AGAIN

The Civic opened in 1929 as a theatre and cinema. Two carved lions with piercing blue-green eyes guarded the main stage and stars twinkled on the ceiling overhead, while in the foyer dozens of golden Buddha and majestic elephant statues were set back in alcoves. After the film screened, a golden barge holding an orchestra rose up to advertise the dance hall in the Wintergarden downstairs. All in all it was an ostentatious operation, given that only 200,000 people lived in Auckland.

During World War II, locally stationed US soldiers loved the Civic’s lush decor and the Wintergarden’s hot music. In 1943 the line-up included the US swing band led by virtuoso clarinettist Artie Shaw. This revived the Civic, cementing its role as a chic cinema and a top-class live venue that went on in 1966 to host the Rolling Stones.

The Civic contained myriad underground spaces that were converted into nightclubs in the 1980s. Simon Grigg hosted Thursday nights at short-lived club Berlin and recalls the Civic being a hive of activity.

“Johnny Tabla ran clubs throughout the ’70s and ’80s in two spaces beneath the Civic. On Queen Street you had the entry to Aladdin’s, which became Club Roma. Up around the corner was King Creole’s, where Russell Crowe used to DJ. When Berlin was in that space the DJ booth was still in a sawn-in-half Cadillac attached to the ceiling. Nobody wanted to DJ in it because it rocked back and forth – it was just held up by chains.”

The Civic isn’t the only historic music venue in the area. Slightly further up and across Queen Street is the St James Theatre, which was opened in 1928 to replace Fuller’s Opera House, although it was also a cinema. It was listed as a Category 1 historic place in 1988 and over the next two decades hosted many huge stars, including Miles Davis, Jeff Buckley, James Brown and Neil Finn’s Seven Worlds Collide ensemble.

The St James has balcony boxes either side of the stage and sloping tiered levels above, but conveniently allows ground-floor attendees to either stand or be seated (in comparison with the Civic, which is seated only). Sadly, the St James was closed in 2007 following a fire during renovations, although in recent years it’s been the setting for music videos by Tami Neilson and Avantdale Bowling Club.

Crossing back over Queen Street, we find Auckland Town Hall. Opened in 1911, it had an inbuilt pipe organ –likely the largest musical instrument in the country. The building’s austere baroque design reflects its inclusion of the Auckland Council Chambers, but its Great Hall has proved remarkably adaptable.

While in the early days it hosted orchestral and choral performances, jazz bands became huge drawcards in the decades that followed. In 1956 an audience of 750 flocked to see a new rock and roll group put together by jazz drummer Frank Gibson Snr, although the crowd was more interested in dancing than watching the band. This all changed in 1964 when the Beatles’ Town Hall performance induced hysterical mayhem in the crowd.

Like the St James, Auckland Town Hall was listed as a Category 1 historic place in 1988, following the Civic’s Category 1 listing in 1985. As well as having significant architectural value, all three venues are living embodiments of the city’s evolving music scene. Moving into the new millennium, the Town Hall hosted the Aotearoa Hip Hop Summit, which provided crucial stepping stones for rising stars such as Nesian Mystik and Scribe. More recently, acts such as Teeks and Leisure have bridged the past and present by appearing alongside the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. When we consider the current struggles to save the St James, it’s worth recalling that during the 1990s

$45 million was spent on the Civic and $33 million on the Town Hall. The latter’s organ required an overhaul in 2010 so it was dismantled and 40 tonnes of parts were sent to Germany for repairs (at a cost of $3.5 million).

Venues, however, don’t need to be theatre sized to have historical value. The Bluestone Room was built in 1861 as a warehouse and is listed as a Category 1 historic place called the Bluestone Store (after the volcanic basalt of its exterior walls).

Up until the 1980s, its neighbours were His Majesty’s Theatre and Broadcasting House, which were both demolished despite protests. The Bluestone Room – considered the oldest stone building left in the commercial heart of Auckland – was only saved because of a 1987 protection notice approved by then Minister of Conservation Helen Clark.

The building’s musical history began in 1963 when it was opened as The Top 20, where bands such as Larry’s Rebels covered the hottest chart hits of the week. Legendary promoter Hugh Lynn worked as the club’s compere in 1964.

“You could feel it was an old building. I think it was happy that we were in there. It was quite unique because you’d come into the lane and there’d always be people hanging around outside,” says Hugh.

“The scene was changing from ballroom dancing to rock and roll, so there was a bubble of this excitement growing across the city. I remember going to an event that Benny Levin put on around the same time, called Jamboree at the Town Hall and it was packed. I saw this guy in a leopard-skin suit and high-heel shoes – it blew me away.”

Musician Larry Killip played at the next two incarnations of the Bluestone Store. He performed at packed Sunday afternoon shows at the 1480 club (it was run by Radio Hauraki and named after its AM frequency) and also took the stage when it became the Bo-Peep.

“My first memory of the Bo-Peep was standing at the door looking in one night. I was all of 16 and simply overwhelmed by the scene before me,” recalls Larry.

“I liken it to wandering into the bar scene in Star Wars. It was hot, sweaty and smoky, and the band was playing loudly at the entrance as you walked in. Maurice Greer was resplendent in his dapper look, complete with bell trousers, tight velvet top and flowing red hair, all while standing up playing his drums, which included timpani drums and a big gong.

“The Bo-Peep was where us aspiring musicians/ band members would catch our heroes: Salty Dog, The Human Instinct, The Troubled Mind, The La De Da’s, The Underdogs. We would always come away inspired.”

In 1971 singer Tommy Adderley and promoter Dave Henderson reopened the venue as Granny’s, with Grandpa’s situated above. Grandpa’s tried to avoid alcohol laws by being a ‘private club’ but received so many fines that Adderley was financially ruined.

In the late ’70s, the Babes disco club operated downstairs while punk club Zwines operated upstairs (leading to regular clashes!), then a fire closed the building down. It reopened as the Bluestone Room bar in 2000, and in the 2010s ‘Punk It Up’ Zwines reunion gigs were held upstairs.

These constant revitalisations are seen as positive by Bev Parslow, Area Manager Mid-Northern for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

“A building like the Bluestone Store is able to survive because of the materials it is made out of and the fact that a large warehouse has such potential for adaptive reuse. The focus from a heritage protection standpoint is on ensuring these buildings have some form of reuse and community support.”

The Bluestone Room is now vacant owing to the decline in the hospitality trade during the pandemic and the reduction in foot traffic caused by the nearby City Rail Link’s construction. However, the venue experienced similar fallow periods prior to being brought back as Babes/Zwines and the Bluestone Room, so there’s no reason to think it won’t emerge again –adding further layers to its unfolding story.

To hear more from Gareth, view our video story here: youtube.com/ HeritageNewZealandPouhereTaonga

“I liken it to wandering into the bar scene in Star Wars. It was hot, sweaty and smoky, and the band was playing loudly at the entrance as you walked in”