Festival Hall Melbourne

[Twodogs]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Remember Festival Hall as much for big boxing events than music. Barry Michael versus Lester Ellis was a huge evening back in the mid eighties. The last music concert I can recall going to at Festival Hall was early Green Day.

I watched A Melbourne Story again the other day. Great documentary. It's easy to forget how big Lester Ellis was on the Melbourne sportscape back in his heyday. They were an interesting team the Ellis boys. Lester who said that basically he "would fought a fight and go back to my bungalow in Braybrook and wait for Keith to line up another one" Keith the cagey oldest brother who did all the negotiations and Neil the brother who knew the fight game.

It's interesting watching Michael and Ellis later in life chatting in front of the camera. Michael turns to Ellis and says "hey Lester how long did you piss blood for after the fight? I did for fully 24 hours" "oh about 3 days" "did ya go to the doctors?" "Nah, I knew it would stop eventually"

[Doc26]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

I watched A Melbourne Story again the other day. Great documentary. It's easy to forget how big Lester Ellis was on the Melbourne sportscape back in his heyday. They were an interesting team the Ellis boys. Lester who said that basically he "would fought a fight and go back to my bungalow in Braybrook and wait for Keith to line up another one" Keith the cagey oldest brother who did all the negotiations and Neil the brother who knew the fight game.

It's interesting watching Michael and Ellis later in life chatting in front of the camera. Michael turns to Ellis and says "hey Lester how long did you piss blood for after the fight? I did for fully 24 hours" "oh about 3 days" "did ya go to the doctors?" "Nah, I knew it would stop eventually"

Hadn’t heard that before TD. Thanks for sharing.

I recall the Melbourne boxing scene in the eighties being very big no doubt showcased by the evolving rivalry that grew between the ageing Barry and the younger talent of Lester. Their 1985 bout at Festival Hall, going the full 15 rounds, being the climax of this with Barry ultimately prevailing.

Also remember seeing a number of bouts back then with Graeme Brook and Frank ‘The Tank’ Ropis. Along with Lester and Barry Boy both became household names in the Australian boxing scene in the mid eighties.

[Bornadog]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Hadn’t heard that before TD. Thanks for sharing.

I recall the Melbourne boxing scene in the eighties being very big no doubt showcased by the evolving rivalry that grew between the ageing Barry and the younger talent of Lester. Their 1985 bout at Festival Hall, going the full 15 rounds, being the climax of this with Barry ultimately prevailing.

Also remember seeing a number of bouts back then with Graeme Brook and Frank ‘The Tank’ Ropis. Along with Lester and Barry Boy both became household names in the Australian boxing scene in the mid eighties.

Myself a few mates use to do a bit of fitness at a boxing gym in Sunshine in the 70's, I think Lester Ellis went there years later. Anyhow Rocky Mattioli came down to do a bit of sparing and afterwards gave us some tickets to his fight at Festival Hall. The fight lasted about 3 rounds with rocky flattening his opponent. Of course Rocky went on to win the world title.

[jeemak]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Have you heard the Nick Cave cover of Disco2000? Great version but I consider Nick Cave to be godlike-to be honest I consider God to be Nick Cave like



Always has been. My cousins first job as a police officer was to go down and fish some bloke who'd got stuck there after som heavy rain years ago and he's been a copper, retired and started a business in the meantime, and he was told at the time "this is he last time this will happen, we are fixing it up next week."

Yeah the Nick Cave cover isn't really my cup of tea. Nice instrumentals and vocals, but I caught that song as a 15 year old growing up and the energy delivered in the original alongside the teenage angst has too much meaning for me to consider anything else to be considered close to equal with it.

[jeemak]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

I watched A Melbourne Story again the other day. Great documentary. It's easy to forget how big Lester Ellis was on the Melbourne sportscape back in his heyday. They were an interesting team the Ellis boys. Lester who said that basically he "would fought a fight and go back to my bungalow in Braybrook and wait for Keith to line up another one" Keith the cagey oldest brother who did all the negotiations and Neil the brother who knew the fight game.

It's interesting watching Michael and Ellis later in life chatting in front of the camera. Michael turns to Ellis and says "hey Lester how long did you piss blood for after the fight? I did for fully 24 hours" "oh about 3 days" "did ya go to the doctors?" "Nah, I knew it would stop eventually"

Fantastic doco/story that one. Saw it a while ago, would love to see it again.

[Happy Days]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

I'm actually going there to see what might be their last gig - New Japan Pro Wrestling's first ever Australian tour's Melbourne leg on the 17th of Feb.

It looks like a shithole, but so would the apartments they're planning to build. Plus who would want to live there?

They should just renovate the place; there's no other venue of that size in Melbourne that serves the same purpose.

