Brisbane live music venue the Zoo to close after 32 years

Brisbane live music venue The Zoo has announced that it will cease operation this July after 32 years in business, with owners saying that the venue is not financially viable.

The 500-capacity venue, which opened in 1992, is one of the longest standing live music spaces in Brisbane's entertainment hub Fortitude Valley.

During its history, it has played host to thousands artists from Australia and overseas, including artists such as Powderfinger, Lorde and the Pixies.

The closure, and that of sister venue Stranded, was advised in a statement posted to social media yesterday morning, the venue said that it would close as it is no longer financially viable.

The Zoo’s owner, Shane Chidgzey, cited a “perfect storm” of forces leading to its closure, including cost-of-living pressures and declining alcohol consumption among young people.

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Speaking to Guardian Australia, Chidgzey said the venue’s current revenue was at roughly 60% of the previous financial year, advising “the model is broken, unfortunately, when it comes to music venues.

“We only make money on alcohol sales.

“You’ve got a cost-of-living crisis in Australia, which is huge … and there’s a new trend of not drinking, which is a wonderful trend for health but not so good for bars.”

The Zoo’s booker, Nathan Farrell, told the Guardian in March that while more tickets were sold in 2023 than in any year in the Zoo history, the amount of money people were spending on drinks once through the door was well down.

Chidgzey also cited audiences saving their money for big-ticket international artists including Taylor Swift, as well as the skyrocketing cost of insurance, which had nearly doubled in the past two years from $35,000 to $65,000.

Chidgzey said the venue’s increased insurance costs were partially driven by the venue’s location in a safe night precinct, a Queensland Government initiative to curb alcohol-related violence in entertainment zones that began in 2014.

The Zoo’s location in the precinct, Chidgzey said, put it at a profound financial disadvantage, despite there only having been one insurance claim in the venue’s history.

The Zoo’s sister venue, the 250-capacity Stranded, which will close its doors at the end of this week. Stranded, housed in the same building as the Zoo, was named after the 1976 debut single by the legendary Brisbane band the Saints.

Images: The Zoo will close for good after 32 years this July (top and below, credit: The Zoo/Will Johnstone).