Brisbane Venue Closes Amid Financial Troubles

The Zoo, a grassroots venue in Brisbane, has announced its closure after 32 years of providing a stage for emerging and established artists. The closing comes amid the financial realities in the live entertainment industry. 

In a statement, management shared, “As passionate music fans and proud members of the community, it’s impossibly hard to share the news that after nearly 32 years of live music, The Zoo will be closing its doors on July 8,” management said in a statement.

Since its opening in 1992, The Zoo has been a cornerstone of Brisbane’s cultural landscape, hosting an array of gigs and nurturing the city’s music community. With a capacity of 500, it served as a launching pad for various bands and musicians.

Despite record ticket sales in its final year of operation, The Zoo found itself unable to stave off the financial pressures.

“The hard truth is that we’ve been running at a loss for over 3 years,” management continued in the statement. “Despite exploring every avenue available to us, we could not secure the level of support needed to surmount the continued financial strain. We have no choice but to call last drinks for both our beloved music venues. Our sister venue Stranded will also be wrapping up, ceasing trade on Monday May 6th.” 

In the face of such challenges, The Zoo’s management continues to urge concert goers to support local venues and advocate for governmental intervention.

“We hope you’ll continue to support local live music and keep the scene alive in Brisbane and nationwide,” The Zoo said. “We encourage you to advocate for live music, to implore our government and music bodies to do everything they can to prevent more venues from closing their doors due to industry-wide financial pressure that is decimating venues across the country.”