Events at Starters Bar, Dunedin, Otago

Starters Bar’s live music, DJ nights, comedy and student events ended in 2021; this guide records its programming, former visitor details and legacy.

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Good Times & OUSA presents : Grafix (UK)

8:00 PM, Thu, 29 Jul 2021

Jul

Starters Bar

Dunedin

OUSA Re:ORI Comedy Night - Joe Daymond & Ray O'Leary

7:30 PM, Sat, 17 Jul 2021

Jul

Starters Bar

Dunedin

MILLBROOK (Luxembourg) | Dunedin

9:00 PM, Fri, 16 Jul 2021

Jul

Starters Bar

Dunedin

A.M.C & INJA | Dunedin

10:00 PM, Sat, 29 May 2021

May

Starters Bar

Dunedin

Juicy Donna Nights Presents : Hot Donnas & Friends!

8:00 PM, Sat, 20 Feb 2021

Feb

Starters Bar

Dunedin

SBK + Rinsed present SPECTRUM 01

8:00 PM, Sat, 10 Oct 2020

Oct

Starters Bar

Dunedin

ShockOne - A Dark Machine (Dunedin)

8:00 PM, Sat, 14 Sep 2019

Sep

Starters Bar

Dunedin

Kanine (UK) - Dunedin

8:00 PM, Thu, 15 Aug 2019

Aug

Starters Bar

Dunedin

Events and Programming

There are no current events or tickets for Starters Bar. As of 16 September 2026, the former North Dunedin venue is closed, its lease was surrendered in 2023, and the building was demolished in late March or early April 2025. The site can no longer host performances under the Starters Bar name.

When it operated, Starters combined a student pub with a compact live-music and club venue. Its programme included local and touring bands, drum and bass nights, electronic music, DJ parties, indie and rock shows, comedy, quiz nights, bingo, Orientation and Re-Orientation functions, private celebrations and themed student events. OUSA described the venue as a focus for high-quality entertainment from Wednesday to Saturday, while licensing evidence records regular quiz, comedy and bingo nights.

The publicly archived 2021 programme shows how broad the booking policy had become. Documented shows included Hot Donnas and Friends in February; Cherry Blind during the same month; Marlin’s Dreaming, Juno Is and Collekt House Group at Dusty Sundays in March; Willy Mav in April; Harper Finn with LA Women in May; Beastwars, Earth Tongue and Swampdweller in May; A.M.C and Inja in May; Millbrook from Luxembourg in July; OUSA’s Re:ORI comedy night with Joe Daymond and Ray O’Leary; and Grafix from the United Kingdom with local support in July. ticketfairy.com

Other documented programming included the Spectrum 01 drum-and-bass release party in October 2020, the Daily J Ride the Tide Tour, Mako Road, Same Name Confusion, and touring electronic acts. A 2021 licensing hearing specifically noted that later trading hours would help the venue attract drum-and-bass acts, a strong part of its student audience.

There are no verified Starters Bar performances announced for 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or 2026. That is not a postponed programme: the venue did not reopen after its 2021 closure, and the building has since been removed. Any current event listing using the old name should be treated as historical or inaccurate unless it clearly refers to a different venue.

Tickets and Booking

Historical ticket prices varied by event and release stage. Documented 2021 examples ranged from about NZ$20 for a discounted Millbrook ticket to NZ$49 for a final-release ticket, while the Grafix show used early-bird, general-admission and final-release tiers of NZ$25, NZ$30 and NZ$35. Hot Donnas tickets were listed at NZ$22 for an early release and NZ$27.50 for the final release. Some shows, including a 2019 Mako Road performance, were advertised as free entry with limited capacity. ticketfairy.com

Promoters generally used advance online sales for touring shows, with early releases sometimes selling out before the event. Door sales were dependent on the promoter and remaining capacity. The best historical strategy for popular nights was to buy during the first release, particularly for recognised touring artists and electronic acts. There is no current box office, door sale or venue booking service.

