BLACKBOOK HEAD HERE BLACKBOOK HEAD HERE Clockwise from top: the front bar at trendy venue Howler; on stage at the iconic Forum; drums set up in Paris Cat; Ding Dong Lounge’s Girl with the Gris Gris eatery Previous page: from the David Bowie is exhibition – the singer filming the video for Ashes to Ashes, 1980 musical programme covers classical and jazz styles, but you can also get up close on a tour of the building. As the sun goes down, the options for a musical hit increase exponentially. Since 1998, Ding Dong Lounge (dingdonglounge. com.au) has been a stalwart of the scene, where legendary gigs have been played and Liam Gallagher once demanded the owners sell him the bar. Not a lot has changed except for the recent addition of Girl with the Gris Gris, a kitchen producing New Orleans nosh. It’s given the venue the option of holding dinner shows, where the likes of Tony Joe White headline. Those looking for a snappy time can head to Paris Cat (pariscat.com.au), a jazz venue inspired by bebop clubs of the 1930s. Reserve a table and enjoy a performance by acts – a diva singing the blues or a big band reviving the swing tradition – from around the world. Equally as impressive but much larger in scale is the Forum (forummelbourne. com.au), which though not only a music venue, is still the most spectacular place to see a gig. Designed in the 1920s by American architect John Eberson, it features a Moorish Revival exterior and, in the auditorium, a cerulean ceiling painted with twinkling stars and reproductions of Greco-Roman statues. Tear your eyes from the splendour to concentrate on the stage, and with a capacity of 1,500 people it’s usually something big – Oasis, Katy Perry and Nick Cave have all played here. To get closer to the local scene, it’s time to head to Brunswick. Its main stretch, Sydney Road, is home to a number of pubs and clubs hosting live music every night, but at the back of a car park you’ll find Howler (h-w-l-r. com). Dubbed an arts hub, its main room has been designed with aesthetics and acoustics top of mind. The acts tend towards the more experimental, the crowd is cool and the expansive garden bar is a haven when your ears finally need a break. PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: SEAN FENNESSY, © FORUM, KATYA MENSHIKOVA, © DING DONG LOUNGE 30 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM CONTACT CENTURION SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS
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