Venue #56

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THE WIDE WORLD OF BEER

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or 364 days a year I’m Mr Fussy about my beer purchases.

I’ll confess to being a Peroni Leggera convert for my ‘everyday’, off-license drinking needs — tasty, yet light on the carbs and mid strength; it helps salve my conscience while offering considerably more than a ‘why bother?’ bottle of light. Similarly, when I find myself in a pub, I’ve never been a ‘schooner of heavy, thanks love’ kinda consumer.

But there’s one day a year when I entirely outsource my beer drinking decisions.

Furthermore, I like to bring my school-age children in on this oneday beer tradition. (No need for alarm, it’s all above board.) And it’s always a couple of days before Christmas.

Here’s the setup: while on our annual holiday-season trip to Shepparton (two hours north of Melbourne) to visit family, I’ll take my two kids (currently 13 and 10 years old) to the local Dan Murphy’s. We’ll head to the boutique beer display fridge and grab a pick ’n’ mix 10-bottle carrier. From there, my instructions to the kids is to pick out any 10 beers that catches their eye — so long as it’s a bit interesting.

They love the sheer, Mum’s-not-around-to-tut-tut, randomness of it all, and the selection is always surprising. Old Fart beer is a regular favourite — not sure why — but invariably there will be a syrupy 12% Belgian leg-wobbler, a zingy Bavarian weissbier, a Pommy real ale, an IPA from Japan, a chocolate stout or a banana bread brew… and on it goes.

It’s genuinely delightful to dip into the in-law’s fridge over Christmas and pick something out rarely knowing what to expect.

It’s a far cry from the status quo only a few short years ago where beer was fiercely tribal and choice was limited. A Melbourne local could go through life never having drunk Reschs, while Reschs may have been a Sydneysider’s lifetime tipple, never having known the delights of XXXX, Coopers or Swan lager. As for something foreign? You’ve gotta be joking cobber. Had a New Zealand beer… once… tasted like kiwi piss (to a room full of knowing nods… all clearly au fait with the sub par drinkability of small flightless bird urine).

This issue we’re taking a good look at the best new pubs and bars, and those who care about their beer. We’d like to applaud the little guy whose 500 litres of craft beer sold to a local market has, drip by drip, resulted in the likes of CUB supplying fresh, unpasteurised Carlton Draft to Beer Deluxe in Federation Square. We simply wouldn’t have one without the other. By which I mean, ‘craft’ has gone mainstream, and as much as I like to sit on a barstool watching televised cricket on a 30° day with my pot of Carlton, I’m even more pleased with the fact I can have a Hop Hog with my parma or that a Red Duck Pale Rider is awaiting me in the beer fridge of my local IGA. As for my penchant for a Leffe Radieuse to go with a smelly sliver of Roquefort? Well, for the foreseeable at least, that will remain a once-a-year guilty pleasure.

Christopher Holder Editorial Director, chris@venuemag.com

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MARCH

Nº56

Contents “ It’s refreshing to roll into work and have some fun with it all and sell good beer.”

Dean Romeo, Little Creatures Canteen — pg44

7

More Beer Please Beer DeLuxe The Oaks Zhou Zhou

pg28 pg20 pg18

CONTACTS: Advertising Office: (02) 9986 1188 PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086

CONTENTS

Editorial Office: (03) 5331 4949 PO Box 295, Ballarat, VIC 3353 Editorial Director: Christopher Holder (chris@venuemag.com)) Publication Director: Stewart Woodhill (stewart@venuemag.com) Publisher: Philip Spencer (philip@venuemag.com)

Pubs & Bars

Art Direction & Design: Dominic Carey (dominic@alchemedia.com.au) Graphic Designer: Daniel Howard (daniel@alchemedia.com.au) Circulation Enquiries: (subscriptions@alchemedia.com.au) Accounts: Jaedd Asthana (accounts@alchemedia.com.au)

alchemedia publishing pty ltd (ABN: 34 074 431 628) PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086 info@alchemedia.com.au All material in this magazine is copyright Š 2014 Alchemedia Publishing Pty Ltd. The title Venue is a registered Trademark. Apart from any fair dealing permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. The publishers believe all information supplied in this magazine to be correct at the time of publication. They are not in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. After investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, prices, addresses and phone numbers were up to date at the time of publication. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements appearing in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility is on the person, company or advertising agency submitting or directing the advertisement for publication. The publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, although every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy.

Regulars

Performing Arts Centre

Zhou Zhou The Oaks Cafe del Mar Beer DeLuxe Minskys Public House Small Bars Sydney Little Creatures Canteen The Kenmore

pg18 pg20 pg24 pg28 pg32 pg34 pg38 pg44 pg52

Smooth Operator Music Connection Marketing Machine Sit Kit: Inc. Ding Dong Lounge Lit Preferred Suppliers You Wish: Pangaea, New Delhi

pg13 pg14 pg16 pg56 pg58 pg60 pg62 pg66

ASB Theatre, Auckland

pg50

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The Oaks.

Paul Kelly Design has transformed one of Sydney's most iconic hotels into a venue where old-world charm meets modern sophistication.

Experience it for yourself.

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SMOOTH OPERATOR Like angels dancing on your tongue.

Matt Mullins is a partner in Sand Hill Road hospitality group

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close mate of mine recently received some terrible news. As he tells it, the doctor leant in, brow furrowed, and uttered the horrible words: “I’m sorry, but you can’t drink beer. Ever. Again.”

Now I know in the grand scheme of things a lifetime ban on beer is not the worst prognosis you could ever hear from a doctor. But for a footylovin’, hard-livin’, 40-somethin’ Melbourne publican, it ain’t the best either! And to add insult to injury, his gluten intolerance also prohibited the consumption of pizza. (Admittedly, its normally the over-consumption of beer one night that leads to the need to eat pizza in subsequent hours, so it could be argued that cutting out the beer could well lead to a commensurate decrease in pizza consumption the following day. But that’s no consolation for this bloke.)

Needless to say, its been a struggle. For most Australians, particularly — but by no means exclusively — men, beer is an important part of our culture and our lives. Beer first arrived at our shores on the Endeavour, believe it or not. In 1768, as Captain Cook was preparing his ship for the big adventure that would ultimately establish the world’s biggest island-pub, he decided to load molasses and turpentine, with which to brew beer while at sea. (You can only wonder at the quality of the beer brewed with molasses and turpentine, but I’m picturing something like Coors Light.) Anyway, the idea was that in the event of the fresh water supply turning septic, get brewing and feed the men beer. (The other upside being that the odours of fermentation easily overpower the fetid stench of septic water aboard a small timber boat on the ocean.)

A NATION MADE FROM BEER Forty years later, the penal colony of Sydney was awash with drunkenness and debauchery bought on by the consumption of bootlegged rum (its just so Australian isn’t it? The Americans had a Tea Party, we had a Rum Rebellion…). The Governor’s answer to this spate of unholy rum-induced violence on the streets of Sydney? 1am lockouts? 3am closing? Hell no. He decided to brew more beer. Cos as everyone knows, the best way to cure a rum problem is to create a beer problem in its place.

Two hundred years on and beer makes up the largest chunk of the $16 billion alcohol market in Australia. In fact, almost half the alcohol we consume in this country is beer. Wine is about 30%, and spirits the remaining 20%. Of the beer market, full-strength makes up 70%, light beer 12%

and mid-strength about 10% (and from my time in Central Queensland, I reckon most of that is consumed between midday and 9pm every Friday night in Rockhampton). As we all know, beer’s share of the overall market is under attack. Wine has been gradually increasing its piece of the pie chart, as have spirits. On top of that, the staple Aussie beers like Carlton Draught and Tooheys New have been losing ground in this dwindling beer category to craft beers and internationals, as we’ve all got more uppity and snooty. That said, we’re still the world’s fourth highest consumers of beer per capita, punching above our weight in the beer stakes — we’re way below that on overall alcohol consumption, conclusion: we love our beer.

cutting out the “ beer could well lead

to a commensurate decrease in pizza consumption the following day. But that’s no consolation for this bloke.”

CRAFT MARKET My mate Ali Carragher at the Great Northern in Carlton, runs the best beer pub in the country. He “curates” beer (my word not his — he’d bloody kill me if he knew I used a word so wanky to describe what he does!). Having already built and sold a successful brewery, he’s like an artist who’s decided to expand out of painting, into the gallery business.

He gathers great brewers around him, and displays their work in his pub in row after row of beautifully balanced, carefully positioned beer taps. And he and his staff know and love these beers like their favourite works of art. They take pride in explaining the subtle differences between them, in describing the brewery at which they were produced, and

matching a beer to your taste, your meal, or your mood. This level of variety and expertise is having an effect on the product mix at Ali’s pub, an intensified microcosm of the effect across the entire beer category: after three years of educating his market, of enticing and cajoling them to try something new, finally a craft beer just knocked off a mainstream mainstay as the most-drunk beer in the pub.

I’ve always been amazed at the loyalty beer brands manage to foster. I remember about a decade ago when Lion Nathan made its big push into Victoria, buying up inner-city pubs and showering them – and their not altogether welcoming patrons – in Tooheys New. At the Commercial Club Hotel in Fitzroy, we often conducted blind tastings putting Tooheys New up against Carlton Draught. Very rarely could even the most seasoned Carlton drinker pick which was which, despite previously swearing black and blue that “Tooheys tastes like dog’s balls.” So I’m not convinced all that brand loyalty stems from taste. I’m also intrigued how otherwise loyal one-brand beer drinkers happily get stuck into other beers when they move jurisdiction. Have you ever seen an Aussie bloke in Bali who wasn’t perfectly happy smashing down Bin Tang by the bucket load? Have you noticed how content Melburnians are drinking XXXX Gold while sunning themselves on the beach in Noosa? And let’s be honest, no one ever goes to Fiji without dancing late at night to a bad cover band after having drunk 40 Fiji Bitters. Up against a genuine willingness to drink whatever beer is most readily available wherever we may be in the world, I think its amazing the loyalty the big brewers have managed to instil in us when we’re at home.

POT OF COMFORT But its no accident. Just like a great suburban pub can stand as a proxy for home, providing security, comfort and familiarity, drinking a pot of your favourite beer in that pub only heightens the sense of belonging. There’s a time for trying something new, and then there’s the rest of the time, when we want the opposite of new — we want what we’re used to.

In the end, as venue owners we don’t have to be too concerned about the product mix our patrons are seeking. Lead them were we can, respond quickly where we can’t. A bit less beer, a bit more cider, a bit more craft or a bit less mainstream. (Although as the Governor discovered in 1821, if your crowd’s getting rowdy, less rum and more beer is probably worth a try!)

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MUSIC CONNECTION Why your iPod doesn’t cut it Stuart Watters is a Director of Morph TV and consults for Nightlife Music

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one right, an inspired selection of music can elevate the most rustic watering hole to greatness. Done wrong, a music playlist can drag the most chic digs to the depths of kitsch. Music can tie all the design elements of a venue together, while constantly morphing to suit the mood and tempo. But this adaptability is reliant on the quality and flexibility of the playlists, and just as importantly, the way they’re delivered. So the big question is: how far can you get on your own with an iPod? When do you need to bring in the specialists? And what are the rewards for making that investment in your music?

With many venues looking to cut costs, the use of consumer streaming services and DIY iPod-style playlists have their attractions; but beware. As the old adage goes: ‘you have to spend money to make money’; combine that with another aphorism, ‘you get what you pay for’, and you begin to get the idea. Indeed, many operators aren’t aware that the letter of the law doesn’t allow the commercial use of iTunes without paying Apple, and believe me, that’s not a negotiation you want to enter into: keeping up with the licensing for an iPod is onerous and be prepared for some serious ‘bill shock’. (Looking through the terms and conditions of every streaming service in Australia, not one offers a license for commercial use, and who wants to be the test case in such an action?)

DJ PAYDAY Licensing legalities is but the tip of the iceberg.

Whether it’s an iPod or a streaming service, the cost of devoting a staff member’s time to maintaining playlists can quickly add up, often far costlier than most music services. Perhaps that’s why a good DJ can charge $5000+ a night for their services — because they’ve spent the time to create a brand based on seamless continuity. And this is what you should be demanding of your venue’s playlist.

Having access to specialist knowledge in designing a music brief specific to your venue provides continuity resulting in new patrons, while keeping regulars staying longer and coming back more

often. This is not something radio or internetbased radio services can even contemplate with their current ‘one-way’ structure; while streaming services and iPods are too cumbersome to manage given the total lack of integrated scheduling.

Put simply: creating seamless and bespoke playlists is quite expensive and onerous unless you can harness the scale and expertise of a experts.

JUMPING OFF POINT Leaving aside the legalities for a moment it is worth considering the many other shortcomings of streaming services and iPods. There are massive jumps in volume between tracks because none of the consumer services normalise their content, or use compression, cue points, or beat waves: which means you almost always need someone keeping an eye on the volume and the mix.

Music providers like Nightlife Music have made an art out of creating seamless transitions, with carefully considered cue points, beat wave and compression algorithms, and studio normalisation among many other aspects that create a seamless experience. It is the lack of commercial tools like this in consumer products that people may not notice until it all goes horribly wrong in public.

When bad transitions between tracks combine with significant volume differences the affect is very jarring; and with no filters for explicit content, things can go from bad, to worse, to unbearable at any point in time. Sound quality can also be a further issue, especially if the device required to play content is not up to date and in perfect operating condition. And when things do go wrong with consumer solutions, in most cases you are on your own because 24/7 on-call support is only offered by purpose specific commercial music providers.

What’s more an influential coterie of artists hold out from streaming services on moral grounds, a fact that can leave you red faced when a punter reasonably requests their favourite Radiohead or Pink Floyd song.

I think you get the message: taking short cuts gets noticed (in the wrong way), and music matters.

Done wrong, a “ music playlist can

drag the most chic digs to the depths of kitsch” VISUAL WORLD Even after considering all of these factors, I believe the main point of difference lies in the visual content. With streaming services lacking any visual function and iPods physically unable, venues are left to use only half of their audiovisual capabilities, without running into further chaos on both licensing and operational fronts. Music videos, digital advertising and ambient visual content like Red Bull’s extreme sports and Fashion TV are the standard by which others are measured, and screen real estate is simply priceless. Having the ability to create dynamic and interactive visual messaging, while balancing multiple channels of video, really comes into perspective when combined with a custom-designed music brief. Nightlife’s Manage My Nightlife App takes this up a notch again by giving venue managers the power to adjust any aspect of the audio and visual content in real time, from anywhere in a venue, on a phone, tablet or touchscreen POS device.

