“There’s a 350-capacity room out the back, we’re doing front bar music Monday and Wednesday nights, and there’s 100 capacity smaller room that will be available for functions and private events,” says freshly appointed live music booker, Chas Jagger.
Instead of just flicking the sign back to open, the new owners took the opportunity to give the place a facelift, both inside and out. Gone is the yellow and black exterior, which is replaced by a dazzling red finish. Meanwhile, the interior is immaculately decked out, with a log cabin dining room, pool tables and a delectably diverse range of food and craft brews on offer.
“We owe something to the previous owners as well, because it was run well and it was a killer pub,” Jagger says. “We don’t intend to forget about any of that, but we’re hopefully going to have the potential to expand on what they were doing.”
Situated on Smith Street in Collingwood, the Gasometer is hardly the only live music venue in the area. But rather than being threatened by the neighbouring hotspots, the team at the Gaso are eager to re-enter the live music discourse. “The [managers] really want it to be a music venue,” Jagger says, “and to just complement what’s already happening on Smith Street – Yah Yah’s and the Grace Darling. We’re in a perfect spot.”
A separate entrance has been installed for access to bigger gigs, while a particularly unique addition is the band room’s mezzanine level with a retractable roof. “The roof will open on good weather days and you can sit there and enjoy the sunshine on the mezzanine level that wraps around the roof of the band room. You can fit about 70 people up on the mezzanine. It’s fantastic.”
Sound-wise they’ve taken no shortcuts either. Boasting a 32-channel mixing console and an elaborate stack of front of house speakers and subs, punters aren’t likely to be asking for a volume boost. “We had Infinity Broke in there recently and they came out saying that it sounded awesome,” Jagger says. “That’s probably the most important thing – if the bands love it then we’re happy.”
So, everything’s in place for the Gaso to charge ahead as a fully-fledged live music venue. But what’s the stylistic specialty going to be? “We’re going to look at a whole range of music styles,” Jagger says. “I think if it’s a good act then we’d love to see them in there. If people want to see them, we want them on the stage.”
In addition to taking care of the venue’s music, Jagger is the chief booking agent at Melbourne’s Bright Light Agency, so he knows a thing or two about the local scene. “I look after bands like Twin Beasts, Sex On Toast, The Harlots, Darren Middleton, Little Stevies,” he says.
The Gasometer’s been up and kicking since late April but this Saturday is the official re-opening party. The event is presented by Thunder Road Brewery (whose Collingwood Draught is already one of the pub’s prime on-tap selections) and features an impressive lineup of acts, topped by Tex Perkins’ The Ape. Oh, and it’s free entry.
“It’s our chance to invite some people down to get a feel for the new room while there’s a ripping band in there and have a listen to the P.A. and see what it feels like.”
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
