Festival Hall Melbourne

[Bornadog]

There is talk the owners will be building apartments on the site (what else).

What are your memories of Festival Hall and favourite bands.

I must admit I haven't been to Festival Hall since the 1970s but saw some great bands:

- BlacK Sabbath

- Jeff Beck

- Lou Reed

- ACDC twice, once with Bonn Scott and Once before Bonn Scott as a backup to Lou Reed

- Many Australian Bands

[Twodogs]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Dunno what to think about this. I have a decent emotional attachment dear old Festering Hole too. My uncle used to take me and the cousins to see TV Ringside and the Wrestling back in the real old days. Then I saw my first ever live gig there in 1980 or it might have been 1979, anyway it was one of 3XY's Rocktober shows with Split Enz headlining supported by the Sports (or Austalian Crawl a couple of shows have run into each other) and Little Heroes and Wendy and the Rockettes. All for 2 bucks and I was hooked on live music for good.

I saw Iggy Pop take a run up and jump 20 metres into the crowd because he'd played Melbourne before "and everyone here was too cool for *!*!*!*!ing school. Well cop this" I saw the Ramones for the first time at Festival Hall and spoke to Joey during the afternoon. We were going past on the train and we see this pale guy with shoulder length hair just sitting beside the stage door and realised it was Joey. So we got off the bloody train at North Melbourne because it was going to be the only opportunity we would ever get to speak to him. I'm glad we did because he was in a really good mood and talked to us for ages, asked us heaps of questions about Melbourne. The funny thing was we were spewing because we didn't have a pen to get any autographs and as we were leaving he says "hey, thanks for not asking me to sign anything. I hate signing autographs!"


I guess they just can't leave it as it is.

[Eastdog]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Another icon like Queen Vic market that might be getting a change up with new apartments.

[chef]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Pantera early 90's(my first real concert) and Rage against The Machine in the 00's are two stand outs for me. Were both absolute chaos on the floor.

[Eastdog]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Pantera early 90's(my first real concert) and Rage against The Machine in the 00's are two stand outs for me. Were both absolute chaos on the floor.

I remember when Rage came to play down here that the tickets were snapped up so quickly.

[chef]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

I remember when Rage came to play down here that the tickets were snapped up so quickly.

Wish they would reform and tour again, but doubt it'll ever happen.

[Twodogs]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Wish they would reform and tour again, but doubt it'll ever happen.

That's the problem with intense, full on bands. When they have a falling out they have an intense and full on falling out.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

In 1980 I saw INXS opening for Dire Straits. Great music. Great concert.You could see then INXS would be stars.

[Eastdog]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Wish they would reform and tour again, but doubt it'll ever happen.

They were one of the best in the rap rock genre.

[Twodogs]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

In 1980 I saw INXS opening for Dire Straits. Great music. Great concert.You could see then INXS would be stars.

I saw Dire Straights at the Music Bowl some time around then I reckon. Saw INXS at Festival Hall in 1987.

[Max469]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

I saw Dire Straights at the Music Bowl some time around then I reckon. Saw INXS at Festival Hall in 1987.

I also saw INXS there in 87. Great show. Had to stand on seat to see. I saw Dire Straights at Olympic Park.

Saw Leo Sayer and 1927 there also.

[Twodogs]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

I also saw INXS there in 87. Great show. Had to stand on seat to see. I saw Dire Straights at Olympic Park.

Saw Leo Sayer and 1927 there also.

INXS was on a weeknight in 1987 I can remember getting home from work and getting ready to go.

[GVGjr]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

There is talk the owners will be building apartments on the site (what else).

What are your memories of Festival Hall and favourite bands.

I must admit I haven't been to Festival Hall since the 1970s but saw some great bands:

- BlacK Sabbath

- Jeff Beck

- Lou Reed

- ACDC twice, once with Bonn Scott and Once before Bonn Scott as a backup to Lou Reed

- Many Australian Bands

I remember watching tennis there.

[Remi Moses]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Saw inxs in 87 also, as well as powderfinger in 03. First time seeing the Foo Fighters in 03 . Hot hot place!
Sad day, but not a surprise . More apartments

[Twodogs]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

So far that's 3 of us who saw INXS that night..

The thing I remember most from that night was somebody throwing a cigarette at the stage and it went in the bowl of Kirk Pengilly's saxophone. I remember thinking "what's he looking at!" just as the cigarette came over my shoulder he follows it with his eyes as it got sucked into his sax. It must have happened to him before because he took great pains to get it out again.