After being closed over winter for refurbishment, the Blue Room on Bree Street is back in time for the summer season, unveiling a fresh new look and musical line-up.
Matt Manning, owner of The Blue Room, explains that the venue has been redesigned with both performers and patrons in mind. With interiors by Stokperd, the new-look Blue Room features an expanded seating area with a 100-seater capacity, wall artwork that pays tribute to various music legends, luxurious finishes and state-of-the-art acoustics, and an elevated stage for performances.
The opening also marks the Blue Room’s repositioning as a live music venue rather than a jazz lounge, as it initially launched in 2021. “We’ve grown over the past few years, and we wanted to expand our offering to be more inclusive, welcoming artists across all musical genres and appealing to a broader audience.”
Performances at the Blue Room are booked by music booking agency On the Bill, which has also installed new recording studios within the Blue Room venue. Headed up by Jody Abel, one half of the dynamite musical duo Acoustic Element, On the Bill Studios lives harmoniously alongside the live music venue.
Manning says that while the Blue Room will offer up its stage to local and international artists, it remains firmly rooted in recognising and celebrating African talent. Calendar fixtures such as ‘New Talent Tuesdays’ also offer a platform for up-and-coming artists to perform, with the possibility of future bookings at the Blue Room and with On the Bill.
While the reopening heralds change to both the musical repertoire and venue aesthetics, Manning says that patrons can rest assured that the food and drink offering at the Blue Room will remain unchanged.
“Patrons can browse our exquisite range of craft cocktails, with a couple of new concoctions created especially for the reopening, such as Don’t be Sour (Vodka, Aperol, Lime and Ginger Ale) and Blue Velvet (Tequila, Blue Curacao, Lime and Peach).”
“We will also continue to offer a fantastic wine list and refined bistro fare through our venue’s sister establishment Grub & Vine. Guests can order a pre-show dinner from our set menu or enjoy their show with a few plates from our tapas menu, which includes favourites such as The Blue Room Hot Dog, Asian Chicken Wings and BBQ Lamb Ribs.”
“We look forward to welcoming lovers of good food, good wine and, of course, good music to the new Blue Room!”
For more information, visit www.theblueroomza.com and follow them on Instagram @theblueroomct