Private functions and OUSA events could operate under different conditions from public concerts. Special licences were used for selected Re-Orientation periods, including late-night trading, and event entry could be restricted by age or licence designation. Published event notices show both R18 concerts and at least one all-ages comedy event.

About Starters Bar

Starters Bar was a student-oriented pub and live venue at the corner of Frederick and Clyde Streets in North Dunedin. Public records use both 155 and 157 Frederick Street for the premises; 157 Frederick Street is the address most closely associated with the former building and its public listings. The site stood within the University of Otago student quarter, close to student flats, campus facilities and the North Dunedin nightlife circuit.

The building’s licensed-hospitality history reached back at least to the nineteenth century. Local historical accounts identify Catherine Mills as applying for a liquor licence for a hotel on the corner in 1881. Over later decades the premises used names including Mrs Mills’s Commercial Hotel, the Middlemarch Hotel, the Oriental Hotel, the Oriental Tavern, the Fat Ladies Arms, the Last Moa and, finally, Starters Bar.

The Oriental Tavern, commonly called “the Ori”, operated as a significant Dunedin music venue from at least the 1970s into the early 1990s. It was associated with the city’s alternative music culture and the era later described as the Dunedin Sound. Archival music accounts recall performances by or connections with acts including The Verlaines, Sneaky Feelings, The Chills, Look Blue Go Purple and other local bands.

OUSA acquired the Starters Bar lease in late 2018 with the aim of providing a supervised, student-focused place to socialise. The venue was refurbished and relaunched for the 2019 academic year. Its stated purpose was not simply commercial: OUSA presented it as a harm-reduction option intended to keep students in a licensed environment rather than sending them between flat parties, North Dunedin streets and the central city.

Capacity, Seating and Layout

The clearest published occupancy figure comes from Dunedin licensing evidence rather than a venue specification sheet. Starters Bar was described as accommodating up to 400 people under Alert Level 1 conditions and 180 people plus staff under Alert Level 2, with patrons distributed across two areas. A musician’s later recollection described the venue as fitting about 300 people “in a squeeze”, so the practical concert experience could feel considerably tighter than the licensed maximum.

Starters was primarily a standing venue rather than a theatre or seated concert hall. The public bar contained tables, stools, a pool table and dining space. A covered courtyard or marquee provided additional seating and weather protection, with a small bar and outdoor fire area. The dedicated function room had a stage, a substantial bar and toilet facilities, and was used for concerts, club nights, quizzes and larger student functions.

There were no published fixed seating plans, seat numbers, VIP sections or verified room dimensions. Most concert viewing was general admission. The front of the function room suited dancing and a close view of performers; the rear and bar edges offered more space and easier access to drinks. The courtyard was the practical retreat for conversation or fresh air, although leaving the main room meant losing a direct view of the stage.

The venue’s compact footprint was part of its appeal but also affected sightlines and acoustics. Large crowds compressed the dance floor, and contemporary visitor accounts describe the music as loud. There is no authoritative public stage plot, PA model, lighting inventory, mixing-console specification, ceiling height or acoustic-treatment schedule, so those details should not be assumed.

Architecture, Design and Technical Capability

Starters occupied an old corner hotel building whose character came from its long use as a pub rather than from a purpose-built concert design. The 2019 refurbishment improved its hospitality and event functions, including the commercial kitchen, bar operations and adaptable areas for food, drinking and performances. The covered courtyard was especially distinctive because it linked the main pub atmosphere with a separate sheltered outdoor area.

The function room had a full stage and sound system and was considered capable of supporting local and touring artists. A Dunedin live-music representative described Starters as the only local venue then filling a particular mid-level gap for acts with specific capacity and technical requirements. However, public records do not identify the equipment manufacturer, speaker configuration, stage dimensions, lighting fixtures, power capacity or production crew arrangements.

