Ben Lummis was a little taken aback. Paul Ellis had promised him that at least his mother would be there.Because the hip young team members go there for things like Nick Cave concerts, and the team members who are in the family way go there to see The Wiggles, we thought it was about time that Wellingtonist paid a small tribute to the lovely venue that is The Wellington Town Hall.

Opened on December 7th, 1904, the Town Hall is considered a fine example of late Victorian municipal architecture – although it has undergone many makeovers, including having its 150 foot bell tower removed in 1934 as a consequence of the 1931 earthquake in the Hawkes Bay. More importantly, for those amongst us who are more interested in music than architecture, it is a fantastic venue.

With a capacity for concerts of just 2000 people, the Town Hall is smaller than both the Michael Fowler Centre (2430) and the Events Centre (5050), which is one of its many charms (as long as you are organised enough to get tickets to events before they sell out). We love the Town Hall because unlike the Events Centre, it really is a Destination (with a capital D) instead of just a glorified gymnasium. Concerts just feel more cultured with the fancy ceilings. Unlike the Michael Fowler Centre, it’s not all seated, so dancing is possible. Because it had doors on two sides of the main hall, it’s quicker to get in and out of, and fresh air can filter through. Plus, it’s not at the arse end of town either.

As we at Wellingtonist have seen so many shows there over the years, from dance parties to Tool and Soundgarden, to high school Stage Challenge productions and an assortment of triumphant homecoming gigs for Wellington legends Shihad and Trinity Roots, we just want to say that we love you, you big 101 year old pile of bricks’n stuff. Cheers for all the memories and here’s to many more.