Bondi Lifesaver
The Bondi Lifesaver was a staple of the Sydney music scene for almost 10 years from 1971 until it closed with a bang on the 31st of August 1980. The “lifesaver”, as it was widely known, started out as a wine bar in a couple of terrace houses but eventually, walls were knocked down to create a proper music venue. It attracted the absolute cream of Australian music from Johnny O’Keefe, AC/DC & Billy Thorpe to bands like Skyhooks, Little River Band and Cold Chisel who were all regulars. The story is told that the members of Dragon lived either next door or close by and was practically the house band there for a while.
I have to admit that I’m really not sure if I ever went there or not. It was that kind of place. I have a vague and blurry recollection of seeing the Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band there one night around 1979 but again, it’s the sort of place that encourage “big nights” so I could be completely wrong. I’m sure someone will be able to confirm that gig in the comments below if it ever actually happened.
Luckily for us Colin Baldwin got hold of a recording of the closing night which was an absolute all-star affair. Enjoy the memories and don’t forget to leave your favourite Bondi Lifesaver moments in the comments below.
Images
Video
A selection of gigs
| Date | Artist | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20/09/74 | Skyhooks | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 03/03/75 | AC/DC | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 04/03/75 | AC/DC | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 09/04/76 | Little River Band | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 11/04/76 | Little River Band | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 22/10/76 | Cold Chisel | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 12/12/76 | Skyhooks | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 09/02/78 | Cold Chisel | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| + Johnny Dole and The Scabs | |||
| 09/02/78 | Johnny Dole and The Scabs | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| supporting Cold Chisel | |||
| 23/03/78 | Skyhooks | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 04/05/78 | Gunsmoke | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| + Cold Chisel | |||
| 04/05/78 | Cold Chisel | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| + Gunsmoke | |||
| 07/05/78 | Stars | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 24/06/78 | Rose Tattoo | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 14/04/79 | Mental As Anything | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 03/11/79 | Matt Finish | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 11/11/79 | INXS | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 31/05/80 | Kevin Borich Express | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 01/06/80 | Cyril B Bunter | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
| 16/09/80 | Skyhooks | Bondi Junction | Bondi Lifesaver |
Hi ☺☺ great to read your article. I remember going there to see flowers. Cheers ☺☺????
omg loved the bondi lifesaver my second home i went every night and after it was off to the manzil room swannee was the cook and made the best hamburgers. and paul hewson from dragon lived around the corner
Remember coming up from Victoria twice to go to The Lifesaver (or the Wifeswapper as Sherbet referred to it) in 78/79. Saw Dragon and Rose Tattoo. I remember a slightly raised seating area towards the back and the very dodgy bathrooms.
Saw Angels, Chisel, Rose Tattoo (quite a few times), Ward 13, Flowers, Mi Sex, The Lonelyhearts, plenty more. Fantastic atmosphere at that place, was there the last night and missed it ever after.
The cure did play at the lifesaver…….didn’t see em but heard it on jjj back in the mid eighties……..the female dj let it ( the recording done by jj) which must have been recorded circa 79 or 80 play for 3 or 4 songs saying………”I couldn’t bear to take it off”………..brilliant sound, brilliant venue……..bummer I missed it…..
I went to the Bondi Lifesaver in around 1980 and saw Cold Chisel there. I cant remember who supported them but it was a great night. Me and my friend were underage but had no problems getting in, but as the last train to the country town where we lived had gone we ended up sleeping in a squat near the Lifesaver until the first train went the next day.
I started going there when I was 15. Saw the Cure there numerous times, Skyhooks, Dragon, Rose Tattoo, Australian Crawl, Radiators, Cold Chisel, Mi-Sex, Uk Squeeze, Midnight Oil, Swanee, Mentals, INXS, Flowers and the list goes on. Use to be a fountain in the back yard. I even climbed the back fence a few times when there was a full house. Best times of my life when the music scene in Sydney was thriving. I was there most weekends and days during the week when good gigs were on. I use to walk home to Rushcutters bay most nights as I was rather spend my last taxi dollars on another drink.
I must have been there when you were. My younger bro and I hung out there a lot. I remember when you paid to get in you got a plate of crappy food.
Was a great venue. Saw so many bands. Wednesday Free night was always a late one. Billy Thorpe was the loudest and the Angels the best.
