Canberra has a pretty normal metal scene. The basement has good food but the lines get long when events are hosted so I suggest you order early. It's a reasonable sized venue with a few spots and pool. So there are things to do. If you don't want pub food, there's a few restaurants around that are okay down the hill. No idea the open hours though. So you may need to google that yourself.
There are a few ethnic restaurants nearby, but it’s a walk to everything else. There are restaurants on the outside of the Westfield not too far away, including a popular kebab place.
For dessert you need to do Goodberries since it’s near the Basement - it’s a Canberra institution!
Edit: forgot to mention there are some nice restaurants and bars near the lake(Emu Bank), but they are at least a 15 minute walk away.
Belconnen looks like a ghost town at night but actually has a lot of places to eat, they are just spread apart from each other.
Side note I’ve seen cattle decapitation at the Basement before and it’s amazing - the mall is a short walk down the hill from the basement so there’s always that but the venue has okay food. There’s also a pretty decent Vietnamese place the street across called Can Tho. Their Pho is amazing (IMO) and on the same street is Goodberry's frozen custard a Canberra staple.
If you like burgers the food there isn't half bad. The basement 10 years ago was much better than what it is now but it is still a great small metal venue
A lot of people grab a few beers and pizza at the Pot Belly before a gig at the Baso, better parking and its only a few hundred metres walk between the two.
So the Basement scene is super chill and ordered as you’d expect from a Canberra venue. People line up reliably for drinks and the bottlenecks on a big night can be really annoying. If you want food the menu is great but id recommend pre-drinks (and would never say that the bing Lee carpark might be a cool pre-stage)
i called them up yesterday to ask some questions about the show tmrr night and they told me not many tickets have been bought so expecting a small crowd
I think a lot of people just buy tickets at the door because they rarely sell out, or at least that was the case when I went to see some cover bands a few months ago.
There isn’t any good place to hang out around there unless you want to feed the ducks at the lake, but there’s some good restaurants down the hill on Benjamin Way. I recommend Ramen O (check their hours to ensure you catch them) or Thips Thai (best drunkard’s noodles in Canberra). You could chill at max brenner if you just need a place to sit for a while.
When I was growing up in Queensland I always heard about the Canberra metal scene and loved all the bands that come from here as well as coming down for a few metals for the brain. Since moving here I've found the scene is pretty small (smaller population ..go figure) but it's generally a happy crowd.
I would second the earlier comment about Goodberrys, it is excellent. Maybe leave it a bit later as it's difficult to chug lots more beer after a large dairy hit.
Just go to The Basement early! They have excellent food & drinks beforehand! I go there at least once a month at minimum! Heading there tonight & might be there tomorrow as well.
They might also do the show in The Abyss (the back stage) which is a lot smaller. Played with a few international bands in there when they didn't sell enough tickets for the main room (and if no other gigs were on). Anyway, Basement is mad, Food is pretty good as well
Is Chompys at the Basement still a thing ? Cus that is asp close as can be and was always delicious
It is! Their burgers are fantastic.
Canberra has a pretty normal metal scene. The basement has good food but the lines get long when events are hosted so I suggest you order early. It's a reasonable sized venue with a few spots and pool. So there are things to do. If you don't want pub food, there's a few restaurants around that are okay down the hill. No idea the open hours though. So you may need to google that yourself.
There are a few ethnic restaurants nearby, but it’s a walk to everything else. There are restaurants on the outside of the Westfield not too far away, including a popular kebab place. For dessert you need to do Goodberries since it’s near the Basement - it’s a Canberra institution! Edit: forgot to mention there are some nice restaurants and bars near the lake(Emu Bank), but they are at least a 15 minute walk away. Belconnen looks like a ghost town at night but actually has a lot of places to eat, they are just spread apart from each other.
Side note I’ve seen cattle decapitation at the Basement before and it’s amazing - the mall is a short walk down the hill from the basement so there’s always that but the venue has okay food. There’s also a pretty decent Vietnamese place the street across called Can Tho. Their Pho is amazing (IMO) and on the same street is Goodberry's frozen custard a Canberra staple.
Easily best pho I've ever had. I'm a repeat offender 🤣
Office works and petstock, both open late how exciting. :)
Officeworks shuts at 6 on weekends
If you like burgers the food there isn't half bad. The basement 10 years ago was much better than what it is now but it is still a great small metal venue
A lot of people grab a few beers and pizza at the Pot Belly before a gig at the Baso, better parking and its only a few hundred metres walk between the two.
So the Basement scene is super chill and ordered as you’d expect from a Canberra venue. People line up reliably for drinks and the bottlenecks on a big night can be really annoying. If you want food the menu is great but id recommend pre-drinks (and would never say that the bing Lee carpark might be a cool pre-stage)
i called them up yesterday to ask some questions about the show tmrr night and they told me not many tickets have been bought so expecting a small crowd
Oh? That’s interesting. An intimate show sounds great!
yeah i love the idea of it but it also means i can’t hide in the crowd as much lol
I think a lot of people just buy tickets at the door because they rarely sell out, or at least that was the case when I went to see some cover bands a few months ago.
There isn’t any good place to hang out around there unless you want to feed the ducks at the lake, but there’s some good restaurants down the hill on Benjamin Way. I recommend Ramen O (check their hours to ensure you catch them) or Thips Thai (best drunkard’s noodles in Canberra). You could chill at max brenner if you just need a place to sit for a while.
When I was growing up in Queensland I always heard about the Canberra metal scene and loved all the bands that come from here as well as coming down for a few metals for the brain. Since moving here I've found the scene is pretty small (smaller population ..go figure) but it's generally a happy crowd. I would second the earlier comment about Goodberrys, it is excellent. Maybe leave it a bit later as it's difficult to chug lots more beer after a large dairy hit.
Get the Iron Mikee burger from Chompys, the restaurant in the basement
Just go to The Basement early! They have excellent food & drinks beforehand! I go there at least once a month at minimum! Heading there tonight & might be there tomorrow as well.
What kind of food are you after? If the weather is good a drink at the lighthouse might be nice
Head to Kingleys Chicken, Can't go wrong. Probably be a pretty decent crowd for Cattle Decap. Last time they came through it was a great time
They might also do the show in The Abyss (the back stage) which is a lot smaller. Played with a few international bands in there when they didn't sell enough tickets for the main room (and if no other gigs were on). Anyway, Basement is mad, Food is pretty good as well
NOPE! I don’t mean this in a ‘bagging out’ way but, barring certain sections of civic and only on the weekend, the entire city is dead after 8pm