I had the privilege of not only seeing Courtney Barnett live last night but to also see a gig at the infamous St James Theatre. I have walked by this place for years on my way to the Academy Cinema and was always so intrigued at the back story behind this random boarded up theatre in the heart of the CBD. When it opened a short while ago I knew I had to keep it on my radar. And then Courtney Barnett announced a show there and it was just pure serendipity. The acoustics are great and despite it being a rather large venue the 2nd and 3rd levels are closed off to the public. This makes only the mezzanine floor opened (no seating) for gigs. As a result you get a beautiful venue to perv at while enjoying a rather intimate show. There aren't many places like it in Auckland nonetheless in the rest of NZ. It reminded me of the beautiful venues back in Chicago and really look forward to the next gig there! The bar presents a respectable selection of beer wine and spirits and the only downfall for men is that the loo is like 3 floors down in the basement. Lucky ladies is on the main floor. They've still got some work to do but I am so grateful at the efforts to save this piece of Auckland history. read more

The Saint James Theatre - Auckland, AUK

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