Events and Programming
Dog With Two Tails Cafe & Bar is no longer operating under that name. The Dunedin venue closed at the end of March 2023 after business difficulties and continuing noise complaints. A farewell show was planned for 1 April, but a vehicle crash on 29 March heavily damaged the adjoining Bark! performance space. By June 2023, the premises had been licensed under the name Rewind. As of 18 September 2026, there are no verified Dog With Two Tails events or announced 2026-and-beyond programme under the former name.
Its surviving event record shows a small, flexible venue built around live music and local creative activity rather than a single genre. Programming included acoustic folk, alt-country, indie rock, pop, punk, electronic music, comedy, cabaret, poetry, open-mic nights, quizzes, literary events, art gatherings and festival sessions. The adjoining room, Bark!, was particularly associated with amplified music and larger or livelier performances, while the café-bar hosted more intimate sets and spoken-word events.
Publicly indexed listings from 2021 include In The Shallows with Jenny Mitchell, Ben Woods with Wet Specimen, PRINS, Adam Hattaway and the Haunters, Melissa and the Dr, and Paul Ubana Jones. The 2021 Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival also used Dog With Two Tails for literary programming. A surviving PRINS review described a crowd of roughly 30 to 50 people moving from the café into a dancing audience, illustrating the venue’s ability to shift from relaxed hospitality space to compact gig room.
Documented 2022 bookings included Tall Folk, The Wendys, Jackie Bristow with Julian Temple, Georgia Lines, Matt Joe Gow with Melissa & The Dr, The Renegade Cabaret, Audio Visual Drop Kicks and The Monkees, Paradiso performing Joy Division material, and Terrible Sons. These bookings demonstrate the venue’s range: touring singer-songwriters, local bands, country and Americana, tribute music, circus and cabaret, and pop-oriented intimate shows.
Early 2023 listings included The Cabaret, Jane Cameron with Keira Wallace, Toad Live with Robert Scott, Both Sides Of The Line, and a Saurian, Buda and Ghost Colored Faces bill. The final months therefore continued the established pattern of mixed local and touring programming rather than moving towards a large-scale concert model. No reliable public archive confirms a complete list of every event held between 2021 and closure, so these are the publicly documented examples rather than a claim to be an internal booking ledger.
Historically, events were commonly scheduled in the evening, with doors around 7pm or 8pm and performances starting shortly afterwards. The venue also hosted free entry, koha and low-cost community events alongside ticketed touring shows. Its programming was often deliberately accessible to emerging artists and small audiences, with management stating that performers generally were not charged to use the venue when ordinary café service could continue.
Tickets and Booking
There are no current Dog With Two Tails tickets to buy. While the venue was operating, ticket arrangements depended on the promoter and event. Archived listings show a mixture of advance sales, door sales, free entry, koha contributions and modest fixed prices. Confirmed examples range from free entry and open-mic events to approximately $5, $10, $15 and $23 for selected music, comedy and touring performances. Those historical prices should not be treated as current prices for the former venue or its successor.
Popular shows benefited from early arrival because the main room was small and usually general admission. There was no evidence of a permanent reserved-seat plan, VIP tier or conventional box office. For ticketed events, the practical historical approach was to check the individual event announcement, confirm whether the show was R16 or R18, and arrive before the advertised start if a seat or position near the front mattered.
About Dog With Two Tails Cafe & Bar
Dog With Two Tails was an eclectic café, licensed bar, gallery and live-music venue at 25 Moray Place in central Dunedin, close to the Octagon and beside Rialto Cinemas. It combined daytime coffee and food service with evening performances, making it one of the city’s more unusual small cultural venues. Dunedin visitor material described it as a place for specialty coffee, healthy food, art, music and conversation.
The public business record for Dog With Two Tails Limited dates from 1 October 2013, providing a lower boundary for the operation, although a precise opening day has not been confirmed in reliable public sources. By 2016 the café had gained national hospitality recognition as the Best Café in the Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence. Contemporary coverage also described it as a relative newcomer to Dunedin’s live-music circuit and as a hub for local and touring artists.
The venue’s importance was cultural as much as commercial. It gave musicians, poets, comedians, writers and visual artists a central, informal place to present work, often without the costs associated with a conventional theatre or concert hall. Local commentary repeatedly identified the loss of Dog With Two Tails as a major blow to Dunedin’s already limited supply of small and mid-sized live venues.
