nup

Continental vibe?

VENUES #1: THE TOFF IN TOWN LAUNCHES

Melbourne's newest venue, The Toff In Town opens Tuesday April 3 on the second floor at Curtin House in the city's Chinatown. It is the third venue collaboration between Camillo Ippoliti and architect Phillip Schemnitz, after Revolver and Cookie. Ippoliti is co-owner with Tim Peach, who purchased Curtin House eight years ago.

The Toff In Town will have a performance space and a club/bar area with late night dining. The performance space ranges from 150 fully seated and 300 standing only, with a studio above so bands can listen to the recording immediately after their performance. It plans to showcase pop, country, ensembles, dance, comedy, and theatre. The club bar will feature local DJs. It has a train carriage running down the centre, made up of booths that can be made as private as desired by closing doors and pulling down blinds. Reservations can be taken for the booths.

Phillip Schemnitz says he was inspired by the dangerous thrill of the area in olden days. "This precinct contained the early red-light district of the Melbourne and clandestine brothels and opium dens lay hidden down back lanes, behind heavy, dark doors that opened onto narrow stairs leading to mazes of rooms high above street level. It must have been an exotic, dangerous and illicit area. Perhaps it's no coincidence, then, that Melbourne is the home of many speak-easy style secret bars that are known by word of mouth and have succeeded to draw patrons without resort to signage, Revolver, Cookie and now The Toff In Town being prime examples."

Belles will Ring are having their album launch there too...

Raising the Curtin

Larissa Dubecki
April 4, 2007

A new late-night music venue promises to breathe yet more life into a Swanston Street landmark.

...
It's an opulent space featuring brass, leather and marble fittings, secret doors, a cabaret-style music area reminiscent of the defunct, much lamented Continental in Prahran, and private railway carriage-like booths with sliding doors.
...

how many ppl do yall think are gonna be havin sex in the carriage???? lots i say

I saw New Buffalo there. It's not bad. Curtin House has everything! A roooftop cinema, the Toff in Town and uh, Cookie.

Shit name, but.

I'm never ever telling anyone that I'm going to "The Toff In Town." Or "I'll meet you at The Toff In Town" - nup, can't do it.

I read the other day that one of the owners wanted to call it "The Curtin Club" which I think is much better than "The Toff in Town".

it'll get shortened to something useful, this is australia afterall.

surely you'd just shorten it to The Toff?

the stage:

Or the TIT.

since when was Curtin House in Chinatown?

pfft. trying to get 'back st cred'.

I took exception to the "in Chinatown" label too. I guess it beats "across the road from Melbourne's historic den of idiocy, Lounge, and its similarly legendary neighbour Off Ya Tree".

ps... susanne, nice work!

Melbourne is the home of many speak-easy style secret bars that are known by word of mouth and have succeeded to draw patrons without resort to signage, Revolver, Cookie and now The Toff In Town being prime examples.

Oh yes, where would we be without that private little hideaway bar 'Revolver'.

Hahaha yes, revolver is such a shrinking violet!

serious? that's retarded! although it would make a good venue for dancing / djs. if they kept the lineups tasteful

Bands play there because the sound is freakin great.

Its a wonderful venue, It just caters badly to its demographic, they should stop booking great local music and start doing over thirties suit nights at those prices.

someone i know who regularly DJs in the carriage section mentioned that they were going to increase the club nights there. ''Meccanoid'' seems to be the first club night off the rank. It would be pretty cool but i can't see the venue (well the bandroom) as a bit of a dancey one. But i guess they are going to be using both rooms so it allows them to at least have two DJs on rotation.

Its a wonderful venue, It just caters badly to its demographic, they should stop booking great local music and start doing over thirties suit nights at those prices.

i'm going to have to agree with that.

Meccanoid is rad, but it seems so out of place for the room. Especially in the absence of smoke, everything is just so... clean and... visible.

so why are so many bands playing there if stuff is getting stolen, the sound guy is a dick, the fans cant afford to drink and the security stinks. surely there is more to playing a venue than a good payment? and is there that much money in it for the acts?

bands still play at revolter too, and I've yet to meet any fans of that place. and yes, I believe the payment is (or can be) rather good compared to other venues.

it shouldn't be about payment. it should be about doing something you love and want to share rather than something that you make money from. what ever happened to music for music's sake?

christ, at least at revolver you can still get a stubby of melbourne ... sure, it's $5 ( or perhaps $6 now, i haven't been in ages ), but you can GET it

i'd prefer revolver to the toff

sometimes payment is needed so bands can do something they love and share it with others. doesn't always mean they're not in it for the right reasons. most bands starting out and doing it for 'music's sake' end up completely out of pocket once they pay for a mixer and various other costs each and every time they play live.

as for toff, lovely room... yet to be dissapointed. if you're that fussed on prices (which are pretty standard door charges based on other venues), go see the band you want to see then get drunk elsewhere.

i wouldn't prefer revolver, but that's more to do with the location. chapel st is a pain in the arse to get to. and those stairs! last time i was there i nearly fell down them i was so drunk. they need a center railing.

heh. they have a centre railing don't they? doesn't seem to help much if they do.

hahaha, they have a centre railing at revolver ... you MUST have been drunk

door charges are not the problem with the toff

sometimes payment is needed so bands can do something they love and share it with others. doesn't always mean they're not in it for the right reasons. most bands starting out and doing it for 'music's sake' end up completely out of pocket once they pay for a mixer and various other costs each and every time they play live.

this is bullshit. jobs are for making money. lets be realistic here. fuck all bands in this country make money from being bands.

meh their center railing isn't visible when you're so smashed you can't SEE.

i'm not talking about making money, i'm talking about making enough to continue to do what you love. you really think bands are making money from playing gigs?? yeesh.

Meccanoid is rad, but it seems so out of place for the room.

yeah socks i think i get what you mean by that. Their other venues when i've gone fitted it pretty well- 2floorsup and public office. But they could deck Out the venue to match their theme... And i guess it already matches the Toff. I've seen some venues get out pretty well for parties. It's so awesome when they put in so much effort! makes me want to go to this night!

nah I'm guessing the bands who get weekend gigs at the likes of Revolver are used to playing for fuck all most of the time and grab the chance for a decent return once in a while. even if it does mean they're playing to disinterested chapel st types.

no of course i don't think bands are making money from playing gigs, considering i am one of them. i'm just saying that a guaranteed payment shouldn't necessarily mean an acceptance of a gig. i'm out of out pocket more often than not and i'm happy to be so. although my wallet usually grumbles about it.

bands play at revolver cause if you wanna play on the southside you need to choose between the espy and revolver, at least revolver has a member from remake remodel booking for them.

Just saw this in today's Beat:

''A Most Unusual Occasion'' are hosting a 1920-40s night.

damn that would be so cool! All those Top Hats and tails, fingerwaves, flapper dresses.

sigh