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Melbourne · Venue

Mamma Chen's

A compact, family-run Footscray room with accessibility built into its live-music setup.

Upcoming shows
19
Capacity
90
Address
42A Albert Street, 3011 Footscray
Next show
Fri, 2 Oct 2026
Official siteDirections
Mamma Chen's in Melbourne

About Mamma Chen's

Mamma Chen’s is a 90-capacity Footscray, Melbourne, bandroom built for close-up bills and community-minded programming. The mother-and-child-run venue occupies the historic ANA building, and its scale keeps the performer-to-floor distance short. Its clearest distinction is practical inclusion: ramped entry, a lowered bar section, accessible bathroom and designated wheelchair space put accessibility into the room’s basic design alongside the gigs.

A family-built conversion

In March 2020, Em Chen and their mother Linda Chen took over the former Dancing Dog Cafe, a long-running dog-friendly spot associated with open-mic nights, inside Footscray’s ANA building. The pair rebuilt the site through the pandemic period, replacing the kitchen with an accessible bathroom, widening doorways and reshaping the beer garden with a deck and new ramped entrance. Mamma Chen’s opened in February 2022, giving Em’s venue dream a name taken from Linda’s familiar nickname among Melbourne music crowds. City coverage that winter described the new operation as live-music-first, with an aim to host as many styles as possible and build a safe, supportive place for artists. That founding choice remains the useful lens: this is a family-built room with access and artist development embedded in its conversion.

The room now

Current programming spreads across indie, rock, metal, folk and alternative bills, while karaoke and the Mamma Jamma open mic bring music, poetry and comedy into the same calendar. Artists pitch shows directly via the venue’s bookings email. Inside, seating is available in the bandroom; the stage sits three steps up, with a hired portable lift offered to performers who need it. Expect a courtyard, dog-friendly policy, bar service with a lowered counter, and earplugs available at the bar.

Sources

  1. Mamma Chen’s — About — Mamma Chen’s
  2. Footscray’s New Live-Music Venue Mamma Chen’s Might Be Small, but It Makes Room for Everyone — Broadsheet
  3. Winter 2022 — Maribyrnong City Council
  4. Mamma Chen’s — Access — Mamma Chen’s
  5. Mamma Chen's music venue and bar in Footscray — Time Out Melbourne
  6. Mamma Chen’s — Contact — Mamma Chen’s

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