Oz rock music stars remember lazy, hazy, crazy days on the Gold Coast

A WHO’S who of Oz rock have shared memories of Gold Coast venues of yore as they prepare to unite for a special one-off super concert at NightQuarter.

A shot taken inside the Surfers Paradise nightclub Bombay Rock in the 1980s. Picture courtesy Karen Auty via Have You Seen The Old Gold Coast Facebook page.

IF you remember how much fun it was, you weren’t doing it properly ...

A who’s who of Oz rock will unite for a special one-off super concert on the Gold Coast this summer — Gold FM Live at NightQuarter, at Helensvale, on December 3.

The big gig’s stars — Ross Wilson, Rose Tattoo, Eurogliders, The Radiators, Richard Clapton, Wendy Matthews, The Church’s Steve Kilbey, Shannon Noll, 1927 and Glenn Shorrock — have played thousands of venues across the country during their decades-long careers.

While their memories of many of the bars, clubs and pubs they’ve performed in has blurred — and in same cases, completely faded — over the decades, our golden oldies all fondly recall great times on the Gold Coast.

No strangers to our city, these artists have been playing — and outlived — numerous venues on the Coast, many of them since as far back as the 1970s.

While iconic live music hubs such as The Playroom, Bombay Rock, The Patch and the Chevron Skyline Lounge have made way for new developments, the shows they hosted are not forgotten.

We asked the Gold FM Live stars to dig deep and share their favourite Gold Coast venues with us ahead of their all-star return.

Drum roll please ...

Steve Kilbey.

Steve Kilby, The Church: The Jet Club

“My favourite venue on the Gold Coast ever was the Jet Club.

“I had heard a lot about it before even playing there. All the Sydney bands would return form the Gold Coast saying “wait until you play the Jet Club” — and sure enough when we first played there it lived it up to all expectations.

The Jet Club and The Capital Theatre come down. Photo: Gold Coast City Library

“It was violent and wild. This is back in the days when groupies were rabid, punters were violent and the bouncers had just been released from prison!”

Richard Clapton.

Richard Clapton: The Playroom and The Patch

“This was the golden age of Oz rock and pretty much every gig I have ever played on the Gold Coast has been a pearler.”

Mark Lucas, Geoff Turner, Fess Parker and Brian Nichol of 'The Radiators.

Mark Lucas (drummer), The Radiators: The Playroom

“Massive nights at The Playroom! Backstage catering was always exceptional and the best barmaids!

The Playroom in 1983.

“The other great thing about the Coast was the fact you could play smaller venues on a Thursday or Sunday, which for touring bands was a great thing.

“You could play the Coast three to four times a year in different venues and still have a great night ... But sheesh those wild nights at The Playroom I’ll never forget.”

Twin Towns Showroom.

Grace Knight, Eurogliders: Q1 and Twin Towns Services Club

“Unlike many of the smaller Gold Coast venues, Twin Towns is a theatre, with curtains and backdrops and stage props.

Grace Knight in the early 1990s.

“When we were doing our sound check I noticed a ‘moon swing’ hanging high in the rafters. I imagine it was a prop used for a another show that was on at around that time.

“I asked the Twin Towns sound crew if I could have a go on it, so they dropped it down.

“It was a massive sparkling half moon suspended inside a hoop with a seat inside the moon, all attached to a wire so that it could be raised and lowered.
“I thought it would be a great idea if I could be lowered in this contraption singing the

opening “OOOohs” of Heaven (Must Be There).

“We did a quick run-through. I held on to the hoop which supported the moon with both hands and had my feet planted firmly on the step as the stage guys lowered me down to the stage.

“No problem, this was going to be quite the entrance.

“During the actual gig I got hoisted up on the moon high into the rafters, ready to be lowered to the sounds of the bells chiming at the start of Heaven. I then realised I’d have to use one hand to hold the microphone.

“As soon as I let go of the hoop the whole apparatus became unbalanced and started to wobble uncontrollably. I was absolutely shitting myself. I spent the whole descent trying to let go of the hoop long enough to sing a few syllables before grabbing hold again to steady the angry beast.

“It was a bit like trying to sing while riding a rodeo bull. Not exactly the entrance I’d imagined but memorable nonetheless.”

Eurogliders' Grace Knight and Bernie Lynch in 2014.

Bernie Lynch, Eurogliders: The Playroom

“It’s hard to pick but I think The Playroom wins for complete disgustingess.

“The floor was a beer-drenched carpet mess, the whole room stunk of beer and vomit, the stage had huge holes in it covered by carpet — but it was one of the best places to play in Oz.

“The audiences were generally drunk and danced like the world was going to end. Very fond memories.”

Wendy Matthews with Sean Kelly from The Models.

Wendy Matthews: Bombay Rock and The Playroom

“When I think of the venues on the Gold Coast, I remember my backing singer days with Models in the late ‘80s. They used to play Bombay Rock and The Playroom quite regularly and so were familiar with them.

Bombay Rock in the 1980s. Photo: Jenny Scott via Have You Seen The Old Gold Coast Facebook page.

“There was a sense of discovery of the area for me and being shown around the places and

things they liked about getting north of chilly Melbourne.”

Glenn Shorrock in 2007.

Glenn Shorrock: Chevron Skyline Lounge, Coolangatta Hotel, The Playroom

“My earliest memories of Gold Coast venues is the Chevron room on Sunday afternoon with Ian Saxon and the sounds, The Twilights played at the Kings Table, and later with Axiom (with Brian Cadd) and early LRB (Little River Band) years at the Coolangatta Hotel and later The Playroom.

The Chevron Skyline Lounge in Surfers Paradise. Photo: Arthur Leebold/Gold Coast City Library

Rose Tattoo with Angry Anderson on the ... oh, you know who he is!

Angry Anderson, Rose Tattoo: The Playroom

The Playroom because I once got laid there twice in the same night with two different girls … and because we often sold it out and the crowd were off the wall crazy.”

Erik Weideman in 2004.

Erik Weideman, 1927: The Patch

It was during the heady days when I played The Patch on Greenmount Beach. The place was jam packed to the rafters and it was starting to sink in — the enormity of our success that is.

“I’m still plagued by stage fright but at that time it was at an all-time high. So I retreated to the only place I could get away from ‘the madness’ — the back of our semi-trailer to try to get to grips.

The Patch at Coolangatta Photo: Helen Dean, shared courtesy of Have You Seen The Old Gold Coast Facebook page.

“My condition must have been quite apparent to Charlie our pianist at the time, who joined me in the back and offered me a medicinal smoke to calm the nerves before the show — something that I NEVER did BEFORE a gig.

“The moment took me and I found myself stoned to the Kyper Belt, now even more terrified that I would make a motza of the show.

“I think it was about three songs into the set before normality gave me a wave from the back of the room.

The Patch at Coolangatta. The artwork on the exterior of the building was painted by Kerry Nobbs. Photo: Troy Kenny, shared courtesy of Have You Seen The Old Gold Coast Facebook page.

“Funny thing, we had a monster gig at The Patch that night and it would be a long time before I dared to walk on a stage through a purple haze again.

“We talked about that night for years after and were so bummed when the place closed its doors.

“So there you have it. A story with no bones, no bull and a little grime. Much like The Patch.”

Gold FM Live plays NightQuarter, at Helensvale, on December 3.