Operational technology was better documented than performance hardware. Licensing material records queue lighting, CCTV monitored from the office, temporary water-filled barriers for busy nights and additional security staffing for major events. The venue also worked with Police and Campus Watch when large events were planned.

Getting There and Parking

The former venue stood at 157 Frederick Street, on the corner of Frederick and Clyde Streets in North Dunedin. It was easily reached on foot from the University of Otago campus and the student-flat area. The address is now a former venue site, not an entrance for events.

Starters had a small car park on the Clyde Street side, although licensing records indicate that it also accommodated rubbish skips and was not a large public event car park. Nearby street parking and public parking facilities served the wider North Dunedin area. Dunedin City Council’s current Frederick Street car park charges are listed at NZ$3 per hour on weekdays, NZ$2 on Saturdays and free on Sundays, subject to the posted maximum stay and any later changes.

Public transport is centred on the Dunedin Bus Hub and the university corridor. Orbus services run through the central city and North Dunedin, with published routes including stops near Frederick Street and the University precinct. Because routes, stop locations and late-night timetables change, there is no current Starters-specific transit service to plan around. For the former venue, the safest historical approach was to walk from a university-area stop or use a taxi or rideshare for a direct drop-off near Frederick Street.

Inside the Venue

Starters combined the feel of an old student pub with a late-night club room. The main area supported food and daytime drinking, while the function room became the focus for concerts, DJs and larger events. Reviews mention burgers, fries, inexpensive bar food, beer and a pool table, although menus and prices varied over time. Outdoor seating and the covered courtyard gave patrons somewhere to pause between sets.

Large event nights involved door control, queues, security checks and age verification. OUSA and venue staff used barriers and additional security for busy nights, while CCTV supported incident review. Historical licensed hours were generally reported as midnight from Sunday to Thursday and 1am on Friday and Saturday, with special licences sometimes allowing events to run until 3am.

There is no verified public information about coat check, merchandise facilities, charging points, event Wi-Fi, bag size limits or a formal photography policy. Published venue listings described wheelchair accessibility, but they did not provide authoritative details about the entrance gradient, accessible toilet layout, internal routes or accessible viewing positions. Since the building has been demolished, none of those historical facilities can be relied upon today.

Venue Policies and Visitor Information

Age limits depended on the event and licence. Several concerts were explicitly R18, while the Re:ORI comedy night was advertised as all ages. Visitors attending a historical event would have needed accepted photo identification where an R18 restriction applied. There was no published universal dress code.

The venue’s alcohol licence and student-safety role shaped its operating rules. One-way-door arrangements, restricted areas, queue control, security staffing and special event conditions could apply on particular nights. The licensing record also notes a 40-decibel legal noise limit at the premises boundary, although crowd noise and nearby flat parties made live measurement difficult.

For the former venue, arriving early was sensible for limited-capacity shows, early ticket releases and popular student nights. Ear protection would have been useful for drum-and-bass, rock and metal performances. Visitors should not travel to the address expecting a bar, ticket collection point or replacement venue: Starters Bar has no current public operations.

Nearby Amenities

Starters was embedded in the University of Otago and North Dunedin student area, with cafés, takeaway food, student accommodation, campus facilities and other bars within the broader walking district. The surrounding streets were particularly busy during Orientation, Re-Orientation and major student events.

For historical event planning, food was available inside the venue, but the kitchen did not necessarily operate throughout late-night performances. Eating before a headline show was sensible, particularly for events scheduled after 9pm. Late-night transport historically relied on walking with friends, taxis, rideshares and occasional courtesy-van arrangements associated with the wider hospitality scene; no current Starters service exists.

What Makes This Venue Special

Starters mattered because it joined three layers of Dunedin culture in one place: a long-running corner pub, the university student community and the city’s live-music tradition. The building’s earlier identity as the Oriental Tavern linked it to the 1980s and 1990s alternative scene, while the Starters period gave newer local artists, DJs and touring acts a room close to the campus audience.