Trying to contact Sandy the manager
are you the bouncer who used to work with my dad Big Tony
Bob did u work there as security with my father Tony
I saw the English band UK Squeeze, They had that song cool for cats, Cold Chisel was the best
I worked there…A lovely witchy looking girl, a beautiful tall blonde gay man, great staff…We had tshirts I WORK AT THE SWAP F OFF. Said it all. Vale the swap.
These stories are really cool to hear, since i still know practically nothing about lifesavers ever since i found out my dad and grandfather john and lionel parkes owned it.
Is your mum’s name Kim?
If so I remember your Dad meeting her when she was working as a hostess at the movies in town somewhere. Falling in love and eventually getting married. So long ago.
used to hangout with The Johns would like to contact John Bauman sorry not sure of spelling the two Johns always together Camp Cove & where ever..
ThanksMJ
Margie, still alive , living on Gold Coast for 40 years. JB
Hi John
I hope you are still around,I am still in Sydney and OK but John is not so good and in a Nursing Home.
Let me know if you want any details
Doug
Sam you have a sister dont you? I used to hang out with her when our parents used to hang out together my dad Tony did the security for your dad John sms me if you read this 0455580121
Hi Sam, this is John Parkes’ wife. I am a bit confused with your comment here. Are you able to contact me?
Went all the time and don’t remember much, saw Angry Anderson punch a couple of hecklers and met Lou Reed even tho he/we were very under the weather. Crappy food great venue.
I used to work there as a waitress, started shortly after it first opened. It was a gigantic wild party every night. Was a bit of a free for all then, with many many bottles of champagne being given away. Not to mention that awful drop called wine called Ben Ean. The staff knew the place as being converted from an old shirt factory, not terrace houses.
I remember seeing mondo rock and the support band was the dugites. Ross Wilson threw a hissy fit on stage. The dugites were way better than mondo rock
It’s fantastic reading all the nostalgic comments, I used to be front man in a band called rhythm beats resident at beatle village Taylor Square, 1965 to 1967, just wondering if anyone remembers it, it’s where the easy beats started off.
Wow !!! thanks for the memories.
I am surprised anyone is still alive after those days……..does anyone remember the slogen written on the wall in the carpark ?
Drugs are for those who can’t handle reality….and reality is for those who can’t handle drugs.
Yes remember the slogan wasn’t sure who was responsible for it but it sure summed up anyone who went to the swap
AAmen
An amazing venue hot and sweaty! Saw Cold Chisel there in 78. Great gig certainly a night to remember.
I remember seeing The Numbers, Flowers and The Angels on the one night. Although it was a long time ago!
Does any one know what happened to original owners John Parks & John Bowman I think they used to hang out at Camp Cove b4 it was a trendy topless beach ??
Hi Margaret, the owners were John and Kimberlina Parkes, tho John’s dad Lionel started it. John is up the coast from Sydney, Kim is still in Sydney.
Lionel Parkes owned it; he also owned the carpark next to it as well as the nursery that backed onto it. Lionels Mate that worked with him was Ernie.
I did all the plumbing and drainage work on the lifesaver and remember it well.
John lives up on the Gold Coast now my dad used to be the bouncer there
Was the most intimate of venues, would never happen again unfortunately, remember ACDC there one night and beer was going everywhere. Sadly its closure was the end of the Sydney music scene. Was never the same again but will never forget those sweaty nights, nights out on the grass.. we were all lucky to grow up in that period.
Was that the night bon was under the bar very drunk just before they(ACDC) went to England there was people everywhere outside on the street
I found the place, determined to see Ross Wilson’s Mondo Rock, as they were known then. What a great night. The crowd included Angry Anderson, Bon Scott, John Paul Young, Glenn Shorrick and two other members of the Little River Band.
Ross and the boys were just fantastic. I went back the next time they played there again but the place closed without me not seeing any other bands there.
Remember being dragged away from completing a college assignment by my mates out in the suburbs to see this great new band at the Lifesaver. Cold Chisel late on a Wednesday night in front of a small crowd. Just awesome. They kicked on a tad after that! Best memories are of seeing the Tatts there many times, one night with a guest appearance by Angus Young. Great live music venue!
I used to work in the food area of the bar. “Cocaine corner” divided the two. Often some of the band members used to come back to the tiny kitchen for a chat or snack and I remember laughing so hard with Swannee one night as we made a miniature piano out of cardboard, chips for keys and tinfoil for a candleabra on top! He wasn’t the chef there but he did help out sometimes just for fun. There was nothing like the Lifesaver and it was a part of my life I’ll treasure forever.
