This year sees the opening of the basement of Marrickville Town Hall as a live music venue, and the Marrickville, Petersham and St Peters town halls upgraded to improve the acoustics for performers and audiences.

Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne stated, “Our Creative Town Halls program is going gangbusters. We transformed these historic spaces into free, vibrant hubs for exhibitions, rehearsals and live events.

“As a result our town halls are bursting with new artistic activity every week and being used by more of the community than ever before.”

FIVE NEW ALLIANCES

Justin Hemmes To Operate Club Rose Bay

Members of Club Rose Bay in Sydney voted unanimously for Justin Hemmes’ Merivale company to take over its running. It went into receivership earlier and axed its staff last August. 

The deal is financial only, and Merivale will put in place a strategy to increase visits by patrons. Club Rose Bay’s board will continue to own all assets and control governance.

Encore Venues Expands With Crowbar(s)

Melbourne-based Encore Venues is now representing Crowbar in Sydney’s Leichhardt and Crowbar in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. Its roster includes The Timberyard, 170 Russell and Max Watts.

RACQ Partners With Brisbane Entertainment Centre

As a result of RACQ becoming the Principal Hospitality Partner of Brisbane Entertainment Centre, from February, RACQ members can enjoy access to premium spaces such as the RACQ Members Lounge, Deck, and VIP Members Suite. RACQ will also give away more than 1,200 tickets in 2025 to some of the biggest concerts, sports and events.

Freda’s Solotel Deal Sees Chippendale Return

Four months after announcing they were closing after four and a half years at their Taylor Square location, Dave Abram and Carla Uriate are returning Freda’s to its original Chippendale location in April.

This time, it’s as Bar Freda’s, in an alliance with hospitality group Solotel, and taking the Lil Sis space at The Abercrombie. Solotel’s portfolio includes The Golden Sheaf, The Clock Hotel, The Albion, The Paddo Inn and The Marly.

With a 24-hour license coming with The Abercrombie, Abram and Uriarte will curate a series of regular club nights for starters.

Meantime, Solotel, within a month, also acquired three other properties that host live music – The Norfolk in Redfern, Oxford House in Paddington and Camelia Grove Hotel in Alexandria.

Ticketek Renews With Nissan Arena

With Brisbane’s Nissan Arena expecting over 430,000 patrons in 2025, Ticketek renewed its multi-year relationship. The venue not only gets the platform’s technology but also access to its parent TEG’s analytical data and help with landing events.

VALE RONNY WILLIAMS

In the 1980s, Ronny Williams set up a host of primarily mod-inspired venues in Melbourne.

Partnering with Michael Phillips, he founded The Batcave, lined with black plastic garbage bags, The Happening, The Venetian Room, Rubber Soul (a 200-capacity room which managed to get 800 in every Fridays), The Beehive and Revolver.

Starting as manager of Adelaide band Sputniks, Williams formed mod band 5:15. Rob Griffiths of the band Little Murders posted, “We could never share drums with them because he would close their set by going all Keith Moon and destroying his kit. No matter how small the gig.”

MUSICAL CHAIRS

Tim Price at The Station

Tim Price is the new Marketing Manager at Lauren and Chris Highnett’s The Station on the Sunshine Coast (Birtinya). The 1600-capacity room is part of a hectare-wide entertainment precinct which includes a recording studio, cafes, food stalls and private/ corporate hire. It opened in 2023.

Melbourne Recital Centre Losing Marshall McGuire

The Melbourne Recital Centre’s Director of Programming, Marshall McGuire, is exiting in February after almost a decade, during which time MRC drew local and international talent.

His tenure saw the expansion of First Nations programming, the setting up of the influential Artist in Residence and Learning & Access programs, and the successful taking of the venue online during COVID.

PERTH’S PROTECTED PRECINCTS EXTENDS

Perth’s Protected Entertainment Precinct (PEP) got an extension in January 2025 to make the nightspots in the northern coastal Hilarys safer. 

The PEPs came into being in December 2022 to focus on safety in five entertainment precincts, including Scarborough, Perth/Northbridge, Fremantle and Mandurah.

It can ban thugs who behave in antisocial, violent or threatening ways, or have been convicted of violent or sexual offences. According to the WA Government, 200 people have been barred for up to five years. 

Any breaches can result in two years’ jail and a $12,000 fine. 

PEPs are named after Giuseppe 'Pep' Raco, the 40-year-old manager of Paramount nightclub, who died after an unprovoked one-punch attack in Northbridge in July 2020 while getting a kebab during a break.

The seven-and-a-half-year jail sentence handed to the man, who’d been drinking all day and told police he couldn’t remember the incident, caused an outrage about its apparent leniency, and there was a campaign to strengthen laws over violence in Perth’s precincts.

CLOSED, GONE FISHING

Radio Springs Hotel, Victoria

One of country Victoria's best live music showcasing pubs, Radio Springs Hotel in Lyonville near Daylesford, went dark on the weekend. Its music programming was left-of-centre enough for people to make the hour’s drive from Melbourne.

