Victoria’s newly-elected Labor state government is set to go ahead with its proposed $22.2 million investment in the local music scene and as part of the package St Kilda’s Palais Theatre is in the running to host the state’s proposed Rock’N’Roll Hall of Fame.
Reports The Herald Sun, Port Phillip Council and Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle are each vying for the $10 million in state funds to build the proposed Australian Rock’N’Roll Hall Of Fame in Melbourne, a project endorsed by Mushroom boss Michael Gudinski and Australia music icon Molly Meldrum last month.
“We think it would make a lot of sense for it to be at the Palais,” Port Phillip Mayor Amanda Stevens told the publication. “There’s a huge amount of musical history in St Kilda and we’d be really keen to secure the extra funding.”
Leading up the the state election, Victoria’s Labor party already pledged $13.4 million towards repairing the ailing Palais Theatre in an aim to repair the heritage-listed venue over five years, confirming it would remain open during the restoration.
“The Palais is the heart and soul of live music in this city,” current Premiere Daniel Andrews said at the time. “It’s stood for 87 years and we refuse to sit back, like the Liberals, and watch it fall apart.”
Notably, music icons The Rolling Stones threw their support for the Palais during their recent Australian tour. “We’re still here…The Palais Theatre is just about still there – give generously,” Mick Jagger told the crowd during the band’s performance at Rod Laver Arena.
Music Victoria chief executive Patrick Donovan said the Palais had the advantage of being “highly visible”, adding that while “a lot of ducks need to line up for it to be at the Palais, I certainly think it’s a really good location”.
Donovan told the publication the planned Hall Of Fame would ideally run as an immersive museum with multimedia features. It would house music memorabilia, perhaps even drawing on Meldrum’s and Gudinski’s collections.
Other sites in the running for the Hall Of Fame, reportedly include the municipalities of Yarra, Moreland and Melbourne, with venues ranging from The Palace and the Forum to the former Collingwood TAFE site.
