I’m not entirely sure what to make of the whole ‘boring Adelaide’ thing – I hear it from (some) people, and I’ve read a fair bit of the same sentiment in certain areas of social media. Even the band ‘Redgum’, fronted by John Schumann, told us that very year that it was Another Boring Thursday Night In Adelaide.
I don’t know, but surely any place in the world is boring if you don’t make the effort to get yourself out there and get involved.
For this episode of the podcast we look back at what was happening here in 1978, to see how it compares with what’s happening in Adelaide nowadays.
The variety ranged from first-release movies such as Star Wars, Close Encounters of The Third Kind and Saturday Night Fever, as well as R-rated ‘delights’ such as Swept Away, The French Governess, and Burning Lips (heavens to Betsy!) to live acts at the Festival Theatre starring Billy Connolly, Peter Ustinov, and one of my favourite performers, Australia’s own Julie Anthony. Jules Bar was a happening discotheque in Hindley Street, and pubs across the metropolitan area were hosting everything from country-and-western bands to vaudeville shows. If all-you-can-eat food and drink was more your style, you could head out to the Hotel Enfield on Hampstead Road and partake in some Baron of Beef feasting. What more could you ask for?
So, whoever said Adelaide was ever boring, I think there’s sufficient proof to the contrary!