Well, well Brisbane. We now have a new, beautiful space ready to be inhabited by all manner of creatives.

Nestled within the current confines of The Tivoli Theatre, What’s Golden offers the city’s burgeoning indie, fringe-y circles a home to play, a safe zone to hone their craft.

Pub Choir’s own Meg Bartholomew owned the stage as the night’s MC despite a lack of sleep, having flown in from Rockhampton on the day where she’d ridden a mechanical bull the previous night (that’s your random fact quota filled for the day).

It’s quite the skill to shush a rambunctious audience (pepped up like a group of unruly kids buzzing on red cordial) as they queued for another round of free drinks at the bar. But Meg managed it with aplomb after a few stern, sideways glances.

Welcome to Country was performed by local elder Steven Coghill, who gave a beautifully detailed backstory to the song he was about to perform (about a warrior yearning to return home); it was an enlightening moment that left the room hushed throughout.

Then The Tivoli Theatre's Creative Director, Dave Sleswick, gave one of the best thank-you speeches of all time.

Reading notes from his phone (he definitely wasn't txting folks), he relayed how What's Golden was named – a combination of Dave's love of the Jurassic 5 song 'What's Golden' and the lyric: 'We're holding on to what's golden', and the history of the space itself, which once in galaxy far, far away was a bakery and the wonderfully golden feels / smells attached to freshly baked bread.

After the original opening band, Holiday Party, had to withdraw at the last minute due to illness within the group, the dulcet tones of locals Buttercats stepped up to the plate and knocked it outta the park with their sexy, smooth disco-funk that soon had the dancefloor brimming with eager participants.

It was an enjoyable replacement; think the love child of a threesome between Bee Gees, Client Liaison and Kool & The Gang – the funk was that good people.

Then it was time for synth-disco six-piece First Beige and their slick, gloss, and affordable luxury grooves.

Featuring as part of next week's BIGSOUND (music industry) showcase event, this Brisbane band full of names that sound like rock stars are catching a quick meteor out of here to the shiny stars.

The canapes and DJ rolled on into the night, allowing the various space options to be more easily envisaged as the room slowly emptied.

The many quietly nestling curtains can close off the lounge part of the main auditorium, or the entire long room, leaving only the joint 'cafe and bar' space, which will be open during the day as a coffee shop and retail space with Jet Black Cat Music to have a pop-up store.

Whatever your choice in jewellery, you'll find something with the right amount of sparkle at What's Golden.

This article was originally published in Scenestr and republished with permission.