UniBar inducted into South Australian Music Hall of Fame for 50 years of hosting bands at Adelaide University

Hundreds of local bands were given a weekly venue by UniBar on Adelaide University campus over its half century.
Image courtesy erasmusu

The UniBar, at Adelaide University, with 50 years of hosting thousands of live bands, including Silverchair, Blink 182, Violent Soho, Powderfinger, Parkway Drive, Tash Sultana, Dune Rats and You Am I, was recognised in 2022 with a place in the South Australian Music Hall of Fame.

Adelaide Music Collective founder and South Australian Music Hall of Fame chair Enrico Morena said the Unibar’s commitment to fostering emerging talent and giving a stage to South Australian artists was vital to maintaining Adelaide’s reputation and a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) city of music.

The UniBar, on the ground floor of Union House on the university campus, was nominated for best live music venue at the 2021 South Australian music awards, having booked more than 400 artists  – more than any venue in the state – since the Covid-19 pandemic severely hit the live music industry in 2020.  A modernised UniBar became an independently operated venue after a change of ownership on 2019. 

UniBar celebrated its hall of fame entry with a mini festival, In the Day, with lineup of punk and Aussie rock, invoking memories of the iconic O’Ball and IndyFest of the 1990s and 2000s. In the Day was arranged by UniBar’s former head booker Sacha Sewell (El Dorado Music) and current bookerGareth Lewis.
The music was headlined by another recent South Australian Music Hall of Fame inductee, The Mark of Cain, joined by 28 Days. Also on the bill were Andrew P. Street’s Career Girls, Dan and Joel Crannitch (Pharaohs/Leader Cheetah), Dave Johnstone from Ammonia  and a rare performance by Snap to Zero. DJ Driller was featured and panel reminiscences by bands and UniBar team members were to be on compered David Penberthy.

Part proceeds of the festival would go to the South Australian Music Hall of Fame to support its work in recognising the contribution of the state’s artists and venues to the Australian music industry.