Northcote Social Club Is Marking Two Decades of Beers and Bands — and It's Celebrating with a Two-Month, 20-Gig Birthday Party
Northcote Social Club is officially hitting the big 2-0, and it's inviting old and new friends back to the stage for a two-month-long birthday party.
This year, Northcote Social Club is celebrating two decades of beers, bands and big nights on High Street — and it'll be throwing an appropriately massive party to usher in its third decade. From Monday, June 30, the northside hotspot is kicking off a stacked birthday program dubbed 20 Gigs for 20 Years, with two months of shows and parties featuring some of the artists and communities who have helped to shape the venue's story so far.
Since opening in 2005, the sister venue to Richmond's iconic Corner Hotel has transformed from an if-you-know-you-know neighbourhood bandroom to a bona fide Melbourne music institution. It's played host to everything from debut sets to secret shows (Pixies and Lady Gaga are among the acts to have graced the High Street stage), and also been a launching pad for headline Australian acts like Courtney Barnett and Camp Cope, among a heap of others.
For its 20th birthday, the Club is inviting back old and new mates to light up the stage once more. Expect live sets from favourites like Kingswood, Nai Palm, Augie March (pictured below), Alice Ivy, Jazzparty, Briggs' new band Big Noter (pictured above) and a bunch more, as well as curated takeovers by PBS, Northside Records, Collective Artists and Poison City Records. The celebrations will conclude with a huge closing party on Friday, August 29 — the lineup for that night is still under wraps, but it'll feature a number of special guests.
And because Northcote Social Club has always been about community as much as chords, it's inviting anyone who's enjoyed a drink or a dance floor moment to drop a note or a photo into its front-bar letterbox. Include your contact details with your memory and you could score a free double pass to the 20th birthday show of your choice, a $100 food and bev voucher or a merch pack. You don't just need to submit a memory to score a prize, though — buy a ticket to any of the 20th anniversary shows and you'll go in the running to win the NSC Golden Ticket: 12 double passes to any shows over the next 12 months.
"A friend once told me that walking into the NSC feels like a big warm hug — and that's exactly the kind of place we've always strived to be," says Venue Manager Emily Ferris, who joined the team at Northcote Social Club in 2005. "I'm so excited to see familiar faces returning to the venue — artists and punters alike — to celebrate what this place has meant to so many of us over the years."
Northcote Social Club's 20 Gigs for 20 Years is on from Monday, June 30–Friday, August 29 at 301 High Street, Northcote. For the full lineup and to buy tickets, head to the venue's website.
Top image: Ian Laidlaw.
- It's Eurovision Time: Here's When You Can Watch 2025's Song Contest (with Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act Hosting Australia's Coverage)
- The Best Glamping Sites Around Australia
- The Eight Best Coastal Spots for Whale Watching Across Australia
- Eight Unexpected Natural Wonders to Visit Around Victoria
- The Best Places in Melbourne to Take Your Mum This Mother's Day (or Any Day)
- Ten of the Best Walks in and Around Melbourne