After sitting vacant for a number of months, Brisbane's famed live music institution The Zoo is back from the dead, given new life by another stalwart of the music industry.
Crowbar – renowned for championing alternative, punk and heavy scenes – will take over The Zoo, creating new chapters for both venues, ensuring the legacy of one of Australia's finest supporters of indie music (The Zoo has run and operated for 32 years) and solidifying the reputation of Crowbar who are intent on fostering the next generation of local music heroes.Crowbar was forced to close (at its hybrid home at The Brighside) during the pandemic. It's a nostalgic moment in many regards for Crowbar co-owner Trad Nathan, who opened Crowbar Brisbane with life partner Tyla Dombroski in 2012. "The Zoo has been an institution in Brisbane for over three decades, Crowbar intends to honour the amazing path laid before us and continue offering great events for years to come," Nathan says.
"As a former punter, band member, booker and promoter, playing The Zoo was a great achievement for aspiring bands, we're excited to be able to keep music within its walls."
Crowbar Brisbane quickly garnered a local reputation for supporting the underground scene with an artist-driven ethos fostering a haven for passionate live music fans. They launched Crowbar Sydney in 2018 before the Brisbane space became an early casualty of the pandemic, shuttering in 2020.
The same passion and dedication to live music Nathan, Dombroski and their team have demonstrated and enacted with Crowbar will transfer to the next evolution of The Zoo.
Trad Nathan and Tyla Dombroski
"We are so grateful to have the opportunity to work with the landlords, the Apostolos family, in maintaining the property as a live music venue," Dombroski says, who is also a board member of Sound NSW, and president of the newly formed Live Music Venues Alliance.
"Our focus is to continue providing a great space for artists and music lovers, while working with industry and government to ensure the survival of grassroots venues across Australia."
The relaunch will also see Crowbar's American-inspired restaurant Ultimate Pig serving up a mouth-watering assortment of smashed burgers, barbecue, fried chicken and more, alongside vegan and vegetarian options.
Renowned mural artist and designer Callum Preston will handle the visual rebranding, creating a refreshed identity for this exciting new chapter.
Brisbane punters can expect a stacked line-up of local, national and international talent inside a venue that remains within the heart of the Fortitude Valley's live music landscape. Stay tuned for more updates.
