The Project
About Clubbed Out
A contemporary history project preserving the stories, venues, and memories of Brisbane's nightlife from 1950 to 2000.
What is
Clubbed Out?
Clubbed Out is a contemporary history project that records the history of nightclubs in Brisbane from 1950-2000. It documents the venues, the people, the music, and the culture that shaped a city's social life across five decades.
The project is community-driven. Everyone who lived through Brisbane's nightlife, as a patron, a performer, a staff member, or a bystander, has a story worth preserving.
The archive is being shaped into a lasting public record of a history that belongs to the people who made it.
Five decades
The History of Brisbane Nightlife
The Ballroom Era
Post-war Brisbane embraced the ballroom. Venues like The Trocadero and Cloudland drew thousands every weekend.
Rock 'n' Roll Takes Hold
The British Invasion reached Brisbane's stages, and local bands found new rooms and new audiences.
Disco, Danger & Transformation
The Valley's neon strip lit up, licensing loosened, and Brisbane's nightlife exploded.
The Golden Age
Expo 88 put Brisbane on the map. New wave, synth-pop, and a booming economy filled the clubs.
Rave, Reinvention & the End of an Era
Dance music transformed the scene as warehouse parties, superclubs, and new venues emerged.
Help Build the Archive
All contributions to Clubbed Out help build a richer public history of Brisbane nightlife, told through the voices and objects of the people who were there.