Port Melbourne is renowned for its stunning beach and palm-lined promenade, but beyond the ritzy coastal glamour is a suburb that boasts a wide range of live music venues from relaxed acoustic sessions at iconic hotels, to full-throttle raves at transformed industrial centres.
In celebration of this beautiful Melbourne suburb, we’ve compiled the following list of the best places to catch live music in Port Melbourne.
Prince Alfred Hotel
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Prince Alfred Hotel becomes a live music destination. Tuesdays are dedicated to ‘90s bangers, for all the throwback enthusiasts. Pair this with cheap burgers and wings and it’s an excellent start to the week. Thursdays are set aside for disco tunes, while complementing the grooves are $20 parmas catering for any dietary requirements. With a happy hour from 3-6pm that spans the entire work week, and a cheeky late night happy hour for the weekend warriors falling between 9-11pm on Saturday, this pub basically has drink specials on all the time. Don’t get caught wanting, this pub is a staple.
The Cornerstone
It’s in the name, this pub is a foundational piece of the wider Port Melbourne music scene. Resident folk/jazz and everything-else group Baker Boys Band don the stage every second Tuesday to bring their renditions of some of the most famous covers ever. The Cornerstone also hosts live music every Friday and Saturday night, regularly staging legends of the local scene, including Dave Miles (of Dave Miles and The Hard Way fame, who also hosted live mic nights at the venue) and the blues and roots stylings of Blues Box on a Friday night.
CBCo Brewing
CBCo Brewing hosts Original Sundays every Sunday afternoon from 1pm onwards, focusing on local grassroots musicians playing their original songs – what could be a nicer way to spend a Sunday? The acclaimed Margaret River brewery has made its way to Port Melbourne and on top of providing the beer and cider that Australians have come to love, the venue helps unearth future gems of the local music scene.
The Exchange Hotel
Every Friday this much-loved dog-friendly pub holds acoustic sessions featuring a lineup of local artists playing a mix of original and classic guitar-driven tracks. On Saturdays The Exchange Hotel hosts Live in the Lounge, kicking off from 9pm in the Molly Blooms Lounge. Live in the Lounge turns things up a notch, featuring a weekly-changing line up of live bands. The Friday and Saturday night staples make it a must-visit pub for live music southside.
The Timber Yard
If you’re after major events in Port Melbourne, you can’t go past The Timber Yard. Turning a mammoth 6,000 square-metre industrial complex into a cultural labyrinth of indoor and outdoor venue spaces for hire, The Timber Yard is most popular for its regular raves and music festivals hosted by seasoned promoters like Novel, featuring massive international DJs. The likes of Jamie Jones and Four Tet have turned its 1,500-capacity warehouse space into a heaving, breathing music venue that’s like few others across the city.
The Local
How can you go past a pub called The Local? As the name suggests, this is another classic Aussie pub that hosts live acoustic sessions on Sundays from 5pm – 8pm, giving a range of solo artists the chance to perform in front of a live audience. Another premium example of a classic British-style pub reinvented for the modern era without losing any of its charm, The Local is also a tried and tested favourite for sports-lovers, offering a range of events and deals. Come for the music, stay for the community.
Generations
Live music by the bay, what could be better? Generations is a family and dog friendly café, bar and grill located right on the water’s edge at Station Pier. Best of all, it hosts live music every Sunday featuring local legends like Gary Eastwood, Rhys Tolhurst and Nick & Amina, with a strong acoustic focus. They also amalgamate live music into many of their major event days, which is a lovely touch. It’s a casual dining experience that also offers a range of takeaway options, plus the obligatory sports coverage.
Port Melbourne Industrial Centre for the Arts (PICA)
Similar to the way The Timber Yard has been repurposed as a stunning live music, festival and events space, so has this impressive industrial centre become a thundering venue for the world’s best bands, DJs and producers. The list of acts and festivals that have been at PICA in its relatively short history range from major rock bands like Smashing Pumpkins to beloved hip hop festivals like Homegrown, all the way to rave-culture staples like Boiler Room.
For more information on what’s happening in this wonderful southside suburb, head to the Port Melbourne page of the What’s On St Kilda website here.
This article was made in partnership with City of Port Phillip.
