Overview
In a year that's already seen The Zoo say goodbye (ahead of its space reopening as the new Crowbar), another go-to for Brisbane's music fans is also bidding farewell. A West End favourite for over a decade, record store Jet Black Cat Music is shutting up shop before 2024 is out. More than just a place to buy tunes, the Vulture Street venue has also hosted gigs and parties — and held its own music festival over at The Tivoli.
Your last day to head by: Saturday, December 28, 2024, which gives you somewhere to splash your Christmas cash to send off this inner-city haunt. While its physical digs are closing, Jet Black Cat Music will live on, however, thankfully keeping its website up and running.
The JBCM team announced the news on social media, noting that "we are shape-shifting, moving on from our bricks-and-mortar shop in West End, and taking on a few form as we continue to grow into our new life which is all about bringing great music and people together through touring and events".
The statement continued: "Jet Black Cat Music on the corner of Thomas and Vulture streets in downtown West End has been the most wonderful and lengthy chapter of my life so far, WOW! The store has been a magical portal, we have hosted so many of my favourite artists such as Aldous Harding, Julia Jacklin, Angie McMahon, Dick Diver, Twerps, Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher, Haley Heyndrickx, The Beth's, M Ward, Weyes Blood, Sharon Van Etten, Frankie Cosmos, Sampa The Great, Marlon Williams, Phantastic Ferniture, Toro Y Moi, Dry Cleaning, Charli xcx, Marina Allen, Christian Lee Hutson, Big Scary, Floodlights ... and opened up a pathway into promoting tours and presenting great shows in far and wide locations".
Before settling into its current home, Jet Black Cat Music began its life at Davies Park Markets. It plans not only to remain online, but to also be part of "pop-ups, markets, festivals, listening parties and things that haven't even been dreamt up yet", the crew also revealed.
January 2025 would've marked 14 years of JBCM on Vulture Street — and just as long of lengthy lines around the corner on Record Store Day, as well as spotting the store's black tote bags around town.
Find Jet Black Cat Music at 72 Vulture Street, West End — open 9am–4pm Thursday–Saturday — until Saturday, December 28, 2024. The store will live on online; head to the Jet Black Cat Music website for more details.
Top image: Google Maps.