The former Fortitude Valley haven of heavy and alternative music opened in 2012. Seven years later, owners Tyla Dombroski and Trad Nathan, a former member of post-hardcore band Amity Affliction, opened a sister venue in Sydney.
When they closed their Brisbane venue in 2020, Nathan says they always hoped they could return.
Trad Nathan and Tyla Dombroski will reopen Crowbar in The Zoo’s old space on Ann Street in November. Credit: Crowbar Brisbane
“We were so devastated [when we closed Crowbar] because that was nearly 10 years of blood, sweat and tears,” he says.
“We lost all of that hard work. I really couldn’t even look at the word Brisbane for a couple of years.”
Speaking after the announcement that Crowbar will reopen – at the site long occupied by The Zoo – Nathan and Dombroski say they’re confident they can deal with the challenges of 2024.
“We have a lot of experience in this space. For us in Sydney, it was about pivoting. We made wine. We started a restaurant. There were a lot of ways for us to get through [the pandemic],” Nathan says.
“What I do know is that people love to see live music and events … we’re very assertive that we can come back into this space and be a full venue again.”
A suburb over, The Junk Bar owners are taking the same optimistic small-venue energy to their new home on Brunswick Street.
After 13 years on Waterworks Road, the Ashgrove music venue is relocating to the old Alibi Room spot in New Farm, home of the Taj Mahal restaurant for the past five years.
Co-owner Dylan Proctor says they will maintain the flavour of their Ashgrove haunt – the north-American feel of the bar, vintage decor, and approachability. But with an upper level, they have more room to work with – in every sense.
“I don’t want to give away too much. But we’ve got a lot of ideas, put it that way,” Proctor says.
(Left to right) The Junk Bar sound engineer Shunya, co-owner Dylan Proctor and booking manager Fraser Bell at their soon-to-be new home on Brunswick Street in New Farm. Credit: Courtney Kruk
One idea he is willing to divulge is a new restaurant – something that Crowbar will also incorporate into its revived Brisbane venue.
“We always suffered with people going to dinner … we never really captured them for the whole night. That’s going to be a point of difference for us,” Proctor says.
Capacity in The Junk Bar’s new live-music space will increase from 60 to 100, an upgrade that excites the venue’s sound engineer, Shunya, and booking agent Fraser Bell.
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“It’s really important to keep music in the suburbs alive,” Bell says. “Moving to New Farm [still] gives local bands a chance and a space to play. And with a larger downstairs capacity, we’ll hopefully be able to attract more interstate and international acts.”
In a time when discretionary spending is tight, The Junk Bar is the perfect low-risk, high-reward night out. Catch free music at an open-mic night or discover a new artist for $20.
Is this the start of a new era where the word “struggling” no longer has to preface “small venue”? A little wisdom imparted from Shunya makes me hopeful.
“You’ll never lose that pleasure of having a cold beer, watching an interesting band in the first two or three shows, surrounded by other people who also caught that little bit of buzz,” he said.
“It’s just an unbeatable feeling.”
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