Retreat Venue Guide
A Guide to safe and happy times at The Retreat!
THE NECESSARY BITS:
Address - 280 Sydney Road, Brunswick, VIC
Opening Hours -
Mon to Thu - 12PM to 1AM
Fri and Sat – 12PM to 3AM
Sun – 12PM to 1AM
Public Holiday eves – 12PM to 3AM
Capacity -
Main room - 175 standing, guest list numbers to be decided in consultation with the booker
Front bar - 80 standing, 50 comfortably seated
Website - https://retreathotelbrunswick.com.au/
Socials - @retreat_hotel_brunswick
Contact – 03 9380 4090 or bands@retreathotelbrunswick.com.au
To Know Before Your Show!
DIVERSITY:
All shows booked at The Retreat should include at least one non-male performer on the lineup.
We are co-operating towards creating a more equal and diverse music community so we ask that you prioritise POC & LGBTQIA+ artists as much as possible. If you don't know any diverse acts, we hope you consider engaging with other local music communities that celebrate a wide range of voices and artists.
Diversity is cool, and super important for our music community to move into a better future - plus, it means your show can be more enjoyable for everyone.
The booker is more than happy to offer lineup suggestions. Just ask!
PAYMENT:
TICKETED SHOWS
Headline bands will select their own ticket price (online and door price) in consultation with the band booker.
Eventbrite will take a small booking fee (bf) between $1 and $2 for all online ticket sales. This fee will be attached on top of the selected ticket value. Eg for a $10 ticket a ticket buyer will pay $11.25 online.
The venue will set up and manage online ticketing via Eventbrite for all shows and may also reserve a small extra allocation of tickets to be released on the door on show day.
The venue will provide a door person for all shows to sell tickets and mange covid safe procedures for $20 per hour. This fee will be deducted from final ticket earnings.
Headline band receives 100% of ticket sales (online and door sales) minus the $20 per hour door fee + GST to be split between headline band and support acts
The venue will provide and pay for an in-house sound engineer for all shows
Guest list numbers to be decided in consultation with the booker on a case by case basis
If the venue is at capacity in other spaces (line out the front) but you have a ticket to a show in the band room, please tell a security guard and they will let you through.
FREE ENTRY SHOWS:
$8 per head BMA (by main act) - Bands are paid $8 per person in the room during headline set. Headcount is made 20 minutes into set.
$ guarantee vs $8 per head Eg. $300 vs $8 per head = If headcount X $8 equals more than minimum guarantee, bands are paid via $8 per head deal. If headcount X $8 equals less than minimum guarantee, bands are paid the minimum guarantee.
If the venue reaches maximum for free entry shows, people attending may need to line up. Unfortunately, there's no way around this, so we suggest getting your crowd in early to avoid this.
HOW HEADCOUNT WORKS (IF APPLICABLE):
The bar manager does a count of punters in the performing room 20 minutes into the headline set. If you’d like to have a friend or agent/manager do the headcount, please let the bar staff know upon arrival.
METHOD OF PAYMENT:
Ticketed or free entry front bar shows - The Venue Booker will send a settlement with final cost to invoice after a show. Once the invoice is received and sent to the accounts team the venue will endeavour to pay within 14 days.
Free entry Retreat presented shows or big events - The Venue Booker will email bands after the show and request an invoice for the agreed performance fee. Once the invoice is received the venue will endeavour to pay within 14 days.
EXCLUSIVITY:
To maximise attendance we ask that bands aim not to book Melbourne headline shows two weeks either side of a Retreat performance without first clearing it with the Venue Booker.
HOSPITALITY RIDER:
Performers are given 5 drink tickets per band member + 25% off meals. 1 drink ticket = 1 pot of tap beer, seltzer or a glass of house wine and 2 drink tickets = 1 mixed drink, 1 pint of beer or seltzer
PROMOTION:
Press shot – Have a specific image you want for promo? Send us 1 high-resolution press shot to be used on your Eventbrite ticket page, social media, venue website or gig guide posters.
Photographers do a lot of great work, and not crediting for their time and skills isn’t nice. Who took your photo? Credit them so we can too!
Bios - Band will need to provide the Venue Booker with a specific band bio plus a short bio (21-2 paragraphs) about the specific show booked at The Retreat.
Facebook events - Band will be required to create their own facebook events for all shows and mange promotion of that event - Don’t forget, posting in your event is a really easy way to keep your fans engaged in the lead up to the show - when you’re posting on your other socials, pop a post in the event too!
Social media – Post a minimum of four pieces of content about your show across chosen social media channels in the lead up to the show! (Facebook, Instagram, Newsletters).
Promoting your ticket link - Online ticket sales are preferable for artists, punters and the venue because punters with pre-sale tickets will be able to skip the queue on arrival and bands and the venue will have a good idea of how many people will be attending prior to show day.
Posters - In an effort to save a bit of ink and paper we no longer require bands to print off and deliver posters to the venue prior to shows. Please send the booker your show artwork in a high resolution jpg format before announcing your show.
