The Phoenician Club

The Phoenician Club was a 1000-capacity rock venue on the corner of Broadway and Mountain Street in Ultimo. From 1980 to 1998, it was one of Sydney's most important live music rooms — the kind of place where international acts played sweaty, up-close shows to Australian audiences for the first time.

Before it was the Phoenician Club, this building operated as Jonathan's Disco from 1968 to 1972. In 1970, Fraternity — featuring Bon Scott on vocals — scored a residency here, sharing the stage with a young Sherbet. It was one of the first regular gigs for Scott after joining Fraternity from The Valentines. AC/DC also played the venue during this early '70s period.

In January 1992, just two weeks after their Saturday Night Live performance, Nirvana played their first ever Australian gig here. Audience members began stage diving within two minutes of the opening song. Nevermind had been out for barely four months.

On 5 and 6 September 1995, Jeff Buckley played the Phoenician Club as part of his first Australian tour, supporting the release of Grace. Triple J recorded the 6 September show for Live at the Wireless — a 16-song, 100-minute set that has become one of the most treasured recordings in the station's archives. The setlist mixed originals with covers of Big Star, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, MC5, Nina Simone and Van Morrison.

The building started life as the Broadway Theatre in 1911, screening silent films. After its run as Jonathan's Disco ended with a fire in 1972, it sat derelict for years, reopened as a ballroom in 1976, then the Maltese community took it over as the Phoenician Club in 1980.

The club also hosted INXS, Silverchair, Powderfinger and My Bloody Valentine among many others. It closed in 1998 and the building has since been subdivided into commercial spaces.

The building still stands on the corner of Broadway and Mountain Street, but there's nothing to mark its musical history. The ground floor is now occupied by shops and restaurants. You can stand on the pavement and look up at the facade, but there's no access to the former venue space.

Sydney has plenty more AC/DC history nearby. Head to the "Let There Be Rock" church in Surry Hills, check out Albert Studios where Bon Scott recorded with the band, or visit the Young brothers' childhood home in Burwood.