Sweethearts in the Stardust Hotel at Cabramatta was my “home turf” so to speak. I grew up in Cabramatta & turned 18 in 1980, right when Pub Rock was hitting its straps. It was a venue that had bands on at least twice a week & they were some of Australia’s best acts.
We went pretty religously every Friday & most Saturday nights no matter who was on, but it was usually good. I saw bands like Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Flowers, Dee Minor, Hoi Polloi, Cockroaches, Daytime Actors, Dave Warner’s From The Suburbs, Ol ’55, The Bushwhackers, Captain Matchbox and many, many more.
I only remember working there a few times, with Bandanna & Stairway To Heaven, but I have very fond memories of Sweethearts. Let me know yours in the comments section below.
Images
Known Gigs
| Date | Artist | City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14/03/80 | Matt Finish | Matt Finish in Cabramatta | |
| 23/08/80 | Cold Chisel | Cold Chisel in Cabramatta | |
| 25/02/83 | The Lonely Hearts | The Lonely Hearts in Cabramatta | |
| + Peak Hour | |||
| 05/12/83 | Matt Finish | Matt Finish in Cabramatta | |
| 10/02/84 | The Lonely Hearts | The Lonely Hearts in Cabramatta | |
| 08/01/85 | The Go Betweens | The Go Betweens in Cabramatta | |
| 05/02/85 | Hotel Berlin | Hotel Berlin in Cabramatta | |
| 02/05/85 | Killing Joke | Killing Joke in Cabramatta | |
| 03/09/85 | Geisha | Geisha in Cabramatta | |
| 02/11/85 | Brian Canham | Brian Canham in Cabramatta | |
| 05/12/85 | Pseudo Echo | Pseudo Echo in Cabramatta | |
| + Geisha | |||
| 30/01/86 | Kids In The Kitchen | Kids In The Kitchen in Cabramatta | |
| 20/03/86 | Pseudo Echo | Pseudo Echo in Cabramatta | |
| 14/05/86 | The Venetians | The Venetians in Cabramatta | |
| 05/06/86 | Kam Sha | Kam Sha in Cabramatta | |
| 31/07/86 | Bandanna | Bandanna in Cabramatta | |
| Time: 8:45pm. (early show) | |||
| 11/09/86 | The Go Betweens | The Go Betweens in Cabramatta | |
| 13/09/86 | Wa Wa Nee | Wa Wa Nee in Cabramatta | |
| 12/11/86 | Spy Vs Spy | Spy Vs Spy in Cabramatta | |
| 17/12/86 | Pseudo Echo | Pseudo Echo in Cabramatta | |
More Gigs here
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
There are so many things I remember about this place in 4 bands I was in …Mad Gorilla, Strange Heat, Beatnix and Generation….the funniest memmory was a “gimick” that Stix and I used to do were I jumped on his shoulders….if you remember, the LOW stage ceiling was made out of the same stuff the western suburbs school buildings were made out of (very rough textured cement)….crack!!!! nasty scrape a bit of blood, I’m madly trying to tell Stix to stop, and he’s jumping around while Ime “rag-dolling” on his shoulders…hahaha.
That’s a classic Frank, just the sort of thing Sticko would do!
I remember seeing Midnight Oil there & Peter Garret had drinks stored in the holes in the ceiling. Someone his height could easily reach that high.
FUCK MAN! “SWEET HEARTS” ROCKED! HAD MANY GIGS THERE! AS “DAYTIME ACTORS” ROB POTTS WAZ OUR MANAGER! I PERSONALLY HATED OUR FARWELL GIG! @ SWEETHEARTS! all that work gone 4 nothing! WELL NOW! I HAVE A NU PROJECT! “THE MIDDLE TREE”
Gday Robin.I remember Daytime actors well from the old days.We saw you at a few venues, but always liked the home turf gigs the best.I still see Dave and Jackie from time to time,and i am still good mates with his brother Tony.Also caught up with percussion man Cunio last year at a Cabra Reunion.Are you still singing mate?
Neil Cuneo… now there’s a name I haven’t heard for a while. I grew up in the next street to him & used to hear his drums from my house. Years later I was the sound man when he played in the Booze Brothers. Great drummer & lovely bloke.
i remember seeing Motorhead there……..they could only fit half of the PA in. LOUD…..
Here’s a link to a video of the Lonely Hearts at Sweethearts (or the Stardust Hotel) http://www.thelonelyhearts.com.au/video3.html
Some gigs
1983 Feb Fri 25th Lonely Hearts + Peak Hour
1984 Feb Fri 10th Lonely Hearts
Thanks so much Michael, I’ll add those in today.
I’ve actually started adding a few Lonely Hearts gigs into the list. Not many yet, but I’m getting through them.
Thanks again, Mark
You old rocker you.
Does anyone know where Tony Wilkinson is?
Email address and website above.
Tony@SecurityWorx.com.au
The first gig I did there was fairly early – it was still called The Stardust, and we’d only been together maybe six months, but the buzz was on for us in the northern beaches, so our agent thought we’d best crack the west. It was rough. I kid you not when I tell you yobs were throwing chairs at us because we talked too much between the songs (and they’d never heard any of them). I also kid you not that within six months we were back, and the place had become Sweethearts, and The Zarsoff Brothers were as popular as all fuck everywhere (well, maybe not Vaucluse …). The room was jam-packed with people demanding that we insult them between songs, and they lapped up everything we did. Every gig we did there after that was like that. Go figure …
Worked there many times and it was always a great gig. With Mad Gorilla supporting Sunnyboys one time and got our gear packed away and went up to FOH to watch the Sunnyboys. The place was packed. Just as I got settled a huge brawl broke out behind us and we spent a couple of songs stopping the FOH desks from being trashed. Never a dull moment. Last gig I did there was in the early part of the 20,000 watt RSL tour with Midnight Oil & The Whitlams as support. Michael Hutchence had died not long before, only a few days. When it came to the last song of The Whitlams set they did a version of Benny & the Jets with the words changed to “Michaels at the Ritz” the crowd loved it, Midnight Oil were not amused. Stuff ‘em.
Worked there as a bar maid from 1987 to 1989 the place rocked. My Dad said I ever catch you at Sweethearts I’ll kick your arse home, imagine his face when I said I have a job at Sweethearts!!
Loved Joe the Bar Manager grumpy bastard but a heart of gold. When it closed Ross shouted all the staff to a farewell dinner at a swish italian restaurant in the city then onto the Cross.
Those were the days =)