What happened to the Playroom on the Gold Coast

The Playroom on the Gold Coast in Queensland surely stands as one of Australias finest entertainment venues. Home for locals and tourists and always supporting Australian culture, it began as a cabaret venue and transitioned into " Rock Central". Artists and music fans speak highly and fondly of this wonderful place. Three (3) decades of fun and frivolity has ensured it will always remain deep in people's hearts and memories.
Also to those sadly no longer with us mentioned here, may you rest in peace ❤️
Thanks to my brother @robdido he pushes all the buttons backstage.
buymeacoffee.com/robdido
My Books:
The Bob King Collection - amzn.to/3YgV8eT
Plastered - Murray Walding amzn.to/3XToyzp
New Rock'N'Roll - Coupe & Baker amzn.to/3zyWl6N
Cold Chisel - Michael Lawrence amzn.to/4f0xIju
Rob Hirst Willies Bar Grill - amzn.to/4cQvr8E
Sound as Ever - Jane Gazzo amzn.to/4cGpImw
Every Pic Story - Tony Mott amzn.to/3W1PbiO
RnR Photography - Tony Mott amzn.to/3zzTTNo
Photography of Phillip Morris
Roadies - Stuart Coupe
It's a Roadies Job - Ron Clayton
RAM and Juke and On the Street magazines
Thanks
@Gioia67
Credits:
Queensland State Library
www.slq.qld.gov.au/
Facebook Page
/ playroomrockcentral
ABC Radio Gold Coast
www.abc.net.au/listen/live/go...
Thanks to the fans who shared their stories.

[@Robochop-vz3qm]

Our family would drive past the Playroom all the time in 70s and 80s. We were just kids, but I remember the hysteria and lines of people. Back then it was this joint, the Patch in the 80s, Jet Club, Bombay Rock, a few others... Twin Towns and Seagulls drew the big acts too..

[@Gioia67]

Being near that main highway it sure would have attracted attention. Yes quite a few music venues were all thriving back then

[@billyshane3804]

Wow!! You have brought back some great Playroom ,Jet Club, Bombay Rock. You are a champion, thank you so much.

[@Gioia67]

Tha k you ✌️🎶😍

[@naturalexplorer]

Very well done. Really value and appreciate you creatively capturing Australian musical history. There has been monumental talent in this country that has not been actively promoted. Great talent has its day and quickly gets minimalised by those in the music industry interested in the next quick buck. Together with the regulated, monopolised control that closed so many classic venues. A carpark - insane. What you are doing has highly significant value for Australian music history/entertainment and culture. Thanks very much.

[@Gioia67]

@@naturalexplorer Thank you. Much appreciated 👏 ✌️

[@petersurjan6638]

Love the videos.Please do Revesby Roundhouse,Penshurst den many thanks

[@Gioia67]

Will do ✌️👌👏

[@andrewfuller62]

I can still (sort of, through a haze of smoke) remember seeing The Psychedelic Furs there back in about 1983 at The Playroom. This was the first tour that they had a cello player with them following the release of the Forever Now album.

[@Gioia67]

Cool. Thanks for sharing. They played in Oz this year actually ✌️😊

[@vech400]

I watched Ganggajang play there NYE ‘91 when I was 17yo. I was on Chrissy holidays with the family staying at Burleigh and walked there and back along the trail out round the point. Awesome night.

[@Gioia67]

Fabulous. A great band Gangajang!

[@edgeGabe]

I remember the Arts Factory in Byron, as Tweed Heads was the limit of my venture into Queensland at 18.

[@Gioia67]

Lol I did a Contiki tour to Qld when I was 20

[@Pawstamp101]

I was a playroom gal, thankyou so much for this footage

[@Gioia67]

@@Pawstamp101 you're welcome 🥰🥰

[@kellyswoodyard]

The Jet Club was another haunt I frequently slithered around, back in the day.

[@CryptoSteve007]

She has already done Dee why hotel.

[@Gioia67]

Think he means Jet club Coolangatta

[@arttyboo5923]

the photo booth an the chinese feed ya got with your ticket an all the chinese vomit on the floor hahahaha great venue

[@Gioia67]

I'll try to do that one too 🎶💥👍

[@mikerobo2112]

I was on the Gold coast at the time in the late 90s. A few x rock stars voiced thier dissaproval at the closure,but not much effort was put forward to save it. The locals were miffed but i didnt see any real pushback to save it from them either. I suspect developers were involved.

