It’s not very common in today’s climate for a new venue to open up in Melbourne. That’s where the Brunswick Ballroom comes in; the newly renovated venue taking the place of the Spotted Mallard in the old Metropolis House on Sydney Road. With incredible refurbishments made to its sweeping staircases, plush red curtains, and its stained glass domes, the Ballroom is set to become our city’s next big venue for gigs, comedy and cabaret shows. With a sell out weekend of opening shows, we made our way to the new venue to attend their Opening Gala, a celebration for the venue’s revival.
Upon entry, you’ll see that the venue sticks to its historic roots – staying true to the traditional fit outs that you would’ve found back in the building’s heyday. Transported back in time, you’ll find yourself admiring every feature; down to every last bit of timber trim. The venue’s foyer is host to a series of photographs from A COOL WORLD, A David Parker photographic retrospective of Melbourne music in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The exhibition features some incredible shots of music legends Elton John, AC/DC, Molly Meldrum, Skyhooks, and Michael Gudinski from David Parker – an icon who has cemented himself in Australian arts and culture. While waiting for the Gala to begin, we found ourselves studying each photograph in great detail – amazed at how well Parker had captured the essence of each subject so well.
Hosted by the talented Eddie Perfect and Margot Tanjutco, the Opening Gala takes off with a bang, with the duo starting us off with a cabaret-style song, setting the theme for the night. The duo welcome to the stage the incredibly brilliant artists that complete this night; Mama Alto, Bert LaBonté, Jess Hitchcock, Ash Flanders, Vidya Makan and Jude Perl. Each artist flexed their gifts effortlessly, amazing the audience, and at times, having us shake with laughter. With a perfect mix of music, cabaret and comedy, the gala was a showcase of what the Ballroom plans to offer us in the future.
For many, the venue’s opening marked the return of the live music and entertainment industry to our culture-rich city. After the crazy year we’ve all had, it was quite emotional to see the live show that these artists, promoters, and industry-movers had put on for the new venue and its (soon to be returning) patrons. As upcoming events approach, it’s fantastic to see that the Brunswick Ballroom will be hosting a variety of shows for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, as well as the Brunswick Music Festival. We’re keen to see what else this incredible new venue will have to offer. This beautiful space cannot be missed out on – check out their website to see what the Brunswick Ballroom has coming up soon!
Photo: Nicole Cleary