Capacity, Seating and Layout
The most dependable published venue specification lists Dog With Two Tails at approximately 50 people, with the note that this could be stretched only slightly. A later arts-and-events guide gave the wider site an approximate capacity of 60. Because the café and Bark! functioned as adjoining but distinct spaces, and because layouts changed between daytime service and evening events, there is no single verified capacity figure for every configuration.
The café was described by visitors as long and narrow, with leather chairs, tables, couches, stools and a performance area integrated into the hospitality space. The arrangement encouraged conversation and close contact with performers but left limited circulation room during busy service. A small train running around the café was one of its most distinctive decorative features, while later descriptions of Bark! mention flowers and a miniature train track as part of the venue’s playful visual character.
Most performances used general admission rather than reserved seating. A table or chair near the front was therefore mainly an early-arrival advantage. Standing was likely during busier amplified shows, while quieter acoustic performances, poetry readings and comedy could work with a more seated arrangement. There is no reliable evidence of a separate VIP area, balcony, premium seating section or formal tiered auditorium.
Acoustically, the small main room created an intimate connection between performers and audience, but it was not designed like a large concert hall. Bark! was developed as a dedicated performance room and was later soundproofed following noise complaints from neighbouring properties. The venue’s history therefore reflects both the advantages and constraints of putting live music inside a compact inner-city hospitality building.
Technical and Production Facilities
The clearest surviving technical specification comes from a Dunedin Fringe venue listing. It records two vocal microphones with stands, a six-track mixer and a fold-back speaker. Lighting consisted of two LED stage lights with three colour options and merge patterns. That equipment was suitable for small acoustic acts, spoken-word events, comedy, poetry and stripped-back bands, but it should not be interpreted as a full touring-grade production inventory.
Bark! provided the more performance-focused environment. It was used for intimate concerts, comedy, poetry, quizzes and open-mic nights, and was described by the venue’s owner as a room intended for Dunedin musicians and touring performers. The space received soundproofing work after noise complaints, while minor renovations and an in-house distillery project were undertaken during the 2020 lockdown period. No verified public specification confirms stage dimensions, ceiling height, house console, monitor count, lighting plot, rigging capacity or dedicated technical staff.
Getting There and Parking
The former venue address was 25 Moray Place, Dunedin 9016, in the central city on the eastern side of the Octagon. The location was convenient for walking from the Octagon, central shops, cinemas, the public library and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. As the venue has closed, these directions are useful for understanding the former site rather than planning a current Dog With Two Tails visit.
Dunedin’s Great King Street Bus Hub is the city’s principal public-transport interchange. From the hub, visitors historically walked towards the Octagon and then continued around Moray Place. Routes and stops change, and Dunedin’s bus network has scheduled changes from 1 October 2026, so any journey to the former address should be checked against the current timetable rather than relying on an old event listing.
Central-city parking has included on-street metered spaces and council-managed facilities. The 2026/27 council schedule lists Lower Moray Place parking at $3 before 6pm on weekdays and $1.50 after 6pm, with different Saturday and Sunday rates. On-street core and inner-zone spaces are listed at $4 per hour, generally with maximum-stay limits. Parking availability near the old venue was limited during busy periods, so driving would historically have required extra time.
Mobility parking information for the surrounding central city identifies accessible parks on Moray Place, George Street, Filleul Street and nearby streets. These are public parking provisions and should not be confused with a venue-specific accessible entrance or reserved drop-off arrangement. No reliable historical source confirms a dedicated Dog With Two Tails rideshare bay, coach facility or private customer car park.
Inside the Venue
By day, Dog With Two Tails operated as a café offering specialty coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner and cabinet food. Historical descriptions mention free-range ingredients, gluten-free and vegan options, craft beer, single-malt whisky and a relaxed bar service. A distillery installed in the front window became another distinctive feature, allowing passers-by to see small-batch production taking place inside the café.
The atmosphere was deliberately informal rather than club-like. Regulars included students, artists, retirees, office workers, musicians and creative communities, with the clientele changing significantly between daytime café hours and evening performances. The owner described the intended drinking culture as social and conversational rather than a “raging drunk” environment, and the venue was promoted as a place where people of different ages could gather.
Historical visitor accounts praised the coffee, food, friendly atmosphere and whimsical décor, while also noting that the narrow footprint became difficult during busy lunch periods. A review specifically mentioned a small train, roadside and interior seating, a children’s toy trolley and the ability to adapt meals to dietary preferences. These details belong to the former café and should not be assumed to describe the later venue operating in the premises.
