View From the Stage
We’ve all got our fave places to enjoy live music. But which venues hit the right notes for the bands themselves? Some of Adelaide’s musos share their gig highlights, venue heroes and fantasy must-haves for their next performance...
BAD//DREEMS
Image by Justin White
Where was your first ever gig?
I think it was Rocket Bar, 2011. It was great. We were supposed to play with a band called Fake Tan, but they pulled out. They were gonna supply backline, but the drum kit they used was concreted to the floor! We ended up playing alone. We only had four songs, so we played a Joy Division cover, an Iggy Pop cover and a three-minute guitar intro Alex stole from Children Collide...
What was your best ever gig in Adelaide?
Fire Aid, the bushfire relief fundraiser at The University of Adelaide. It was the SA music, arts and hospitality industries coming together in a big way, raising a bunch of money for a great cause. And it was a lot of fun.
What’s your favourite inner-city venue?
Jive. It’s one of the last remaining genuine music venues in the country.
How have you seen Adelaide’s venues change from when you first started?
I definitely don’t get out to watch as much music as I’d like given I have a couple of kids now, but the shift seems to be positive. As long as there are passionate people who care about music and Adelaide, then we’ll be fine. As long as pub groups and pokies don’t get their grubby hands all over everything.
What one item would you love to have in your dream venue?
A vending machine with filters and mushrooms!
OSCAR THE WILD
Image by Mayah Salter
Where was your first ever gig?
Oscar the Wild was born at the venue where all Adelaide bands are conceived and ultimately die - the Cranker. We played with Superdose Gangway and it was absolutely packed!
What was your best ever gig in Adelaide?
Probably the Surfarama Festival in Yorke Peninsula. But playing the Adelaide VALO 500 last year was so crazy. We were on a massive stage and playing our songs while people of all ages were pouring over the hill and enjoying what we were doing! Something for Kate, Amy Shark and The Killers played that same stage too.
What’s your favourite inner-city venue?
They’re all so unique! We love Lion Arts Factory for the large stage and feline paraphernalia, Jive for the nostalgia and furry wall, and the Unibar for its distinct combination of young, wild hippies in the cloisters. However, the Jade Monkey is Adelaide’s hidden gem – who wouldn’t want to gig in a greenhouse?
How have you seen Adelaide’s venues change from when you first started?
Adelaide’s venues have gotten bigger but retained their distinct character. Each space has a pool of artists who represent their style – The Lab has experimental bands, Vintage Vulture has untameable jazz artists, Enigma Bar has heavy metal groups...
What one item would you love to have in your dream venue?
If you could ignore the logistical and occupational health and safety nightmare, I’d have a swimming pool in a venue! To stage dive literally is a dream come true.
THE EMPTY THREATS
Image by @crazy.freaking.snake.baby
Where was your first ever gig?
It was an open mic night in the front bar of The Gov in 2016. The only people there were our overly proud parents and a couple of local pub goers that said, “Have you heard of The Doors? Great band. You could be like ’em.”
What was your best ever gig in Adelaide?
Probably our latest EP launch. Our label PAK Records put together an outdoor show in the carpark of Wundenberg’s Recording Studio where we got to play with a bunch of our favourite local bands. It was very special to have a little moment of collective effort with PAK and seeing it sell out! Playing WOMAD 2022 and supporting Barnesy is also up there.
What’s your favourite inner-city venue?
Jive! Tam and her team are always really good to work with. It’s a great, medium-sized venue and the vibe is so, so nice. We also met our live sound tech, Adam Chambers, through playing there. Jive definitely helped us grow heaps as a band, and it serves a lot of local bands in the same way.
How have you seen Adelaide’s venues change from when you first started?
There’s a few venues we started out playing at
that don’t really exist as music venues anymore: the Colonel Light Hotel, Worldsend, Ed Castle and Producers. There have been a few cool venues that have popped up for a moment, like Format back
in the day. We’re really passionate about fostering music in Adelaide, especially while it feels like it’s growing in such an exciting way.
What one item would you love to have in your dream venue?
Maybe one of those suspended drum-kits like Motley Crüe? A green room masseuse would be pretty cool – or a rock climbing wall that Stu can jump on during the set.
RICKY ALBECK AND THE BELAIR LINE BAND
Image by Emerald Emerald
Where was your first ever gig?
It was at the Bluebee Room which is now called Low Life Bar, on Pirie St. I was 16 at the time. I remember feeling like it was the most fun I’ve ever had – and also the most stressed I’d ever been.
What was your best ever gig in Adelaide?
Best ever gig might’ve been our sold-out 7” launch at The Gov with Dead Roo. We’d just come out of
a heavy COVID lockdown and hadn’t played a proper show in months. It was a treat.
What’s your favourite inner-city venue?
Has to be the Crown and Anchor. That place is like a second home to me. The room is always fun and raucous, the staff are the best people in the world and the drinks are cheaper than anywhere else in the city.