Its 2018–2021 role was also unusually civic. OUSA bought the lease to provide a safer social destination for students, improve food and entertainment, and reduce the need for patrons to move between flat parties and central-city bars. The venue therefore sat at the intersection of nightlife management, student welfare, hospitality employment and music development.

The closure had consequences beyond losing a bar. Save Dunedin Live Music described Starters as a significant loss for the city because it supported mid-level touring bands, university events, Battle of the Bands activity, music-industry workshops and inclusive programming. Later reporting on the search for a replacement student bar showed that the gap remained unresolved several years after closure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Starters Bar Dunedin open in 2026?

No. Starters Bar closed permanently in September 2021 after the building was judged to present significant seismic and health-and-safety concerns. OUSA later surrendered the lease, and the former Oriental Tavern building was demolished in late March or early April 2025. There is no operating bar, concert venue or ticket office at the former address in 2026.

Are there any Starters Bar events in 2026?

No verified 2026 events are listed for Starters Bar, and there are no announced future performances at the former site. The venue did not reopen after 2021, so old listings for concerts, DJ nights or student functions refer to past events. Any current listing should be checked carefully because it may be an archived page, an incorrectly retained venue name or an unrelated event.

What happened to the Starters Bar building?

The building was closed because of seismic-safety concerns. OUSA spent about two years considering whether the premises could be made safe and suitable for hospitality, then voted to end the lease in 2023. Demolition followed in 2025. The building had previously operated as the Oriental Tavern and other hotels and pubs for roughly 140 years, making its removal culturally significant.

Where was Starters Bar located?

Starters Bar stood at the corner of Frederick and Clyde Streets in North Dunedin, within the University of Otago student area. Public documents use both 155 and 157 Frederick Street, while historical and event listings commonly identify 157 Frederick Street. The location is close to the campus and former student-flat district, but it is no longer a venue entrance or event destination.

Was Starters Bar the same place as the Oriental Tavern?

Yes. Starters Bar occupied the premises historically known as the Oriental Tavern, or “the Ori”. Before and between those names, the building was associated with several other hotel and pub identities. The Oriental Tavern was particularly remembered as a live-music venue during the Dunedin Sound era, while Starters represented its final student-pub chapter before closure and demolition.

Who owned or operated Starters Bar?

The Otago University Students’ Association acquired the lease in late 2018 and operated the venue as a student-focused bar. OUSA’s stated objectives included providing a safer licensed place for students to socialise, supporting student events and reducing alcohol-related harm. The operation was presented as a service to students rather than a conventional profit-led nightlife business.

What was Starters Bar’s capacity?

The most reliable published figure is an occupancy of 400 people under Alert Level 1 conditions. Under Alert Level 2, the venue was limited to 180 patrons plus staff across two areas. A musician later recalled that the room could fit about 300 people in a squeeze, which better describes the feel of a busy concert than a formal maximum capacity.

Was Starters Bar seated or standing?

It was mainly a standing pub and concert venue. The main bar had tables and stools, the courtyard had outdoor seating, and the function room had limited informal seating around its edges rather than fixed rows. Most music audiences stood near the stage or moved between the performance room, bar and courtyard. There were no verified theatre-style seating plans or permanent VIP sections.

What music was booked at Starters Bar?

The programme covered local indie, rock and alternative acts, touring bands, drum and bass, electronic music, DJs, hip-hop-related events, metal, comedy and student-oriented entertainment. Documented 2021 bookings included A.M.C and Inja, Millbrook, Grafix, Harper Finn, LA Women, Beastwars, Earth Tongue and Swampdweller. The mix reflected both Dunedin’s band culture and its student club audience.

How much did tickets cost?

Historical prices varied by promoter and release stage. Verified examples include NZ$22 to NZ$27.50 for Hot Donnas, NZ$25 to NZ$35 for Grafix, NZ$20 to NZ$49 for Millbrook and NZ$49 for the final release of A.M.C and Inja. Some shows were free entry. Those prices are historical only and should not be treated as current ticket rates. ticketfairy.com

Could people buy tickets at the door?

