The Tote

Like most anyone who has grown up in Melbourne and/​or has friends in bands, I have lots of fond memories of the Tote from over the years. Popped in recently to check how it was going and were greeted with extremely loud warm-​up tunes of a heavy metal band in the front bar. Graff filled toilets, 90% of patrons in black and/​or denim… good to see nothing has really changed from back in the day except the range of beers on tap.

I’m a newbie to Melbourne, and have just started checking out places. Was told to check this place out, so came for Boxing Day Tonstartssbandht BBQ.
We had a great time. The place is really chill and fun, all the staff nice. We met lots of people, and also as we play music, spoke to the bookers and made arrangements for potential future gigs. Great day.
Will definitely come back here. Lots n Lots.

You may know of this one from the papers. The words Never Say Die in bright green, scribbled on the front door speak volumes about Melbourne’s love music scene and the apparent decline in venues.
As a venue the Tote is an establishment. Everyone’s played here. I’ve played here. It’s a good stage and sound, with a wicked view from the beer garden side of stage. Music plays most nights of the week and a good time to be had by all.
I can’t say I’ve ever come here to simply use the bar, but from the seconds it takes to pass from stage to toilet it seems well stocked, staples on tap, and several barflys and regulars taking up space against it.

Hugely iconic music venue in Melbourne.
The Tote has been in and around the news recently where they’ve been very close to being closed down. They have been looking for support and even though the place is getting more and more run down, it has a lot of charm.
Still, they get a lot of cool bands and you feel like you’re a true «Australian» supporting the local music and extremely iconic pub.

Say it with me now: INSTITUTION.
This place shut for a hot minute, and smartly reopened. Let’s not kid ourselves, even with stringent rules and regulations and pokies watching for those who get ‘out of control’ you can’t close this place. It’s as old as me! That’s dinosaur-​like in Fitzroy!
It’s dirty, grungy, a time-​trap, a mind-​eraser. It’s so fun!
Oh, and there’s supposedly a ghost that hangs out in the staircase.
It has lore that only comes with such a history, and I suppose could still leave us at any time since it did ‘close’ once recently. So go by so you can say that you’ve been (even if you can’t remember any part of being there…).

It was a real shame when they replaced the ‘sticky carpet’ of the old Tote with the plush new stuff. That funky smell reminded me of home. Sure, the new carpet is all clean and possibly not giving us STIs just by standing on it, but my arse if I’m not going to do my best to stink up the joint back to its old state. Not that I have to worry much about that not happening: there’s an entire city of rock lovers who will help me in my plight.
The Tote is what it is: it’s a home to every flipped out, tripped out, crotch-​gripping, beer-​sipping (and swilling) rocker in town. It’s housed old and young, good and bad (and real damn shitty), internationals and never-​heard-​of-​thems. It’s caused protests and hangovers and possibly some illegitimate kids. It’s not our CBGBs, it’s out Tote. Awww…

Oh, The Tote. You’ve had your trials over the past years but the fact that one thousand people stood in the street demanding your doors stay open is a sign that you’re a very well loved.
A solid live venue to see up and coming bands as well as established ones; it’s rare to have a bad night here and if you do, you can blame it on your boring friends. The crowd is alternative and a real mix in ages, which is great. They also have a taco stand now, very handy so you don’t have to walk down the street for late night pizzas. The cobra bar (upstairs) can be rented out for occasions and having attended a party here a few years ago, it’s a fun place to get a band playing and drinks flowing. Plus I was dressed as an astronaut and not one punter yelled any stupid/​nasty comments at me, just smiled and laughed.
This is a Melbourne institution and well worth hanging around. Go there and make friends. Or at least go to the toilet and have a laugh at the graffiti; well done, witty vandals.

The self-​proclaimed «Favorite venue for Rock & Roll» in Melbourne, The Tote is all sticky carpet and loud music.
If you missed the news, The Tote has had a big year. Shutting its doors, seemingly for good in January 2011 due to rubbish council laws that named it a ‘High Risk” venue, the place was seemingly destined to become rock and roll history. After a massive ‘Last Gig Ever’ and angry punters and musicians alike marching in the street, (a marketing guru’s dream) council laws were put under the pump and the Tote opened its doors again later in the year.
Although most will look at the Gig Guide and scratch their head, The Tote has a niche market cornered and is still a venue that bands love to play at. Expect acts here to be loud, noisy and full of beer and passion.
The front bar is a welcoming affair with a pool table and ‘famous’ jukebox full of local favourites.

This is undoubtedly Melbourne’s première rock’n’roll venue. Forced to close last year due to insane licensing restrictions, the Tote set the ball rolling for a 20,000-strong march to parliament to pressure local government to amend stifling security requirements for venues (see documentary: ‘Persecution Blues’). It worked, and through the tears, the dust settled and another party took over the place.
Famous for its sticky carpet, the Tote is not a family-​friendly (though you do see the odd hardcore kid there for the Saturday arvo shows) gossip den, but a serious rock pub that offers serious rock music every night of the week. They don’t do food (outside of the odd barbie in the garden), they don’t do cocktails (straight shooters more the flavour of the place) but they do do music and the do do atmosphere and they do both of those things especially well.
It’s an institution, check it out for the tumble-​down hundred-​year-​old architecture alone.