Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland, New Zealand – [Friday, 7 June 2024] – The much-anticipated refurbishment and expansion of Aucklands iconic Dive music venues nad bars, WHAMMY!, Backroom & The Wine Cellar performance space has been scheduled! Re-emerging as WHAMMY! and Double Whammy! on August 17th, the dynamic 400-500-capacity Double Whammy! venue promises to be the epicenter of creativity and community in the heart of Auckland city. This transformation heralds a new era for the beloved venue, enhancing its capacity and flexibility to cater to a diverse range of events and audiences.
Double Whammy! will boast an expanded and versatile space that can adapt to different event requirements, offering an improved experience for both artists and audience This upgrade ensures that Double Whammy! will continue to be a cornerstone of Aucklands music and arts scene, fostering creativity and connection within the community.
Connected to this exciting new venue is the much-loved Wine Cellar bar area, which, after celebrating its 20th anniversary, will undergo a gentle refurbishment. The Wine Cellar will be reborn as Whammys Public Bar, a welcoming space designed for community gathering, and conversation, alongside showcasing up-and-coming artists fostering new talent and nurturing the next generation of performers.
The O.G. WHAMMY! venue will remain with its history-seeped walls, and glorious long bar for those more intimate and noisy and late night shows fans from around the world have come to love and expect.
All three spaces will host an array of events throughout the week, providing a platform for diverse artistic expressions and creating opportunities for meaningful connections within Aucklands vibrant arts community. The refurbished spaces will continue to support and celebrate local talent, ensuring that the creative spirit of the city thrives.
The last shows at Backroom and Wine Cellar will take place the weekend of August 2nd and 3rd. After this, the venues will close down until August 17th when everything will be revealed at the Grand Opening Party. Whammy! Will continue to host regular live music events throughout.
We are overwhelmingly excited to undertake this transformation, says WHAMMY! co-owner, Lucy Macrae.
At its core, this initiative is driven by a long term vision to support and celebrate artists, and to champion diversity and accessibility within the music community. By providing many different options and spaces for artistic expression, professional growth and audience enjoyment, we aim to foster a vibrant and inclusive cultural landscape where musicians at all levels and from all backgrounds can thrive and contribute to Aotearoas music scene.
We invite you to be a part of this historic moment at our Grand Opening Party With a nod to the bands that have supported us along the way and showcasing the new venue, join us for the grand reopening celebration.
