The Brunswick Ballroom has arrived

Melbourne’s most dynamic and exciting new performance venue, the BRUNSWICK BALLROOM has opened with a bang enjoying a weekend of sold out shows. This week it prepares to welcome Tim Rogers to the stage as well as hosting gigs as part of the Brunswick Music Festival and on Thursday and Friday evenings it celebrates with the official Brunswick Ballroom Opening Gala hosted by Eddie Perfect and Margot Tanjutco.

On Wednesday 3^rd March punters will have the first opportunity to enjoy some of Australian Rock and Roll’s most iconic moments as A COOL WORLD, a David Parker photographic retrospective of Melbourne music in the 1970’s and 1980’s is revealed. The BRUNSWICK BALLROOM is thrilled to exhibit the work of this multi award winning cinematographer, screenwriter, photographer, and national treasure David Parker. David was well known as a showbiz photographer in the 1970s and 80s shooting extensively for various bands, record companies, TV shows, theatre, ballet and film productions, before going on to become a successful film maker across the world winning multiple awards for his work on the hit Australian film Malcolm which he wrote, produced and was director of photography.

David has now opened his photographic vault featuring some of Australia’s biggest music artists including AC/DC, Olivia Newton John, John Farnham, Ross Wilson, Skyhooks, Nick Cave, as well as international superstars Elton John, ABBA and a vast back catalogue of his time asCountdown’s resident photographer including Molly Meldrum and Prince Charles. We are proud to reveal these priceless pieces of Australian music history to the public as they are hung in the Ballroom foyer and Brunswick Artists’ Bar.

The Brunswick Ballroom Opening Gala on Thursday 4^th and Friday 5^th March is curated to celebrate the venue and is hosted by Eddie Perfect and Margot Tanjutco, directed by Dean Bryant with Musical Direction by Isaac Hayward and including performances from Mama Alto, Bert LaBonte, Jess Hitchcock, Ash Flanders Vidya Makan, and Jude Pearl.

Adding to their excitement the BRUNSWICK BALLROOM team are tickled pink to also be hosting some of the best shows in this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival as it welcomes comedians to our stage and audiences to our brand new venue. MICF returns in 2021 delivering much needed laughs and good times to Melburnians and for the first time making its way down Sydney Rd to the BRUNSWICK BALLROOM with comedy superstars Tripod and the breakout cult favourite, Australia’s ‘fake genuine Russian choir’ Dustyesky. Staying with the Russian theme, VulgarGrad’s unique folk-punk-polka-ska-swing musical take on Russian criminal activity could make them guilty of making light of these serious matters!

Featuring Jane Clifton Denise Scott, Fiona Scott Norman, Derek Guille, Brian Nankervis, Dave O’Neil and Adam Zwar amongst many more, Pants on Fire is a live onstage panel game that started as a way to stay sane during lockdown and now explodes live with two teams of well-known showbiz types competing to see who is the greatest bullshit artist of them all.

The critically acclaimed one-women show Coral Browne’s This F*cking Lady stars legendary Australian actress Amanda Muggleton based on the life of Australian legendary star of stage and screen, Coral Browne, putting the Grande Dame back in the spotlight where she belongs.

In addition to the MICF shows eclectic programming continues throughout March and April seeing legends such as Kate Ceberano, Tim Rogers, Ross Wilson, Underground Lovers and David Helfgott don the brand new stage. D’Arcy Spiller, Girlatones and Bitch Diesel will feature as part of the Brunswick Music Festival which will also include a free gig on Tuesday 9^th March by Loretta and her Boyfriends at the Brunswick Artists’ Bar located downstairs at the new venue.

The newly refurbished BRUNSWICK BALLROOM is located in the old Metropolis House on Sydney Road, taking the mantle as one Melbourne’s most eclectic and diverse entertainment and events venue. This extraordinary venue has been reimagined, refurbished and renamed and will feature the best of Australian and international music, cabaret and comedy. The rich history of the venue dates back to the 1960s. Once a hat factory, nightclub, a wedding reception centre, French restaurant and most recently music venue The Spotted Mallard, this reincarnation offers patrons the chance to combine a delicious meal with a glass of wine while enjoying a great show!

The BRUNSWICK BALLROOM, is a fully accessible venue seating up to 300 people, combining the best of London’s legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and New York City institution Joe’s Pub with Melbourne’s own 1990’s icon, The Continental Café, bringing style back to Melbourne’s music scene. Downstairs boasts a secondary space, the Brunswick Artists’ Bar a Sydney Road local, showcasing artwork and acoustic sounds from local artists. With all the charm and atmosphere of a country pub mixed with the furnishing and décor of a sophisticated yet understated stylish Melbourne bar.

The rebirth of the venue is spearheaded by impresario Andrew Kay AM together with actor and musician Will Ewing who takes on the role of Venue Director. They are joined by Melbourne music scene hall of famer Mary Mihelakos as Music Booker, Emma Calverley Comedy Producer booking Comedy and theatrical producer Liza McLean with Tinderbox Productions who is curating the cabaret line up. Tori Bicknell rounds out the management team as Head of Food and Beverage.