[jeemak]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

I heard the MD of the major shareholder talk on 774 earlier today, I get why they're doing it. It's a privately owned venue, with a number of shareholders who by rights, need to see a return on investment (these are family people tied to the venue more than any of us are, these are people who understand what it costs to run the venue and pay the bills).

People are carrying on as if it's a public asset, it isn't. I'd be pissed if the state government purchased it - it'd be a massive waste of money and I'd think the current owners are stupid if they didn't sell it. Just like any business, it was good while it lasted and now it's done, it doesn't return and it's time to move on.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

I'm actually going there to see what might be their last gig - New Japan Pro Wrestling's first ever Australian tour's Melbourne leg on the 17th of Feb.

It looks like a shithole, but so would the apartments they're planning to build. Plus who would want to live there?

They should just renovate the place; there's no other venue of that size in Melbourne that serves the same purpose.

Capacity wise, Margaret Court Arena is pretty similar (slightly bigger)

Never really loved going there, but it’s hosted some of the better gigs I’ve experienced (Ben Harper, Faith No More, The Shins, Mastodon)

[Twodogs]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Hadn’t heard that before TD. Thanks for sharing.

I recall the Melbourne boxing scene in the eighties being very big no doubt showcased by the evolving rivalry that grew between the ageing Barry and the younger talent of Lester. Their 1985 bout at Festival Hall, going the full 15 rounds, being the climax of this with Barry ultimately prevailing.

Also remember seeing a number of bouts back then with Graeme Brook and Frank ‘The Tank’ Ropis. Along with Lester and Barry Boy both became household names in the Australian boxing scene in the mid eighties.

I can remember Graeme Brooke when he was 16, man could he box. His feet danced and his fists flew.

[Twodogs]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Fantastic doco/story that one. Saw it a while ago, would love to see it again.

It's on YouTube mate. That's where I got it from, along with the actual bout itself. And pretty much any boxing match you can think of in history.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Have you heard the Nick Cave cover of Disco2000? Great version but I consider Nick Cave to be godlike-to be honest I consider God to be Nick Cave like



Always has been. My cousins first job as a police officer was to go down and fish some bloke who'd got stuck there after som heavy rain years ago and he's been a copper, retired and started a business in the meantime, and he was told at the time "this is he last time this will happen, we are fixing it up next week."

Yes been hearing it since I lived in Yarraville nearly 40 years ago.

[Webby]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Great thread. Pricks my interest on a number of levels.

I have the "Melbourne Story" doco on DVD.
I too, consider God to be Nick Cave-like.
I've had my car flooded next to Festival Hall.
My dad used to work in an office there in the 1950's that didn't even bother with flooring (it was dirt!)
Keith Ellis used to run the Belgravia Hotel in Footscray and also the Ashley Hotel in Braybrook. "Cagey" is putting it mildly!

[Bornadog]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

Some more memories

* In the 1970s, walked in through the back to see Angus Young on top of amps with his guitar screaming, and then jump down on to the stage, still playing away. The place was shaking. We then just joined the audience to watch the whole show.

* Worse show there was Foreigner. Kept the doors locked and still tuning instruments for about an hour. Finally they let us in and they played an hour of bad music.

* Year 12 - some students organised about 20 of us to see Chuck Berry - what a legend.

* Another memory is the place filled with smoke - not cigarettes either - what a joint (he he) it was.

* Watched an early Angus Young in Zorro outfit, not school boy

* Lou Reed was so cool - great concert.

[Sedat]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

It looks like a shithole, but so would the apartments they're planning to build.

100% this - the massive influx of vanilla apartment complexes throughout Melbourne is a far bigger eyesore than one imperfect music venue. Festival Hall is a uniquely Melbourne venue - it is far from perfect but it is all ours and it has a wealth of history.

It's up to the owners to do with it as they wish but it is a shame. There's no way in hell the state govt will step in - they are even more addicted to stamp duty than crack addicts are to the pipe. Hence why we have apartment complexes going up in far greater supply than the demand equates.

[Bornadog]

Re: Festival Hall Melbourne

100% this - the massive influx of vanilla apartment complexes throughout Melbourne is a far bigger eyesore than one imperfect music venue. Festival Hall is a uniquely Melbourne venue - it is far from perfect but it is all ours and it has a wealth of history.

It's up to the owners to do with it as they wish but it is a shame. There's no way in hell the state govt will step in - they are even more addicted to stamp duty than crack addicts are to the pipe. Hence why we have apartment complexes going up in far greater supply than the demand equates.

Off topic but I agree with the stamp duty comment as well as City Council raking in council rates.

The other issue is the unplanned part with apartment towers in wrong areas in the burbs with developers raking it in and poor owners next door losing out on capital gains with their own property worth less when a 6 story apartment overshadows their property. We are also losing our heritage with 100 year old buildings being torn down.

Having said that, Melbourne is growing at a fast rate, and the area it takes is ridiculous. At least apartment buildings, can make better use of land, but as I said, needs control.