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| Jellyheads today, c. 2024. |
LOCATION: Chippendale, Sydney, NSW
ACTIVE: 1990-1993
Sometimes referred to as 'Jellyhedz' (from about 1991 onwards... it seems to have only been referred to as 'Jellyheads' before that), this venue/community space was located in Chippendale on 33 Wallington Street and was borne out of a collective need for Sydney anarchist punk bands to have a DIY venue that wasn't connected to the pubs and beer barons. Members from some of these bands met at Newtown Cemetery in early 1990 to discuss the viability of running their own venue, Jellyheads, and this was funded by a series of shows at the Newtown Community Centre. The venue itself was later the host of some shows, as well as all-night raves, as well as various meetings for community and activism-based groups. Pressure and attention from the police would lead to it being shut down in the early '90s.
SHOWS AT JELLYHEADS WAREHOUSE:
- 22nd August, 1992 (S.U.X., Subversive Intent, Transparent Neumans)
- Unknown date, 1993 (Savage Cabbage)
SHOWS ORGANISED BY JELLYHEADS AS BENEFITS:
- 20th February, 1991 - (Tutti Parze, Deviant Kickback) [Sandringham Hotel]
- 14th September, 1991 (Blind Ambition, Transparent Neumans, Persecution) [Lewisham Hotel]
- 19th October, 1991 - (Blind Ambition, Tutti Parze, Mutiny, Mahatma Propagandi) [Alternative Festival. Newtown Neighbourhood Centre]
- 20th October, 1991 - [Alternative Festival, Newtown Neighbourhood Centre]
- 18th April, 1992 - (Deviant Kickback, Persecution, Warp Spasm) [Newtown Neighbourhood Centre]
ORAL HISTORY:
SPACEY: Jellyheads (came about) because we were getting taken over by all the gambling coming in - poker machines and stuff. That's why we had the Punx Picnic as well, just so we could have somewhere bands could play at and wouldn't get harassed. There was nowhere to play. Places were getting closed down all over Sydney so quickly. With Jellyheads, we wanted to fund our own place where they (the pubs) wouldn't control it and the cops wouldn't continuously come in.
Spacey (Tutti Parze, Tofu Terror), Noise Levels Podcast Episode 6, 2025
NOTES: Personally I'm feeling real positive about the Sydney scene and the main reason for this is cause more than ever it's starting to feel like a community, a network of friends. Lots of people are starting to put in energy to create our own thing... One of these projects is the Jellyheads alternative venue/cafe project. It is run by a collective of locals whose ultimate goal is to set up an independent/alternative centre in the inner city. For the past 9 months or so they've been putting on benefits to raise money. As well as numerous gigs they have also held video nights (of the political and musical type), a dance party, and have attempted a cafe. Most of these events have been held at the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, who have been real cool about it. All events are put on as cheap as possible and usually include vegan food.
Brett, Blind Ambition Issue 5, December 1990
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| From Blind Ambition Issue 5, December 1990 |
NOTES: Jellyhedz encourages the individual to participate and take responsibility for the space, it's facilities, and themselves. People create a positive atmosphere.
Brett, Blind Ambition Issue 7, April 1991
WILLIE:
I still am fucking amazed that we pulled it off. Fuck man, we actually
did it - we had a cafe, brewed our own beer and cider, had a printing
press, we had everything there, everything.
Willie (The Tribe, Tutti Parze), Noise Levels Podcast Episode 6, 2025
NOTES: Last week a group of organised from the Voices of Dissent Festival, which was held in Melbourne in April, came to Jellyheads to hold some workshops. We had an informative discussion about the background of the fest, the good/bad things that happened, and the possibility of organising one in Sydney. The festival aims to explore and celebrate the role that art plays in radical/grassroots social change. It is about subversion as entertainment and the use of political art and cultural activism to change things and build networks between creative people interested in positive action.
Brett, Blind Ambition Issue 7, April 1991
STU: Jellyheads sort of happened at a time when elements of the scene had changed into techno and stuff like that. And because of that and things like ecstasy, which was new to the scene, that was attracting the attention of the cops as well. I remember one particular show there some undercover cops had come - it was a punk show - and they stood out like a sore thumb. And because it was our venue and everyone felt safe and a bit cocky, you could pick those guys out from a mile away, and people would start giving them grief. Next minute there were literally 100 cops who just came raiding into the venue. They just started trying to arrest people and it all went crazy. I think after that the venue was just destined to have too much pressure on it.
WILLIE: The council used lawfare in the end. Our gigs would always finish at midnight or something, yeah? I guess so people could get trains home and shit... but dance music, those cunts are taking drugs that would keep them awake all night, and they had sound systems 3, 4, or 5 times the size of what us punk bands would use. It led to noise complaints. Everything the council had tried before that - we could fend off. But once the noise complaints started? It was fought in the courts... it was lost.
Willie (The Tribe, Tutti Parze), Noise Levels Podcast Episode 6, 2025
NATHAN: Jellyheads was more than just a place for All Ages shows, it was a venue for lots of things. It was also a networking place for, say, groups of activists, as well as bands and meetings and lots of things.
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