Hindley Street to get new $6m live music venue

Four major live music companies have joined forces to open a new $6m venue on Hindley Street in Adelaide later this year.

International music promoter Live Nation has announced a $6m redevelopment of the former HQ premises to create a new 1800-person venue called the Hindley Street Music Hall in partnership with three other companies.

Secret Sounds – the organisation behind Byron Bay’s Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival – will also finance the project in conjunction with Adelaide based Five Four Entertainment and the team behind Brisbane’s successful Fortitude Music Hall and The Triffid venues.

It includes backing from hit band Powderfinger’s bass player John “JC” Collins, who is the venue’s co-owner and director.

Hindley Street Music Hall. Artist concept illustration of venue stage view. Picture: Supplied

Set to open in August this year, the venue at 149 Hindley Street will also include a separate street-level nightclub and restaurant.

Its redevelopment will completely transform the interior and exterior of the building, both structurally and visually.

Brisbane-formed Powderfinger wrote a track called Hindley Street on its 1998 album Internationalist and Collins said he had always felt strongly connected to Adelaide.

“I’m stoked to be bringing my experience and passion to a city I’ve always truly loved,” Mr Collins said.

“We’ve spent a lot of time on the design of the venue ensuring the relationship between the performer and the audience is the best it can be, and to create an incredibly intimate space where fans feel super close and connected to the artist.”

Secret Sounds co-founder and chief executive Paul Piticco said production specifications and room design would be of the highest possible standard.

“South Australia is the ‘State of Art’ and I have long-admired the value that SA puts on culture and social infrastructure,” Mr Piticco said.

“Our plan is to build one of the best music halls in the southern hemisphere right here on Hindley Street, and to also do our bit filling it with the greatest local and international talent.”

The venue will offer standing, seated and cabaret configurations, with capacity ranging from 800 to 1800 people.

The former HQ nightclub building at 149 Hindley Street in Adelaide. Picture: Tom Huntley

Live Nation owns and operates live entertainment venues around the world, including the Palais Theatre in Melbourne and Spark Arena in Auckland, and has dominated international touring by artists in recent years.

Roger Field, Live Nation Asia Pacific president, said Hindley Street Music Hall would ensure SA music fans were not left off the national touring map.

“The venue’s innovative design will ensure the continued development of the city’s incredible live entertainment scene and will attract amazing performances for local music fans to enjoy,” Mr Field said.

Five Four Entertainment has grown into one of SA’s largest promoters, running the Lion Arts Factory and events including Spin Off Festival and St Jerome’s Laneway Festival.

“Having a venue of this size and quality will no doubt increase the calibre of artists willing to play in SA,” said Five Four founder Craig Lock.