The Tote

Great afternoon listening to the Backyard Crickets. Evoking some fun memories and raising awareness of some sobering topics. Never been upstairs at the Tote, but seemed pretty cool.

I’ve been going to the Tote now for music and life improvement since I got kicked out at age 16. It’s got bands in the back, a front bit and two outside bits and a heart the size of collingwood.

Amazing venue one of the best live music venues left in Melbourne

It’s like stepping back the the 80s and into a country pub in the middle of the city. It’s not flash , actually it’s very not flash but they have live music really often and right up close. Sound is great. They encourage local performers. The toilets are clean. There’s a beer garden which is inviting. Cheap beer . We went to see a band and it was bloody brilliant. Just like when I was a knockabout years ago and it brought back so many memories. I understand the Tote has been an institution in the live music scene for many years and it has not changed even a smidgen for many years. That’s the beauty of it. If you like to support live music this place is nostalgia central.

Just the best ‘find’ for live music in Melbourne!!! We went to look at the Keith Haring mural next door and watched 2 verandah punk bands in the Tote afterwards - Kegging and The Kooabahs. High energy, punk, fun, raw, very friendly and funny guys. Passionate. You’ve got to go!!!!! Check out the upcoming gigs. - we need venues like this in the world. Good beer too.

Spent my first night in Melbourne at this venue after being tipped off by some locals that it would be easy to fit in and make friends was so happy to trust and find out its all so true Music was incredible Bar keeps were fast, efficiant and so kind thank you for being an amazing spot for the live music scene keep killing it and continue striving to be amazing Cheers from Canada

Excellent live gig venue and opportunity to promote responsibile service of alcohol, light beers unavailable for purchase / consumption. Great patrons and friendly atmosphere. Security guards were honest and trustworthy.

I have never been here before and enjoyed my experience here. Reasonably priced drinks offering a beer garden and stage to appreciate rocking performances. Crowd is very diverse and so is the music offerings. Staff were incredibly efficient and pleasant to order from and it was nice seeing them actively clear the breakages of glass out the back quickly. Bouncers are also quite imposing and just the right amount of approachability as you would like. I recommend this venue for a great Friday night out.

If you happen to be a fan of punk then this is certainly a place to check out. I'm not sure if one can call it a Melbourne Instutiution, but when I mentioned it to a housemate who loved his punk he had nothing but praise for this place. And they certainly crank it out, especially with the live bands, and honestly, live bands are probably the only place you are going to get decent music these days. They also have a good range of beers, but in the end it is the live music that you come here for.

This is undoubtedly Melbourne's premiere rock'n'roll venue. Forced to close last year due to insane licensing restrictions, the Tote set the ball rolling for a 20,000-strong march to parliament to pressure local government to amend stifling security requirements for venues (see documentary: 'Persecution Blues'). It worked, and through the tears, the dust settled and another party took over the place. Famous for its sticky carpet, the Tote is not a family-friendly (though you do see the odd hardcore kid there for the Saturday arvo shows) gossip den, but a serious rock pub that offers serious rock music every night of the week. They don't do food (outside of the odd barbie in the garden), they don't do cocktails (straight shooters more the flavour of the place) but they do do music and the do do atmosphere and they do both of those things especially well. It's an institution, check it out for the tumble-down hundred-year-old architecture alone.

The fact the doors say "Never Say Die!" is a real indicator of the type of place The Tote is. A Northside institution (still leaves me scratching my head tbh) The Tote embodies that attitude - its patrons are the type of people who never know when to call it a night. As we walked in last time I was there my friend (his first time there) looked around and said, without a hint of irony, "wow, if you were to purposefully design a shithole, it'd be better than this!" Then, like poetic validation, a gentleman who looked like an anaemic heroin addict fell into him. Literally into him. It was a top 5 highlight of my life. The venue itself doesn't leave much to be desired tho, you know what you're getting when you drunkenly decided to "Hit up Tote!" It's always crowded with a range of hardcore muso diehards and metal enthusiasts and I really appreciate there's still a place for them in the ever increasing Melbourne hipster vortex. The drinks are oddly priced, you can get a Carlton for like $4 but a PBR (retails for approx $2 in the USA!) stung me $9.50! As I said, you know what you're getting and I always love there's a place for raw, new and young live music in Melbourne. 3 stars for stamina alone - The Tote really does never say die!

Hugely iconic music venue in Melbourne. The Tote has been in and around the news recently where they've been very close to being closed down. They have been looking for support and even though the place is getting more and more run down, it has a lot of charm. Still, they get a lot of cool bands and you feel like you're a true "Australian" supporting the local music and extremely iconic pub.

I'm a newbie to Melbourne, and have just started checking out places. Was told to check this place out, so came for Boxing Day Tonstartssbandht BBQ. We had a great time. The place is really chill and fun, all the staff nice. We met lots of people, and also as we play music, spoke to the bookers and made arrangements for potential future gigs. Great day. Will definitely come back here. Lots n Lots.

You may know of this one from the papers. The words Never Say Die in bright green, scribbled on the front door speak volumes about Melbourne's love music scene and the apparent decline in venues. As a venue the Tote is an establishment. Everyone's played here. I've played here. It's a good stage and sound, with a wicked view from the beer garden side of stage. Music plays most nights of the week and a good time to be had by all. I can't say I've ever come here to simply use the bar, but from the seconds it takes to pass from stage to toilet it seems well stocked, staples on tap, and several barflys and regulars taking up space against it.

The self-proclaimed "Favorite venue for Rock & Roll" in Melbourne, The Tote is all sticky carpet and loud music. If you missed the news, The Tote has had a big year. Shutting its doors, seemingly for good in January 2011 due to rubbish council laws that named it a 'High Risk" venue, the place was seemingly destined to become rock and roll history. After a massive 'Last Gig Ever' and angry punters and musicians alike marching in the street, (a marketing guru's dream) council laws were put under the pump and the Tote opened its doors again later in the year. Although most will look at the Gig Guide and scratch their head, The Tote has a niche market cornered and is still a venue that bands love to play at. Expect acts here to be loud, noisy and full of beer and passion. The front bar is a welcoming affair with a pool table and 'famous' jukebox full of local favourites.

Say it with me now: INSTITUTION. This place shut for a hot minute, and smartly reopened. Let's not kid ourselves, even with stringent rules and regulations and pokies watching for those who get 'out of control' you can't close this place. It's as old as me! That's dinosaur-like in Fitzroy! It's dirty, grungy, a time-trap, a mind-eraser. It's so fun! Oh, and there's supposedly a ghost that hangs out in the staircase. It has lore that only comes with such a history, and I suppose could still leave us at any time since it did 'close' once recently. So go by so you can say that you've been (even if you can't remember any part of being there...).

Like most anyone who has grown up in Melbourne and/or has friends in bands, I have lots of fond memories of the Tote from over the years. Popped in recently to check how it was going and were greeted with extremely loud warm-up tunes of a heavy metal band in the front bar. Graff filled toilets, 90% of patrons in black and/or denim....good to see nothing has really changed from back in the day except the range of beers on tap.