With a commercial-specific music provider you get the right kind of music, delivered through complex and unique scheduling systems that understand your business model. This is then comprehensively supported by industry leading professionals in music and video production, IT, licensing and service, who are all just a phone call away...

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MARKETING MACHINE Telling Your Story: How to Stand Out James Cooley is an account manager at PR agency, Stellar Concepts

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’ve been lucky enough to see my fair share of great venues, whether it be handling the PR for a restaurant, bar or nightclub, or attending an event. It’s a tough gig but someone has to do it.

The question remains the same for proprietors of these venues — how can I cut through the clutter when there are just so many options? Did you know Australia has one of the highest number of bars and restaurants per capita of anywhere in the world?

However, I’ve seen some venues shine when it comes to creating notoriety. The ones that do it right are those that maintain a consistent clear message such as Neil Perry at Rockpool and Matt Moran with Aria and Chiswick. Once captured, they nurture relationships using a variety of methods to maintain the great conversation they started.

When it comes to promoting a venue, assume nothing and start from the beginning. Although you have agonised over every aspect — from the menu and wine list, to design, lighting and staffing — the media and potential customer will probably have no clue. So tell them.

PUBLICITY PRECEPTS Here are a few tips I’ve picked up from publicising some of Sydney’s most reputable venues: • Know what is unique about your offering: an amazing wine list, unparalleled views, or the best music in town? Shout it from the rooftops and make sure that what makes you special is clear at every interaction with the customer.

• Next step is great photography: a picture tells a thousand words and with the rise and rise of new media, great photography is imperative to drive conversation online. Great photography underpins any marketing campaign. One restaurant who uses excellent photography across many mediums from advertising, editorial to social media is our client Cafe Sydney.

• Have a good spokesperson: whether that’s the designer, owner, chef or mixologist — someone who will represent the venue positively and position the venue as a thought leader and innovator. While we have worked with high profile spokespeople such as Justin Hemmes, Merivale and head chefs such

as Elton Inglis at The Tilbury, there are still many opportunities for anyone from cocktail makers to marketing and sales personnel to have a voice.

• Get the opening right to solidify your offering and your target market. Should it be a glamorous event or a local’s-only ‘soft launch’? Whose attention do you want to grab from day one?

Remember you have one shot at opening, so get it right. Stellar helped Old Joe’s in Cronulla through a solid media relations program — no big launch — but achieved some fantastic results.

• Social media is one of the most important marketing tools — be a part of the conversation — as long as you have someone willing to take the criticism (and tackle the trolls). Have a social media presence by being active and engaging with people in your industry — your competitors, media, suppliers, staff, friends and of course customer.

So get talking! Dan Hong of Sydney hot spot, Mr Wong, is a great example with a captive Twitter following engaging media and diners alike.

• Consider involvement with a larger event or festival to tap into new databases and large numbers of potential customers. There a slew of opportunities to engage with foodies, drinks connoisseurs and clubbers alike. These could include food events such as Taste Festivals, a craft beer festival, local initiatives such as the Surry Hills Festival; and industry-specific thought leader events such as the Electronic Music Conference.

Critical to that decision, of course, is ensuring you have the resources — if you’re going to do it, make sure you do it well.

• Invite people to trial what you’re offering.

It’s the best way to drive word of mouth; through experience. Media, reviewers and bloggers are great to engage with but make sure you’ve nailed your product first.

The golden rule is that consistent conversation is king. Keep engaging your audience and tell them what you’re up to — if they never know, they’ll never go.

James Cooley is an account manager at Sydneybased public relations agency, Stellar Concepts, one of Australia’s most successful and respected lifestyle public relations agencies with a specialist interest in food, beverage, hospitality and events.

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consistent conversation is king. Keep engaging your audience and tell them what you’re up to.”

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BEER ’N’ DUMPLINGS Zhou Zhou: 455 Chapel Street, South Yarra VIC

Thought craft beer was a occidental phenomenon? Wrong.

The orient has been hitting it hard as well.

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One new Chapel Street bar is representing the Asian beer brigade with a list of over 50 regional lager and craft beer brands. Zhou Zhou has a 3am license and is staking a claim as the perfect late night antidote to the South Yarra shopping bug. Situated above the Oriental Teahouse, Zhou Zhou also boasts a well-considered cocktail menu that’s much heavier on the sake than it is on the vodka — which puts an interesting twist on some of the classics.

The food menu boasts the best of what Oriental Teahouse has to offer, as well as some new favourites such as handwrapped duck wontons and a selection of delectable dim sum. All menu options have been hand picked to match the delightful drops and ales on offer.

Ah yes, the ales. Let’s hear more about the ales: Zhou Zhou has Orion Premium on tap, an impressive array of Japanese craft beer (from Echigo Koshihikari rice lager, to Coedo Shiro German Hefeweizen-style beer from Saitama, and Kujyukuri Ocean Stout from Chiba), an Asian ale (Sinha Stout from Sri Lanka), Asian lagers (all your faves, including Bintang, Kingfisher, Asahi, Tiger, Kirin, Tsingtao and many more), three local brews that channel their inner Japanese (2 Brothers Kung Foo, Robot Ninja Sorachi Lager and the Mornington Peninsula Sorachi Summer Ale), and a handful of ciders. There’s plenty of variety and will reward repeat visits to keep exploring the drinks menu.

Zhou Zhou interiors are designed by Hecker Guthrie, with the look inspired by ‘The Bund’ Shanghai in the 1930s. It is both refined and eclectic. “Essentially we wanted to create a Asian beer experience. The interior has a slight vintage sensibility with dark rustic timbers and flooring. There will be accents of Chinese greenery and blue and white porcelain.

Key loose furniture items and styling elements will create a contemporary versus industrial feel.” says Hamish Guthrie.

The ever-ebullient David Zhou says of the latest addition to his hospitality interests: “Beer and dumpling are a couple, just like Australians and BBQ, or yum cha and tea, but great beers and great dumplings are a perfect couple, they live in a very comfortable house that is Zhou Zhou.”

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24 Moons Alumbra The Arthouse Hotel Australian Outback Spectacular The Bank Hotel The Botanical Bungalow 8 Brisbane Hotel (Perth) Club Marconi Discovery Establishment Half Moon Hornsby RSL Ivy Katuk Kudu Lounge Luxe Bar The Mean Fiddler The Met Oxford Art Factory Slip Inn

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BRANCHING OUT With the Garden Pavilion complete, The Oaks is turning over a new leaf.

The Oaks: 118 Military Rd, Neutral Bay NSW (02) 9953 5515 or www.oakshotel.com.au

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A

Neutral Bay institution since 1885, The Oaks is now on to the second stage of its almighty makeover. Owned by the Thomas family since the 1970s, the work was commissioned to bring the pub up to date and in line with the sky-high public expectations for high quality food and beverage. Paul Kelly Design worked on both phases of the refurbishment.

Stage 1 consisted of a reworking of the Oaks Bar and Grill dining room and opened in mid 2013 [see Issue 54]. The new interior features timber cladding on the walls, ribbed leather banquette seating, tartan carpets, a large fireplace and a walk-in, temperaturecontrolled glass atrium for the new wines. Kelly’s team divided the large area into zones with glass and timber screens. At the same time, the hotel invested in a much bigger kitchen, capable of plating up 400 meals in an hour.

Stage 2 is the Victorian-era-greenhouse-inspired Garden Pavilion. Last year Kelly described the future addition, then in the construction stage, as “the day to the Oaks Bar and Grill’s night”.

PAVILION SPACES The Pavilion has two spaces: a dining and function area in the front and a bar in the back. The new areas add to the already-impressive function capabilities of the hotel, which boasts numerous smaller rooms on the second floor. Thanks to the extensive use of glazing, no one is denied their dose of natural light.

In the front room, a collection of exotic plants populate the zinc-clad walls, tumble carelessly from the ceiling features and occupy enclaves like giant terrariums.

Other notable features include a stately wooden bookcase on the back wall (one should be able to enjoy some reading at a garden party, after all), and aquamarine wall tiling complementing the blue of the walls. White timber-framed glass doors enhance the conservatory atmosphere, and lead to the monumental and eponymous oak in the garden.

“The interior experience is relaxed and playful,” says Paul Kelly, Director of Paul Kelly Design. “The new space is adaptable to the customer’s request, along with the flexibility to function as a stand-alone bar within the Oaks Hotel.”

RE: LEAF General Manager Andrew Thomas says he is pleased with the two stages of renovation, especially as it adds to the various capabilities of the venue. “We really wanted to add another experience for people at The Oaks, and this space has definitely achieved that — it used to be a kitchen and bar area with virtually no seating, and now we can comfortably fit 100 people seated or 150 people cocktail-style.”

Key to the design brief was the creation of a premium function space that not only extended the existing garden area (and made the resident Oak tree even more of a focal point) but had a feminine appeal — pastels, white, glossy tiles, plants and natural light contrast with the Bar & Grill’s darker, more masculine interior, which features timber and tartan.

“It was really important to us that this was a light, bright and modern space that people could enjoy for a range of different events and gatherings,” says Thomas.

We really wanted to “ add another experience

for people at The Oaks … it used to be a kitchen and bar area with virtually no seating”

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GARDEN TEMPTATION The extended multi-million dollar investment in the entire project has resulted in more guests using The Oaks in more ways. The Garden Pavilion is open every non-function day to the public, although these have been fewer and further between with a diary full of long lunches, product launches, birthdays and engagements. “We have recently booked in our first wedding reception,” says Thomas. There’s also a regular bi-monthly ‘Six States of Beer’ event happening throughout the year. In short, the new space has proved popular, Thomas explains. “People are always impressed by its fresh, verdant vibe and the feedback has been really positive — people really appreciate the detail and design in the space.”

The Oaks is now ready to take on the challenge of satisfying the modern pub customer — somebody who wants to drink and chat, but also enjoy quality food, inspired design and a variety of experiences. On the North Shore, this is being offered by an increasing number of players but with its strong heritage and forward gaze, The Oaks is sure to stand the test of time.

CONTACTS Paul Kelly Design: (02) 9660 8299 or www.paulkellydesign.com.au The Chillie Group (Builder): (02) 9453 4744 or www.thechilliegroup.com.au Beckton Joinery: (02) 9600 8788 www.becktonjoinery.com.au Whitecliffe Imports (Carpet): (02) 8595 1111 or www.whitecliffe.com.au Hughes Commercial (Furniture): 1800 242 479 or www.hughescf.com.au Real Flame (Fireplaces): www.realflame.com.au Euroluce (Wall & Pendant): (03) 9657 9657 or www.euroluce.com.au Ultra Lift (Screen Folddown): (03) 9459 0873 or www.ultraliftaustralia.com.au Artedomus (Feature Stone Tiles): (03) 9428 9898 or www.artedomus.com Nightlife Music: 1800 773 468 or www.nightlife.com.au

HOSTPITALITY INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS HOTELS – PUBS – CLUBS – GAMING – BARS RESTAURANTS – DESIGN - CONSTRUCTION

The Oaks Hotel Sydney

At The Chillie Group we understand the importance of good fit for purpose design, functionality & layout when it comes to fitting out or renovating your hospitality premises. Working with an experienced hospitality professional can be the difference in the success & viability of your business.

PH – (02) 9453 4744 info@thechilliegroup.com.au www.thechilliegroup.com.au

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SETTING SAILS Top Ibiza club and music brand finds a home in Darling Harbour.

Story: Jen Temm Café del Mar: The Rooftop Terrace of Cockle Bay, 201 Sussex Street, Sydney (02) 9267 6700 or www.cafedelmar.com.au

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he view from the wrap-around balcony at Café del Mar may not be the glistening Mediterranean — but just wait. Proprietors Alex Daniel and John Zappia have big plans for the Australian-franchised brand that include bringing those famed beach sunsets to patrons of the new Cockle Bay venue. More on that later.

For those who have made the trek to Ibiza, the original Café del Mar (or ‘Sea Café’) is a partygoers’ institution.

Set on the beach of Sant Antoni de Portmany, it opened in 1980 and is famed for its sunset views and chillout music, released annually as popular compilation albums. And while the stylish Australian version offers a greater emphasis on dining, homage is paid to the original from the stucco walls, open kitchen and sail-draped dining tables right through to the chilled music lounge bar vibe of the original with DJs spinning discs Thursday to Sunday nights.

Daniel and Zappia bought the Australian rights to the brand from Café del Mar from founder Ramon Guiral in 2008 and opened last November with a multi-million dollar celebrity-studded launch at the former site of Coast restaurant. With the irrepressible Spanish-born celebrity chef Miguel Maestre as its brand ambassador, the venue became a go-to destination for locals and travellers with large group bookings flooding in within weeks, according to Daniel.

WELL-HEELED APPEAL “We’re talking 27 to 45, well-dressed people with a bit of extra cash that want some attention and don’t necessarily want to go out on a Saturday night to listen to Cassian or Miami Horror playing a big venue on a Saturday night,” he says. “They’re not interested in hopping up and down next to all these sweaty kids — but they still want that sound and they still like going out, they just don’t want to do it at 2am at Goldfish in Kings Cross.”

Designed by The Society Inc’s Sibella Court and Kelly

Ross from The Gentry, the venue flows from its entryway and lounge area down the length of the main dining area to a private dining room and out to an extensive balcony overlooking Darling Harbour. Close attention has been paid to hundreds of tiny details, from the rustic, broad European oak floorboards, repurposed from an old Belgian bridge, to the $1000 golden swan spout fittings in the opulent hotel-style bathrooms (so admired that a couple have been wrenched from their moorings and stolen, much to Daniel’s consternation).

With music such an integral part of the Café del Mar brand, the same attention to detail has been brought to the venue’s audio and AV, installed and managed by Showtime. The zoned system includes discreet highpowered QSC loudspeakers throughout the indoor and outdoor areas, controlled by QSC’s Core250i processor.

Managers simply select the zones, input and levels from an iPad or their smartphones.

