Geoff Trio Returns As Booker To Iconic Newtown Live Music Venue

Code One Entertainment and Australian Music Week director Geoff Trio has announced his return to 42 King Street, Newtown — the site of iconic venue The Vanguard, now home to new venue, Leadbelly.

Sharing the news "with great pleasure" on Facebook, Trio said, "In 2003 we had the opportunity to open the doors to this amazing venue, and over the next 6 years curated the music programme which helped to shape the legacy of The Vanguard. Now I’m back at this iconic site, now known as Leadbelly."

Trio has also booked for the likes of the Brass Monkey in Cronulla and served as creative director at festivals like Peats Ridge, Sounds Of The Suburbs and Sydney Blues & Roots Festival.

"With a new bar fit-out and improved production, I am excited to work with a great new team to re-establish Leadbelly as one of the premiere Live Music Venues in Australia," he wrote.

Speaking to The Music, Trio said, "I'm just gonna adopt the same thing when we opened it, going back to some quality acts and ticketing again, and follow the same plan that we put in place last time — keep the quality of the music high and you'll get the results." 

The venue has The Tea Party's Jeff Martin, Canada's Hawksley Workman, UK's Martha Tilston, Mossy, with Martin being Trio's first booking at the venue.

"As soon as the new owners came in, they were in contact straight away, saying, 'We want you to bring back the legacy, but in today's market'," Trio explains.

Leadbelly launched in August with Surry Hills' Tipple Bar & Bistro's Luke O'Donohoe and Zac Davis at the helm. They promised that the Vanguard's legacy of live music would continue at the venue, stating, "The building could have easily slipped through to a function centre or a much simpler style restaurant, we are really looking forward to getting Leadbelly on the live music map."