The Bombay Rock is a rock music venue located on Sydney Road, Brunswick, Victoria, Australia, which originally ran from 1977 until it was destroyed by a fire in 1991. The venue had previously been located in Bourke Street in the city under the name of the Bombay Bicycle Club. Operated by

Joe Gualtieri Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * Joe (1970 film), ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * Joe (2013 film), ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * Joe (TV series), ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from ...

, it was described in the 1980s as "…an old style rock barn … with all the style and grace of a converted factory" and was to the working class, what ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' was to the Middle Class.''The Age'' 29 Feb 1980, p.42
/ref> The Bombay rock was then renowned for both the range of important Australian bands that performed there, and the regular violent fights among its patrons, with hardly a night going by without a fight. Australian Photographer

Rennie Ellis Reynolds Mark Ellis (11 November 194019 August 2003) was an Australian social and social documentary photographer. He also worked, at various stages of his life, as an advertising copywriter, seaman, lecturer, television presenter and founder of ...

captured a number of performers at the venue in the 1980s, including

Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons are an Australian blues and rock band that features the singer, songwriter and saxophonist Joe Camilleri (aka "Jo Jo Zep"). The band was active in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and had several Australian chart hits i ...

, Other bands to play there included

INXS INXS (a word play, phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian Rock music, rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band's founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboar ...

Australian Crawl Australian Crawl (often called Aussie Crawl or The Crawl by fans) were an Australian rock band founded by James Reyne (lead vocals/piano/harmonica), Brad Robinson (rhythm guitar), Paul Williams (bass), Simon Binks (lead guitar) and David R ...

, The Angels,

Cold Chisel Cold Chisel are an Australian pub rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1973 by mainstay members Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums and Don Walker on piano and keyboards. They were soon joined by Jimmy Barnes (at the ...

XTC XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in ...

, The Sunnyboys,

Flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

JAB A jab is a type of punch used in martial arts. Several variations of the jab exist, but every jab shares these characteristics: while in a fighting stance, the lead fist is thrown straight ahead and the arm is fully extended from the side of ...

, The Church,

Kevin Borich Kevin Nicholas Borich (born 27 October 1948, Huapai, North Island, New Zealand) is a New Zealand-born Australian guitarist and singer-songwriter. He was a founding member of The La De Das, the leader of Kevin Borich Express, and a founding memb ...

The Sports The Sports were an Australian Rock music, rock group which performed and recorded between 1976 and 1981. Mainstay members were Stephen Cummings on lead vocals and Robert Glover on bass guitar, with long-term members such as Paul Hitchins on dru ...

, Lonely Hearts, Sherbet,

The Zorros The Zorros were an Australian rock band, formed in 1979, comprising Nic Chancellor on lead vocals, Darren Smith on lead guitar, Alex Zammit on bass guitar and Greg Pedley on drums. Biography The Zorros were formed in Brunswick as a punk r ...

, Dave Warner's From the Suburbs and

Skyhooks Skyhook, sky hook or skyhooks may refer to: Fiction * 'Skyhooks' or 'Skyhooks II', parts 1 and 8 respectively of the Adventure Time Elements (miniseries), Elements miniseries. * ''Sky Hook'', a Hugo-award nominated science fiction fanzine * Sk ...

. Once established, Bombay rock also hosted a number of international acts including

Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer. He was previously the lead vocalist of R&B and rock band the Animals and funk band War. He is regarded as one of the British Invasion's most distinctive singers with his deep, powe ...

, Steppenwolf,

The Knack The Knack was an American rock band based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with its first single, "My Sharona", an international number-one hit in 1979. History Founding (1977–1978) Singer Doug Fieger was a native of Oak Park, Michigan, a no ...

Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, incl ...

, Boomtown Rats, and New Zealand band, Mi Sex. The album: ''Stars: Live At Bombay Rock'', was recorded at Bombay Rock on 18 October 1979.

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Ca ...

performed several times in the late 1970s with his band The Boys Next Door. Dave Warner's band ''From the Suburbs'' recorded the albu
Free Kicks
at Bombay Rock in November 1978. The Bombay Rock features in the film ''

Death in Brunswick ''Death in Brunswick'' is a 1990 Australian black comedy/romance starring Sam Neill, Zoe Carides and John Clarke. It is based on the 1987 comic novel of the same name by Boyd Oxlade. At the APRA Music Awards of 1991, "Death in Brunswick" won F ...

'', representing itself as a dangerous and sleazy music venue. Ray Argall's film ''The Models'' includes footage of the Bombay Rock. The track '' Beautiful People'' (1979) by

includes a reference to the Bombay Rock night club in Brunswick. It was frequented by some famous gangland identities including

Judy Moran Judith Maryanne Moran (née Brooks; born 18 December 1944) is the matriarch of the Moran criminal family of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, involved in the Melbourne gangland killings. Personal life Moran was born in Victoria on 18 December 194 ...

and

Alphonse Gangitano Alphonse John Gangitano (22 April 1957 – 16 January 1998) was an Australian criminal from Melbourne, Victoria. Nicknamed the "Black Prince of Lygon Street", Gangitano was the face of an underground organisation known as the Carlton Crew. H ...

. Following reconstruction after the fire, the building retained its 19th-century facade, and became the site of the Beach Nightclub, eventually closing. In May 2018 EMS have decided to breathe some new life into the venue under the management of Asher Trainor and Kacey Knoodle. Trading back under th
Bombay Rock
name They aim to stick to the roots as much as possible with live music every Friday and Saturday, cheap drinks and parties till late. Under this iteration of the bands such as Australian Kingswood Factory, Muscle Car, Sforzando, Strawberry Fist Cake, Ferocious Chode, Murder Rats, Riot After Midnight, Parmy Dhillon & the New Science, Lace & Whiskey and Wolfpack. Post the COVID 19 pandemic, in 2021 new venue management and bookers were tasked with revitalising the offering into a late night Dance Club. Venue entertainment direction has been managed by long time Melbourne music industry stalwart Dave 'Chestwig' Separvic and club royalty, DJ Post Percy and DJ Muska.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Bombay RockFacebook page
1977 establishments in Australia 1991 disestablishments in Australia Music venues in Melbourne Defunct nightclubs in Australia Nightclubs in Melbourne