Regent Theatre (exterior/landscape)

In the early 1970s David Porter was a contributing photographer for some of the most influential Australian Rock music and underground publications (Go-Set, Daily/Planet, Rolling Stone (Australian Edition), The Digger. Porter was based in Melbourne, his subject the zeitgeist of its Rock/Pop music, underground theatre, and Counterculture scenes, sometimes working as ‘David Porter’, sometimes ‘Jacques L’Affrique’, sometimes ‘Jack Africa’. In 1973 he left Melbourne, stopped working in commercial photography, and pursued a teaching career.

REGENT THEATRE (December 1971 - March 1972)
Regent Theatre. 210 Toorak Road, South Yarra

Built by the Associated Theatres, opened 1925. Joined Hoyts Theatres in 1926. Screened first ‘talkie’ 1929. Closed as a cinema in 1970. December 1971 became Rock venue. Project overseen by Joe Monterosso, Bert Deling, Clifford Hocking, Robert Kennedy. $40,000 was spent on fit-out, lights, and sound systems. Opening December 10 ,1971, the revamped Regent opened as “…Rock environmental event of such proportions never seen in Australia…will encompass theatre, film, ecology, light and music...Presenting specially rehearsed events Friday and Saturday each fortnight, entertainment included lights, music, Tribe Dance, vaudeville acts, acoustic sounds, stalls, and international acts (every 45 days).

Launch night acts included Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, Tamam Shud, Carl & Janie, Tribe. The event was a technical disaster. Beset by local business opposition, sound and light problems and poor attendances the Regent Theatre was suspiciously destroyed by fire 2 March 1972.