Venues Update: September 16
INAUGURAL WINNER FOR CORNER AWARD
The inaugural Corner Award, presented by Melbourne’s Corner Hotel, was picked up by Sampa The Great, who won a headliner on November 4, $2,000 in cash, 150 vinyl pressings, rehearsal time at Bakehouse Studios and mentorship from a label. Judges were also impressed with Gold Class and gave them a month-long residence at Bakehouse.
MUSIC BACK AT COTTESLOE BEACH
Cottesloe Beach in WA stages its first live music concert since 2004 when the Beach Boys played there. On Sunday November 20 between 2 to 8 pm, Zaccaria Concerts and Touring and Metric Events team up for By the C, headlined by the John Butler Trio and Angus and Julia Stone.
MT DUNEED HOSTS SECOND EVENT
Roundhouse Entertainment, which runs the A Day On The Green series, launches the inaugural Twice As Nice on New Year’s Day at its ADOTG venue Mount Duneed Estate in Geelong. Capped to 2,000 with six DJ sets, drinks and food are included in the ticket price.
THREE NIGHTCLUBS FOR GOLD COAST
Three new nightclubs are sprouting up in Surfers Paradise’s Orchid Avenue precinct. Opening last weekend was the three-storey superclub Shooters, which closed in June under its previous owners. A dedicated R&B space Republic within will become available on September 23.
Truth goes live October 20 on the site of Club Boutique. A third, still untitled but aiming for next month, will be for older clientele with a strict dress code.
EXTENSION FOR OPEN AIR BAR?
The Prendiville Group, owners of the Cottesloe Beach Hotel, Perth, have applied to operate its open-air Beach Club until 11pm Sundays to Tuesdays and until midnight Wednesdays to Saturdays. They say that extended trading hours are needed to keep up with patrons’ expectations. The beach club has had noise complaints from neighbours in the past although soundproofing has been done.
TESTING OPERA HOUSE SAILS
A state of the art smart-hammer has been developed to test the concrete sails and their 1 million white tiles of the Sydney Opera House for degradation. Every five years, engineers abseil the sails to tap them for changes in sound and look caused by a number of factors including exposure to seawater. Funding was supplied by The Getty Keeping It Modern grant.
ALBION CATCHES ON FIRE
Live music showcasing Albion Hotel in Cottesloe (WA) caught on fire two days ago. Four fire crews managed to minimise the damage to the heritage listed 19th century building on Stirling Highway to $100,000. Cause of the fire is not immediately known.
END OF ROAD FOR MELBOURNE VENUE?
It looks like the end of the road for Port Melbourne’s long time live music supporting London Hotel. Local council last week knocked back plans by a developer to turn the 155-year old building into an eight-storey apartment block. But The Age points out that the council merely rejected the plans because the apartments would have cast a shadow over a nearby foreshore reserve, which means new plans can be submitted. The developer already has the approval to knock the place down as it is not heritage listed.
PURL CLOSES
Subiaco celebrity hang-out Purl Bar has closed and the operational company in voluntary administration, The Sunday Times reported. Three years ago, Bert Mondello and Damien Wilson took it over as their first excursion into the hospitality game.