With assistance from a City of Yarra Creative Community COVID-19 Quick Response Grant The Bakehouse Studios have created a high quality streaming service customising their existing spaces to optimize live-streamed performances. The project included fitting out an appropriate space, installation of equipment to service a central control room and an upgrade of website content to reflect the new services.

So far they have hosted over 20 live streams including The Living End, Gordi, The Black Sorrows, Vicka & Linda Bull, Angie McMahon, Teskey Bros, KAIIT and Tones and I.

The grant has helped Bakehouse Studios adapt their services to the requirements of Stage 2 and 3 physical distancing restrictions. They are in turn continuing to support the needs of musicians and the music industry.

The walls of Bakehouse drip with the history of Australian music. One of Melbourne's great secret locations, this is where the music is created, musicians meet, form bands, write songs, rehearse, record, shoot film clips and photos and generally prepare the presence that the general public finally witness.

Bakehouse is a secret hideout where international rock royalty hang out with Melbourne’s musicians. The studios were described by Elvis Costello as “some of the best rooms in the world”.

Owners Quincy McLean AM and Helen Marcou AM fell in love with Melbourne's live music scene during our great city's punk explosion in the late 70's. In 1991 the pair set up the recording studios in Bakehouse Lane, Fitzroy in the old York St Studios (est. 1978) and the rehearsal space on the site of the old Stable Sound Studios (est. 1985). York Street has its place in history with bands like Whirlywirld, TISM, Primitive Calculators, and Australian Crawl.

Bakehouse has featured in the Paul Kelly documentary ‘Stories of Me’; ‘Persecution Blues - The Battle For The Tote’; Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds ‘Do You Love Me Like I Love You?’ (shot exclusively in London, New York, Berlin, Stockholm & Bakehouse!); in hundreds of video clips, and was named a Melbourne Music Landmark

Over the years, celebrated local legends, Missy Higgins, Paul Kelly, Archie Roach, Vicka & Linda, Tame Impala, King Gizzard, Courtney Barnett, Jessica Mauboy, Kate Miller-Heidke, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Hunters & Collectors, Daddy Cool, John Butler, Tina Arena, The Triffids, The Dirty Three, Sampa the Great, Jimmy Little, Olivia Newton John and international superstars, Ed Sheeran, John Cale (Velvet Underground) Maceo Parker (James Brown), Judas Priest, Smashing Pumpkins, Elvis Costello, Cat Power, Suzi Quatro, Belinda Carlisle (Go Go’s), Kim Deal (Pixies) and many more have passed through the Bakehouse doors.

“This community grant came at one of the most difficult periods in our history as a creative business in Yarra. With some support, businesses like ours will remain viable post the lockdowns, we can continue to contribute to the economy and nurture our creative community” says owner Helen Marcou.

For more information head to bakehousestudios.com.au