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Claire Ward »
First there was rock.
Before wheels of steel were the norm and club kids were a dime a dozen, there was a time when the only background noise providing the soundtrack to Friday night drinks was a man and his guitar. Or a woman, but the point is, it was live and loud - perhaps not always lucid, but it was grungy and it came from the heart.
We've tracked down those institutions on the Australian bar-scape that refuse to let the dream die, serving up veritable rock music complete with sticky carpets and that certain odour that only beer and sweat combined can create.
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1
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Annandale Hotel
Annandale
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A veritable institution of the Australian music scene, these guys take their rock very seriously:
There's a sign on wall stating "Crowd Surfers & Stage Divers will be Prosecuted", you can buy tee shirts over the bar that say "F*ck this, I'm going to the Annandale", and their in-house Thai bistro goes by the name of Wok'n'Roll. Genius.
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2
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Pony
Melbourne
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Black walls, dodgy carpet and rock till 7am. Apparently there's also a little stuffed horse called 'Punch' that floats around the place. In 20 years you'll turn on ABC and Australian Story will be interviewing an ageing rockstar who will talk about how alive this little haunt was. He will also warn of the long-term effects of wearing tight black jeans. Hindsight is a beautiful thing.
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3
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Northcote Social Club
Northcote
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Well and truly living up to its name, friends and music lovers converge on this unpretentious cultural hotspot and revel in its easy-going-ness.
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4
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Esplanade Hotel
St Kilda
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The century-old Espy should be awarded a medal for its contribution to the Victorian music scene. Every week sees around 50 bands performing over their three stages.
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5
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Capitol
Perth
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This genre-spanning establishment is a favourite for everyone from international touring artists to local DJ outfits.
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6
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Republic Bar and Cafe
North Hobart
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This place has a definite civilised air about it, with cafe-style furniture, an open fireplace and loads of locals, proving that a pub needn't have blacked-out windows and smell like puke in order to host live music.
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7
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Transit Bar
City
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Nestled in under the local backpackers, this little boozer ensures that our nation's capital is well represented to all those cheerful Swedes.
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8
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Ric's Bar
Fortitude Valley
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Ric's welcomes both big guns and nobodies with open arms. If you're hungry for food as well as entertainment, Fatboy's Cafe inside is open till late most nights. Though some smart-arse local came up with the moniker "Fatrics" - which kind of freaks me out.
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9
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Governor Hindmarsh Hotel
Hindmarsh
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Fondly dubbed 'The Gov', this sprawling Adelaide pub has seen international artists such as Gomez, Dinosaur Jr and even Grand Master Flash. There's also an open mic night - but be careful, it's like a jungle sometimes.
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 flagging ...
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