How have you seen Adelaide’s venues change from when you first started?
A lot of venues have closed down, some new ones have opened, but most of the good ones are still going. I think Nexus Arts is going to do more, which I’m excited about.
What one item would you love to have in your dream venue?
I’d love a venue that has a bucking bull positioned so you can ride the bull while you watch the bands – and those on the stage can watch people riding the bull...
WANDERERS
Image by Michelle G Hunder
Where was your first ever gig?
The Aldinga Community Centre in 2003. My band Grannyflat played and we did a cover of In the End by Linkin Park. It was epic – all 20 audience members had their minds blown.
What was your best ever gig in Adelaide?
The Gov shows during COVID were great. We were all starved of music, let alone performing, so it was an incredible experience to share with people all equally deprived of such things. For that short time, it was like COVID never happened.
What’s your favourite inner-city venue?
Memphis Slims. There’s nowhere like it and it kicks ass.
How have you seen Adelaide’s venues change from when you first started?
It seems like newer venues are taking bigger risks, really making an effort to find their scene and dig in hard. But having said that, many of our greatest venues have been cultural meccas of this town for years prior, so it’s not to diminish that.
What one item would you love to have in your dream venue?
An ice bath. I’d love a cheeky cold plunge before a gig. Would be pretty handy in waking up any punters who’ve had a few too many red cordials, too.
VIOLET HARLOT
Image by @jydnforreal
Where was your first ever gig?
Broadcast Bar in 2021 – during the dark ages when every gig was seated and dancing was banned! But thanks to Molly Rocket and The Birds Are Spies, there was hype and energy in the room regardless.
What was your best ever gig in Adelaide?
Definitely the Demon Girl single launch at Daily Grind on Gilbert Street. We were playing on a half-pipe to a packed crowd, the perfect way to celebrate our debut release.
What’s your favourite inner-city venue?
It’s a tie between the Adelaide UniBar and Arthur Art Bar on Currie Street. UniBar has a massive stage that gives us plenty of room to groove, but when Arthur gets packed out we feel like rockstars!
How have you seen Adelaide’s venues change from when you first started?
Venues have certainly become busier! Every week there’s multiple gigs on at multiple venues across the city with different styles and crowds. I don’t think a night goes by without a venue hosting a couple of bands...
What one item would you love to have in your dream venue?
Snacks. If a venue provides us with any snacks, seriously ANY, we WILL come back and play as many times as possible.
THE TULLAMARINES
Image by Jack Fenby
Where was your first ever gig?
Our first show as a band was at Jive with Hey Harriett and Alexander Black. It was awesome! Lots of people from bands all around Adelaide came out early to support us. It was a super-warm, encouraging experience.
What was your best ever gig in Adelaide?
We love all shows equally!
What’s your favourite inner-city venue?
Definitely the Crown and Anchor. As a smaller band, we’ve played 90 per cent of our gigs there and we’ve learnt so much – playing together and watching other bands do the same. We’ve always loved Cranker Wednesdays; the hump-day vibe is super-chill and fun.
How have you seen Adelaide’s venues change from when you first started?
We started during the height of COVID restrictions, so probably the biggest change for us is just being able to stand and groove with your mates.
What one item would you love to have in your dream venue?
At least seven disco balls per square metre!
MOLLY ROCKET
Where was your first ever gig?
Our first show was at Broadcast Bar on Grote Street. We didn’t really know anyone in the scene besides a couple of mates so we kinda had no clue how to get started. We saw another band called Chalk Milkshake post something on their Instagram story about hosting their first show and our ex- lead guitarist Ella just hooked up [Broadcast Bar] without telling any of us. I remember us all being super nervous not thinking we were ready... It was a terrible set but we all agreed after that it was the best feeling in the world. I think that was the moment we all kinda realised we wanted to do this forever.
What was your best ever gig in Adelaide?
The Kiss You Dead single launch was the best show we’ve played. Not necessarily because of how we played, but the energy was insane. Everyone was there to celebrate our first release – and when Kiss You Dead started playing, everyone hopped on stage to have a boogie with us. It just felt great.
What’s your favourite inner-city venue?
The Crown and Anchor. I just have so many great memories with my mates there and I think it’s just such a nice environment for a gig. Makes it feel like you’re playing a show back in the ’90s – which resonates with our sound a little bit.
How have you seen Adelaide’s venues change from when you first started?
When we started the band our first show was
a standing show; the next one we booked got cancelled due to COVID, and then the one after that was cancelled too. When we finally got back into gigging everything was seated and it was a real bummer for a while. But honestly, I think because so many bands stopped gigging and people were still itching to see shows, it really helped our growth. We could just book anywhere, any night we wanted.
What one item would you love to have in your dream venue?
A pool table. Every venue should have one – it’s a given. What else are you supposed to do when you’re waiting to play? We just end up drinking too much out of boredom then regret it once we get up to play!
