Venues Updated: Fears For Brisbane, New Spaces, Wins, Returns & More

Brisbane! Join The 21st Century!

With the 2032 Olympic Games looming faster than expected, folks in the Brisbane live sector are a tad concerned that the rules governing the city’s venues might hinder it from being the glistening exciting nighttime metropolis that the millions of international visitors are expecting.

At a Future Brisbane seminar organised by the Courier Mail, it was obvious that the city needed to learn from how Sydney changed its post-lockdown narrative to positive, fun and safe and how the NSW Government has become more inclusive and collaborative in its policy making.

John Collins of the Fortitude Music Hall blasted the “antiquated” ID scanners which come into effect after 10 pm and force tourists to carry passports to enter clubs.  “Some of the rules we introduced in 2016 need to be revisited.”

On the weekend, six-month-old Gold Coast Latin house & techno nightclub TEMPO began opening on Sundays to 9 am. Its promoter Matt Keegan of Artesian Hospitality said, “The international crowd TEMPO attracts loves to party, and they don’t want it to end at 3 am.”

Keegan was careful to stop serving alcohol at 3 am, as Queensland law deems, but he has challenged other nightclubs to follow suit and for the Government to extend trading hours.

The Sunday Mail identified more problems in another investigation. These included the 3 am lockouts, too many restaurants closing early, the necessity for a nighttime mayor, and greater diversity in nighttime economy options.

In the SM, QMusic CEO Kris Stewart thought the city was “severely unprepared….it’s actually a much bigger issue than we think. We can’t face international guests with, ‘By the way, can you get up at 4 am and be in bed by 8.30 pm?’”

New Amphitheatre For Perth?

Perth could get a new 10,000-seat amphitheatre by 2028. It is part of plans for a major revamp by Burswood Park on the Swan River foreshore to turn its underused 53ha into a tourism, entertainment, wellness and recreation hub.

The venue is based on Melbourne’s Myer Music Bowl, with plans for similar events – concerts, festivals and events such as Carols by Candlelight.

The park hosts 30 music events a year but a permanent structure will make it cheaper to stage more shows. We hear music promoters have expressed interest in putting some money into the amphitheatre.

Sugar Back In Spoonful

A year after Adelaide nightclub Sugar had its doors closed by “Driller” Jet Armstrong, who ran it for 20 years, it returned to Rundle Street on December 1.

It is now operated by Gonzo Group, founded by Jon Di Pinto, Sean Howard and Michael Keogh, which is behind Cry Baby, Memphis Slims House of Blues, El Camino and Shotgun Willie’s.

It re-amped the sound system, lighting and drinks supply. Keogh said: “As always with our other venues; our focus has been on atmosphere and the customer experience over all else.”

“Driller” is back in the picture but in another role: he’s now booking its acts and played a DJ set on its opening weekend. Sugar hosted 470 international artists and 400 locals since 2002.

2 Am Open For Bondi Junction?

Venues in Bondi Junction, Sydney, will be allowed to open to 2 am if a proposal by Waverley Council for an entertainment precinct goes through. Venue operators complain current trading hours of 11 pm are a problem in turning the area into a thriving nighttime economy.

The Council’s intentions for live music are specific – “Think beyond the typical nightclubs or noisy (and often intrusive) live music” and “that entertainment can be provided every night of the week with a focus on creative and family-friendly entertainment options.”

To appeal to a wide audience, free or cheap ($10) music events should be encouraged, new spaces be found in commercial areas of Bondi Junction for one-off concerts and buskers, events in Oxford Street Mall, and the option of local businesses sponsoring events.

Bar Oussou For Sale

After eleven years of showcasing Afrobeat. Greek and world music, the 100-seat Bar Oussou in Brunswick, Melbourne, is selling up. Co-founder Mary Sitarenos wants to focus on her theatre acting and producing career.

The Gov, The Bird, Winning & Grinning

Adelaide’s The Gov (aka the Governor Hindmarsh) took out the best entertainment venue at the national Australian Hotels Association Awards – timely as the family-run business is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The Sandstone Point Hotel was inducted into the Queensland Hall of Fame.

Meantime, The Bird in Northbridge took out Best Live Music Venue in the WAMAwards at Perth’s Regal Theatre. It won over Fremantle Arts Centre, Freo.Social, Mojos Bar and The Rechabite.

As reported in TheMusic.com.au, the 13-year-old William Street space has a Keep The Bird Flying funding campaign to raise $25,000. The shows are selling out but cash-saving punters are not drinking, creating revenue grief.