I was lucky enough to work every Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at the Lifesaver for a couple of years in 1975 and 1976. Wonderful memories of ‘The Swap’, without doubt, Australia’s best and iconic music venue in the 70’s. By far the biggest night in the time I worked there, was ACDC, when John the manager told us to not bother working, as the crowd was so packed you literally could not move. John estimated there were about 3000 people in there that night. The memory of Angus jumping off the stage, and doing his schoolboy skip guitar solo along the length of the main bar will live with me forever.
I worked there too, as a glassie, I remenber Angus going along the bar with this new FM guitar thingy and some girls trying to catch his sweat in their mouths. Tony was my mate at the door. Awesome place to work.
My Father Tony and Godfather Bob worked at the door
Tonia who are you??? My father was Tony who worked the door so who are you?
Sam you have a sister dont you? I used to hang out with her when our parents used to hang out together my dad Tony did the security for your dad John sms me if you read this 0455580121
Tonia who are you? My father Tony also worked the door there
John Bell hey mate yes you could tell some stories who is this TONIA below saying her father Tony worked the door?
Remember the last night of the Lifesaver
What an experience
Dragon …one of the truly great bands
Wow many memories when I lived in Sydney . Went there from 74-76. Many of Sydney’s top bands played there. I remember the loooong bar where my friend Leigh Ann worked and I got free drinks. When I think of Sydney I think of the lifesavers and whiskey in William street where I worked.
I used to go to the Save. Many years ago. John and Kim Parkes were amazing. Met so many wonderful people there. Philip…. other staff. Best years for sure.
I remember going to the Bondi Lifesaver in the early days, and in the middle of the main room was a huge salt water aquarium!
I remember going there so many times, and apart from the many great artists and bands I saw, it was as hot as “Hades” in that joint. Wife swappers indeed, what about “Sweat City”??.
I saw AC/DC in Bondi in the mid 70s and always thought the bar was called the Bondi Tram. After coming across this website and seeing the only place they played in Bondi was the Lifesaver, so I guess that’s were it was. I remember Angus running along the bar playing his guitar. 1975, a long time ago!
All I wanted to see was Doc, drank nothing, smoked nothing and didnt leave the front of the stage .Doc and the Angels didnt disappoint, Unbelievable show Doc forever the showman RIP
I used to go there 1978-79 with my girlfriends, and saw so many bands there like AC/CD, Billy Thorpe, Dragon, Rose Tattoo, to name a few. Lots of memories there and fun nights. I even got propositioned by Phil Rudd, drummer of AC/DC!
Went there many times in 1980 after moving to Sydney late 79. I lived off Bondi Road near Waverley Oval at the time so it was easy staggering distance home. Recall seeing a band called the Sports plus Mental as Anything, Jimmy and the Boys, The Cure, Vixen, The Angels. I was also there for the last night which I recall Marc Hunter and Stevie Wright and others. Other gigs are blurred in the mists of time and ‘excess activity’ of the day. Recall often seeing Angry Anderson hanging about the place who was also resident DJ. The beer was piss dodgy but it was a classic dive venue of the past, not like the sanitised soulless venues of today. The like of which we’ll never see again. Aside in Germany where I now live where the spirit of old school underground music venues like the Lifesaver live on.
There’s a big ol’ book chockas with photos and tales available for those who want to deep dive into the Sinkhole of Reminiscence 🙂 https://thebondilifesaver.com/
Yes I have the book and there’s a photo of me in it was awesome
I was Cold Chisel that used to live next door to the Bondi Lifesaver, in the flat over the chicken shop when they first moved to Sydney
John Swan [Swanee – Jimmy Barnes older brother, who was also in Cold Chisel before they came to Sydney] used to run the kitchen for a while, he used to live a few streets down in Mill hill Ave.
The Lifesaver was my favorite venue, I took a lot of photos of bands there, also on the last night I got Glen Shorrick and Swanee to sit in the sea of empty beer cans that had been tipped into the loading dock and took a photo, SO many bands played that night, around 18-20, basically everyone that was signed to Harbour Agency, a very sad loss to the music industry when it closed, at least in wasn’t surrounded by COPS looking for a fight on it’s last night, as what happened on the last night of the Stagedoor Tavern in castlereagh st not long after
Walls in the terraces (also owned by the Parkes family) weren’t actually knocked down, the building was an old Osti bra factory, but they did renovate inside when they went from wine bar to rock joint. And yep, Dragon. Swanee and others lived in the terraces, sometimes without power, but handy for gigs. https://thebondilifesaver.com/
One night During a set with George Thoroughgood & the Destroyers, I passed out near the front of the stage. It was so packed with bodies I couldn’t fall down, so was just held by a kind person behind me, until I regained enough consciousness to make my way out to some fresh air on the grass. Luckily I was passed a joint, which perked me up just enough to go back inside and rock out till the end. So many Great times and I remember most of them, even those poor fish swimming around cigarette butts!