If you need a hand with promotion, feel free to reach out to social@retreathotelbrunswick.com.au
SOUND:
Main room - We provide a sound person at no cost to the artist. The sound person will be at the venue at least 60 minutes before the show and 60 minutes after to set up, line check, mix the show, and pack down.
Have a personal or preferred sound tech? You’re welcome to bring them at your own expense, but please give the booker a heads up!
BACKLINE:
Bring your own backline! All backline is to be supplied by the show promoter or headline band. The venue can supply mics, leads, stands, DIs and PA. We strongly encourage artists to share backline to reduce change over times.
Stage -
·Rectangular shape and carpeted
Dimensions: 4m (W) x 3m (D)
Height from floor: 300mm
Power -
1 x 32 AMP 3 Phase Outlet (left of stage)
1 x Powerwise 3 Phase power distribution (40amp per phase)
6 x Double 240v Wilco outlets (rear wall)
Lighting -
1 x DMX Lighting Console
7 x LED Colour PAR RGBWA 15 Watt
DJ equipment -
1 x Pioneer DJM 800 Nexus Mixer
2 x Audio-Technica Lp120 Turntables
2 x Pioneer CDJs 2000 Nexus
Vision -
1 x 120” projection Screen
1 x Ben Q 1070 HD projector running HDMI
Audio -
Console -
Soundcraft Si Compact 32 Digital Mixing Console (32 mic line channels, 14 x Variable mix buss sends)
FOH System -
2 x NexoPS15
2 x Nexo Ls1200 Subwoofer
2 x Camco Tecton 38.4
NexoPs15/Ls1200Utd Audio Processor
EQ Monitor system -
4 x RCA ART series 12 inch on 3 sends
RCF HD12-A / RCF ART 315-A / RCF ART 312-A
2 x spare sends to FOH
1 x 20ch stage box
Mics -
2 x AKG D5
3 x Shure sm57
1 x Shure beta 57a
5 x Shure sm58
1 x Senheiser e945
2 x Audio-Technica MB
1 x Sennheiser e816S
1 x AKG D770
2 x RODE NT5
1 x Sennheiser Kick e902
1 x Behringer B-2 Condensor
Leads -
16 X XLR leads
DIs -
3 x DBX DI1
1 x Behringer Ultra DI100
Stands -
10 x K&M regular stand
4 x K&M short stand
2 x drum clamps
Extras -
2 x Guitar stands
1 x Drum Stool
Live recording -
2 x 1/4 inch jacks from desk to recording device
If given at least a weeks notice, our in-house techs can arrange to create a live recording of any show in the main band room
Bands are required to bring their own laptop and hard drive to store live recordings
We recommend that bands instal the free audio production program Reaper on laptops prior to arriving at the venue
Front bar
DIY! We have a 12-channel mixer and PA for bands or friends of bands to mix all front bar gigs.
2 x Yamaha SM 15 IV
1 x Allen & Heath ZED 14fx mixer
1 x RCF ART 705 AS Sub
1 x RCF ART 12in Foldback
DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT/VENUE
If there is any damage to the venue that is deemed to be the fault of the promoter or artists, deductions will be made from the final settlement.
PICKING UP EQUIPMENT:
Gear can NOT be left at the venue. We can’t guarantee the safety of your equipment and valuables so please arrange to pick it up on the night of performance.
DECORATIONS:
Artists may bring flowers, lights and other decorations as long as promoters clean them up straight after performance.
The Retreat is glitter free. If glitter is used, there will be a fee charged for the additional money spent on the cleaners. Glitter is so bad for the environment so please don’t bring it!
ACCESSIBILITY:
Getting there/way-finding - The Retreat Hotel is located at 280 Sydney Road, Brunswick VIC, close to the 506 bus route and the number 19 tram route. Route 19 low-floor trams travel along Sydney Road and the nearest fully accessible tram stop is Sydney Rd/Brunswick Rd (700m from venue). There is street and shop parking nearby however the venue has no dedicated parking spots for visitors, performers or staff.
Wheelchair access/mobility - Unfortunately the venue does not have accessible toilets or a wheelchair accessible front entrance however staff will do all they can to assist everyone into the venue and make it a safe and fun experience for all.
The hotel was built in 1891 so door frames, thoroughfares and handrails may not conform to contemporary guidelines. There are also two large concrete steps at entry and one small step from band room into the beer garden
To allow wheelchairs into the beer garden and/or bandroom, the staff can open the rear gate to allow access and then assist people to come through a side entrance into the spacious band room.
Bathrooms - Unfortunately, The Retreat doesn’t have accessible bathrooms that adhere to modern standards but there are ground level bathrooms and large cubicles with hand rails to allow for wheelchair access with assistance from a friend, carer or staff member.
Audiovisuals - Shows may include low-intensity flashing lights and haze.
Regrettably, interpreters, hearing loop and closed captioning won’t be available at events unless provided by the show promoter.
Breakout areas - The Retreat has a range of different spaces including quiet booths in the front of the venue, a separate front bar with a large low table and taller bar tables as well as bar seats and a large spacious outdoor beer garden.
Thank you, be good, have fun!
Got more questions? Email the booker: bands@retreathotelbrunswick.com.au