Get To Know Jive
The Note caught up with Jive owner, Tam Boakes, to chat about the venue’s legacy in the music scene.
Image by Jack Fenby
An evening at Jive is a rite of passage for Adelaide music lovers: a coming-of-age moment where many fall in love with the venue. It’s been visited by thousands of gig-goers, played host to international acts and launched the careers of many (many) musicians. For owner Tam Boakes, that’s all she ever wanted when she got the keys to Jive in 2003.
Tam snapped up Jive after viewing it in the dark with the help of her cigarette lighter almost two decades ago. Since then, the one-woman operator has helped develop Adelaide’s live music scene by providing up-and-coming bands a place to play.
Jive’s intimate space means Tam’s had a front row seat watching bands grow from playing to crowds of 10 to selling out the 300-person venue.
“I thought [Jive] would be a real launch pad,” she says. “It’s so special to watch people’s careers in the makings and to know you played a part in it.”
West Thebarton is one of the local bands who regularly gigged at Jive, guitarist Brian Bolado even used to sling beers behind the bar. Today, the band has toured Europe and played Splendour in the Grass, yet still revisits the Jive stage from time to time. “I’m so proud of those guys,” Tam says.
The Cat Empire, Tame Impala and Missy Higgins also played some of their earliest interstate gigs at Jive. In 2003, The Cat Empire had a Sunday night crowd wrapped around the corner of Hindley Street before they could enter the venue.
“You felt the magic that night,” Tam says. “Everyone was watching and saying: ‘This band was going to be huge’.”
The Cat Empire returned to Jive a decade later for their 10th-anniversary tour. “It was so lovely,” continues Tam.“You don’t expect to get bands like that back.”
However, Jive’s legacy isn’t without darker times. The pandemic was emotionally and financially draining, and the venue was almost forced to shut its doors. “It was such a tough time. Thank god we survived with the help of all these people,” Tam says, gesturing to some 400 plaques on the Jive Wall of Fame.
Each plaque is engraved with the names of people who donated to the ‘Keep Jive campaign’ in 2020 – an initiative launched by Tam’s industry mates that raised more than $70,000 for the venue. It was a much-needed lifeline that kept Jive, and Tam, afloat. “It’s the only reason I’m still here,” she says. “I know what Jive means to me. But what it is to everyone else...warmed my soul. Everyone had a story.”
Now, Tam’s turning her attention to the next wave of music lovers walking through Jive’s doors. “I hope we get a crowd of young, passionate people in bands or who are background workers and promoters. [Jive] gets the opportunity to nurture the next generation, which is cool,” she says. But that doesn’t mean Tam’s looking to hang up her Jive boots anytime soon.
“People ask me how long I’ll do this for, and it’s until I don’t enjoy it,” she says.“And I still love it.” With that news, party on.
Keep up to date with everything going on at Jive here.
