When The Musics Over - FESTIVAL HALL to be no more (maybe)

Dallas Brooks Hall was a good venue, saw Spectrums last two concerts there, TF Much More Ballroom in Fitzroy had some great music although that building may still be there.
But Festival Hall was where nearly everyone went except Slade at the Showgrounds and the Rolling Stone at Kooyong. I think Led Zepplin played Kooyong too.
At least Melbourne still has some live music, not like many other places.

Station Hotel in Greville street, has that survived?

No, I used to live nearby and hang out in the bar a lot in the early 90s, top venue. One day all the regulars turned up and it was closed so we all wandered down to the College Lawn bar and the savvy publican immediately instigated a happy hour and appropriated the Station barflys. It went through several renovations then became a restaurant then later an apratment block:

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Sorry to tell you, Scorp.
Many fond memories there myself.

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But on the other hand, last November…( http://www.mikeruddbillputt.com/gigs/gigs.htm)

Sat. 25 Spectrum at The Piping Hot Chicken Shop 6/63 The Terrace Ocean Grove 5255 1566 $25 8.30 – 11.00

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I do remember some of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.

Concerts at Storey Hall RMIT in Swanson Street. John Mayall, Muddy Waters and a host of other greats.

Spectrum played there and I remember a gig where Spectrum finished after a couple of hours and after a short break, Murtceps came out and played for another few more with completely difficult music and style. Yep same musos

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Storey Hall eh. I’m not as old as some of you, and my only memory of the old Storey Hall was exams in the one room that wasn’t yet declared a death trap.

But when they opened the new Storey Hall building (the Batcave to everyone I knew) Buffalo Tom played what may have been the first (only?) show there. Fantastic night.

This was well before they made it look like a theme park.

It was an amazing building with rooms everywhere and probably was a death trap, but the was so much dope being smoked, magic mushrooms pies, and hash cookies; that we all would have died smiling.

John Mayall was incredible,/

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Yes. That brings back memories. Forgot about Storey Hall. I think they had union nights there.

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signed to major label and turned ■■■■ for sales. don’t think it’s anything else.

would’ve been interesting to see which direction they took if brett gurewitz wasn’t such a prick and they stayed with epitaph.

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I used to spend a lot of time there in the early 70’s. Best music gigs in Melbourne and the cheapest.

They had this weird group of guys “the Goons Club” who ran all sorts of weird events, as well as acting like the “Goons”

Pretty sure I saw Archer of Loaf there too. ■■■■■■ awful sounding room

Yep, AoL supported Magic Dirt there around 96 or 97.

I missed this thread the first time round. Of all the dozens and dozens of shows I went to in the 90s, I only went to Festival Hall once. Green Day’s first tour in ‘95 with a spritely young band with one EP to their name, The Living End, in support.

Our tour manager friend was asked to provide all the music of local bands for Green Day to choose a support from. My band only had a demo tape with two songs, but that got handed in with the rest! We all thought Bodyjar or One Inch Punch would get the nod, but then Green Day chose TLE cos they liked how they sounded different whereas they thought every other band in the running sounded like NOFX, haha.

So, not scoring the support slot (big shock) we had to buy tickets and could only score high up in the bleachers. TLE were surprisingly good (we didn’t know who they were and so wanted to hate them). When Green Day came on we all went to the loo, then bum rushed the bouncers guarding the floor section on our way back. They chased us into the pit and I remember crowd surfing to get away. Great night.

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I went to that concert as well.

It was the first time I’d seen TLE and they were fantastic. Would have seen them 20 times since then.

Greenday were pretty good as well.

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Story Hall. l only remember seeing two shows there. Muddy Waters and his band in the mid 1970’s. l had a great seat, front row upstairs.

The second show was an early Hunters & Collectors gig, not long after they had released their first album a double. The music was wonderful and other worldly, with lots of home made percussion instruments. What made it even more memorable was the acoustics. Somehow, quite by accident l managed to find a spot somewhere near the middle of the hall where their music actually vibrated through my sternum. If l moved half a metre in any direction their was no effect, so of course l stayed their to enjoy the full effect. This is the first an only time music has had such a physical effect on me.

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Actually you were in the seat where the stream of smoke from our joints in the lower section was concentrated.

I was always very mellow during concerts at Storey Hall.

Saw John Mayall at the Palace.Thats gone as well.The Continental was brilliant… Mayall with Coco Montoya absolutely magic.

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abc.net.au

Festival Hall could be saved as Heritage Victoria recommends protection for Melbourne venue
4-5 minutes

Fri 18 May 2018, 6:34pm

Melbourne’s Festival Hall could be saved from demolition, after Heritage Victoria recommended the 100-year-old venue be registered, meaning any development of the site would first need special approval.

In January, the owners of Festival Hall revealed they were planning to sell the site to developers because they could no longer compete with larger, newer music venues.

They lodged a planning application with the City of Melbourne to build two 16-storey apartment buildings and demolish most of the original building.

The venue has played host to some of the biggest names in music, including The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and Fleetwood Mac, and more recently the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ed Sheeran and Lorde.

First known as West Melbourne Stadium when it opened as a purpose-built boxing and wrestling arena in 1915, it was renamed Festival Hall after being reconstructed in 1955.

Boxing and gymnastic events were held there during the 1956 Olympics, and later world-class bouts featuring the likes of Lionel Rose. The popular ‘TV Ringside’ wrestling events were held there in the 1960s and 70s.

The executive director of Heritage Victoria has recommended the site be added to the register, but that still needs to be approved.

The Heritage Victoria report said while the building was unlikely to meet the architectural criteria needed for protection, it was socially significant to the live music industry, as well as the boxing and wrestling community.

Victoria’s Planning Minister, Richard Wynne, said a heritage listing would mean any development of the site would require approval to ensure the building’s character and history were preserved.

He said the venue was an important part of Melbourne’s social and cultural life.

“Melburnians are really passionate about their heritage, whether it’s the Queen Victoria Market or Festival Hall or many of our great historic buildings,” he said.

"To have Festival Hall listed is incredibly important.

“For so many of us we’ve been to Festival Hall for all sorts of different occasions. Its a really important part of our history.”

Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan said he was encouraged that cultural heritage was being factored into the decision.

“It’s the blood, sweat and tears of joy that are intrinsically connected to the magic and memories of musical experiences,” he said.
Development could still go ahead: owner

Owner Christopher Wren said the process still had a long way to go and the development had not yet been shelved.

“We can make submissions about whether it’s got heritage significance … what should or shouldn’t be retained, and what may be capable of being removed but still maintaining the memories of events that happened there in years past,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

He said the development plan put forward earlier this year aimed to incorporate the history of the venue.

“We’ve gone and spoken to people we regard as having expertise in this area and got their recommendations and sought to incorporate that because we recognise that the building for some people has great memories,” he said.

When the development was announced in January, Mr Wren said the venue was becoming unprofitable.

“I draw the analogy [that] an old boxer facing up to a younger, bigger, stronger opponent is going to get well and truly pummelled and with the opening of Margaret Court Arena, and Hisense [Arena] to a lesser extent, we’re being pummelled”.

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I don’t want to be complacent about the music venues closing around Melbourne. But the State Government and the local governments have been working very hard to keep these valuable live music assets from being torn down across inner Melbourne.
It’s now Live music is now being recognised as valuable economic and social capital to the state. Especially since we don’t have beautiful weather & beaches. Art is the cornerstone to Melbourne’s culture.
I’d be surprised if Festival hall would be torn down tbh.

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Metallica 89 (and their first trip DU - from memory?)