Clifton Hill Hotel
Editorial
Thankfully, Bridie O’Reilly’s or PJ O’Briens it is not - the Clifton Hill Hotel is a real Irish music pub with a focus on live entertainment. The pub’s logo, of a woman playing a fiddle against a silhouette of a pint (no doubt a dark ale) says it all, and it’s a welcome relief from the commercialised, branded chain ‘Irish pubs’ that are many a tourist’s wet dream and many a local’s nightmare. This is a passionately authentic Irish environment, with local and international bands playing twice a week, many ex-pats from God’s own country, now settled in Melbourne.
The Clifton Hill Hotel has a resident Irish band on Friday nights and live acoustic every Wednesday night (a tradition now going for 17 years, spawning 2 CD compilations of acts). They also have a weekly (free) poker night (Thursdays – that’s poker, not pokies), plus live sport on TV in the sport lounge.
To see who’s playing Wednesdays and Fridays, check out their active Facebook page, but it’s a pretty safe bet to turn up and trust to the convivial atmosphere of whoever’s playing on the night and you’re unlikely to be disappointed. Also, there’s not just one but two rooms for live musicians, the Front Bar, and, the famous Emerald Lounge, in which local and international touring acts play to an intimate crowd. The Emerald Lounge is also special for its rather beautiful mural of 9 paintings by Melbourne artist Deirdre O’Reilly featuring scenes from Irish mythology.
Meri Harli, Citysearch
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