“It’s a very, very high quality system,” says Showtime’s Asher Daoud. “It had to be something with enough output, quality and clarity that can be adjusted to suit based on input, and configurable based on the layout, whichever way that might be as they switch the DJs and seating around.” The system can also be beefed up for large events and for live music, with Daniel establishing an ensemble of musicians and aiming to produce and stream Café del Mar Sydney music.

SUNSET VIEWS And those spectacular White Isle sunsets haven’t been forgotten. The AV stage of the installation is underway to bring them to Sydney patrons: three Panasonic PTDZ770 projectors have been mounted to face the balcony with dropsheets that will cover a 13m span to project the Spanish sunsets as well as live content, including DJs direct from Ibiza’s Café del Mar, potentially a huge drawcard during the colder months.

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Smooth Tunes: The CafÊ del Mar brand is inextricably linked to music, so the audio had to be right. Low-profile, high-powered QSC surfacemount speakers hunt in packs — ensuring an even coverage and grunt when required.

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“Projecting the sunset during the winter here is the biggest factor,” Daniel says of the AV. “Winter is notoriously difficult for the restaurant industry but I’ll have my summer sessions with the Ibiza sunset, we’ll have some warm cocktails run through siphons with flames. The caption will be that ‘the sun always sets at Café del Mar’.”

“It’ll definitely be a standout,” Daoud adds. “You’d be hard pressed to find any other venue of this sort with something like this.” Daniel agrees: “We’re not Pontoon and we’re not Home nightclub, but we’re not just a restaurant either. The sound and the AV is so important, you can’t just put in six speakers and throw on a CD.” The no-expense-spared approach is paying off: the venue’s busiest day drew 600 patrons who ate a kraken’s worth (35kg) of head chef Ben Fitton’s signature starter, 24-hour black ink-marinated salt and pepper squid.

Customers are already vying to book the venue out for next December’s party season.

And the proprietors’ vision for the brand doesn’t end here. Darling Harbour already attracts more than 25 million visitors a year and the scope of potential business in future is immense, with major developments in the area over the next five years. It’s all about opportunity and Daniel says they’ll be making the most of it with a larger slice of real estate, a café and Café del Mar Sydney-branded products.

“This is the most visited attraction in Australia,” he says.

“Don’t worry about the Opera House, don’t worry about the Harbour Bridge: it’s all about Darling Harbour.”

CONTACTS Showtime Promotions & Productions: (02) 9569 1000 or www.show-pro.com.au Technical Audio Group (QSC): (02) 9519 0900 or www.tag.com.au The Society Inc: (02) 9331 1592 or www.thesocietyinc.com.au The Gentry: 0413 664 250 or www.thegentry.com.au

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ALL ABOUT THE BEER Beer DeLuxe: Federation Square, Melbourne Story: Paddy Macrae

There’s only one thing better than good beer, and that’s good beer with good food. If you add good location, good ambience, good service and good music, you have a sixpack of ‘goods’. And that’s excellent.

Stepping off the plane in Melbourne last month after a few years living in London, there were three things that struck me: First were the hipsters. Melbourne, it would seem, got cool. Second, my beloved Bombers have really, seriously lost their way. And third, to my delight, a noticeable surge in craft brewing and the proliferation of available beer varieties.

One venue pushing the possibilities of just how long a beer list can be is Beer DeLuxe in Federation Square. They’re pushing it so far in fact, they don’t even call it a list. They call it a bible. And after a visit and a chat to the man in charge, Craig Shearer, the case could definitely be made for a certain brand of spirituality in this place.

The first time I encountered the newly re-developed Beer DeLuxe was wandering around the city on the White Night festival of light. The place was packed — so much so that I didn’t even go inside. Returning a few days later to interview the main man and take a good look around, I start to uncover the reason for its popularity.

VISUAL IMPACT

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I’m struck by a unique aesthetic. It’s modern, light and open, without eschewing the rustic best of the old-school watering holes. Craig welcomes me in with a friendly smile and the sturdy handshake of a man who has lifted a few kegs in his time. He owns and runs both Beer DeLuxe venues — this one and its Hawthorn sibling.

“We chose the site because of its location and capacity,” he tells me. And they’ve done a lot of work to maximise their enviable real estate.

“We wanted to have a visual impact on people who were walking past. We wanted to improve the experience of the beer garden, so we introduced the deck and the grass area.”

And it works. You enter through a beer garden from the street or from the top-side in the Square itself. The stained timber panelling feels robust like a good Irish stout, and

huge windows provide natural light and the feel that you’re properly in the heart of town.

The major change though, was the venue’s capacity to serve.

“We put in new taps, a new cool room, and custom-made upside-down tree fonts.”

I don’t know if the upside-down tree fonts necessarily facilitate faster service, but the sheer scale of serving space across the four bars certainly does.

“On the night of a Friday footy game we might have 1000 people here for an hour, and we can service that.”

Speedy pre-game service is a valuable capability, but the truth is — with Transport, Young & Jackson, and The Duke all within shouting distance — there’s no shortage of drinking options. And Craig knows it… but he has a plan.

“You need to know where you stand in the market; have a very specific approach to what you do; and do that better than anyone else. We offer something different — we’re relaxed, big and varied. We’d consider ourselves a bit less mainstream than a lot of locals.”

THE BEER Calling your venue Beer DeLuxe carries with it a weight of expectation. But with 250 beers on offer it’s no misnomer.

And the range is impressive.

“We have 17 products on tap. My staff is always looking for weird and wonderful beer. Sometimes they ask, sometimes I just walk in and it’s on the tap list. That’s what makes it so strong — it’s driven by a variety of tastes.”

Aussies love our beer. At least, we love our lager. It’s a distinction worth making, because beer loving around the world can mean different things. Returning to Australian shores, the rise in craft is clearly evident, but not yet as prolific throughout mainstream venues as it is internationally.

Craig was able to put a hard stat to my theory — in Australia, craft beer accounts for 2% of beer sales. In the US, it’s 10%. Beer DeLuxe takes a sanguine approach to craft beer — it’s part of the mix but not to the point of the venue being up itself. “When we came here we found a venue that was very dedicated to craft beer, but perhaps missing the mark of a venue worthy of the name Beer DeLuxe. We want to be across all types of beer,” reflect Craig.

And that just about hits the nail right on the head for Beer DeLuxe. They do craft, sure, but not to the intimidating exclusion of the names we know and love.

FRESH BEER My mates talk about beer being ‘fresh’ if it has recently been pulled from the fridge. What they really mean is cold.

‘Fresh’ actually means the beer is unpasteurised. This is good for taste, but bad for logistics. So when somewhere like Beer DeLuxe goes to the trouble of installing specially built copper tanks to take deliveries direct from the CUB brewery, it’s worth taking note. You’re drinking a beer that 24 hours ago was in a vat. It’s the farmer’s market produce of the lager world.

“It’s the freshest beer in Australia. It gives us the opportunity to provide mainstream beer, but to add something a bit special.”

And the fact that it’s Carlton… not exactly the craftiest brewer going around? Craig tells me the issue divides drinkers, but as far as he’s concerned, there’s room for everyone. “If someone likes a beer, it’s a good beer.” Cheers to that.

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FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT

It’s the freshest beer in “ Australia. It gives us the

opportunity to provide mainstream beer, but to add something a bit special.”

— Craig Shearer

Leading with the mother of all beer lists prompts the inevitable question about what food to serve. What menu could possibly hope to compliment the variety of ales on offer? A simple one, I’m told.

“Our approach is that simple food done well, works well.

We specialise in beer food. Our spin on tapas: sharing plates, burgers, pizzas, very social food made with local, fresh ingredients.”

And just in case the beer bible and tasty temptations aren’t enough to occupy your mind or de-stress that city brain, there’s music, too. Beer DeLuxe has an ever-changing line up of local soloists and DJs to give the venue a vibrant, lively feel.

Craig tells me they have two distinct markets wandering through their doors. There are the local city workers in need of a post-work pint, and there are the tourists.

The later are much more adventurous, working their way through the list — follows the holiday mindset, I suppose.

Interestingly, many people are open minded which gives Craig and his team the perfect chance to connect with the clientele — demonstrating their knowledge in the recommendation process.

During my visit, I’m introduced to the Beer DeLuxe Beer Specialist Derek. Yep, that’s a real job and no, Derek’s not leaving anytime soon. I did ask.

THE FUTURE

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“The last thing we want to become is the McDonald’s of the beer world. There will be core principles we don’t deviate from — a huge beer list, great food, entertainment, but each site will have its own unique personality.”

The Fed Square site certainly seems to do that. It’s part inside, part outside, and it draws heavily on the local architecture and cultural thrust of the precinct.

I ask Craig if he has a favourite. He gives me the same face film directors get when you ask them their favourite movie.

“No,” he says, and laughs. But, nothing beats a cold, crisp lager on a hot day.” Amen to that. I’m relieved that our national drinking identity hasn’t eroded completely.

Benjamin Franklin said that beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. If that’s true, then Craig and the friendly folk at Beer DeLuxe are settling for nothing less than ‘transcendental bliss’.

CONTACTS Visual Builders: (03) 9533 5860 or www.visualbuilders.com.au Nightlife Music: 1800 773 468 or www.nightlife.com.au

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IGNITE OWL Minskys Hotel: 287 Military Rd, Cremorne NSW www.minskyshotel.com.au Story: Lucie Robson

CONTACTS Annie Snell Design (Architect): (02) 9901 4221 or www.snelldesign.com Promena Projects (Builder): (02) 9516 5450 or promena.com.au Catersearch (Kitchen): 0412 222 222 or www.catersearch.com.au Speedy ventilation (Kitchen): (02) 9829 8680 or www.speedyvent.com.au Peter Leffley Upholstery: (02) 4455 4459 Emac + Lawson (Lights): www.emac-lawton.com.au Optic Fibre Lighting: www.opticfibrelighting.com.au Dare Gallery (Furniture): www.daregallery.com.au Matt Blatt (Furniture): www.mattblatt.com.au Purcell Tiles: (02) 9439 8800 or www.purcelltiles.com.au Nightlife Music: 1800 773 468 or www.nightlife.com.au

Some late-night dives of last resort are downright nasty and thankfully best forgotten in the hangover fog of the following day. Others maintain an affectionate and legendary position in the pantheon of ‘too weak-minded to say no’ venues of the wee-small-hours. Minskys is just such a place. Anyone stumbling out of The Oaks on Sydney’s North Shore will be familiar with Minskys and the institution of The Piano Bar. Saying that, few would contest the old pub’s need for a reno. It’s got one. And with it a new lease on life, and a whole new world of fans.

Fear not though, the piano bar remains… but more on that later.

Venue manager Anthony Brady is delighted with Minskys new role as venue of first resort, rather than last. It’s now the perfect location for locals to come and enjoy good food and wine — of which 52 different labels are on offer. “It was pretty much a late night, last-stop-style venue,” he explains.

“People would either start in the city or up the road, and have their last drinks here and dance until the early morning.”

NEW CROWD With the previous setup, large groups across a large age range were catered for in two separate rooms that were styled very differently. “We’ve completely changed our clientele,” Brady continues. “Whereas in the past it would be a

group of blokes coming in late at night, or the younger crowd coming in from a nightclub, it’s now 30-plus males and females, living locally, popping in for a drink and staying on.”

What was previously a complex made up of multiple rooms over two storeys is now more compact, with all the action happening on the ground floor. There’s a renewed focus on food, prepared in an updated kitchen (tripled in size) which doesn’t stop serving a full menu until 1am. The bottle shop is still there, as is the old friend of Hotel Cremorne, the Piano Man, who tickles the ivories every Friday and Saturday night from 9pm. There’s been a pianist at the venue for the last 30 years — currently it’s John Watson, playing hits and requests. It’s something that ties Minskys’ past and present.

Inside the Minskys of 2014, the design is sleek and understated. Glossy timber panelling contrasts with bold monochrome tiling and offsets the warm lighting. The venue worked with Annie Snell Design and consultant Joe Saleh to create interiors that were a little reminiscent of piano bars in New York City. The large curved bar is a centrepiece and divides the large space into two areas — eating and intimate conversations in the back; socialising, watching sport and toe-tapping to the black baby grand in the front. The neutral/natural tones (enhanced by the use of recycled timbers) are counterpointed by black, white and green. Com-

Redcape’s Caper venue talks with Redcape’s COO, Dan Brady, about its stable of venues and where the big money’s being invested.

Redcape has become a large blip on the pub radar over recent years. The privately held company took control of venues leased to Coles as well as operating a portfolio of hotels. It then spun off a bunch of pubs under the HPI (Hotel Property Investments) name, successfully publicly listing the company. Of the 71 properties the 30 remaining are owned and operated by Redcape. It’s particularly big in the suburban pokie hotel sector, but also has venues heavy on F&B. Minskys has a little of the ‘odd one out’ about it in the Redcape portfolio:

sustainable assets, those assets are the crown jewels.

Dan Brady: We have a wide band of competencies but the Minsky’s project really required us to engage industry specialists to hone our craft. We engaged people such as Joe Saleh [consulting on the interiors], Annie Snell architects and Jason Crawley from a bar perspective.

venue: Where’s Redcape spending its money next?

venue: You’re learning new tricks with Minskys, but what’s hard-coded into the Redcape DNA? Dan Brady: We consider ourselves to be market leaders in gaming operations. And the cornerstone of gaming is customer service and engagement. That’s our DNA. Minskys has honed some of our skills in boutique F&B. But what we can bring to the party is customer service, which can often be lacking in specialist bars. venue: How’s the big suburban gaming hotel market faring?

Dan Brady: The good news is that suburban hotels are in great health. They’re progressively reinventing themselves but generally speaking their communities are loyal and respond to the roll out of improvements and innovation. We’re pleased to own those type of hotels, simply due to the fact there’s a very sound and sustainable patronage and the engrained nature of those hotels within those communities. If you’re talking about

venue: Surely the the big spending clubs are providing some competition?

Dan Brady: The licensed clubs’ big investments are a tremendous positive. It’s another indication that the communities are looking locally for their social outlet. Saying that, the clubs are also consolidating. The big clubs are spending money and getting bigger, while the smaller clubs are gradually disappearing.

Dan Brady: Currently we’ve got three very large projects on: Lost City Tavern in South East Queensland, The Shamrock in Mackay, and one at the El Cortez Hotel in Western Sydney. We have a busy schedule between now and the end of the financial year. We’re identifying where our opportunities are and applying smart capital to our venues. Fortunately we have a lot of latent opportunities to spend capital wisely and see the benefit of those investments. venue: What’s the financial measure of success?

