THE STORY OF DOO-BOP
2017-2019
Established by a father-and-son duo, Brisbane’s first-ever late-night jazz bar opened its doors on June 17, 2017. With a grand launch that brought together international and local performers, the venue quickly became a haven for jazz enthusiasts, staying open until 3 am!
The double-story venue initially featured the iconic piano bar on the ground floor and a vibrant basement bar dedicated to jazz performances. In its early days, the piano bar you know and love was also a daytime hotspot, serving lunch and coffee from a charming coffee cart.
A couple of years later, we expanded by adding The Gatsby Room on the top level—a versatile space designed for larger ticketed events, weddings, and private functions.
By 2019, we had grown into a three-story experience:
The Underground Level – Our Jazz Bar
The Ground Level – Our Piano Bar
The First Story Level – The Gatsby Room
We built a fantastic team, whose passion and dedication brought our vision to life, creating an atmosphere that kept guests coming back time and again.
The Piano Bar
The Jazz Bar
The Gatsby Room
2020
Then, COVID happened, turning the entire hospitality industry on its head. The sudden lockdowns and social distancing measures meant that live, in-person experiences—like those at our music bar—became impossible almost overnight. With gatherings restricted and live entertainment paused indefinitely, we found ourselves in an unprecedented situation.
Unfortunately, we were forced to close our doors. Initially, we believed it would only be for a few months, but as the pandemic dragged on and restrictions persisted, those months stretched into a total of 18 months. The uncertainty was overwhelming, and like many other small businesses, we faced significant challenges trying to navigate the financial and emotional toll of such an extended closure.
2022
After enduring the challenges of COVID and an 18-month closure, we were thrilled to make the decision to reopen!
We brought back the Piano Bar, focusing solely on evening operations, and completely rebranded the underground “Jazz Bar” as “The Doo-Bop Basement Bar.” This transformation allowed us to cater to a wider range of musicians and audiences, creating a vibrant space for all music lovers to enjoy blues, jazz, soul, and funk. While the decision was a difficult one, it reflected our dedication to evolving and adapting as a small business. It was a necessary step to ensure our survival and to continue doing what we love!
As part of this evolution, we also made the decision to close The Gatsby Room.
2023-2024
The Piano Bar truly took off and became a beloved gathering spot for so many. We’re incredibly proud of the vibrant community we’ve built around it.
Meanwhile, The Basement did well, hosting up to eight ticketed shows a month and providing a space for audiences to connect with live music.
2025
Fast forward to today—eight years on, with the same owners and the same incredible community (many of whom) that have supported us from the start!
This year, we made the difficult decision to close our underground Basement Bar.
It was a heartbreaking choice, as we took great pride in providing a stage for live, local talent and creating a space of fun and connection for our patrons. However, in recent years, we couldn’t ignore the challenges we faced. The Basement Bar was no longer operating at an optimal level. Cost-of-living pressures saw ticket sales decline, and unlike larger live music venues, we didn’t have the capacity or space to accommodate bigger audiences.
With this in mind, we decided to focus all of our energy on the Piano Bar, ensuring it remains the vibrant, welcoming space our community has come to love.
However, although closed to the public, The Basement Bar is still available for function and venue hire, offering a unique and intimate setting for private events. So, if you are interested in learning more about this, click here.