Developer explains commitment to new Brisbane live music venue

The builder behind the construction of a new live music venue in Brisbane has told ABC Radio that the development is a 'labour of love'.

Scott Hutchinson is spending $43 million on the new venue, looking to replace the void left city’s former Festival Hall which closed in 2003.

Planned to open in the spring of 2019, work is currently underway on the project at 312 Brunswick Street in Fortitude Valley under the working title of Fortitude Hall.

Hutchinson told ABC Radio Brisbane “(the venue is) in The Valley, not in the middle of the city, and it's not a good business decision at all, it's a labour of love.

"I thought Brisbane had its heart ripped out of it when we lost Festival Hall and I've always wanted to replace it.

"Festival Hall was the centre and when it got knocked down I thought if I get the chance to do something, I'll do something about it."

Hutchinson (pictured below), who is also a patron of QMusic (Queensland's music industry development association), said the new venue would service a noticeable gap in the market since Festival Hall's demolition.

He advised "Fortitude Valley has the best concentration of small music venues in the country and that's why BigSound, Australia's music conference, is held in Brisbane every year.

"It's our South by Southwest and this will give an anchor to The Valley and make it more valuable as a music location.

"It won't just be going to see the thing at Festival Hall, it's also about the music you experience on the way home or beforehand."

He added that the new project would "ensure live music remained a backbone of the Australian music scene".

The development will see the 3,500-capacity venue complement The Triffid, which Hutchinson Builders opened in the inner-northwest suburb of Newstead in 2014.

Hutchinson explained “bands are more concerned about not filling a venue rather than having excess capacity.”

The venue, like The Triffid, will be operated by former Powderfinger bassist John Collins (JC) and Paul Piticco (Secret Sounds) who are behind Splendour In The Grass.

Hutchinson added “the guys and the team behind Splendour In The Grass will make the decision on the name of the venue.”