Dan Brady: We look for particular returns on our money. We relate it to a profit uplift rather than increase in turnover. We have internal hurdle rates we measure our capital by. We’re very disciplined around that. It’s important for us to have a disciplined approach with capital. Every marginal dollar we apply on capital works is a dollar we question. venue: No big Redcape vanity projects on the horizon then!?

Dan Brady: No, that’s right! But that said, the lumps of capital we’re talking about are substantial. We’ve got investors and banks that are very supportive around our business plan.

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bining the existing framework of the downstairs bar with the look and feel of Minskys was the biggest challenge, the designers say. “It still has a very masculine feel about it,” says Anthony Brady — but, he adds, there’s nothing intimidating for female visitors there.

MILITARY OPTION Redcape, which own Minskys, spent around $1.6m on the renovations, which were completed last November. It was worth transforming the venue into something that would attract locals and stay ahead of the curve in terms of food and beverage service, says Brady. It’s what people are looking for these days.

“Neutral Bay has for a few years now been becoming more a hub for small bars, restaurants and later-style dining,” he explains. “Over time that’s slowly crept down Military Road towards Cremorne, where traditionally we had a very heavy restaurant presence, which would be done and dusted by 10pm.” That’s where Minskys steps in — people can now enjoy quality wine and meals late into the night, in a setting already known to locals in the area. “It really is the way the industry is moving — quality food and beverage service operation, rather than the late-night mass drinks scenario,” Brady adds.

EAST MEETS WEST The Publican Group’s downtown Perth local with a South American twist.

Story: Christopher Holder Images: philo & dk Public House: 263 Adelaide Terrace, Perth WA (08) 6336 9780 or www.publichouseperth.com.au

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P

ublic House is the latest venture from the trans-Nullabor juggernauts, The Publican Group. Helmed by partners Steve Garcia and John Ahern, The Publican Group has a healthy portfolio of hospitality ventures that equally favour Victoria and WA. These guys treat the Melbourne to Perth trip like most of us might a journey on the Tulla or M5 motorway.

Steve Garcia: “John Ahern and I formed the Publican Group in Melbourne back in 1998. During those initial brainstorming sessions we arrived at a new hospitality concept that we felt sure would be the ‘next big thing’.

The trouble was, it was totally weather dependent — we needed an outdoor space and better weather. I was from Sydney, while John had good contacts in Perth. So we split up and each went on a fact finding mission. That was when a space (that became The George) presented itself. It was a great opportunity to enter the Perth market. We both love Perth for its weather and its people. We love the big country town feel it has.”

beverage, lifestyle and culture. In keeping with Latin American tradition, Public House is all about family, friends and feasting. The menu has been designed to encourage home-style dining, where dishes can be shared and enjoyed with a great range of beers, wines and spirits from Australia and South America.

“Public House is welcoming and accessible; that’s where we pitch all our venues. It has a South American leaning, with the cuisine and the wine list. That’s my heritage and it’s been good to launch a venue with that influence,” noted Steve.

VERSATILE DESIGN Public House offers a range of beautifully designed spaces, combining timber and post-modern industrial furnishings and finishes. From casual lunches to lavish cocktail soirees, intimate dinners to theatre-style conferences, Public House has an area to suit. Boasting a 300-person venue capacity, including the Alfresco Terrace and Private Dining Room, both of which can host 40 people seated or 80 for cocktails, everyone can enjoy their own slice of the south.

Steve Garcia: “And the biggest challenge with opening a venue such as Public House is the time it takes to get a tavern licence in Perth — often 18 months to two years. This has implications for how you design it and the concepts you use — you can be out of date by the time you open! But we’re very big on versatility and options. For example, the long tables give us options.

With all of our venues, the main focus is on our food.

We do a lot of our own wine dinners, food tasting etc.

And it’s important for our venues to have the flexibility to respond to accommodate those functions and conferences — section off a space that’s private.”

in hospitality if “ you’re not growing,

you’re dying. There’s nothing in between.

You’ve got to be doing something”

BIG END OF TOWN Public House is strategically located on Adelaide Terrace in Perth City. ‘Strategically’, because there’s a demographic shift going on. Steve Garcia observes: “We really felt that Public House could slot into that end of the CBD that was lacking in options. Yes, there are plenty of corporates in the area but increasingly there are ‘locals’ moving into that end. CBD dwellers mightn’t be big news in a city like Melbourne, but it’s a more recent phenomenon in Perth.”

Public House draws on influences from countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Colombia to create a South American experience encompassing local food,

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PUBLIC HOUSE ADDRESS The Public House PA and AV system was designed and installed by long-time Publican Group associates, Light Dimensions. Headed up by Dean Phillips, Light Dimensions installed a largely ElectroVoice-based PA. Choosing the low-profile eight-inch two-way ZX1i surfacemount loudspeakers for the main bar and restaurant. A combination of EV and Bosch in-ceiling speakers cover the private dining and bathrooms, with Bosch LB2-UC30 30W outdoor speakers providing sound outdoors. A Bosch Plena eight-zone matrix mixer provides the necessary central control. Finally, a Mitsubishi WD3300U projector retracts via an Ultra-Lift motorised cradle for function/conference applications in the private dining area.

Bosch Communications Systems (Bosch, EV): (02) 9683 4752 or boschcomms@au.bosch.com Light Dimensions: (03) 9416 8996 or www.lightdimensions.com.au

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GO WEST… & EAST venue: There are plenty of stories about Sydney or Melbourne operators crashing and burning in other cities they don’t understand. Yet the Publican Group has made a business out of running successful venues in Melbourne and Perth.

Steve Garcia: Understanding exactly who your target market is the key, regardless of what type of business you’re in. And a product that might be the next wave in food or bar culture, you have to have an understanding as to whether that’s the right thing for that particular market.

The tough challenge now for WA is how it deals with its move from being a bit sleepy and starved for choice to being oversupplied by hospitality options. When we opened The George we had a considerably longer honeymoon period than we do now with the Public House. There are far more alternatives and the public’s taste is way more educated.

You need to reinvent yourself more frequently. That’s just part of the growth in the market. And new operators who can’t stay nimble or don’t have the resources to change will struggle. venue: Sound exhausting!

Steve Garcia: I have a saying I bring out quite often: in hospitality if you’re not growing, you’re dying. There’s nothing in between. You’ve got to be doing something. Otherwise one day you’ll wake up and find you’ve been passed by, and by that stage it’s too late.

We’re constantly changing. We’ve always been proactive with the marketing we do and the contact we have with our customers. We’ve got a sizeable marketing team and we re-evaluate our businesses every seven months or so. Who’s moved in around us? Where is the public going? We never take for granted that the patronage we have today will be there tomorrow. venue: What are the things that don’t change? What do you know is always worth investing in?

The Publicans: The Publican Group’s directors John Ahern (left) and Steve Garcia.

Steve Garcia: Simple; our people. We put a lot of time and energy into our training and we have an extremely good retention rate among our senior team. Don’t forget these are your public face. They’re at the coal face and the people making contact with your patrons. venue: Your new venue opening rate is prodigious. Are you just as hungry now as you were 15 years ago?

Steve Garcia: Like I said earlier: you have to run to stay still.

We’re constantly looking at opportunities. I’m looking at another today. We’ve got loads more tricks up our sleeve, in WA and Melbourne. Watch this space.

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THE NEXT GENERATION IN INVISIBLE SOUND THE NEXT GENERATION IN INVISIBLE SOUND - Todd Ryan, Chief Speaker Engineer Sonance.

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and paging applications. The IS4 C features wide dispersion (170° conical) allowing larger areas

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,6 667 6LQJOH 6WHUHR :D\ ,6 :D\ ,6 & 9ROW :D\ F o r m o r e i n f o v i s i t w w w . s o n a n c e . c o m ,6: :RRIHU *Denotes IS4 Distributed in Australia by Amber Technology Ltd 1 800 251 367 www.ambertech.com.au

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Something For The Weekend?: The Barber Shop (main image) is accessed via a real-life barber shop, where top-draw cocktails await. Lobo (top) is another subterranean bar where rum rules.

SYDNEY SMALL BARS Melbourne best be prepared to hand over the title of Australia’s small bar capital. But will the new licensing laws scupper the progress?

Story: James Dampney

F

or decades, Sydney’s Central Business District was a place frequented predominantly by busy, suited men armed with their briefcases and wideeyed tourists trying to find their way to the harbour.

In terms of hospitality offerings there were slim pickings to say the least, with the odd flash-inthe-pan nightclub and fine dining restaurant sprinkled among the old-school pubs.

The change in liquor licensing laws back in 2007 sparked a welcome change, with venues such as Grandma’s, Grasshopper and the Baxter Inn adding some intrigue and lustre to the often-dreary skyscrapers and bus stations.

But the level of creativity, versatility and flatout bartending skills has reached new levels over the past 12 months.

CUTTHROAT BUSINESS In a career spanning more than two decades, Mike Enright has done virtually all there is to do in the hospitality and liquor industry, establishing himself as one of the pre-eminent cocktail men in the business.

He has helped open venues and design cocktail lists across Australia; acted as a consultant in the United States, Hong Kong, UK and Indonesia; and been entrusted as the bars manager for the monolith that is Merivale.

But there remained one element missing on his impressive CV. “I always wanted to open my own bar,” the Englishman confides. “And not just that, I wanted to do something a little bit different and have the full creative freedom, which I’d never had before.”

So began the first steps towards The Barber Shop, Enright’s venue which opened in July 2013 and has formed part of what he describes as “a new drinking district” in the heart of the CBD. A location that took two years to find and was originally an office space on bustling York Street, Enright made the decision to combine a traditional barber shop with a fine drinking establishment.

Throw in his penchant for gin and a unique concept was born.

Utilising the skills of the team at Liquid Design, visitors enter a fully functioning barber shop at street level and then scale a short staircase at the back, where the spacious, naturally lit bar awaits.

“The influence behind the bar itself was to create a gin palace,” Enright explains. “So gin and tonics served in old, goblet-style glasses reminiscent of the ’50s and ’60s in the UK and Ireland.

“It was basically trying to create my ideal bar and what products it would serve in it and, being British, I wanted to go back down that road and have a slight English feel.

“People are also starting to get their haircut at barbers again, rather than Toni & Guy or hairdresser salons. That culture has changed in men’s grooming. I saw that change and wanted to combine that with the drink side of it.”

Cocktail offerings including a Cutthroat Martini, a Blood and Bandages and a Barbicide complete the theme at a venue that shares its back laneway with the team at Baxter Inn. Along with the gins at Barber Shop and the whiskeys at Baxter’s Chicago-themed mainstay, patrons can also stroll just a few short steps across Clarence St to discover The Lobo Plantation.

FRONTAL LOBO The brainchild of General Manager Jared Merlino — another Merivale protégé — and two silent partners, Lobo also offers a totally unique experience to the bevy of options now within close proximity.

Traversing your way down a spiral staircase, Lobo opens up to a beautifully designed space with a Caribbean flavour where rum is the spirit of choice.

It has already had an impact, claiming three honours at the 2014 Bar Awards, including the people’s choice award and best new fitout, just a few short months into its existence.

The diversity of these establishments means the various owners and managers — many of whom

39

Just the Tonic: Surry Hill’s Soda Factory has celebrated its first birthday and going strong.

40

cut their hospitality teeth together — are happy to work in collaboration.

“We don’t really view it as competition and that’s the good thing about the small bar guys,” Merlino said. “Many of us come from a similar background or know each other or have worked together. In my immediate vicinity the Baxter guys are across the road and that’s obviously one of the best bars in the world. They were extremely helpful when we were opening up, guiding us in the right direction with a few things, always lending a hand when we needed it. We don’t view it like 10 years ago when the guy down the road was direct competition. We’re offering a very different product to what they’re offering. We’re a rum-focused Caribbean bar, they’re a Chicago, blues, whiskey bar. Then you’ve got Barber Shop in the same laneway as Baxter and I worked with Mikey Enright at Merivale. On Kent Street we’ve got the Papa Geddes guys and they’re a voodoo bar that holds about 50 people.

“It’s a really good mix of bars and products and makes people realise Sydney is full of creative people and there is a diversity in hospitality venues and the type of product they can consume.

It makes people want to get more than just a schooner down at the pub on the corner.”

It’s a sentiment loudly echoed by Enright: “It’s a new drinking district really that’s happened, which is great,” he said. “All these bars cater to probably a similar audience, but they all have such a different feel. More people are heading to the city for a night out, whereas they might’ve just stayed in Surry Hills or Darlinghurst or Bondi or Manly.”

PAPA & SODA Papa Geddes, owned and operated by Michael Dhinse and Joshua Ng, is one of the newest CBD offerings, a tiki cocktail haven situated in a courtyard on Kent Street that opened in November 2013. It is another key member in the block of top quality bars situated between George Street and Darling Harbour that has revitalised the city centre.

But it isn’t just the new-look ‘Hospitality Row’ embedded in the CBD that can tempt the tastebuds of discerning drinkers in the harbour city.

Soda Factory in Surry Hills recently celebrated its first birthday, marking the occasion with a new food menu and a visit from legendary DJ Grandmaster Flash.

With a focus on music, good food and their slant on traditional cocktails, Soda has found the right balance in a space on Wentworth Avenue that previously saw a number of hospitality attempts come and go.

Make your way further up Oxford Street and another treasure trove of options awaits, underlined by established venues Shady Pines Saloon, Pocket Bar and Low 302, plus an exciting newcomer in Hello Sailor.

More about them a little later.

IT’S A LOCKOUT The small bar momentum seems irresistible, but the industry has hit a speed hump, courtesy of the NSW government. In a direct response to two high-profile incidents in recent months of young men losing their lives due to ‘king hits’, a raft of new laws have been ushered in with incredible speed. Some, such as minimum sentencing for alcohol- or drug-fuelled assaults resulting in death and on-the-spot fines for disorderly behaviour, were largely well received. But it was the 1.30am lockout, a blanket 3am cessation on serving drinks and the forced closure of bottle shops at 10pm that raised plenty of eyebrows.

