Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri 11am – Late, Sat – 12pm  - Late, Sun – Closed - unless we have a show on

The Gov Story
Named after the first governor of South Australia, The Gov has seen a lot of changes over the past 162 years.

Since 1993, when the Tonkin family took over, The Gov has established itself as Adelaide’s leading live music venue and is highly regarded upon by musicians and music-lovers alike.

Between the regular local bands playing in the front bar and the world-class music featured in the venue, The Gov really is Adelaide’s home of live, original music.

The Gov’s front bar and saloon bar provide a friendly environment for activities like the Adelaide Ukulele Appreciation Society meetings on Tuesdays, Open Mic Sessions on Wednesdays, Irish Jam Sessions on Fridays and live local bands on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The warm décor, polished wooden surfaces and fireplaces throughout make it a comfortable and welcoming place to be, especially in winter. In the venue, pictures of famous musicians adorn the walls and the dimmed lighting and booths around the room emphasize the intimate space, creating the perfect environment in which to see a favourite band.

Live music can be enjoyed on most nights of the week, with a variety of local, national and international acts featured regularly in the front bar and venue. Since June 2007, over 350 different artists have graced The Gov's stages.

Renowned mostly for its'  entertainment, it's refreshing to discover that The Gov also boasts a fresh and exciting menu that is diverse in it' s offerings. The ingredients are the very best of fresh South Australian produce and choices range from the famous Wood-Oven Pizzas to traditional pub faves like Schnitzels, Fish & Chips and more gourmet options like the Cajun Blackened Barramundi and Peppered Lamb Cutlets.
 
As John from The Adelaide Review observed; “The Gov is an institution for it's great music; it should also be an institution for its great food.”Not only is The Gov a successful business, but it is also active within its community, hosting countless school concerts, clubs and gathering groups, information sessions, charity events,  monthly events for the physically handicapped and fundraisers with various organisations.

The belief that live music should be accessible to everyone is at the core of the foundation of this iconic live entertainment venue. Representing the entire spectrum of genres, The Gov focuses on offering something for everyone. From Cabaret to Punk, Folk to Rock, Hip-Hop to Electronica - The Gov lives and breathes live music and so do all of the people that venture within its walls. We understand that music is more than just entertainment, it's a way of life.

Best Entertainment Venue in Australia!

At the 2009 Australian Hotels Association's national awards for excellence, The Gov was awarded the title of 'Best Entertainment Venue in Australia 2009.' The Gov has also won the AHA excellence award for Best Entertainment Venue in South Australia in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Regarded amongst musicians as the key home of live music in Adelaide, The Gov benefits from the continued support of many artists who just keep on coming back, many of them returning to play multiple nights instead of moving to larger venues.  Adelaide readers voted The Gov as the Best Music Venue in the 2007 Adelaide Advertiser's Annual (Scene) Awards, ahead of The Adelaide Entertainment Centre and The Thebarton Theatre. Likewise, fasterlouder.com.au recently ran a 'Best Live Music Venue in Adelaide' poll via its readers; The Gov was the winner with 42% of the votes.

The Gov is fortunate enough to have received an assortment of awards over the past few years including the AHA (SA) award for Best Entertainment Venue in 2007, a Jacks Award for Best Music Venue in 2007, the Adelaide Fringe Festival award for Best Music Venue in 2007 as well as the SA Music Industry Assoc. 'Best Venue'  awards (both music industry and public voted categories) for 3 years in a row from 1995 to 1997.