[@Gioia67]

Agree - Everything really is about money irrespective of killing a music culture of sorts

[@benbatty1859]

im subbing right now x.. 3 vids in i love this woman bout time folks! do it

[@Gioia67]

Thank you ✌️👍👌💥🎶

[@GilbertMcGovern-ys2ji]

I never ventured over the border of NSW to see live music As Sydney pretty much wore the crown in the golden Era. And bands from all of Australia … North,south,east,and west knew that to make it,Sydney was the career launching pad for success and the door way to overseas However venues like the Playroom were integral in the national live music landscape and each state had its own great venues such as the Playroom Thank you Gioia for another wonderful and memorable video of the history of Australian music venues,they are always great to watch You have a gift ! Keep them coming Happy days

[@Gioia67]

@GilbertMcGovern-ys2ji thank you. This one fascinated me. What a legend Beryl was ✌️✌️✌️

[@GilbertMcGovern-ys2ji]

Very very true Gioia regarding Breyl … A classic lady … They don’t make them like that anymore !

[@Gioia67]

Isn't that the truth!✌️

[@GilbertMcGovern-ys2ji]

Just watched the clip of the James Reyne gig in Erina on the central coast Have a read of the comment I left … You might have a little chuckle ! 😂

[@Gioia67]

@@GilbertMcGovern-ys2ji 😆😆😆

[@resoslideguitar]

Thanks for a great insight into The Playroom, some of its history, bands and performers, much loved by most Gold Coasters over the years. Brings back great memories. Even had the pleasure of playing there myself a number of times.

[@Gioia67]

@@resoslideguitar there were even more tales to tell 😍😆 but time constraints

[@michaelmcdonald3275]

Back in the days of Grundy's Family Entertaniment Centre !

[@Gioia67]

Now Timezone I believe? Cheers

[@edinsoncavani1503]

This just popped up on my feed. Me just being in 20s you just have to appreciate old school. And way you speak is so smooth so thanks for the little education 😎 subbed and liked

[@Gioia67]

Thank you. Part of the reason I started the channel was to educate the young kids that missed out on the vibrant music scene where people supported so many Australian bands. Cheers. Thanks for the support

[@edinsoncavani1503]

@@Gioia67 that’s awesome! You give me a bit of my child hood vibes of when I was my primary school days (music class) 💙😂 (in a great way of course) I absolutely love that! Your doing great I’ll definitely be watching more of this, keep the awesome work ✌🏽old school all the way 😎

[@Gioia67]

@@edinsoncavani1503 haha love it Tha ks 👍👍👍

[@stevemillar4248]

When I was just old enough to drink, a mate of mine talked me into going to the Playroom with him to see the Psychotic Turnbuckles - a punk band who all dressed in leotards like old school wrestlers. My mate wound me up all week - "It's gonna be such an awesome night!" etc. - then he proceeded to get thrown out by the bouncers during the very first song, for nailing the Turnbuckles' front man in the head with a full beer can of beer from the back of the room! It was a magnificent throw, but a jaw-droppingly stupid idea. Shout out to the Psychotic Turnbuckles for playing on like nothing happened. I enjoyed the show, anyway! 20 years later, I got to hang out with Run-DMC on my final visit to the 'Room. Good times.

[@Gioia67]

@stevemillar4248 lol oh no! Psychotic Turnbuckles playing in Sydney this weekend 🤣✌️💥🎶

[@stevemillar4248]

@@Gioia67 Hardest working punk wrestlers in the country! 😁

[@queenslander7756]

Got seriously laid on the sands at Tallebudgera Creek in the 90’s after a gig with my Cold Chisel/ Jimmy Barnes tribute band at the Playroom! Will always remember that venue for many reasons!😁 Would love to see your coverage of the Astra Hotel at Bondi Beach. Please keep up the good work!

[@Gioia67]

Thanks. Yes I nearly forgot about the Astra Cheers ✌️✌️✌️

[@queenslander7756]

@@Gioia67 ❤️👍🏼

[@Horatio411]

Another great one Gioia. Its weird cos your shows such as this put me in two minds. 1: Melancholy and happy to see such great vids and to know I have seen these places and bands. 2: Angry and sad that these places were shut or pulled down cos of beurocratic bullshit

[@Gioia67]

@@Horatio411 exactly how it makes me feel ✌️✌️✌️

[@kayessGuitars]

I remember playing at the Playroom in the early 90's. Great memories and thanks for the reminisce Gioia

[@Gioia67]

Glad you enjoyed it Cheers 😆

[@warwick4763]

Thanks 🙏 for bringing back some fantastic memories of touring QLD and the rest of the country with my brother Rigger and he’s crew as a roadie in the 80’s fun times indeed

[@Gioia67]

It's been a pleasure researching and discovering facts and people's memories of these fantastic venues. The Playroom was definitely a favourite with the locals. Cheers

[@warwick4763]

It’s a pity more great venues like we had in 80s and 90s that supported great music and entertainment don’t exist anymore even RSL and Clubs let alone all the free outdoor concerts from 2SM at Victoria Park(Broadway)and the Opera House steps don’t happen anymore Rock and Roll 🤘 was King back then thanks for your vlogs

[@ozziejohn571]

Great recording of history. Well done.