Another law that caused consternation among the industry was a two-year freeze on new liquor licences and approvals for existing licences across the Sydney CBD. Merlino believes some of the measures are totally unnecessary and will hobble some of the excellent progress being made: “The recent change in laws has really thrown a spanner in the works,” he says. “The two-year freeze on new licences, the freeze on changing conditions of existing licences, alcohol bans, people not allowed in venues after 1.30am — it’s all going to affect the progress.

“Lobo has been operating for over nine months and we haven’t had one single incident of violence; we rarely have to RSA people and remove them from the venue; we’re not the problem when it comes to alcohol-related violence.

SYDNEY LICENSING CHANGES • Eight-year minimum sentencing for alcohol or drugfuelled assaults ending in death.

• Serious assault maximum penalty increased by two years, with mandatory minimum sentences • A two-year freeze on new liquor licences and approvals for existing licences across the Sydney CBD • 1.30am lockouts and 3am cease service of alcohol across the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross precincts.

• On-the-spot fines for disorderly behaviour increased from $200 to $1100 • Police have the power to immediately ban ‘troublemakers’ from the CBD/Kings Cross.

• Penalty for possession of steroids increased from two to 25 years.

• Bottle shops across NSW to close at 10pm.

“I actually hate that term because I don’t think it is alcohol-related violence, I think it’s just violence in general. These laws are now going to hinder a lot of people that want to move into the scene because you can’t get a new licence.

“It was going very well and we have seen some massive progress, but I am a little bit worried now about where we’re heading.”

SETTING SAIL Luke Redington is another major player in the Sydney bar scene, a man who started off picking up glasses in 2006 before progressing quickly up the food chain.

Making his way through Hugo’s Bar Pizza and a management role at the award-winning staple that is Eau De Vie in Darlinghurst, Redington also shared the common dream of running his own venue.

Teaming up with good mate and bartending institution Marco Faraone, the pair came up with the concept for Hello Sailor.

“We wanted to do something nautical-themed in the city,” Redington said. “For a long time there wasn’t that element of a seafood-driven, nautical-themed cocktail bar in Sydney.”

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There’s been a lot of bad “ press lately about the area,

[but] we’re in a suburb with a huge local community”

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ROCAFELAS BUCKS CROSS TREND New to the King Cross scene is Rocafelas (above), the lovechild of two chaps (Nate Johnson and Rocco Tozzi) with a passion for food, music and art. Rocafelas is bucking the trend of venues closing in the area due to the new NSW liquor licensing laws and is aiming to bring the local neighbourhood vibe back into the area.

“There’s been a lot of bad press lately about the area, when realistically we’re in a suburb with a huge local community and we have tried to create a space where the locals can drop in for a drink, great food and conversation with some amazing tunes playing in the background,” part owner Nate said.

“We have an all weather outdoor area featuring a mural by local artist Alex Le Hours. The venue features little nooks to hide away in and functional fireplaces for cooler weather creating the perfect neighbourhood sanctuary.

“Our aim is to have a space where you drop in for a bite, and stay for a drink because your neighbour walked in.”

Like the others, Redington and Faraone spent many months searching for the best location, with their stops including the site eventually chosen by Enright for Barber Shop. They ultimately plumped for a space over two levels that has an entrance on Oxford Street and also shares a laneway with Shady Pines.

Adding their own distinctive flavour to the newlook bar scene, Redington has noticed a seismic shift in the drinking habits of Sydneysiders. He also has his concerns with the new laws, particularly the curfew.

“The biggest change has been just the education customers have now regarding alcohol and how you can drink it,” he said. “You couldn’t sell a pisco or a mescal in the past. Even gin was just starting to become a trend and now customers are more educated, just because there’s more variety.

“In saying that. I’ve noticed that extra variety means there aren’t so many regulars anymore.

When there were less venues, there were constant regulars. Now there’s so much variety, when people go out they don’t have to go to the same bar for the next three or four months. The variety of bars and what you can get in Sydney now is exciting. But the new laws are going to change the dynamic of where people go at what times, because of the curfew. You really want to get to a venue before you can’t get into it, which is going to be a massive change.”

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION Sydney venues such as Baxter, Eau de Vie and Bulletin Place are now internationally recognised, all three earning a place last year on one publication’s list of the top 50 bars worldwide.

It remains to be seen what impact the new laws — introduced on February 24 — will have, with one suggestion that the freeze on licences will prompt a surge in commercial interest in premises outside the CBD. But there is still a veritable gold mine for locals and visitors alike to explore.

“There’s been a massive, positive shift in the venues that have been established in Sydney,” Merlino said. “People are really sitting up and taking notice of Sydney now in regards to the level of hospitality we’re providing and the style we’ve created. In the CBD, all we really used to have were large venues and pubs.

“The change in the laws in 2007 allowed small bars to come on the scene and opened up the opportunity for people like ourselves and other small bar operators to put their love and passion into something.

“There has been a shift over the last few years from Melbourne being considered the small bar capital of Australia, to Sydney now really being considered a strong contender for that title. It’s fantastic.”

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NO SMALL BEER When Little Creatures shipped over its new East Coast brewery, a big slab of West Coast vibe came in the containers with it.

Little Creatures Canteen: Cnr Fryans & Swanston St, Geelong VIC (03) 5202 4009 or www.littlecreatures.com.au

Story: Mark Davie Photos: Jean-Paul HorrĂŠ

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G

eelong has had a hard time of late with Ford slowly packing up shop, and the Alcoa aluminium smelter wrapping up. It’s a bad time for jobs in Victoria’s second biggest city, and you’d think hospitality would be on the downturn too. But the potential for a small-scale recession hasn’t stopped some of the finest operators setting up shop. Cartel Coffee Lab has a knack for digging up Cup of Excellence coffees that no one else has the nose for, Boom Gallery is giving the Geelong arts community a quality outlet, Smorgy’s one-size-fits-all buffet made way for Cameron Ling’s diverse set of pier-end establishments, Pickers Union is leading a crop of great new cafés, and now Little Creatures, one of Australia’s bestknown craft brewers has opened its main East Coast brewery in the coastal town.

To be fair, most of these places had either been around, or heavily in the planning stages, before the job-loss announcements. But the overriding outlook for hospitality in the city is good, and Geelong hospitality has come a considerable way in the last few years.

STRUGGLE STREET? AU CONTAIRE When Little Creatures was thinking about moving to Geelong, there were two things the team had in mind.

The main thrust was that Little Creatures needed a permanent East Coast brewery. Not just because of demand, but because the best craft beers are fresh. And

the original brewery in Fremantle is about as far across the country as you can get from Australia’s three biggest population centres.

But the second element was potentially opening a hospitality outlet.

Steve Symons, long-time designer for Little Creatures, who also does a lot of work for James Squire, said it wasn’t always a done deal. The market had to be ready for it. And the initial plans detailed a loft-style hangout, barely a shadow of what the hospitality offering, Canteen, ended up being.

Symons was so dedicated to discovering how ripe Geelong was for a touch of Little Creatures hospitality, he spent a few months living in a caravan park soaking up the area. In that time, he found the regional city to be “quite arty and a bigger cross-section of people than its reputation lets on. People think of Geelong as quite bogan, blue-collar and a cultural desert, which is totally untrue. For a small city, the live music scene is incredible. And they like their food, sport, and art. If I was living in Victoria, I’d be living there, it’s a hidden jewel — you’re close to Melbourne but it’s got its own vibe.”

Geelong needed more than just a loft, so the idea of what Canteen could be began to take shape. Symons’ time perusing Geelong instilled him with plenty of faith in the project: “I truly believed this venue would go off. The team decided to put Canteen in that building because Geelong is not a sleepy town. People like

It would have “ been cheaper to

build a bar to be honest, but we wanted to use the containers. They’d come all the way from Germany”

46 to go out, they’re used to the bad weather, and the peo- sandpit and fake grass show it’s no mere metropolitan ple are loyal. We’ve already got a lot of repeat business, hipster hangout either. In fact, the first beers Symons which is great.” shouted at Canteen were for two octogenarian ladies!

“They were from just down the coast, Barwon Heads,” IT’S GEELONG, NOT MELBOURNE said Symons. “Even with the music, they totally got it.”

This isn’t the first Little Creatures outlet on the East And that’s the aim, to bring back the joy of beer, people, Coast. In Issue 26, Venue covered the opening of the families, sandpits, and colour to the East Coast arm of Little Creatures Dining Hall in Brunswick, Melbourne. Little Creatures. Symons: “You want to attract 90 yearSome of the brand’s essence made it across the Nulla- old grannies, mums with kids, the trendy boys and girls, bor: large open warehouse space, neat touches like free- and all the people in-between. I think we’ve hit the ly borrowable red fixies and a delivery Kombi, buzzing mark with it, it truly is a place for everybody.” communal atmosphere, and a simple complimentary food offering to beer — pizza and a few plates to share. FITOUT FROM WITHIN But it was decidedly Melbourne — and a bit dark. It was It would have been easy for Canteen’s fitout to fall into as if Little Creatures was trying to fit in, rather than the try-hard trap: containers and pallets, hand-painted signs that seem to wink cheekily as you read them. But boldly transplant the essence of its Fremantle home.

The brewery and Canteen in Geelong have been built Symons speaks the language of Little Creatures. He’s within an old, Victorian-era woollen mill. The English been there since the early Freo days and knows exactly company responsible weren’t big on homework: it sim- how to convey the brand effortlessly through design. ply replicated its ‘dark satanic’ blueprint from Blighty Symons: “My brief was to use as much of the leftover and transplanted it to Geelong. It means the serrated stuff from the $60m brewery fitout as we possibly could factory roofs angle the wrong way, and the windows without it being too contrived. It’s got a lot of honesty catch the heat of the sun in the afternoon. But, it also about it, because the bar and kitchen are made from means there’s plenty of natural light streaming in, containers that part of the brewery came in on. And all which kicked off the Freo feeling. “We’ve wholeheart- the timber for the furniture and walls is from the pallets edly taken the Fremantle vibe into Geelong, instead and skids the brewery came in on too. of trying to be Melbourne or Victorian, and it’s really “It would have been cheaper to build a bar to be honest, but we wanted to use the containers. They’d come all worked for us,” said Symons.

The Canteen fitout is much more like the Freo Great the way from Germany. And I love the fact they’re sitHall, with a good dose of coastal pep. The space is ting in that building and give it a sense of scale. much more open than the Dining Hall, you don’t have “The sign over the kitchen is the original sign from to rub shoulders and backs just to get through the door, Freo they were going to throw out. I managed to resor squeeze into a booth. It’s full of colourful metal cue it and ship it to Geelong. The back wall of the canchairs and pallet tables, instead of dark wooden ones, teen is the old lining boards from the brewery ceiling with yards of concrete floor in between. To one side, a that were pulled out when they redid the roof. Even

WHEREFORE ART THOU ROMEO? Six years ago Dean Romeo jumped in a car with a couple of German backpackers and headed from Melbourne to the other side of the country. He got there and fell in love with a Little Creature. After bugging the management solidly for a few days, they finally gave him a job. From there, he worked his way up. After two years, he became a team leader on the floor, then a duty manager, assistant venue manager, and then the Brew House manager, which is essentially the Cellar Door of the Fremantle brewery.

When the opportunity came up, he put his name in the hat to head back to the East Coast. And as fate would have it, six years later, he’s managing Canteen, only half an hour from where he grew up.

Romeo is a Little Creatures die-hard. Exactly the kind of manager you’d want working your floor. “The Little Creatures brand is all about having fun and making a homely environment for people. It still seems like more than a job. It’s refreshing to roll into work and have some fun with it all and sell good beer.”

Romeo showed venue around the brewery too, which is well worth a tour. There’s miles of stainless steel tubing, and massive German stainless steel vats, one of which does the ‘hop back’, a technique peculiar to hoppy beers like Little Creatures, where a giant teabag of hop flowers are repeatedly dunked in the brew.

Along with all the traditional brewing methods, Little Creatures has also upped the environmental ante throughout the plant, including a giant balloon that salvages C0² for later use.

It’s a beautiful place, and the commitment to ‘manufacturing’ bodes well for Geelong.

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48 the ashtrays are part of the old wool mill machinery I had welded together.

“The old lights around the bar I found in junk shops and old factory lights I had arms made up for so they look like the old swan-neck variety.

“We used a company called Little Vegie Patch Co for the landscaping. I love that it’s hard to tell where the industry stops and the hospitality begins. They’re really good at finding interesting bits like the cement mixer planter. And for the vertical gardens I found some old fruit-picker baskets in a recycling place in Geelong.”

CREATURE COMFORTS “The priority,” said Symons. “Is to give people a great experience and Geelong something that’s going to last. They’ve had a few shitty times with all the industrial shut-downs.

Give them somewhere to go… a bit of an oasis.”

And it works both ways. Give the people a great spacious coastal vibe and the beer tastes even better. This is, after all, meant to be a branding exercise, not a cash cow. Symons: “You could possibly fit in another 80 people, but you’d lose the whole vibe. It’s nice to have a hospitality venue, but it’s really all about the beer and the brand. As soon as you start cramming people in, it’s a bad experience that reflects on the beer and the brand.” So some nights, at least until the initial buzz wears off, you might find yourself waiting in line in a shipping container tunnel. But at least you know when you get through, there’ll be loads of space, a great vibe, and hoppy brews that are as fresh as they’ll get.

SUPPLIERS Brayco (Chairs): 1800 466 606 or www.stainlesssteelaustralia.com The Little Veggie Patch Co (landscaping): (03) 9531 5594 or mail@littleveggiepatchco.com.au

CANTEEN AUDIO Richard Hallam from YSI was responsible for installing the sound system at Canteen. Here’s how he approached the audio design: “For audio, the space was quite tricky — very high ceilings with gradients and lots of parallel hard surfaces. The room was planned to evolve organically, so mounting speaker cabinets to the walls would have looked odd and it would have made it hard to direct the sound.

“In the main internal zone we decided to go with pendant speakers: four flown Bose MB4 subs with the whole kit and caboodle processed through two Bose SP24 Loudspeaker controllers.

“Initially the design (using 20 Bose DS100F with pendant kits) perfectly covered the designated zones. However, during the rough-in it was decided that fan-assisted gas heaters needed to be accommodated. It became obvious that a lot of the pendant speakers would have melted, as they were positioned directly underneath where the now-installed heaters are located. So most pendant speaker locations changed and, subsequently, coverage did as well.

