Are These The Best Live Music Venues In Victoria? [Part 2]
A team of more than 200 music critics across Victoria definitely think these are the best spots for live music, beyond the city limits.
The inner-city suburbs of Melbourne get a lot of attention for the role they play in keeping music alive in the state of Victoria. But beyond the city limits lay a collection of equally important establishments offering their own unique spin on live music.
Last week, to celebrate the launch of the public voting categories for the 2022 Music Victoria Awards, Music Vic officially unveiled a long list of places that they’ve deemed the best-of-the-best for seeing live music in Victoria. Hand-selected by a music body of over 200 acclaimed judges, ranging from radio announcers, podcasters and critics to agents, and industry experts, below is an overview of the venues scattered across regional Victoria that they believe are this year’s best spots for experiencing live music.
Ballarat Mechanics' Institute
Once upon a time, there were over 1,000 Mechanics' Institutes in Victoria. Now, there are less than ten, and The Ballarat Mechanics' Institute is one of the few in Australia to be able to claim it has offered the same basic library service and gathering place at the same address for over 150 years. It’s also one of the few venues that’s able to claim the calibre of music and events it holds each year.
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Golden Vine Hotel
Two hours outside of Melbourne, smack bang in the middle of Bendigo sits the city's most friendly community pub, the Golden Vine Hotel. Quaint in size, but big in heart, the local watering hole doubles as one of Bendigo’s favourite hotspots for live music, both emerging and established and the best place in town for a pot and parmy.
Hotel Warrnambool
The coming of the railway to Warrnambool was the main impetus for the erection of the Grand Ozone Coffee Palace in 1890; over one hundred years later and the Palace - now Hotel Warrnambool - has solidified itself as not only the most charming pub in town, but the ideal place to see live music on a Friday and Saturday night. It's decked out in an aesthetic that sits somewhere between classic British pub and outback watering hole.
Caravan Music Club
Over the years The Caravan has attracted a legion of music-loving fans by offering an alternative experience to sticky carpet and babysitter-hostile late-night finishes. Following a hugely successful 10-year stint in Drummond Street in Oakleigh, The Caravan Music Club relocated to the South Oakleigh Club in the back streets of Bentleigh East where it continues to supply the community with loungy vibes, candle-lit tables, and a cozy feel - perfect so a low key night and live music.
Palais Hepburn
Nestled in the tranquil and beautiful setting of Hepburn Springs, roughly ninety minutes from the CBD, Palais Hepburn is one of regional Victoria’s hidden gems. Wrapped in deep blue velvet curtains and maintaining the oldest sprung dance floor in Australia, the ninety-four-year-old venue has played host to countless artists, comedians and live shows since Richard Fanale and Brendan Wykes reopened the doors in 2018.
The Barwon Club Hotel
Originally established in 1859, the Barwon Club Hotel is a quintessential Aussie pub with its own unique ambience. Situated just a stone's throw from the Barwon River, The Barwon Club Hotel hosts gigs from forty people to four hundred people, while also offering up all the classic regional trimmings you’d come to expect from your local watering hole.
The Taproom - Shedshaker Brewing
After opening its doors back in 2016, The Taproom quickly became the go-to place for bevys in the Castlemaine area code, but in more recent years, it’s also become a prime location for live music and events. Despite taking a major hit during lockdown, the quest to bring music to the area continued with live-streamed concerts, and since 2020 it has come back stronger than ever with intimate shows and pop-up events for the Castlemaine state festival and fringe.
Theatre Royal Castlemaine
Established in 1854, Theatre Royal began its life providing live entertainment for the thousands of diggers who migrated to central Victoria in search of gold. One of the first "picture palaces" to screen silent movies in 1919 and then the 'talkies' that followed, Theatre Royal firmly cemented itself in the evolution of Australian cinema. Proudly one of the oldest continuously operating theatres in the Southern Hemisphere, it holds an important place in the hearts of the Castlemaine community for both film, and in more recent years, intimate live gigs.
Daylesford Hotel
Built in 1856, the historic Daylesford Royal Hotel is one of the oldest hotels on offer in Daylesford. Having undergone a full restoration, the original charm and unique character of the Victorian-era building has secured its position as one of the most beautiful venues in the entire state.
Want to weigh in on who you think should be crowned the best live music venues in Victoria this year? Head over to the Music Victoria website and make your voice heard!
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