The closure came as a shock, with operators Ken Parfrey and Jackie Airey announcing in mid-January, “We reopened last weekend looking forward to 2025. However, during this week, our circumstances have changed considerably.”

Empire Hotel, Townsville

“Not a goodbye, more a ‘see you soon’,” was the way Townsville’s Empire Hotel explained its move to take a break. “This pause will allow us and our team to ensure we can return refreshed and ready to provide the wonderful experience you’ve come to know and love,” it explained.

QLD NIGHTLIFE PANEL TO MEET

The new advisory panel to oversee the growth and survival of Queensland's nightlife economy – announced mid-January by the State Government – will hold its first meeting in February.

The panel is chaired by John Collins, who was made Night-life Economy Commissioner last spring by the previous regime. Its members are:

Lindsay Carroll: Acting CEO, National Retail Association 

Jackie Cross: Director, Cross Promotions; Director, Experience Gold Coast 

Charlie Cush: CEO, Brisbane Festival 

Kelly Egan: CEO, Clubs QLD 

Aunty Bridget Garay: Art and Cultural Consultant 

Bernie Hogan: CEO, QLD Hotels Association 

Naomi Price: Co-Founder, The Little Red Company 

Jacinta Reddan: CEO, Advance Cairns 

Tim Richardson: CEO, The Ville Townsville 

Kris Stewart: CEO, QMusic 

Dr Dominique De Andrade: Griffith University, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice 

Peter McHoney: CEO, Chaplain Watch 

Sharynne Wilson: Co-Owner, Moffat Beach Brewing 

Max McBride: President, Taxi Council Queensland  

Andrew Baturo: Head of Hospitality, Dap & Co 

Sam O'Connor, the minister whose portfolio includes the nighttime economy, said, "I'm confident this panel will be able to work with JC to build on the nightlife economy that already exists.

"It's no secret many businesses, including small and family operators in this sector, have gone to the wall, and thousands of others are doing it tough, having struggled to survive the COVID pandemic only to be hit with the cost-of-living crisis,"

"We need to start work now to ensure our nightlife is pumping when Queensland is on the world stage in 2032. The Crisafulli Government is committed to ensuring the Commissioner is properly supported, and the sector and government are in tune with each other.”

CH-CH-CHANGES

Coronation Hotel, South Brisbane

Development plans submitted by building owner MFIC Property to Brisbane City Council to turn the heritage-listed Coronation Hotel at 48 Montague Rd, South Brisbane, into office space could be an issue for the It’s Still A Secret club, suggested the Courier Mail.

It’s Still A Secret has made no announcement, and its entertainment schedule remains full. 

Last May, The Music reported club operator Emily Dennis launched a crowd-funding campaign to keep the club and sibling, Can You Keep a Secret in Woolloongabba, financially viable as escalating operational costs started to bite.

201 Club Tasmania, Hobart

The new owners of the rebranded 201 Club Tasmania in Hobart applied to stay open until 5 am. Current hours are 11 am to 11 pm on Wednesdays to Sundays, and trading until 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Liverpool Street club opened as Tempe Nightclub last April after a $2 million tart-up but underwent an ownership change months later.

Melbourne & Olympic Parks

Melbourne & Olympic Parks (M&OP) has invested in new innovative rolling house stages technology in Rod Laver Arena, John Cain Arena and Margaret Court Arena, “marking the first technology of its kind in Australian arenas.”

Produced in England by TAIT Towers, it allows crews to install overhead rigging at one end of the venue safely on the ground while the stage is built at the other end. Once it is complete, the rigging is raised, and the pre-loaded stage is rolled into place – saving time for the hirer and improving safety.

Danielle Bleazby, Director of Venues at M&OP explained, “In the past, international acts had to bring their own custom-built stages, but if the stage needed to roll to meet touring deadlines, the promoter had to hire and transport a rolling stage around the country.

“Having premium rolling stages at each of our venues provides performers, crew and other workers with a safer and more efficient set up and pack down.”

The investment comes off the back of a record-breaking year for the precinct, where over 3.8 million guests attended nearly 500 events across 2023–24. 

Fremantle Oval

As part of an application for a multi-million dollar makeover, Fremantle Oval could increase its grandstand seating for up to 12,500 patrons.

Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Plans for a new 1500-space carpark to serve Sydney’s 42,500-seat Allianz Stadium may be delayed with a new design forced. This came after a construction crew found a heritage-listed water tunnel running under the site. As a result, there will be 78 less car parks.

Tamworth Hotel, Tamworth

In a move to host more outdoor gigs, Tamworth Hotel in the nation’s country music capital has applied to be allowed to expand its soundproofing to keep things amenable with its neighbours.

Paddington Village Inn, Sydney

The Paddington Village on Glenmore Road will continue as a live music venue after a stoush in the Land and Environmental Court. Alermais fashion couple Buchanan and Lesleigh Jermanus had their appeal turned down after their original push to turn it into a fashion store. 

They’d bought the site in 2022 for $6.2 million for that purpose. But they copped a backlash from the local community, which held street rallies and got thousands of signatures on petitions. Senior Commissioner Susan Dixon agreed the change of property use was not in the public interest.