I'm pretty confused about the Republic.
Here's the deal. Its reputation precedes it as far as gig venues go--if an Aussie band is touring through Hobart, for years the Republic has been the place to play. Tour posters dating back years and years proudly display the Republic alongside Brisbane's Zoo, Melbourne's Corner, etc.
But when I moved to Hobart and finally stepped into the famed Republic... geez, I was thrown.
The stage is weenie and literally in a corner of the pub. There's no backstage--the band has to weave their way through the crowd wedged into a corner of the bar. That part of the crowd scores a "sidestage" view of the gig. The rest of the room is for the rest of the punters, but only after the dinner shift is finished and they've cleared out all the tables and chairs. That means the support act doesn't really start until around 10pm. Oh, and if it's a sold-out gig, make sure you get in early enough, because the capacity for the venue stretches around the corner of the bar to the point where you literally can't see the stage.
It blows my mind that this is the premier gig venue for national tours through Hobart. read more