Venues Update: Expansions, Evacuations, Name Changes & Beer Records

The appetite for live music entertainment continues. We go around the grounds to look at new venues, sales, name changes, expansions and new records alongside big happenings in entertainment precincts across Queensland and Western Australia.

Expansion For Sandstone Point…

Sandstone Point Hotel – home of live music and outdoor music festivals in Queensland’s Moreton Bay opposite Bribie Island – is to undergo a major revamp, the Comiskey Group announced.

The renos, which will include the neighbouring holiday resort, will cost $250 million and is designed to become a tourism hub with one eye on the 2023 Olympics and Paralympics.

For music lovers, the hotel is already renowned for outdoor shows with a stage on the water that can hold 20,000 people.

The new upgrades will include wider concert facilities to draw more major acts, a poolside spot for DJs, a dedicated bus terminal and more basement car parking as well as a tourism information centre, indoor entertainment such as bowling, additional dining, a wellness centre, Mediterranean restaurant, fully equipped gym, family-friendly pools, and function spaces for corporate retreats, social events and weddings.

“We’ve always been known for thinking big, but the Sandstone Point development is by far our most ambitious yet,” said group director Paul Comiskey.

The Comiskey Group recently opened the doors to The Dakabin Hotel, flipping into nightclub mode on the weekends with concerts and DJs.

…And Brightside Brisbane

Three months after introducing live music to Blute’s Bar, Queensland hospitality group The Happy Horsemen are expanding its live music offering to The Brightside in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley (Warner Street).

The Courier Mail reported the group has lodged plans to build its first dedicated stage and a new bar inside shipping containers at the rear. Currently catering for 500 patrons, Operations Director Noah Honeywill said the changes would mean smaller shows of about 200 to 300 cap

He told the paper: “We hope to attract some of the same acts that had played The Bearded Lady to Blute’s and then Black Bear and then they can jump up to The Brightside.

“At the moment our outdoor area isn’t lockable and takes hours to set up. Currently the green room for artists is a tent next to the bin area.

“We’re going to have a mezzanine level for punters to look down on the stage and a new bar. It’s going to be huge.”

Late Night Spot For Sydney Inner West

Another new nightspot opened in Sydney’s Inner West. Public House Management Group’s Mitchell Waugh and Harriet Waugh transformed the Ritz (252—254 Illawarra Road, Marrickville) into the Montague Hotel (or The Monty), with an upstairs space called Harriet’s.

Monty’s runs as a trad pub. Harriet’s operates Thursdays to Sundays, turning into a disco at night, with DJs spinning until 2 am.

Public House Management Group also runs Humphrey’s in Hurstville, The Toxteth in Glebe and The Royal in Paddington.

Canberra Club Evacuated Over Capsicum Spray

ACT Police are investigating an incident at Canberra’s Fun Time Pony when clubbers had to be evacuated after someone allegedly released capsicum spray inside the packed Civic venue at 1.30 on a Sunday morning.

Some patrons complained of breathing difficulties and eye and skin irritation. A 20-year-old woman was arrested and charged.

New Partner For Qudos Bank Arena

Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena struck a new three year Official Automotive Partner deal with MG Motors. Event goers can now view a new MG as part of venue activations in the Grand Foyer. 

MG will also have a dedicated private corporate suite at the arena to host key stakeholders and is Presenting Partner of exclusive VIP parking at the venue.

Qudos Bank Arena draws one million fans a year to live events. In March it was named No.1 venue globally in Pollstar’s Venue of the Month awards in the 15,001 to 30,000 capacity category. It is owned by TEG and operated by Legends ASM Global.

NSW Grants To Diversify Offerings

The NSW Government continues to encourage more venues to introduce live music, with grants of between $15,000 and $80,000. Aimed at small to medium venues, it also provides funding for staging and sound equipment, performers fees, and towards marketing and promotion.

This is through the return of its $2.5 million Live Performance Venue Grant program. It is designed to also diversify their offerings – including theatre, comedy, dance, cabaret, First Nations storytelling etc – and increase gigs for musicians and offer jobs for workers.

More than 50 venues across Greater Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong received the first round of grants. One of these was Bar Yuki in Milton on the South Coast, which used its grant to introduce a PA system, backlighting, and drapes for additional sound protection.

Owner Ash Bailey said “Growing up here in Milton, there wasn’t always a lot to do but we have created a place in this beautiful community – that we are so lucky to live in – which gives people a place to go and enjoy music and a dance.