Accessibility and Inclusive Facilities
Dog With Two Tails operated in an older central-city premises, and no formal venue accessibility audit, step-free event plan or ADA-equivalent compliance statement has been located in the surviving public material. A 2016 visitor account described the café entrance as accessible without stairs and mentioned a ramp towards the toilet, but that report predates the later Bark! expansion and does not establish conditions at the time of closure.
The venue was historically described as undesignated and therefore allowed people under 18 on the premises provided they did not consume alcohol. Individual performances could impose stricter age limits: archived events include R16, R17 and R18 listings. Age access was therefore event-specific rather than guaranteed by the café’s general daytime status.
There is no verified public information confirming accessible stage access, hearing loops, captioning, tactile wayfinding, accessible toilets after the Bark! works, sign-language interpretation or a dedicated quiet room. Because the venue is closed, anyone seeking an accessible event at the former address would need to assess the current operator’s arrangements rather than rely on historical Dog With Two Tails descriptions.
Nearby Amenities
The former venue’s central position placed it near the Octagon, Dunedin Public Library, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Rialto Cinemas and a concentration of cafés, bars and restaurants. That made it practical for a pre-show meal, a film-and-gig evening or a short walk between nearby venues. The central location also meant that audiences could combine a performance with other city-centre activities without needing a car.
For historical events, arriving 30 to 45 minutes before a popular show was sensible because the room was small, seating was not generally reserved and the café could still be serving customers. There is no evidence of a formal coat check, merchandise desk, dedicated late-night shuttle or venue-run accommodation arrangement. Those details should not be inferred from the former café-bar format.
What Made This Venue Special
Dog With Two Tails stood out because it joined several Dunedin traditions in one compact space: café culture, craft drinks, live music, literary events, visual art and student or artist social life. Its oddities mattered. The train circling the café, visible distilling equipment, eclectic furnishings and adjoining Bark! room gave the venue a recognisable identity that a standard bar or black-box theatre would not have had.
Its cultural importance became especially visible during the Covid-19 period. The venue joined national efforts to support independent music spaces, used lockdown time for renovations and planned to develop Bark! as a stronger home for local and touring acts. In 2021 it hosted a forum bringing together musicians, venue owners and live-music supporters to discuss noise-control rules and the future of Dunedin’s performance scene.
The closure also became part of the city’s live-music debate. Local artists and advocates described Dog With Two Tails as a vital small venue and criticised the loss of another central space at a time when Dunedin already had a limited supply of rooms for emerging performers. The later Ōtepoti Live Music Action Plan includes farewell imagery associated with the venue, reflecting how quickly it became part of the city’s cultural memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dog With Two Tails Cafe & Bar open in 2026?
No. Dog With Two Tails closed at the end of March 2023. The former premises at 25 Moray Place were subsequently operated under the name Rewind, according to a June 2023 licensing decision. Search results and old event pages may still display the Dog With Two Tails name, but they should be treated as historical references rather than evidence of current events or trading hours.
Are there any Dog With Two Tails events in 2026?
No verified 2026 event programme has been found under the Dog With Two Tails name. The venue’s final operating period ended in 2023, so any current listing using the old name should be checked carefully for accuracy, date, venue identity and organiser. There are no confirmed future Dog With Two Tails bookings or announcements extending beyond 2023 in the reliable public record.
Where was Dog With Two Tails located?
The venue was at 25 Moray Place, Dunedin 9016, near the Octagon and close to Rialto Cinemas. It occupied a central-city café and bar premises with an adjoining performance room known as Bark! The address remains useful for researching the venue’s history, but it is not a current Dog With Two Tails entrance or ticket destination.
What was Bark! at Dog With Two Tails?
Bark! was the adjoining live-performance room connected with Dog With Two Tails. It was used for concerts, comedy, poetry, quizzes, open mics and late-night creative events. Compared with the café, Bark! was the more performance-oriented space and was later soundproofed after noise complaints. Many amplified or touring shows were advertised as taking place at Bark @ Dog With Two Tails.
What music did Dog With Two Tails usually book?
The programme was broad rather than genre-specific. Archived bookings include acoustic folk, indie rock, alt-country, Americana, pop, punk, electronic music, tribute performances and solo singer-songwriters. Local acts appeared alongside touring New Zealand artists, and the small room suited intimate performances where audiences could remain close to the stage. Comedy, poetry and cabaret were also regular parts of the programme.