“We added two more Bose DS100Fs and the end result works well in the room with good dispersion. The pendants are driven by two QSC 800Tis and the subs via two Quest QA2004 amps for plenty of low frequency oomph.

“Outdoors, at the laneway entrance, we flew nine Quest MS601s nearly five metres from floor level. They sound very good, and the customer is so impressed with the sound outdoors that we’re about to add another eight MS601s to continue down an adjacent laneway.

“Zoning was accomplished by using the great-sounding Cloud Venue 4 with wall controls located behind the bar with an iPod input. There are two other audio points (Outdoors and Stage) going through dbx compressor/limiters so that DJs and small bands can be piped through the systems.”

AUDIO CONTACTS YSI (Audio Install): 0419 577 572 or richard@soundinvestment.com.au Bose Australia: 1800 173 371 or worldwide.bose.com/axa Quest (Amplifiers): www.questaudio.com.au Technical Audio group (QSC): (02) 9519 0900 or info@tag.com.au National Audio Systems (Cloud): (03) 9761 5577 or sales@nationalaudio.com.au Jands (dbx): (02) 9582 0909 or info@jands.com.au

With a Constellation acoustic system, your next venue can sound like anything you want it to.

Contact: +61 (7) 3267.7800 or australia@meyersound.com

STARRY NIGHTS Using technology to transform a ‘bad’ acoustic into a beautiful and endlessly-variable one.

Story: Derek Johnson Photos: Michael Bradley ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland www.the-edge.co.nz

T 50

hree years in development, the recently completed overhaul of Auckland’s ASB Theatre, part of the Aotea Centre, has been a long time coming.

Opened in 1990, the theatre’s original acoustic is uncompromisingly described as “bad” by Kerry Griffiths, Head of Technical Operations for The Edge, the outfit that manages Aotea Centre. And the audience area was “aesthetically pretty tired”. The theatre’s original electronically-enhanced acoustic design wasn’t popular with performers, audiences or critics; while amplified events have worked well, orchestral and operatic performances have not always been heard at their best.

Kerry notes that when the acoustic deficiencies were identified one of the possible solutions was to raise the roof — by five metres — “a very expensive option.

That’s when we decided to go with Meyer Sound’s Constellation”.

MAPPING OUT CONSTELLATION This first — and, so far, only — Australasian installation of the game-changing Constellation acoustic enhancement system has a certain poetic elegance. The theatre’s problems directly inspired Kiwi acoustic researcher Dr Mark Poletti, then a student, to develop the advanced algorithms that drive Constellation.

Already a hit in many high-profile spaces worldwide, Constellation produces a reverberant field that enhances a room’s natural sound without colouration.

Audience and performers feel involved with a balanced acoustic, which reaches into under-balcony and other problem areas.

EXTRA VERSATILITY Not only did Constellation save the expense of raising the roof, the system adds value by increasing a theatre’s versatility. It can be tailored to different uses: a drier sound for amplified performances or something warmer and reverberant for a symphony orchestra in full flight. Constellation can also provide specialised panning around a theatre, and for recreating surround sound for film performances. This instantly recallable flexibility is critical in the current market: it’s a rare venue that doesn’t need to earn its keep by hosting some mix of theatre, conferences, or amplified or orchestral music. Create a space that is acoustically neutral (not too reverberant, but not totally dead), and Constellation does the rest.

In creating a new space, there are further cost savings — and eco-friendly brownie points: the build will require less in the way of specialised building materials,

and the bulky physical acoustic management normally required to change a hall’s reverberant characteristics.

HOW IT WORKS Constellation adds reverberation to a physical space by picking up a room’s natural sound with many small microphones, feeding it through specialised hardware running software that generates naturalsounding reverberation using multiple delays, and playing it out through strategically positioned, powered speakers — mostly small but with subwoofers also placed around the room. The system is all but invisible to the audience — you have to know what you’re looking for, and you certainly can’t hear where individual speakers are located.

Ideal for a new build, Constellation can be retro-fitted, as happened with the ASB Theatre. Each new Constellation-equipped theatre is a custom installation, with the Meyer Sound team ensuring the best placement of mics and speakers and helping to finesse the final acoustic result. The team’s experience is particularly welcome when enhancing a heritage theatre which can’t be drastically altered.

ORCHESTRATING THE DIFFERENCE Refurbishing the ASB Theatre wasn’t all about installing Constellation: the room now has a lot of visible timber, with side and overhead reflector panels and parquet flooring. As Kerry Griffith says, “We didn’t really have to factor a lot in for the Constellation. The majority of the improvements and the designs were around the room’s natural acoustic, with the view that Constellation would give us the variable aspect.”

The venue team is pleased with the results: “The best feedback we’ve had is that it feels like a whole new room. One remarkable change has come from the orchestra pit, which we didn’t expect. But the first time the orchestra played in the pit for an opera, I suspect everybody thought it was a completely different orchestra because it just sounded so different!”

The theatre was officially re-opened in April 2013, but fine-tuning, courtesy of Meyer Sound technicians, has only recently been completed. Those last tweaks ensured the on-stage sound was comfortable for orchestral musicians.

Audience reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, with even a nearly empty theatre feeling warm, alive and controlled. Kerry concurs: “It feels more intimate than it used to, which is kind of surprising. We expected it to have the opposite effect, but you feel more connected with the stage.”

The best feedback “ we’ve had is that it feels like a whole new room”

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CONTACTS Meyer Sound: (07) 3267 7800 or www.meyersound.com.au Bartons Sound Systems: www.bartonsound.co.nz Marshal Day Acoustics (Acoustic Consultant): www.marshallday.com Schuler Shook (Theatre Consultant): 0438 382 408 or www.schulershook.com archoffice (Design): www.archoffice.co.nz Steensen Varming (Lighting Design): (02) 9967 2200 or www.steensenvarming.com

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EAT, DRINK, RELAX

CONTACTS KP Architects: (07) 3216 1466 or www.kparchitects.com.au Rohrig Constructions: (07) 3257 4411 or www.rohrig.com.au 1

2 Cafe Culture (‘Amalie’ Bentwood Dining Chairs, Tables): (07) 3254 3700 or www.cafeculture.com.au

The Kenmore: 841 Moggill Rd, Kenmore QLD (07) 3378 0777 or www.kenmoretavern.com.au

Don’t use the ’T’ word. Taverns are on the nose. The word smacks of tired-looking boozers with rubbery parmas being pushed out of a greasy kitchen, and a dingy corner packed with pokies.

The truth is, the fundamentals of a tavern are sound: a place for locals to call their own, to eat and drink, without needing an excuse to.

Spirit Hotels’ Kenmore Tavern is no more. Completely renovated, and reborn as The Kenmore, here is a true tavern in all the best ways. A Local for suburban Brisbane; something multifunctional, approachable and positioned in a busy nexus of the community.

MOVING ON

Originally built in 1984, like many taverns from that era, Kenmore Tavern was tired, dated and in dire need of a renovation — especially considering how much the community of Kenmore had moved on in the ensuing 30 years.

Rohrig Constructions, a building company with considerable experience in hospitality, won the building tender while KP Architects was appointed to oversee the renovation.

KP Architects’ brief was to create a new fresh design that better reflected a more affluent target market; to be less a traditional tavern and more a series of linked intimate spaces for eating, drinking and relaxing. “There

About Space (New Toledo Pendant): (03) 9417 4635 or www.aboutspace.com.au

Nightlife Music: 1800 773 468 or www.nightlife.com.au

was a strong desire to establish this venue as something that more reflected what a ‘pub’ used to once represent to its local community. A place for social interaction on a regular and informal basis rather than only on special occasions, similar to what a traditional pub in England would be to its local community,” observed Kon Panagopoulos, Director of KP Architects.

STAYING HONEST

“What makes this pub different to other suburban pubs is that it doesn’t try to be anything other than a gathering place for locals — what a pub was originally based on,” noted Torsten Werner, Hotel Manager.

This ‘honesty’ is reflected in the materials and finishes chosen. Of-the-moment ‘wow’ elements were rejected for an honest approach where country homestead meets French provincial bistro; where food and atmosphere are the heroes and the building is simply the backdrop.

GREAT OUTDOORS

There was also a strong desire to connect the outside with the inside. The original Kenmore Tavern was lacking in comfortable outdoor spaces and to most people driving past to the neighbouring shopping centre it looked closed and uninviting. As such, a new alfresco dining area was designed, meeting Queensland’s demand for outdoor dining. The new space is anchored

to the original building with a connecting fireplace.

When entering the bistro, past the fireplace, and old metal trolley with terracotta chimney pots, customers are greeted with an eight metre long Carrara marble stone top café bar.

VERSATILE SEATING OPTIONS

Customers can sit in a variety of spaces that are cleverly separated by low walls, a curved bar, planters, mesh screens, illuminated bottle displays, or a bench seat.

The scales of the spaces have been considered to promote gatherings people in intimate surroundings.

The bistro has a new open kitchen that overlooks the dining and alfresco area, with seating in the Bistro and Alfresco area accommodating up to 170 guests. For those special occasions the Private Dining Room, located off the Bistro allows for seating up to 16 guests.

Furniture throughout the hotel is predominantly timber, constructed mostly from Australian hardwood and featuring recycled timber dry bar and imported Italian furniture. The original rafters were recycled for the Bistro ceilings to compliment the overall décor.

As you’d imagine, The Kenmore is an instant hit. Its ‘Eat, Drink, Relax’ motto is a bullseye.

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In Their Element

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Adam Cornish has collaborated with friend and fellow designer David Knott to produce the Element series of tables, stools and benches for Anomaly. With a shared interest in simple, industrial furniture and the use of raw, natural material, the duo’s pieces feature American ash timber and a sand-cast aluminium bracket — a piece that allows for easy customisation, be it in the choice of timber or the shape and dimensions of the product.

Softscape With Benefits

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Softscape is the inaugural collection for new brand ‘LEN by Helen Kontouris’. The result of an 18-month collaboration between Australian designer, Kontouris, and Stylecraft, Softscape is just as suitable for contract use as it is residential. A unique element of the Softscape collection is the incorporation of optional accessories including integrated power, lamps, coat stands and planter boxes within the modular units.

Blow Outdoor

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Blow is an outdoor seating and table collection designed by Stefano Giovannoni. Inspired by inflatable cushions, the Blow collection is made of rotational moulded polyethylene and is available in a variety of finishes and colours.

Ke-Zu: 1300 724 174 or sales@kezu.com.au

Stylecraft: (03) 9666 4300 or www.stylecraft.com.au

Axolotl: (02) 9666 1207 or www.axolotl.com.au

Home Tweet Home

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Birdcabin is the perfect addition to your beer garden/alfresco area. Designed and made in Australia by Tait from Spotted Gum timber off-cuts salvaged and reused from the Tait factory floor and a single piece of steel that has been cleverly folded, like all Tait furniture and accessories, Birdcabin is built to last — that’s right, a lorikeet’s home for life. Price: $170 Tait: (03) 9419 7484 or www.madebytait.com.au

Costa Chair

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A beautifully designed outdoor cafe chair manufactured with the latest fibreglass reinforced resin technology making it suitable for high-volume, commercially intense use. The Costa chair from Nardi, Italy, has a contemporary matte finish and the colour injection is UV stabilised to withstand the harsh Australian conditions and resist fading. Non-slip feet and stackability make this a versatile and functional outdoor cafe chair for commercial applications. Price: $69+GST Instyle Seating: 1300 309 889 or www.instyleseating.com.au

House Party

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Navarra Venues recently opened its latest venue, Oatlands House, with a Georgian-inspired decoration created by KW Interiors and furniture provided by B Seated Global. It’s a beautiful venue surrounded by the luscious greens of a golf course. B Seated Global provided Tiffany- and French Provincial-style banquet chairs. These style of chairs easily adapt to different themes and styles of events, especially weddings.

B Seated Global: 1300 727 637 or info@bseatedglobal.com

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Hyper Extension

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Is there a more extreme adjective than ‘Hyper’, if so the Guangzhou’s Hyper Club would have used it. It’s big and it’s plush — designed as a European Baroque palace and occupies around 3500sqm over four floors. The main club area is situated on the ground floor and, moving up, the second houses the VIP bar; the third, the Lounge Bar; until the Outdoor bar is reached at the very top. The club has selected a d&b loudspeaker system with a TiMax2 SoundHub providing real-time audio show control for live shows and DJs. A single d&b Ci7-Top and d&b Ci7-Sub, with a further d&b Ci-Sub, form the main club loudspeakers, with 16 each d&b Max, d&b Max 12 and d&b E8 distributed around the main club floor. The VIP area fields a further 16 d&b Max 12 and upstairs in the Lounge the audio flows through 14 each d&b E8 and E15X-Subs.

Ceiling The Deal

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JBL get the fact that more and more is being expected of its inceiling speakers. ‘Unobtrusive’ just isn’t going to cut it anymore, the ceiling speakers have to sound impressive. The new Control 10 Series are designed to sound excellent and be contractor friendly — easy installation is guaranteed. All three models can be switched between 8Ω and 100V line and they’re available in black or white.

Jands: (02) 9582 0909 or www.jands.com.au

National Audio Systems (d&b): (03) 8756 2600 or www.nationalaudio.com.au Outboard Electronics (Timax): www.outboard.co.uk

Midas M32

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Midas lower-cost stablemate Behringer released the X32 and in 2013 sold it by the crate load. The M32 is a genuine Midas console — the cheapest digital Midas console yet — with 40 inputs and a lot of bells and whistles. The M32 negates the need for outboard gear with its eight-slot stereo effects engine.

Additionally, a high-quality onboard 32×32 USB interface allows real-time tracking and multiple expansion cards such as ADAT, MADI and Dante, are available for digital networking.

National Audio Systems: (03) 8756 2600 or www.nationalaudio.com.au

Less BLU is More

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BSS Audio Soundweb London processors are popular amongst AV installers — powerful and easy to program. The new Soundweb London BLU-50 is more of the same, only more cost effective… yet still scalable and flexible. The half-rack BLU50 offers a fixed configuration of four inputs and four outputs, configurable signal processing, logic processing and BLU link.

The BLU-50 can also be powered with PoE+ via the Ethernet port, allowing the device to be powered, configured, controlled and monitored using a single Cat 5e cable.

