Venues Update: January 20

SOCIAL STATE ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCHES AS VENUE BOOKING AGENCY

Venue veterans, James Power of Tiger Live Agency and Jesse Barbera, founder of The Fans Group, this week launched the Social State Entertainment as a full service national venue booking agency. The idea is to create a one point of call for artists, managers and touring agents to drive revenue and attendance and a better event experience for the patron.

Power explains, “It’s clear there is a gap to fill for strategic marketing support and a need for cleaner, more streamlined administration process for all sizes of shows and venues. Under the new arrangement our agents will have more time to book acts, and there will be an increase in the speed and quality of administration support.”

Social State Entertainment will be agents for:

Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane

Brightside, Brisbane

Cantina, St. Kilda

El Grotto, Scarborough

The Grand LIVE, Mornington

Hobart City Hall (by special arrangement with Gone South)

Jimmy’s Den, Northbridge

Kay Street Entertainment, Traralgon

Live At The Orchard, Perth

Max Watts, Brisbane

Prince Bandroom, St Kilda

Prince Public Bar, St Kilda

Blight’s Bar at The Colonial, Melbourne

The Wool Exchange, Geelong

GOV OPERATORS INDUCTED INTO SA HALL OF FAME

Adelaide’s iconic music venue The Gov (aka The Governor Hindmarsh) was honoured for its long time support of live music. The Tonkin family which has run it for 23 years were inducted into the Adelaide Music Collective Hall of Fame. The first generation of Tonkins were former dairy farmer Brian and pub owner’s daughter Vivien who took over family pub, the Portland Hotel in Victoria. The Gov is now run by three of their children Melissa, Joanne and David. Apparently, the third generation is also working there, with 13-year old Louis Tonkin-Phanoulas doing stock count and the six other grandchildren are also expected to join the family firm in some capacity or another.

THREE VENUES CLOSE

Over the recent holidays, three music-showcasing venues closed their doors. After six years, Wollongong’s Bombie Bar can no longer hold its Sunday sessions after noise complaints. Proceeds from the sessions went to the local surf club to buy and maintain equipment.

The Greyhound in Melbourne’s St. Kilda, a mecca for the LGBTIQ community, went dark due to a drop in trade. The 163-year old venue was already earmarked for demolition for apartments.

Darwin’s Bark Hut Inn shut indefinitely and management given two weeks to vacate and staff given a day’s notice. According to NT News, sources say there were disputes between shareholders, “with months of unpaid rent, name disputes and liquor licensing”g issues allegedly involved.”

In the meantime, Melbourne nightclub Pawn & Co started a petition to protect it from closure in the face of an imminent hotel development.

FOWLER’S LIVE SAFE UNTIL 2018

Fowler’s Live in Adelaide’s West End breathed a sigh of relief over a reprieve. It was initially told to vacate the building by May. The State Government wanted to move the State Theatre Company there from its home in the Festival Centre. But “after months of uncertainty meetings, emails, discussions, and jumping through a few hoops,” a new lease has been extended to June 2018.

A RETURN FOR DAKOTA?

Club Dakota, in Melbourne’s outer suburb Ringwood, might make a return later this year after closing due to a suspicious fire in May 2016. Owner Leto Elga Pty Ltd wants to rebuild the site as a two-storey function centre with Dakota on the ground floor.

NEW OPENING FOR PERTH STADIUM?

The 55,000 sports and entertainment Perth Stadium is due to host events in March 2018. CEO Mike McKenna has previously said that he doesn’t want to repeat the issues that some East Coast stadiums faced when they rushed to open, and had to iron out bugs. But reports are that McKenna is under great pressure to get it open by this summer so it can play host to the third Ashes Test.

MYSTERY OF CANBERRA CLUBS BOMBING OVER?

The mystery of the firework bombing of Canberra nightclubs ICBM and Meche on the same night in February 2011 may have been solved after a 31-year old man told police he has committed the act. The ACT Magistrates Court ordered him for psychiatric analysis before the case could continue. The fireworks were set off in the bathrooms in both instances, causing $50,000 worth of damage and sending two patrons to hospital.