Door sales depended on the event promoter and whether tickets remained. Popular shows used advance release tiers and could sell out before the night, while some regular student nights or free concerts relied on door entry. There is no current door sales facility because Starters Bar no longer operates. Archived ticket information cannot be used to secure entry to another Dunedin venue.

What age restriction did Starters Bar have?

Age restrictions varied. Many concerts and late-night club events were advertised as R18, reflecting the licensed-bar environment, while at least one OUSA comedy event was promoted as all ages. Visitors attending an R18 event would have needed acceptable photo identification. There was no single age rule that applied identically to every show, function or daytime service.

What were Starters Bar’s usual opening hours?

Historical licensing evidence records regular closing times of midnight from Sunday to Thursday and 1am on Friday and Saturday. Special licences sometimes allowed later trading, including Re-Orientation events running to 3am. Those hours applied only while the venue operated and could change by event, licence condition, season or public-health restriction. There are no current opening hours.

Did Starters Bar have live music every week?

Its programme was frequent but not every listed night was a concert. The venue hosted regular student entertainment, including Wednesday quizzes, comedy and bingo, with bands, DJs and special events concentrated around Wednesday-to-Saturday nightlife. Licensing evidence describes live bands as a regular feature, while archived event listings show a mixture of touring shows and local bills.

Was Starters Bar wheelchair accessible?

Historical business listings described the venue as wheelchair accessible, but publicly available records do not provide enough detail to confirm the entrance route, door widths, accessible toilet layout or accessible viewing area. Because the building was demolished, there are no current facilities to assess. Visitors needing detailed access information cannot rely on archived listings for a present-day visit.

Was there parking at Starters Bar?

Licensing records identify a small car park on the Clyde Street side of the premises, although it also served operational purposes and was not a large public event facility. Visitors historically used nearby street parking and public car parks in North Dunedin. The former car park should not be treated as a Starters facility now because the original building and venue have been removed.

How did people reach Starters Bar by bus?

The venue was in the North Dunedin university corridor, served by city buses running between the central city, the Bus Hub and the University of Otago area. Stops near Frederick Street and the campus provided the practical approach, followed by a short walk through the student precinct. Current Orbus routes and timetables are not Starters-specific because the venue no longer exists.

Did Starters Bar serve food?

Yes. The venue operated a commercial kitchen and was promoted as a place where students could eat as well as drink. Historical reviews mention burgers, fries, wedges and other inexpensive bar food, while OUSA told the licensing committee that food quality had been improved to encourage patrons to eat during their evening. Menus and prices changed over time.

What technical equipment did Starters Bar have?

The function room had a stage and sound system and was regarded as suitable for local and touring performers. Public records also confirm queue lighting, CCTV and event-security infrastructure. No reliable public specification identifies the PA brand, lighting fixtures, console, stage dimensions, acoustic treatment or production inventory. Claims about particular equipment models or technical measurements should therefore be treated as unverified.

Will OUSA replace Starters Bar?

OUSA indicated after the closure that it would search for an alternative North Dunedin venue. Later reporting in 2025 said the association was still trying to find a dedicated licensed student bar and had not secured a replacement site. No confirmed Starters-branded replacement venue or 2026 opening has been announced. The loss remains part of the wider debate about student safety and Dunedin’s nightlife infrastructure.

Events at Starters Bar, Dunedin, Otago

Good Times & OUSA presents : Grafix (UK)

OUSA Re:ORI Comedy Night - Joe Daymond & Ray O'Leary

MILLBROOK (Luxembourg) | Dunedin

A.M.C & INJA | Dunedin

Juicy Donna Nights Presents : Hot Donnas & Friends!

SBK + Rinsed present SPECTRUM 01

ShockOne - A Dark Machine (Dunedin)

Kanine (UK) - Dunedin

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