Bars With Great Live Music In Melbourne

In 2012 Billy Walsh, former Cosmic Psychos drummer and the man behind Melbourne’s iconic Cherry Bar, opened the Ding Dong Lounge, sister to the New York establishment of the same name. Located in Chinatown, Ding Dong Lounge has attracted the likes of Silversun Pickups, The Kills, The White Stripes, Ed Sheeran, Wolfmother, 1979 and The Grates among scores of others up the narrow stairs and into the intimate performance space that can hold up to 400 people. Open from Wednesday to Friday, the band room features a bar, plenty of seating and a small, raised stage.

In 2014 the crew behind Cherry Bar – James Young, Peter Lewis, and Jim Bourke – took over Yah Yah’s after hearing that the much-loved music venue and dive bar would soon become an Indian restaurant. Now in safe hands, Yah Yah’s has re-established itself as one of Melbourne’s premier music joints respectful of the venue’s rock and roll history. Local, interstate and international artists have all played amid the ruby red of Yah Yah’s, and with music pumping until the early morning Yah Yah’s guarantees a memorable and very late night out.