Live music to continue at Fowler’s Live space under Five Four Entertainment

As reported yesterday in TMN, one of Adelaide’s best known live music venues, Fowler’s Live, will shut in December after 15 years of operation.

However live music will continue at the Lion Arts Centre building from early 2019 under new tenants.

Arts SA has confirmed that events and management company Five Four Entertainment will take over the lease of the building’s ground floor, basement and mezzanine from January 1, operating it as a live music and arts venue.

Five Four will be joined by hospitality and events expert Hugo Pedler of Penny Hospitality, the operator behind the recent renovation of Hindley Street’s historic West Oak Hotel.

The new management team plans to implement a series of renovations and upgrades to the North Terrace venue (including the courtyard area) and is currently taking bookings and expressions of interest for 2019.

It will initially focus on live music, but plans to later expand to comedy and drama.

“We are thrilled to take on such a beloved music and arts space, and continue its legacy as one of Adelaide’s premier live music venues,” said Five Four co-director Craig Lock.

“We have been booking venues and events in Adelaide for many years, and are very excited to now have our very own space to operate.”

Launched in 2010 by Lock and Ross Osmon, Five Four Entertainment ran this year’s Spin Off festival at Wayville Showgrounds.

It manages artists include Tkay Maidza, books for other venues and managed aspects of Laneway and last year’s OH YES festival.

Built in 1906 as the factory premises for Fowler’s grocers, the building once known as Fowler’s “Lion” Factory and surrounds, on the corner of North Terrace and Morphett Street, were transformed into the Lion Arts Precinct in 1992.

This multi-arts venue is now home to arts organisations including State Theatre Company South Australia, LWDance Hub, JamFactory, ACE Open, Guildhouse, Nexus Arts and the Media Resource Centre.

Fowler’s Live has been in the Lion Arts Centre building since 2003.

It made its name particularly as a supporter of punk/metal bands and all-ages shows

But in recent years, Arts South Australia has wanted to transform the space into a wider use.

Fowler’s Live operator Peter Darwin has had to be extending short-term leases as a result.

He has been looking for an alternate space for his club but could not find the right one for his purposes.

He was advised on Wednesday that his lease would not be extended.