Venues updates: Geddes Lane, The Greenwood, Artillery Drill Hall, Theatre Royal & more

GEDDES LANE BALLROOM LAUNCHES WITH SECRET GIG

Geddes Lane Ballroom in Melbourne launched with a secret gig by Kingswood and reveals that shows by Kyle Lionhart, Harvey Sutherland and Augie March have already sold out.

The 400-capacity venue, with a ground floor bar and first-floor band room, was the handiwork of celebrity chef Shannon Bennett and property developer Lorenz Grollo.

It’s part of the official King Street Revival (KSR) of the city’s entertainment strip, and used to be the infamous Showgirls Bar 20 venue.

Bookings are through Ben Thompson and Ashlea O’Loughlin (The Venue Collective, 170 Russell, East Brunswick Club).

Thompson has a take on why the new venue is in demand: “Bands love the history of the place, and they want to play in the city.

“The space feels special and lived in and I think that has something to to with it having hosted thousands of live shows in another lifetime.”

THE GREENWOOD BACK IN ACTION

North Sydney’s The Greenwood Hotel – whose support of live music is best known for its Sounds On Sunday sessions, has been re-opened by hotel group Tilley & Wills.

It’s been through a refurbishment which emphasises the sandstone used when built in 1878, a sculptural piece in the Greenwood’s Chapel Bar, named for when it used to be a church, and a new external bar in the northern courtyard.

NEW VENUE AT FREMANTLE’S ARTILLERY DRILL HALL

Fremantle ‘s Artillery Drill Hall was home to the Fly by Night Musicians Club from 1986 to 2015.

There was a turbulent parting of ways between the hall’s management National Trust and promoter David Chitty’s Triple 1 Three landed the lease for 21 years.

In March, after a multi-million dollar revamps, comes Freo.Social, to serve as a 550-capacity entertainment venue (music, theatre, comedy, quiz nights) while the smaller side room will be home to Otherside brewery.

As part of its connection with the local community, Freo.Social has two outdoor courtyards, a kids’ playground area and small studio spaces for emerging artists and music company workers.

NEW PARTNER FPR ADELAIDE FESTIVAL CENTRE

QBE Insurance Australia is now a principal partner of Adelaide Festival Centre.

Venue management said: “We look forward to working towards our ‘arts for all’ future together with QBE’s support of our Adelaide Festival Centre, Her Majesty’s Theatre and our five festivals – Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Adelaide French Festival, OzAsia Festival, DreamBig Children’s Festival and Adelaide Guitar Festival.”

NEW LIFETIME MEMBERS FOR AHA NSW

The Australian Hotels Association’s NSW chapter honoured two members with lifetime status– Rolly De With of The Junction Hotel, Newcastle and Balmain Royal Oak publican Maureen Thornett.

They were given their lifetime pins at a ceremony earlier this week at Quay.

PETITION TO REOPEN THEATRE ROYAL

Sydney’s performance sector has launched a campaign to get the city’s Theatre Royal.

40 years ago, a deal was done to ensure that the theatre had a permanent home.

However, the sector claims that current owners are ignoring it, because after closing temporarily in March 2016 it hasn’t opened – and they are refusing to meet with the sector to provide an update on when it might re-open.

Live Performance Australia’s president, Andrew Kay AM, said, “Sydney is already desperately short of capacity and needs 3000 to 4000 additional seats to avoid losing more and more shows interstate.

“The permanent loss of the Theatre Royal would be a serious blow to the viability of live theatre and a blot against the good name of Sydney as a truly international city.”

Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance chief executive, Paul Murphy, said the shortage of theatre space in Sydney is currently costing hundreds of jobs for performers, creatives and crew every year.

The petition is targeting 7,500 signatures.

TRIFFID HOSTS FUNDRAISER FOR WOMEN’S LEGAL SERVICE

The Triffid in Brisbane is this weekend (Sunday, November 18) hosting the city’s music community to raise funds for the community legal centre, the Women’s Legal Service Qld.

Run by women for women, WLSQ provides free state-wide legal and social work services to women and their children who are affected by domestic violence.

It helps about 11,000 women a year.

The fund-raiser is organised by SUGARRUSH Music as part of its #NotOn campaign.

Also back is the #NotOn T-shirts which are sported onstage by musicians.

Playing on the night are Halfway, TAPE/OFF, Tim Steward and Kellie Lloyd (Screamfeeder), Robbie Miller, Jackie Marshall, Some Jerks, Kristy Apps, Brindle (their first show in 10 years), Minor Premiers, Paddy McHugh, Raychel Stone, The Bertie Page Clinic and The Shambolics.

BALLARAT THEATRE PROMISED FUNDING

Her Majesty’s Theatre in Victorian regional Ballarat has been promised $10 million by the Victorian state government in the run-up to the state election.

The 143-year-old building is facing significant structural issues.

Roof repairs in 2017 showed greater issues below, and $22.3 million in total is needed to update the facilities and to make it disability-and safety-friendly.

 NEW LIVE MUSIC VENUE FOR CANBERRA?

Cultural Facilities Corporation chief executive Harriet Elvin told The Canberra Times that one of the options being considered by the ACT government in setting up a new theatre is to make some changes for the Canberra Theatre Centre.

She said that being considered is replacing the theatre’s 1,200 tiered seating with flat-floor seating for 2,000, and turning it into a music venue similar to Sydney’s Enmore Theatre and Melbourne’s Forum Theatre.

With a number of Canberra’s venues closed in recent years,

Music ACT director Daniel Ballantyne called the idea a “fantastic proposal”, in the Times adding it would need regulatory changes where music venues could exist alongside residential development across the city.

NEW HOME FOR PERTH COMEDY CLUB

The Laugh Resort comedy club which has been showcasing local and national talent since 1991 is returning from a two-year hiatus.

But it’s moving from Northbridge to Yagan Square, running a monthly night upstairs at The Shoe from November 21.