If you’re in Brisbane and like watching live music, check out The Triffid – an iconic spot that’s widely regarded as one of the city’s best music venues. As it’s been on my Brisbane Explorer’s list for a while, I was keen to finally see a gig here. I picked a rainy Brisbane Sunday to watch local band Suicide Country Hour, and as I was just about to find out, The Triffid is a great spot for a Brisbane Sunday session.
Leaving our 13-year-old and cocker spaniel at home, my partner Nikki and I drove across town to Newstead and made our way to the Triffid through steady rain. The venue is well set up for such days, having a mixture of outdoor and indoor seating (and a bit in between). There was also a decent enough crowd at the event – not too crowded but lively enough to make things interesting.
The Atmosphere
The Triffid is inviting from the get-go, as it’s set in a converted WWII hangar with high ceilings and a spacious, open vibe with plenty of greenery flecked about. There are plants hanging from the rafters, a small garden in the centre and trees lining the edges of this renowned music venue.
It’s also decorated in a minimalist style, with stools, bench-like tables, outdoor furniture and concrete and brick floors. The bars and toilets are old shipping containers and the kitchen looks like an old food truck. This gives the place a stylish, down-to-earth vibe.
Another thing I love about The Triffid, being a middle-aged guy, is there was a real mixture of age groups here. Age didn’t seem like a thing and there were even doggies thrown into the mix (more on that later). I love a place that breaks down social barriers and everyone seemed pretty relaxed here too.
The Triffid also seems like the perfect size. It’s small enough to be part of the action and big enough that you’ve at least got some space. All these factors made it a most excellent spot for a Brisbane Sunday session.
The Drinks – Brisbane Sunday Session
Of course, drinks are an integral part of a music venue and as you would expect from a venue of this calibre, they take their drinks pretty seriously. As you can see in the pic below, there are a few good tap beers here. I like that none of them were too strong, which is perhaps why the crowd was civilised. I usually drink fairly strong beer, as I’m a stout beer drinker.
Today, however, I had a couple of Young Henry’s, which were tasty and a bit lighter than my usual beer, which I enjoyed. Nikki had a couple of Hahn Super Drys, although I was surprised she didn’t have an alcoholic lemon squash, which was on offer at 4.0%. As you can see in the pic above, there’s a solid range of spirits for what is essentially a fairly small bar.
Interestingly enough, I didn’t have to line up very long for a drink, even though it was fairly packed. The Triffid is a thoughtfully designed venue.
Live Music
The Triffid excels most with what it essentially aims to do, which is of course hosting live music. Part of this is the setup. As I mentioned earlier, it’s just about the perfect size place for live music as you’re never too far from the action, yet there’s room to breathe.
As we were here on a rainy day, the Brisbane local band we were watching, Suicide Country Hour, was playing inside near the front door. However, there are also gigs in the rear garden during better weather and the place appears to blend seamlessly between indoor and outdoor entertainment. It’s ready for anything, which helps during an unpredictable Brissie summer.
We didn’t know what we were getting ourselves in for with Suicide Country Hour, but we were pleasantly surprised to hear them rocking out over the background beat of steady rainfall. It was a bit hillbilly, a bit dirty and a little rock n’ roll, which kept us entertained for a couple of hours. I’m keen to come back here for a more prominent, paid gig (this gig was free) in the Triffid’s Live Room, which has a seating capacity of 700. Check out The Triffid’s website for more information on the Live Room.
As I had such a good time here this time around, I’d love to combine my return visit with another Brisbane Sunday session!
The Food
Keeping things simple is an art form and The Triffid has done this well in all respects, not least the food. The Triffid has a food truck that appears permanently parked inside, which dishes out burgers, fries and a few ‘street eats’ such as tacos, fried chicken, sweet potato croquettes, calamari and cous cous salad.
I had their Pulled Mushroom Burger while Nikki had a Triffid Burger, but dairy-free and in a gluten-free bun. The burgers come with fries, and I also ordered sweet potato wedges with aioli and fried calamari. I loved my burger, as it had a lot of flavour, the bun was pliable but not too soft and the hint of salad was a great accompaniment to my tasty mushroom patty.
The sweet potato wedges were tasty, but I thought the calamari was a little rich. It could have been thinner and slightly crispier, but it was well-cooked. I just couldn’t eat too much of it! Take a look at my video at the end of this post to see us in action.
The Service
Not too much to say here as you grab your food when it’s ready. The guys and gals at the bar were friendly, and as you can see from my video at the end of this post, the dudes in the food truck were a friendly lot too. Everyone seemed to have a smile on their face, and why not, we’re alive and get to enjoy venues such as The Triffid!
Dog-Friendly
What makes this a great place for a Brisbane Sunday session is that it’s dog-friendly! Sadly, my partner and I made a conscious choice to leave our cocker spaniel at home as he has anxiety and gets overstimulated easily. So if you’re dog is like that, it’s probably not the best place to bring them. Saying that, there were some large dogs there just chilling, getting belly rubs off strangers and lapping it all up. This certainly adds to the laid-back vibe of the place, which is pretty rock n’ roll.
Doggies are rock n’ roll!
A Bit of History
The Triffid was conceived in 2014 by the former Powderfinger, John Collins, who revamped the old WWII hanger to create Brisbane’s most iconic music venue. Interestingly, this old supply hangar was once used by US forces fighting in the Pacific. Others who jumped on board to help included hospitality worker Brett McCall and Splendour in the Grass owners Paul Piticoo and Jessica Ducrou.
Just next door is a restaurant bar I’ve reviewed here on Brissie Life – Stratton Bar & Kitchen – which is also housed in a WWII hangar, but has retained more of the hanger feel. The inside looks a little different to Stratton Bar and Kitchen as The Triffid had to make some adjustments for acoustics. However, the Tiffid Live Room, which I’m yet to check out, looks more hangar-like in photos.
While the place is certainly plant-friendly, its name comes from the John Wyndham novel, The Day of the Triffids.
Sustainability
A lot of The Triffid’s décor is made from recyclable or repurposed items. And as I’ve mentioned, the toilets and bars are constructed from old shipping containers. The Triffid also has a waste management system that separates general waste, cardboard and commingled recycling. Additionally, food is served on reusable plates and drinks are served in reusable poly-ware glasses.
Final Thoughts
Based on my first visit here just last Sunday, The Triffid is 100% a venue I want to return to in the very near future. In fact, I envision myself returning here for years to come (fingers crossed it remains open). Apart from the fact the calamari could be improved upon, there’s nothing I didn’t like about the place. It’s simple, yet stylish, probably the perfect size for a venue and it feels like everyone’s welcome – oldies, youngsters and even doggies.
It’s also an excellent place for a Brisbane Sunday session, even in the rain! Check out my video below to get a better idea of The Triffid.
A Few Fast Facts
- The Triffid is located on Stratton Street in Newstead.
- The Triffid is a 10-minute walk from Brunswick Street Mall in Fortitude Valley, which is accessible by train.
- The Triffid is open from Wednesday to Sunday from Midday.
- The Triffid is wheelchair friendly throughout, except for the mezzanine level, which has no lift.
- There’s a smoking area on ‘The Triffid Deck’, which is out the back and just above the toilets.
- You must wear closed shoes at The Triffid.
- The Triffid is dog-friendly.
- The Triffid has a range of tailored function packages, which include catering and even sound and lighting. Check out The Triffid website for more info.
