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Melbourne · Venue

Sooki Lounge

Sooki Lounge is Belgrave’s 300-capacity live-music room, about 50 minutes from central Melbourne by train. Its defining feature is the multi-room setup: a Band Room for larger gigs

Upcoming shows
49
Capacity
300
Address
1648 Burwood Highway, 3160 Belgrave
Phone
(03) 9754 7567
Next show
Thu, 1 Oct 2026
Official siteDirections
Sooki Lounge in Melbourne

About Sooki Lounge

Sooki Lounge is Belgrave’s 300-capacity live-music room, about 50 minutes from central Melbourne by train. Its defining feature is the multi-room setup: a Band Room for larger gigs, a tree-lined beer garden, main bar and the downstairs Jungle Bar. That gives a show night a few different speeds, with the concert room serving as the central draw and the other spaces available for a drink or a quieter reset.

A venue built around survival

Published accounts place Sooki’s start around 2014. In May 2025, co-owner Stephen Crombie said he had managed the Belgrave venue for just over 11 years, describing the operation as a medium-sized live-music space. The defining chapter arrived through insurance costs. In January 2024, the owners said their public-liability premium had risen from $12,000 to $50,000 across a year, despite a decade without claims; the premium later reached $60,000. In June 2025, Sooki introduced a $1 charge on gig tickets to help meet that bill, with Crombie presenting it as an Australian first. The levy makes the economics of a small concert room visible in the price of entry, and places this venue’s story firmly in the current fight to keep local stages operating.

The room today

Programming is deliberately broad: indie, pop, rock, alternative, R&B, electronic, jazz and metal all fit alongside open mics, karaoke and DJ-led events. Its booking policy also creates a route for newer acts: the monthly Collective Uprising pairs emerging original artists on three-act bills with a professional stage and sound technician, while Friday-night Jungle Bar takeovers invite crews, collectives and promoters. For a headline show, expect the Band Room’s separate bar, private entrance and bathrooms; for before or after, the beer garden and Jungle Bar provide distinct places to land.

Sources

  1. Sooki Lounge | Belgrave Bar, Live Music and Club — Sooki Lounge
  2. Functions | Book your next function at Sooki Lounge — Sooki Lounge
  3. Sooki Lounge — What's On & Tickets — musick.com.au
  4. ‘It Will Be Dark Days’: Vic Music Venue’s Warning About Insurance Crisis — The Music
  5. ‘It’s About Survival’: Sooki Lounge Becomes The First Australian Venue To Charge Customers A $1 Levy — The Music
  6. Entertainment in Belgrave | Gigs | Live Music | Sooki Lounge — Sooki Lounge

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