Jands: (02) 9582 0909 or jands.com.au

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The new Evolution Wireless Series 1800MHz Clear Spectrum Australia-wide

Emerson Dancefloor

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It’s good to see the full-throttle nightclub system making a come back. Bars and lounges are wonderful in their own way, but nothing beats the excitement of an honest-to-goodness nightclub dancefloor.

Last issue we stopped by the multi-million dollar Emerson — a new multi-functional, multi-level fun palace in Prahran, Melbourne.

We didn’t have all the PA specs to hand at the time of going to press, so we thought a revisit was in order.

First thing to know about the Emerson, is it has been subject to some very stringent EPA noise constraints. The acoustic engineering is extensive. Plenty of damping, air gaps, extra layers of Gyprock, and ensuring there aren’t any structural anchor points to the PA. It all helps to keep the neighbours happy and the club rocking.

The main action is, of course, on the dancefloor at the rear of the ground level. Light Dimensions spec’ed and installed the Dynacord-based PA. Dynacord VL152s are flown in the four corners of the dancefloor. The four VL152s either side of the DJ booth (and the VariLine subs built into the booth) are audio ‘ground zero’, with every other speaker within the two main floors of the Emerson delayed to minimise jarring echoes. The delay processing was particularly important in this case, as the dancefloor system is by far the most powerful in the club. Subs are kept to a minimum elsewhere to reduce the volume of audio and low-end spill into the neighbourhood.

Upstairs in the VIP area, six Electro-Voice ZX-1i eight-inch, twoway speakers refresh the highs and mids emanating through the ceiling void of the dancefloor. Similar story for the front bar where time-delayed Electro-Voice ultra-compact EVU-1082 add sparkle to the sound from the dancefloor.

What with the rooftop, top-floor bar, function room and bathrooms, there are a good number of zones to control. A Rane Halogen takes care of these duties, connected to Rane volume controllers in each zone. (Photo: William Watt) Bosch Communications Systems (Dynacord, EV): (02) 9683 4752 or boschcomms@au.bosch.com Light Dimensions: (03) 9416-8996 or www.lightdimensions.com.au

For more information on Sennheiser’s Evolution Wireless Series, 1800 648 628, sales@sennheiser.com.au or visit www.sennheiser.com.au

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DING DONG DOING IT RIGHT The Ding Dong Lounge’s owner, Bill Walsh is a man who understands his rock’n’roll. Bill pounded the drums while belting out vocals for Melbourne institution The Cosmic Psychos. He understands that a happy band goes a long way to ensuring a great night. And nothing makes a band happier than world-class on-stage sound and a room sound that’s got headroom for days.

‘No skimping’, is how you might describe the new $250k+ sound system at Ding Dong — it’s a beauty.

Melbourne sales and integration company Soundcorp has installed a stonking PA based on Nexo Geo and PS loudspeakers, Digico SD9 digital mixer, Quest foldback, Camco/Nexo amplification, Xilica DSP and Apex level control. “Bill Walsh knows what it’s like to be up on the stage,” said Soundcorp Project Manager, Scott Jamieson. “He knew what he wanted the system to achieve”.

The system design was a collaborative effort between Ding Dong in-house production manager Wil Burtson, distributor Group Technolgies’ Drew Menard and Soundcorp’s Scott Jamieson.

“We all discussed some of the short falls in the previous system,” explained Drew Menard. “They included coverage, horsepower and sound on stage. That’s one of the big issues with smaller venues — what’s happening with the PA drastically affects what’s happening on stage. We wanted to make sure both the FOH and foldback systems worked cohesively.”

FOH at Ding Dong now rocks Nexo Geo S1230 and Geo S1210, with low-end extension from four Nexo

LS600 subs, Nexo PS8s as sides fill and PSR10R2s run as infill, all powered by Nexo NX amps. Foldback on stage is provided by Quest 12MP wedges powered with Camco.

In the driver’s seat is Digico’s compact SD9 digital mixer. “Having toured forever and used everything, I use nothing but a Digico if possible,” said Wil. “It’s musical without changing colour, and it does what you tell it to do.”

Keeping Ding Dong sweet with its residential neighbours is an Apex HERA Sound Level Controller and Apex ARGOS Sound level limiter. When running its successful Weekender club nights, the Apex system constantly monitors and controls levels. “It ensures the room stays at 95-101dB,” explained Wil, “saving both our licence and staff’s hearing! From midnight, we are a club, and without this system I doubt we would still be trading!”

The system has been winning accolades from locals and touring crew alike. “The younger touring engineers coming through from Sydney and Brisbane are just gobsmacked” beamed Wil. “They’re all totally envious and point out that they have nothing like this in their cities.”

CONTACTS Ding Dong Lounge: www.dingdonglounge.com.au Group Technologies: (Nexo, DiGiCo, Xilica, Camco, Quest, Apex): (03) 9354 9133 or www.gtaust.com Soundcorp: (03) 9694 2600 or sales@soundcorp.com.au

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ISSUE 2 OUT NOW! Tablet • Desktop • Mobile

videoandfilmmaker.com GET IT NOW

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In Spiry-ing

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Axo’s Spiry won a prestigious Good Design Award last year… bravo. It’s a hanging lamp with plenty of character. Created in white-painted aluminium, the diffuser is light and slender, as if a soft tissue has been wrapped around a light that seems to want to spin endlessly, accentuating the light as it escapes downwards. Masterminded by Axo’s principal designer Manuel Vivian, Spiry is now ready roll. Price: $820.60.

Studio Italia: (03) 9690 4155 or www.studioitalia.com.au

New Moon Pendant

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Pictured is the New Moon pendant in the Dulcis Domus woodfired pizza restaurant and bar in Sydney’s inner west. New Moon is an Australian-designed original which comes in four sizes (starting from around $280 a shot) but About Space are happy to talk about customising the design for your own purposes.

About Space: (03) 9417 4635 or www.aboutspace.net.au

Not So Standard Lamp

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Sci-Fi Scopas

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Albedo is a standing lamp made of metal, produced by the French brand Dix Heures Dix. 1.90m high, Albedo integrates an ‘hexacon’ which uses light as a strong structural element.

Three discs top the lamp, with projectors pointing towards them.

PMMA (a highly shatter-resistant and lightweight thermoplastic) diffuse a subtle, indirect light. The lamp, cutting a very graphic silhouette, guides the light towards the ceiling and the ground at the same time.

Like a half-complete Deathstar, Scopas cuts quite a figure.

Designed by Neil Poulton for Artemide, Scopas isn’t your traditional pendant. The array of modules emits a constantly changing appearance within a room that varies depending on your vantage point. Scopas is constructed from black painted aluminium with injection moulded thermoplastic diffusers and features an LED light source with a maximum power of 80W. Price: $5,752

Halo Lighting: (08) 9221 5544 or www.dixheuresdix.com

Artemide: 1300 135 709 or www.artemide.com.au

Oh, The Gaul

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Christopher Boots appeared as a lighting judge on The Block, and now things are going mental. The Boots brand is popping up in primo stores internationally and life is good. Now with the Asterix family, Boots explores four geometric elements that assemble together to form a familiar geometric 3D Symbol.

Unix, Triptyx, Quadrix, Parallelogram and Asterix are the five pendants, beginning with the most simple and growing to increasingly complex geometrical forms. Sleek and angular brass shapes are inlaid with LED, to create glowing and highly decorative sculptural pieces.

Christopher Boots: (03) 9417 6501 or www.christopherboots.com

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Big Hat Restaurant

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Custom Industry with Cage lights are installed at the Guzman y Gomez Mexican restaurant in Canberra. These rustic-style light fittings complement the restaurant’s interior. A custom black paint finish was applied over the top of the Industry with Cage’s standard green exterior to match in with GYG’s yellow and black branding.

Satelight: (03) 9399 5805 or www.satelight.com.au

Speedy Sharpy

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French audio-visual art house 1024 Architecture (1024) is utilising the acute beam of the Clay Paky Sharpy as part of a pop-up ‘4D’ scaffold and light sculpture named Tesseract aka Hyper-Cube. The installation happens inside a 10.5 x 11m or 14 x 14m scaffold cube. Audiences are invited into the sculpture where a six-minute light show takes place using Sharpys, 65 in all. The Sharpys are programmed to take advantage of their quick pan and tilt speeds, swinging extremely quickly in any direction, giving the impression of solid scaffold beams appearing and disappearing at various heights and spaces.

Clay Paky Australia: (03) 9681 7511 or www.claypaky.com.au

PREFERRED SUPPLIERS ACCESSORIES Allplastics Engineering Pty Ltd www.allplastics.com.au

Jackson Clement Burrows www.jcba.com.au

KP Architects www.kparchitects.com.au Bar Icon Group

Luchetti Krelle www.bar-icon-group.com www.luchettikrelle.com JamFactory

Marchese www.jamfactory.com.au www.marchesepartners.com.a Kennards www.kennards.com.au Make www.make.net.au Mezzanine Wine

www.mezzaninewine.com.au Nicholas Associates www.nicholasassociates.com.au PILA Group www.pilagroup.com Peckvonhartel www.pvh.com.au Raypak www.raypak.com.au Pikewithers Technogym www.technogym.com

www.pikewithers.com.au

AMMENITIES

SJB www.sjb.com.au

Dyson www.dyson.com.au Jet Dryer www.jetdryer.com.au Tradelink www.tradelink.com.au RBA Group www.rba.com.au ARCHITECTS

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SixDegrees Architecture www.sixdegrees.com.au

Squillace Architects+Interior Design www.squillace.com.au Stanton Creative Group www.stantoncreativegroup.com.au Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects www.tzg.co.au McGlashan Everist www.mearchitects.com Webb Australia

www.webbaustralia.com.au Woodhead www.woodhead.com.au AUDIO EQUIPMENT

Electric Factory www.elfa.com.au Funktion One www.funkton-one.com.au Group Technologies www.gtaust.com Hills SVL www.hillssvl.com.au JB commercial www.jbcommercial.com.au Len Wallis Audio www.lenwallisaudio.com Magna Systems www.magnasys.com.au Max Home www.maxhome.com.au McCalls www.mccallsservices.com.au Meyer sound www.meyersound.com.au Music Link www.musiclink.com.au National Audio Systems www.nationalaudio.com.au Night Works Audio www.nightworksaudio.com.au One Productions www.oneproductions.com.au Pioneer www.pioneer.com.au Production Audio Services www.productionaudio.com.au Syntec International www.syntec.com.au TAG

www.tag.com.au

2RKS Architecture + Design 2 Winslow Street Milsons Point, NSW 2061 T: (02) 8904 0000 F: (02) 8904 0411 www.2rks.com

BERGSTROM ARCHITECTS Suite 103, 3 Eden Street, North Sydney NSW 2060 T: (02) 8920 1499 F: (02) 8920 1599 info@bergstromarchitects.com.au

CMI Music & Audio www.cmi.com.au

Yamaha www.yamahamusic.com.au J Audio Supply and Design Professional Audio Systems (07) 5599 1551 info@jdistribution.net www.jdistribution.net

AUDIOVISUAL & INSTALLATION

Australian Venue Services Pty Ltd 5 Saywell Street, Marrickville, Jands Pty Ltd NSW 2204 Altis Architecture JBL - SHURE - Soundcraft 1300 66 31 66 www.altisarchitecture.com 40 Kent Road, Mascot NSW 2020 info@a-v.com.au Arkhefield (02) 9582 0909 www.australianvenueservices.com.au www.arkhefield.com.au www.jands.com.au Axil Architecture

www.axil.com.au Acoustica Baenzigercoles

www.acoustica.com.au www.baenzigercoles.com.au AV System Consultancy & Design Advance Audio Australia

Theatre Planning & System Design Brand+Slater

www.advanceaudio.com.au Architectural Lighting Design www.brandandslater.com.au NSW: (02) 9029 0281 Audio Logistics

BY Architects sydney@designstage.com.au www.audiologistics.com.au www.byarchitects.com.au QLD: (07) 3367 2234 Audio Product Group Cox Richardson

brisbane@designstage.com.au www.audioproducts.com.au www.cox.com.au www.designstage.com.au Bishop Audio

Goodwin Design

www.bishopaudio.com.au www.goodwindesign.com.au Bose Group GSA www.bose.com www.groupgsa.com

JVG Sound Leaders in AV, Lighting, Hire, Production, Security and MATV NSW, QLD, NT, VIC, TAS 1300 584 584 (07) 5599 1222 admin@jvgsound.com.au www.jvgsound.com.au AMX Australia www.amxaustralia.com.au AVICO www.avico.com.au Avocent Australia www.connectivity.avocent.com Axiom www.axiompl.com.au Beyond AV www.beyondav.com.au BE Productions www.beproductions.com.au Bose Australia www.bose.com.au BOSCH www.boschsecurity.com.au Canohm www.canohm.com.au Castel Electronics www.castel.com.au Clipsal www.clipsal.com.au Clearlight Shows

www.clearlight.com.au DJW project www.djwprojects.com.au Dynalite www.dynalite-online.com EPSON www.epson.com.au Herma www.herma.com.au iMatte’sBody of Work www.techtel.com.au Impact AV www.impactav.com.au JBN www.jbn.com.au Laser Vision www.laservision.com.au Milestone Solutions www.milestone.com.au Pulse AV www.pulseav.com.au Venutech www.venutech.com.au Video Pro www.videopro.com.au YSI www.soundinvestment.com.au

CONSTRUCTION

Global Shop Fitters Complete commericial fit-outs design and consultancy Unit 9/17 Rothcote Crt Burleigh Heads QLD 4220 Ph: 1300 103 755 www.globalshopfitters.com

DESIGN

Paul Kelly Design 77 Bay St. Glebe. NSW 2007 (02) 9660 8299 www.paulkellydesign.com.au

DISPLAY

Samsung Electronics Australia Commercial Displays 8 Parkview Drive Homebush Bay NSW 2127 02 9763 9700 it.sales@samsung.com www.samsung.com/au/business

Playcom Customised Entertainment Digital Signage systems background music and music video Street 22, 89 Jones St, Ultimo (02) 8815 6600 info@playcom.com.au www.playcom.com.au Platinum TV www.platinumtv.com.au