Also at the WAMAwards, Leah Grant took Best Live/Streaming Sound Engineer.

New Cabaret Room For King’s Cross

There was a long passionate biffo to keep the 1930s art-deco Metro-Minerva in Kings Cross as a theatre. But the City of Sydney sided with a developer to become a sit-down dining 250-seat Paris-style cabaret room and a 63-room hotel.

An international group will be providing "the next generation of cabaret" with "a blend of live music, theatre acts, acrobatics" and "sound and light shows" — a "real modern, immersive show that really taps into atmosphere engineering".

Options For Mid-Sized Arena In Sydney CBD

The need for a mid-sized indoor arena in the Sydney CBD has seen a number of proposals being put out there, said the Daily Telegraph.

The Entertainment Quarter has had pow-wows with the State Government to extend its lease. When that happens, it will green-light $2 billion of investment, which includes a 10,000-seat $500 million venue that chairman Tony Shepherd says “includes a new multipurpose, fully enclosed arena which we think is something Sydney really needs close to the city centre.”

Tom Forrest, CEO of the Urban Taskforce, has called on the Government to identify government land on which an arena could be built with private money once “underemployed bureaucrats” stop putting up obstacles.

A third idea, from Howard Adams from the Live Music Business Council was a permanent stage in the Domain, telling the Tele, “Instead of constantly building stages and pulling them down again we could have a permanent stage in the Domain for concerts all summer long.”

Vic Venues Benefit From Always Live

Dozens of metro and regional music venues in Victoria and their staff benefit from full crowds when the Victorian Government’s Always Live program runs from November 24 to December 10.

Over 400 artists play 63 events in clubs, theatres, halls, parks, pubs and community centres. Kicking off with a one-off from Christina Aguilera at Flemington Raceway to 20,000 rain-drenched fans, others included Tones and I, Angie McMahon, Budjerah, Illy, Amy Shark, The Temper Trap, Zach Bryan (USA), Jai Paul (UK), Eric Prydz (SWE) and Jessie Ware (UK).

Last year’s inaugural Always Live delivered $80 million in economic benefits to Victoria, which included $20 million in its Budget 2023/24 to secure major names.

Replacement Stadium During Gabba Rebuild

The Qld Government decided on the Main Arena at the RNA Showgrounds in Bowen Hills as the best site for a 20,000-seat stadium for sports and music events when the Gabba is rebuilt over four years for the 2032 Brisbane Games.

The Showgrounds was one of two major options, alongside the Heritage Bank Stadium on the Gold Coast. It was chosen for its inner-city location beside a Cross River Rail station and proximity to after-game entertainment precincts.

But after the Games, the new $150 million stadium will only have a 12,000-capacity to avoid cannibalising events at the Gabba.

Groups Oppose Music Concerts At The Spit

A number of community associations have attacked a plan to feature major concerts at the 30-hectare Doug Jennings Park at the northern end of the Spit as part of a precinct proposal.

It’s a popular spot for fishing, surfing, boating, swimming, picnics and dog walking, and booked for festivals such as Promiseland and Lunar Electric.

But expanding music events has caused an outcry from some community groups, arguing it is a waste of taxpayers’ money as Broadwater Parklands already does the job.

Save Our Spit urged authorities to “preserve the open space and park natural assets” … and
“provide access to surf, dive, beach and bush areas in an eco-friendly, nature-sensitive manner”.

Residents wanted “maintenance of the natural environment”, Save Our Broadwater said, “Our experience shows visitors to the Spit really want a more natural marine-oriented experience.”

Liquid Fire

The abandoned site of Liquid Nightclub in Rockingham, WA, went up in flames – two weeks after cops began investigating a “suspicious” fire next door at Rockingham Hotel.

New CEO For Darwin EC

Georgia Hendy, announced in mid-winter as the new CEO of the Darwin Entertainment Centre (DEC), is getting set to take over the role in January.

She was Director of Programming for the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in Brisbane and earlier an executive at the Sydney Opera House.

Management Changes

The NSW Government quietly changed the management of Sydney’s CommBank and Accor Stadiums. From January 1, 2024, VenuesLive will be replaced by its own Venues NSW agency.

VenuesLive will continue to operate Perth’s Optus Stadium and Industree Group Stadium in Gosford on the NSW Central Coast.

In the meantime, the City of Launceston signalled its plans to transfer ownership of UTAS Stadium to Stadiums Tasmania, ahead of $130 million worth of upgrades and expansion.