Omg I use to work behind the bar it was a, great place to work I think I was only 18 😂 everyone was respectful in those days great memories I can’t remember the olive skinned lady I think was a, an Islander she was beautiful she worked there with her partner
Some great memories of the Lifesaver…it was a privilege to there for the last tunes on that Sun Night/Mon morning
Never forgot chatting with Dragon
Marc Hunter was an incredible singer.he crammed so much into his short life.an amazing bloke who delivered time and again
Make every count….the clock is ticking
I remember the first time the band I was in at the time, Scandal, played the Lifesaver, sometime in May 1977, we arrived bright and early keen as mustard around 1pm to soundcheck for the performance that night and must have a good couple of hours battling this enormous booming feedback which seemed to kick off every time I hit the low Bb on my bass. Since a lot of our songs were in Bb our sound engineer was tearing his hair out trying to fix it. In the end, we went back to our hotel, got changed and returned to a decent house and, wouldn’t you know it, the bodies absorbed that Bb boom and it was a great night! We met the guys from 10CC at the Lifesaver in October, a few days before we were about to head out on tour supporting them around the nation – bar Perth. We used to play five 10CC songs so we were terrified – luckily the manager didn’t tell us they were there – when they came back stage after our set. Not only did they think we’d done their songs justice but suggested we do our version of Blackmail since the new lineup hadn’t yet learned it. Of course we didn’t but that was an amazing tour. The night we “christened” one of our most complicated original songs, She’s A Lady, which became our last and utterly unsuccessful singles, was at the Lifesaver, and everything was going well until we reached the point in the song when the whole thing comes to this dramatic stop, emphasising the point of the story with the echoing sound of the last consonant, “t-t-t-t-t” due to stretch into the crowd… and the power crashed, everything went dark, and the only sound to come from the stage was the singer shouting at the top of his voice, “FUCK!!!!!”. Me? I was just the bass player, singing all the top harmonies, but it was because of a gig at the Lifesaver around May 1978 that I eventually had an alternative career as a music journalist. End of a night, this chap comes up, Jon O’Rourke, “Love the band, love your bass playing, do you want to write a column on bass playing for a little magazine I edit called Australian Musician?” Not knowing a single technical thing about bass playing, I managed to spin the column out across six issues and stretched out from there to write for RAM, Juke, Sonics, JAMM, Countdown and more, eventually becoming a staff member at On The Street and was one of the founding rebels that, in September 1990, stormed out of OTS and ten days later launched The Drum Media. So, thank you Bondi Lifesaver. I salute you. Michael Smith. Stay tuned – I’ve got a couple of books to let you all in on too…
Wow, the Bondi Lifesaver, that was something. I was reminded of it with today’s passing of Renee Geyer. I drove a taxi back then and sometimes took her home from there.
Not a time I remember a lot about because, you know, but a big part of life in the 70s.
I met a girl who broke both ankles trying to get over the wall. She got a boost up from the carpark, and a couple of guys in the garden said they would catch her, but walked away when she dropped.
Saw so many great bands, and such a vibrant atmosphere.
Loud, sweaty, fun.
My dad used to be the head bouncer there and we always had Marc Hunter at our place and Mickey Christian Rose Tattoos manager back in the day at our place.
My mother was the one who revived Marc when he overdosed at our place.
Ive also got pics of John parkes and my dad and close mates at my christening but cant upload the pics here
I remember walking up to Kim and asking her for a job as a bar useful. Was totally surprised, and blown away when she said yes. Consequently worked 3 nights per week at ‘the Swap’ in 1975/1976. Perfect part-time work as I was a full-time student at the time. As a bonus, apart from working in a great venue, I also started dating one of the (always) hot barmaids, Clare O’Brien. I often wonder what happened to Clare? I also remember Sandy the manager, who I consequently remet some years later as manager of ‘Stranded’ night club. Tony and Bob(?) were the resident bouncers, that nobody in their right minds ever fucked with. My personal musical highlights included AC/DC, Little River Band, Richard Clapton, Dragon, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Cold Chisel, Split Enz. Indeed too many great musical nights!