The Chillie Group Hostpitality Industry Specialists Hotels – Pubs – Clubs – Gaming – Bars Restaurants – Design Construction (02) 9453 4744 info@thechilliegroup.com.au www.thechilliegroup.com.au

Arcon www.arcon-nsw.com.au

FABRIC

TM DESIGN GROUP PTY LTD DESIGNERS TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Studio 5, 11 Beach Street Port Melbourne, VIC 3207 Ian Macklin (Director) 03 9646 9932 0417 147 110 imacklin@tmdg.com.au www.tmdg.com.au Barbara and fellows www.barbaraandfellows.com.au Bleux www.bleux.com.au Dasch Associates www.daschassociates.com

Dickson-Constant www.dickson-constant.com V Screen Indoor/Outdoor LED Screens (07) 5599 1551 info@jdistribution.net www.jdistribution.net Aquavision www.aquavisiontv.com.au Hitachi www.hitachi.com.au Innovizion www.innovizion.com.au JVC proffesional www.jvc-australia.com

Kvadrat Maharam www.kvadratmaharam.com Warwick Fabrics www.warwick.com.au

FINISHES Alloy Design www.alloydesign.com.au Armstrong www.armstrong-aust.com.au Axolotl Group www.axolotl-group.com Bravo print www.bravoprint.com.au

Crown Commercials www.creationbaumann.com

D4 Residential & Commercial Design www.d4designs.com.au

Gibbon Group www.gibbongroup.com.au

DBI Design www.dbidesign.com.au

NEC www.nec.com.au

Rohrig www.rohrig.com.au

Dreamtime www.dreamtimeaustraliadesign.com

Panasonic www.panasonic.com.au

Isis www.isis.com.au

Edge Commercial Interiors www.edgecommercialinteriors.com.au

Philips

James Clifford Construction www.jamesclifford.com.au

Innersphere www.innersphere.com.au

Liquid Lines www.liquidlines.com.au

Samsung www.samsung.com.au

Inset Group www.insetgroup.com.au

Paynter Dixon www.paynterdixon.com.au

Sony www.sony.com.au

Joshua Bacon Design www.joshuabacon.com.au

Premier Club Constructions www.premierbuild.com.au

Wilson Gilkes www.gilkon.com.au

Lime Design Interiors www.limedesigninteriors.com.au

Viewsonic Australia www.viewsonic.com

MERRILL DESIGN AUSTRALIA www.merrilldesign.com.au

Hunter Douglas Architectural Products www.hunterdouglascommercial. com.au

ENTERTAINMENT

Instyle Contract Textiles www.instyle.com.au

Premier Building Group www.premierclub.com.au Quality Project Management www.qpmgt.com.au Reed Constructions Australia www.reedgroup.com.au

COMMERCIAL EDUCATION

www.avico.com.au

Moth Design www.mothdesign.com.au

Ryder Hampton www.ryderhampton.com

Casf www.casf.com.au Design Room Australia Digiglass www.digiglass.com.au Dulux www.dulux.com.au Hot Metal www.hotmetal.biz

Interior Decorative Coatings www.idccolourfield.com

Origin Didier Design www.origindidier.com.au

Quattro Design www.quattrodesign.com.au

Caesarstone www.caesarstone.com.au

Interior Art Image www.interiorartimage.com

Nexus Design www.nexusdesigns.com.au

Platinum Interiors www.platinuminteriors.com.au UNE Partnerships Facilities Management Frontline Management Project Management 122-132 Mossman Street Armidale NSW 2350 (02) 6773 0000 www.unep.edu.au accounts@unep.edu.au

Mitsubishi Electric www.mitsubishielectric.com.au

Nightlife Music Managed Music, Visuals and Digital advertising solutions For more information call: Phil Brown - National Sales 0404 556 727 phil.brown@nightlife.com.au www.nightlife.com.au

Laminex www.laminex.com.au Liquid Metal Technologies www.liqmet.com Llias www.ilias.com.au Marblo www.marblo.com Pet Shop Studio International www.petshopstudio.com.au

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Porter’s Paints www.porterspaints.com.au

DTAC www.dtac.com.au

Eco Flooring Systems www.ecoflooring.com.au

FLOORING

Eurofurn www.eurofurn.com.au Form and Function www.form-function.com.au

Eco Tile Factory www.ecotilefactory.com.au Finest international, local and custom-made tiles for the commercial, hospitality & corporate market.

182-186 Parramatta Road, Camperdown NSW 2050 (02) 9550 5204 www.belmondotiles.com.au

Forbo www.forbo-flooring.com.au Godfrey Hirst www.godgfreyhirst.com Gunnersen Inspirations www.gunnersens.com.au InterfaceFLOR www.interfaceaus.com.au Karndean International www.karndean.com

Four Two www.fourtwo.com.au Instyle Seating High Quality, Functional, Affordable Furniture for Hospitality, Commercial and Corporate. Australia Wide Delivery.

1300 309 889 info@instyleseating.com.au www.instyleseating.com.au

National Tiles www.nationaltiles.com.au Polyflor Australia www.polyflor.com.au Rms Natural Stone www.rmsmarble.com Rocks On www.rockson.com.au StoneArt www.stoneartaust.com.au

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Gibbon Group Innovative, sustainable and high-quality interior finishes (07) 3881 1777 sales@gibbongroup.com.au www.gibbongroup.com.au

The Rug Collection www.therugcollection.com.au Tsar Carpets and Rugs www.tsar.com.au Casino Consoles Australia www.casinoconsoles.com.au

Tappeti Level 2, 13 - 15 Levey Street Chippendale 2008 T: (02) 9698 2735 F: (02) 9698 2788 designstudio@tappeti.com.au www.tappeti.com.au Academy Tiles www.academytiles.com.au Altro Flooring www.asf.com.au Amber Tiles www.ambertiles.com.au

Prototype Commercial Furniture Manufacture, Tailor and Supply Commercial Furniture 31 Paringa Road Murarrie QLD 4217 1 The Crescent, Kingsgrove NSW 2208 1300 799 376 info@prototype.net.au www.prototype.net.au

The Seatery Custom Upholstery Specialist Factory 3, 24 Longstaff Road Bayswater Vic 3153 (03) 9720 0042 enquiries@theseatery.com.au www.theseatery.com.au

Whitecliffe Imports www.whitecliffe.com.au

Aero Design www.aerodesigns.com.au

FURNITURE

Blok Furniture www.blokfurniture.com.au

FURNITURE B Seated Australia Leading Supplier & Manufacturer of Commercial Furniture.

7/22 Mavis St , Revesby, NSW 2212 1300 727 637 www.bseatedglobal.com.au

BINDI Furn www.bindifurniture.com.au Botton & Gardiner www.bottongardiner.com.au Cafe Culture www.cafeculture.com.au Capital Design Works

www.capitaldesignworks.com.au Cubus www.cubusconcepts.com.au

Ardex www.ardexaustralia.com.au

Chairbiz www.chairbiz.com.au

Boral Timbers www.boral.com.au

Comax www.comaxaustralia.com.au

Brintons Pty Limited www.brintons.net/commercial Classic Floorcoverings www.classicfloorcoverings.com.au Dalsouople Australasia www.dalsouple.com.au DĂŠcor Stone www.decorpebble.com.au Designer Rugs www.designerrugs.com.au

Contempo Furniture Pty Ltd Design and Manufacturing of Commercial Furniture and Lighting, specialising in unique metal finishes; Metal Spinners and Sheet Metal Fabricators (02) 9726 6794 www.contempofurniture.com.au

Globe West www.globewest.com.au Great Dane Furniture www.greatdanefurniture.com

Hughes Commercial Furniture www.hughescf.com.au Iken www.iken.com.au Interstudio www.interstudio.com.au Insitu Furniture www.insitufurniture.com.au James Richardson www.jamesrichardson.com.au Jardan Australia www.jardan.com.au

Tascot Carpets www.tascot.com.au The Andrews Group www.theandrewsgroup.com.au

Gadget King www.gadgetking.com.au

Hospitality Furniture Concepts www.hospitalityfurniture.net.au

Living Tiles www.livingtiles.com.au Cavalier Bremworth Pure NZ wool carpet More than 30 carpet styles 1800 251 172 mrobinson@cavbrem.com.au www.cavbrem.com.au

Furniture Options www.furnitureoptions.com.au

Corporate Culture www.corporateculture.com.au

JMH Hospitality Furniture www.hospitalityfurniture.com.au Matt Blatt www.mattblatt.com.au Nufurn www.nufurn.com.au PGR Furniture www.pgrfurniture.com.au Pomp Furniture www.pomp.com.au Robert Plumb www.robertplumb.com.au Ross Didier www.origindidier.com.au Schiavello www.schiavello.com Sebel www.sebelfurniture.com Space www.spacefurniture.com.au Stylecraft www.stylecraft.com.au Tait www.tait.biz Zenith Interiors www.zenithinteriors.com.au HEATING

Corporate Express www.ce.com.au CF Design www.cfdesign.com.au Echelon www.echelonproducts.com Evostyle www.evostyle.com.au

Bromic Heating Head Office: 1 Suttor Street, Silverwater, Sydney NSW 2128 1300 276 642 F: (02) 9748 4289 www.bromic.com.au

INTERIORS

Climate Australia Specialists in Outdoor Temperature Solutions Unit 6, Enterprise Industrial Estate 8 Tilley Lane Frenchs Forest NSW 2086

(02) 9977 3474 0414 48 5555 www.climateaustralia.com.au

Di Emme Creative Solutions Chiaro Screens - MetaFinish MetaFlex - Stonini Unit 3, 87-89 Moore Street Leichhardt NSW 2040 (02) 9550 0811 www.diemme.com.au Crown Doors International www.crowndoors.com.au Ke-Zu www.kezu.com.au

Thermofilm Australia Pty Ltd 27 Rosalie Street, Springvale VIC 3171 T: (03) 9562 3455 F: (03) 9548 3979 sales@thermofilm.com.au www.thermofilm.com.au

Silent GlIss www.silentgliss.com.au Smartstone www.smartstone.com.au Somfy www.somfy.com.au

Alfresco Spaces www.alfrescospaces.com.au

Tint Design www.tintdesign.com.au

Celmec International www.celmec.com.au

Woven Image www.wovenimage.com.au

Devex Systems www.devexsystems.com.au EcoSmart Fire www.ecosmartfire.com Everdure www.everdure.com

Woven Wall www.wovinwall.com Viridian Glass www.viridianglass.com

LIGHTING

Keverton www.kevertonoutdoor.com.au Pure Heat www.pureheat.com.au Realflame www.realflame.com.au Solamagic Australia www.solamagic-australia.com.au FABRICATION

Impos www.impos.com.au

ECC www.ecclightingandliving.com

Micros Systems www.micros.com

Element Labs www.elementlabs.com

Omnipos www.omnipos.com.au

Euroluce www.euroluce.com.au

Redcat www.redcat.com.au

Haron Robson www.haronrobson.com.au

SECURITY

Illumanon www.illumanon.com

EOS www.eos.com.au

Innermost www.innermost.com.au

Nightkey www.metropolisfremantle.com.au

Illumination Physics www.illuminationphysics.com

OPOC www.opoc.com.au

LSW www.lsw.com.au

SIGNAGE

Mance Design www.mance.com.au

Albert Smith Group www.asggroup.com.au

Mayfield Lamps www.mayfieldlamps.com.au

Face Visual Marketing Group www.facevmg.com.au

Mega Vision www.megavision.com.au

Fen Systems Australia www.fensystems.com.au

Optique www.optique.com.au

Fremont Design www.fremontdesign.com.au

Optic Fibre Lighting www.opticfiberlighting.com.au

Sachr Sign Strategy www.sachr.com.au

Osram www.osram.com.au Passive Lighting www.passivelighting.com.au

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PointOfView www.pov.com.au

Gasmate www.gasmate.com.au Jetmaster www.jetmaster.com.au

Display Design www.displaydesign.com.au

Jands Pty Ltd Vari*lite - ETC 40 Kent Road, Mascot NSW 2020 (02) 9582 0909 www.jands.com.au

Pulse Show Lighting www.pulse-ent.com.au Satelight www.satelight.com.au Studio Italia www.studioitalia.com.au Tenrod www.tenrod.com.au

J Lighting Architectural/LED/ Stage Lighting (07) 5599 1551 info@jdistribution.net www.jdistribution.net

Yellow Goat www.yellowgoat.com.au Xenian www.xenian.com.au WhiteLite www.whitelite.com.a ULA www.ula.com.au

OX Engineering Group Pty Ltd Specialists in architectural metalwork,displays,metal fabrication and Signage 23 Britton St Smithfield NSW 2164 (02) 9616 7444 www.overexposure.com.au

NPA Specialised Lighting Components Wholesale supplier of lighting components, specialising in custom neon, cold cathode systems, LED general lighting and architectural LED systems.

(07) 5597 2554 sales@npalighting.com www.npalighting.com

Balanced Technology www.balancedtech.com.au Coemar De Sisti Australia www.cdaust.com.au

OUTDOOR LouvreSpan www.louvrespan.com.au Skyspan Umbrellas

www.skyspan-umbrellas.com Supershades www.supershades.com.au Vergola www.vergolansw.com.au

POINT OF SALE Fedeltapos www.fedeltapos.com

Pangaea, New Delhi

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You Wish

Welcome to the billionaires’ club: Pangaea. It’s the latest addition to the collection of exclusive clubs owned by impresario Michael Ault,with others in New York, Miami Beach, Los Angeles, Bermuda, Sao Paulo and Marbella. Ault chose Delhi to play host to his newest super-luxe club as many of the best clients in his Singapore club were Indian billionaires. One of those clients (Spice Group’s owner BK Modi) entered partnership with Ault to establish Pangaea. A no-expense-spared nightclub calls for a primo sound system. In this case an Outline PA takes care of the dancefloor duties, based on Doppia II 9075P three-way loudspeakers and DBS 18-2 subs.

The licensing for the 450-capacity club is tricky, with a 12:30 closing time, so the PA needed to get people up and dancing pronto. And the Outline system has been a bona fide success.

Certainly Ault (who has taken on a back-seat consultancy capacity) likes the cut of the Pangaea jib, saying it’s “unquestionably one of the most beautiful clubs I have ever seen”.

Ambient Technology (Outline): (03) 9731 7242 or www.ambienttechnology.com.au

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R

@NightlifeMusic

@NightlifeMusic