Louie Louie Brings Jazz and Cocktails to the Sydney Building

Posted on 10 August, 2022

Entire generations of Canberrans have come of age in the space which, over decades, has been home to The Private Bin, ICBM and Meche.

Now it is time to walk up those stairs once more and take in a vastly more up-market vision in the form of Verity Lane Market’s newest offering, Louie Louie.

But before we go any further, may we helpfully suggest you pronounce that as Lou-ee Lou-way. You know the song:

Louie Louie, oh baby
Me gotta go
Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said…

To this day, the lyrics are still as confusing as they ever were, but the name is surprisingly fitting, according to Verity Lane owner Phillip Keir.

Louie Louie, where the bar serves the gin and the jazz provides the tonic.

Phillip, an entrepreneur and former publisher of Rolling Stone Magazine Australia has a deep affinity with music and sees this new bar and venue having a very eclectic flavour, just like the thousands of different recorded versions of its namesake song.

With a large stage taking up one end of the vast 360-person capacity space, Phillip is determined to get the music restarted in the historic building.

And it’s all going to begin with jazz.

If you squint your eyes after a few cocktails, you may be transported back to the Private Bin or ICBM.

From Friday 9 September, “Gin and Jazz” will flow liberally at Louie Louie every Friday night. The “Louie Louie House Band” will comprise Wayne Kelly, Chris Pound and Mark Sutton collaborating with an array of Australian artists curated by Canberra jazz musician Alex Raupach.

Concerts will feature original music by the visiting artists alongside music arranged by Alex and the trio.

Rising stars of the Australian jazz scene feature throughout the series,  while a special first-time collaboration will see Sydney ensemble Sandcastles, fresh from their debut at MONA FOMA, perform with Melbourne trumpeter Ashley Ballat.

Next to Louie Louie upstairs is the new Juliet Bar and conference space.

The series also sees jazz talent nurtured in Canberra returning to headline in their hometown.

“This is a line-up to launch Verity Lane Market as a home for amazing music,” said Alex.

“It’s for anyone who could use a bit more jazz in their life, whether they are avid listeners or just looking to finish their week off right with great music. The bar’s got the gin, but these artists have got the tonic for the soul.”

A conference space with a bar. How very convenient.

The series is supported by the ACT Government through the Amp It Up! program.

While Louie Louie will also open its stage to comedy, burlesque and folk, the focus on jazz seems a fitting genre to enliven the Sydney Building given the building and the jazz era both began in the 1920s.

Louie Louie has kept its rustic walls, exposed brick and original wooden rafters, there are new floorboards and a gloriously handcrafted spotted gum bar which will be led by a strong gin menu but offer patrons a wide range of other spirits and craft beers.

It’s good news for Canberrans who have been aching for a live music hit, but also for those who have found it hard to get a table at the now thriving Verity Lane Market. Upstairs the space has also seen the addition of a very suave Juliet Bar which is also a dedicated conference space.

Downstairs at Verity Lane all the bars are now interconnected.

Meanwhile, easier access between the downstairs bars has been created by knocking out large doorways between Brew Nation and Dear Prudence. And spillover crowd can now enjoy new surrounds in the corner spot, named the Edith Bar.  As is the case with all spaces in the European-style food hall, you can order what you want and take it anywhere upstairs or downstairs depending on your mood.

At Louie Louie, make sure you look out for the lovingly preserved patches of wallpaper which were laid down in the bar’s previous lifetimes, but we must express relief that the sticky carpet is long gone.

Happily, Louie Louie is presenting a far more elegant late-night option than we experienced in our younger days.

Images by Pew Pew Studio.