Cherry Bar Is Reopening Its Doors on AC/DC Lane — Temporarily
After closing in March to move to a new location, the famed bar is throwing open its original doors for a limited time.
When Melbourne's legendary live music hot-spot Cherry Bar closed its famed AC/DC Lane doors in March, it reached the end of an era after almost two decades of dishing up its signature rock 'n' roll-infused revelry. The venue is planning to move to a new CBD location, but it isn't done with its old digs just yet — from Friday, May 3, it'll reopen at its original site for a limited time.
After taking to Facebook in January to break the move news, the venue announced its short-term return via the platform this week, revealing that its original plans to reopen at a new Melbourne address have been pushed back. The return comes courtesy of a delay on the settlement of the AC/DC Lane site's sale, which looks set to continue. "We're sick and tired of paying rent on a closed and viable live music venue in Melbourne," the post notes — and "we're sick and tired of looking at an empty stage that could and should be hosting local bands and late night revellers".
During the revival, Melburnians can head by on Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm–5am and pretend that nothing has changed. Just how long Cherry Bar will be partying in its initial home hasn't been revealed, but gigs are scheduled until at least July 18.
When Cherry Bar does farewell its original haunt again, it'll be a case of pulling up roots in an effort to ensure the Cherry Bar legacy lives on strong. "It is my intention to take the name, the staff and the sticky carpet to a new Melbourne address with a long lease and a safe and secure future for live local music and late night rock n roll revelry," co-owner and booker James Young stated in the January Facebook post. The new location is yet to be revealed.
The Cherry Bar story has been as colourful as it is long, the space playing host to everyone from the Arctic Monkeys to Lady Gaga, and amassing an army of die-hard fans over its lifetime. Back in 2014, the venue took just three days to crowdfund $90,000 for necessary soundproofing works, following the threat of mass noise complaints from a new residential building erected next door.
Find Cherry Bar at AC/DC Lane, Melbourne open from 5pm–5am Fridays and Saturdays for a limited time.
Images: Visit Victoria/Jake Roden.
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