Did the venue host comedy and spoken-word events?
Yes. Dog With Two Tails and Bark! hosted stand-up comedy, poetry readings, open-mic nights, literary events, quizzes and cabaret. The venue was associated with Dunedin’s creative community because it could accommodate informal events that did not require a conventional theatre. It also hosted sessions connected with the Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival and local poetry collectives.
How much did tickets usually cost?
Historical prices varied by organiser and event. Surviving listings show free entry, koha contributions and paid tickets around $5, $10, $15 and $23. Touring music shows generally cost more than open mics or community events, while age restrictions and door times were set separately for each booking. These figures are historical examples only and are not current prices for the closed venue.
Could people buy tickets at the door?
Some events accepted door sales, while others encouraged advance purchase or used a fixed guest list. Smaller community events could be free or koha, and popular touring shows were more likely to sell in advance. Because Dog With Two Tails had no permanent conventional box office, visitors needed to follow the instructions attached to the individual event rather than assume one universal ticketing process.
Was Dog With Two Tails all ages?
The venue was historically described as undesignated, allowing under-18s to be present provided they did not consume alcohol. Individual performances could still be restricted, with archived listings showing R16, R17 and R18 events. The café’s daytime age access therefore did not guarantee entry to every evening performance. Event-specific age information was the important rule for ticket buyers.
Was seating reserved?
No reliable source identifies a permanent reserved-seat or VIP system. The venue’s compact café layout used couches, chairs, tables, stools and standing space, with the configuration changing according to service and performance. Visitors attending a busy show would have been best served by arriving early, especially if they wanted a chair, table or unobstructed position near the performance area.
What was the venue capacity?
A Dunedin Fringe venue listing gave Dog With Two Tails a capacity of 50 people, noting that it could be stretched only slightly. A later guide described the wider site as approximately 60 capacity. Because the main café and Bark! were separate adjoining spaces, and layouts changed between events, there is no single verified capacity for every historical configuration.
What production equipment did it have?
The clearest published technical listing records two vocal microphones with stands, a six-track mixer, a fold-back speaker and two LED stage lights with three colour options and merge patterns. That equipment suited small acoustic shows, comedy, poetry and compact bands. No verified public technical rider confirms a full touring PA, detailed stage dimensions, rigging points or permanent production crew.
Was the venue wheelchair accessible?
Historical information is limited and should not be treated as a current access guarantee. A 2016 visitor account described the café as having no stairs at the entrance and a ramp towards the toilet, but that predates the later Bark! development. No formal venue accessibility audit or complete information about stage access, accessible toilets, hearing support or mobility seating has been located.
What food and drinks were available?
The former café served specialty coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner and cabinet food. Historical descriptions mention free-range ingredients, gluten-free and vegan options, New Zealand craft beer, single-malt whisky and other bar service. The venue also installed a small distillery in its front window. Menus and prices changed over time, and these offerings belong to the former operation rather than necessarily describing the later business.
Why did Dog With Two Tails close?
Reports identified a combination of business difficulties and persistent noise complaints. Management said the venue struggled to provide a sufficiently targeted experience and noted that busy nights did not always translate into enough bar spending. The closure was announced after an attempted sale did not proceed. Local music advocates also linked the loss to broader pressure on Dunedin’s small live venues.
What happened to the venue after closure?
The premises were taken over under the name Rewind in 2023. A licensing decision stated that the general café-and-bar style would initially remain broadly unchanged, although the new operator intended to create a different identity. Former furnishings, including couches and armchairs, were reportedly reused, but Rewind was not the same business and should not be confused with Dog With Two Tails.
Did Dog With Two Tails matter to Dunedin’s cultural scene?
Yes. The venue supported local and touring musicians, hosted writers and poets, provided an informal home for emerging performers and participated in wider discussions about live-music regulation. Its closure was described by local artists and advocates as a serious loss because Dunedin had relatively few intimate central venues. The venue’s legacy continues through commentary, festival records and the city’s live-music planning work.
Can I still visit the old Dog With Two Tails site?
You can visit the central Moray Place area, but there is no current Dog With Two Tails café or event entrance to attend. The address remains near the Octagon, public transport hub, cinemas, library and galleries. If a current event is advertised for the premises, check the name of the operating venue, the event organiser, age restriction, accessibility arrangements and ticket conditions before travelling.