[@Gioia67]

Thank you 🎶💥✌️

[@digdigger4277]

My boss in the Waterloo Hotel was their son Gary Carnell, he was a real tough nut, never around alot, not a nice guy at all really, as I can remember - being an underpaid over worked duty manager for the Austotel Group. He ran the Transformers Nightclub in Brisbane as well. Gary was obssessed with his little boat at the time. I saw Simple Minds at the Playroom, maybe chisel or the angels as well...

[@Gioia67]

Simple Minds Wow! 🎶💥✌️

[@WearySteerer]

And the local bus route literally stopped at the front door, so you didn't have to drive there. But I guess the day time beach crowd just needed more parking in the end.

[@Gioia67]

Lol great days 👍💥✌️

[@kellyswoodyard]

I can remember seeing Cold Chisel, amongst lots of others in there and that was one of the most out of control gigs I've ever been to. The Playroom was packed to the gills, Chisel were on fire, and the owner, I think her name was Beryl, was on stage with them and some lewd and crude acts were in progress. A night to remember.

[@resoslideguitar]

yep I was there that night

[@Gioia67]

@@kellyswoodyard 😎😎😎🎶🎶🎶✌️✌️✌️

[@DavidJones-pv8zu]

Beryl Carnell. I was at school with her son at Southport.

[@jrnqproductions9939]

What a shame! Times change but you can't help but wonder why the building would be acquired simply to put a car park there...I guess the government has always hated music and artists, and nightlife...so they slowly phased them out You could regard the end of King's Cross nightlife as the capstone to all those decades of effort!

[@Gioia67]

@jrnqproductions9939 I think the lockout laws were a deliberate effort to begin the gentrification of the Cross. It's so obvious now. Sport is No 1 in this country. Music will never cat h up unfortunately 👍💥✌️

[@Gioia67]

Yes and the carpark is very far away from the Rec Centre. It could have co existed. Councillors and public servants are not the smartest cookies in this country 👍✌️💥

[@TheHandymanQld]

Just watched the one on Caringbah pub, south of Sydney. Brilliant stuff though I didn't frequent the place much. Sylvania pub was the one I frequented during this time, way way better than Caringbah. I saw all of the bands that were around at the time I'm sure, The early to mid '80s was the best of times .... Please, please please do one on the Sylvania pub :)

[@Gioia67]

💯 will Cheers

[@TheHandymanQld]

@@Gioia67 Thank you ... I shall keep my eyes peeled for the post 🤗

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

☝️ great part of rocknroll history 🙏❤️ thanks very much for putting it on the record 👍🏻

[@Gioia67]

@jesusislukeskywalker4294 thanks for the support 😍✌️🎶

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

@@Gioia67. i think what you’re doing is really great. the playroom was a really special place and none the likes we will really see again 😔 especially with the calibre of bands.. times have changed.

[@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz9]

Social media happened across the world.

[@Gioia67]

Yeh social media has so many pros and cons 👍

[@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz9]

@Gioia67 There are more lonely people in the world today than there has been. Social media should have bought people closer together, but it's had the opposite effect . So more cons than any pros.

[@TerenceBischoff]

Great venue however it was too close to the GC Highway. And overly intoxicated would stumble out onto a busy highway. Drunks sleeping next to the highway, next to the river and in the backyards of local residents. The shows were great but the after event troubles meant it had go go...

[@Gioia67]

Thats a good point - probably not an ideal location site

[@biggils8894]

What ever happened to Australia is more the question. It’s only a matter of time till they actually rename the country to something more appropriate. The Gold Coast council is just in business with the developers to only build residential ant mounds bcse that’s where the money is at. It’s just a beach and coffee shops and thousands of high rises and roads getting smaller and more congested. No adult entertainment at all

[@kristinburton4953]

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛 💛💛

[@Gioia67]

Thanks for the support 💥👌✌️😃

[@peterk2455]

Bob Beattie, the Qld premier that made old Joh and Russ Hinze look like amateurs when it came to bent political maneuvers. Billions of $$ and property was moved around for the 'commonwealth games'.

[@Gioia67]

Interesting. What an awful period the 70s was for Australian artists living in Brisbane

[@stufromoz8164]

It went the way of the revolution....they all got stoned and drifted away.......?????

[@Gioia67]

@@stufromoz8164 🤣🤣🤣✌️✌️✌️

[@gregorybaillie2093]

Special time special place thanx for the memories and all the best Gioia.

[@Gioia67]

Cheers Glad people are enjoying it 😄