“We are really grateful for this support and being able to combine our love of hospitality and live music. We couldn’t have done this without the support of the NSW Government.”

The funding is delivered through the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner. 

Commissioner, Michael Rodrigues, said: “There’s a time and place to relax on the couch in surround sound or to put on your headphones on the way to work. But nothing beats being at the gig live and connecting with mates.”

To check out which venues are eligible, and to apply for the next round, in September, go to the NSW Government website.

Oasis: Right Beer Right Now

Oasis set a new record at London’s Wembley Stadium during their seven night stint. Not for ticket sales, heavens above. It is for the amount of beer that their fans gulped down.

The Gallaghers already played five shows in July and early August and will return there on September 27 and 28. Each show is before about 80,000.

The venue’s caterer said that 250,000 pints were drunk on each shows so far, each pint costing £8.20 (AU$17.20). About 4,500 kegs were moved into the stadium each night.

In comparison, 120,000 pints were sold at Coldplay’s 2024 shows and 40,000 moved at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour dates last year.

That wasn’t the only dollar holler. Oasis played five dates in Manchester, with Heaton Park capacity expanded to 80,000 each night, to make a total of 400,000 yowling fans. The £250,000 ($524,648.92) earned will be donated to keep the city’s grassroots music venues alive.

The Stonewall Quietly Sold

For a place that was loud and colourful as a legendary LGBTQIA+ destination, the changing of the baton at Sydney’s Stonewall Hotel has been relatively quiet. But it has gone to US-based company Pride Holdings Group. 

It plans to use the globally recognised Stonewall name to set up four or five clubs around Australia, and later throughout Asia, with that branding.

Name Change For Darwin Entertainment Centre

The 1,000-seat Darwin Entertainment Centre will be known as AANT Centre at least for the next decade. This is after the venue signed a ten year deal with the Automobile Association of the Northern Territory (AANT).

A statement read: “Under this new partnership, AANT will support the Centre to expand its role as a cultural hub for the Northern Territory – delivering world-class entertainment, showcasing bold local talent, and creating unforgettable live experiences for Territorians and visitors alike, year-round.”

Nazi Salute In Perth Club

A patron of Perth’s Connections nightclub avoided a five year jail sentence after giving a Heil Hitler salute three times. Perth Magistrates Court was told Theresa Plunkett-Hill, 43, was booted out of Connections for being drunk. 

She argued the decision outside with the security guard. Being “frustrated”, according to her lawyer, she gave the salute to the security guard who just happened to be German. When the cops turned up, she gave them more hand movements, at which she was arrested.

She was fined $1,000, rebuked by the magistrate (“a silly reaction”) and sacked from her job as a receptionist at a First Nations firm.

Funding For Cairns Precinct Plan

“Concerts from global music superstars” and “a tropical Eat Street, buzzing with food and entertainment”. These were some of the events Cairns Mayor Amy Eden is forecasting when the Cairns entertainment precinct becomes a reality.

Incorporating the concert-hosting Barlow Park and Cairns Showgrounds, the 23ha precinct took a step forward last week when the Federal Government agreed to its application for funding to create a comprehensive masterplan and business case – and got the full $850,000 it asked for under the $400 million regional Precincts and Partnerships Program.

“If we get this right, we won’t just have a great venue — we’ll have a connected community space that celebrates our tropical lifestyle, boosts our economy, and puts Cairns firmly on the map,” the Mayor stressed.

Muso’s Jam Goes On

It was a case of “the show must go on” with the weekly Muso’s Jam open mic at the Pomona Hotel on the Sunshine Coast. Storage sheds behind the place caught on fire and burned to the ground. 

Among contents that melted in minutes were musician Trev Simpson’s equipment, including drum kits, stands, amps and leads. Within a day, local musicians supplied him with replacement gear and the session went on without missing a beat three days later.

13 Venues Join WA Music Week

13 WA music venues are taking part in WA Music Week, which returns September 12 to 21 after taking last year off. Curated by peak music association WAM there will be 70 local acts. 

The Rechabite, The Bird, Jack Rabbit Slim’s, and Lynott’s Lounge are involved in WAM Showcase (September 20) of 20 acts.

Mojo’s showcases African and Creole music, Rechabite has Up Late Rooftop Live, all ages HQ Breakthrough at The Y HQ in Leederville, with regional venues as Broome’s Gimmel Club and Esperance’s Pier Hotel also staging showcases.