Ian Moss headlines the long-awaited reopening of The Regent Theatre in Richmond as the iconic art deco venue returns after a major renovation, marking a major cultural moment for Greater Western Sydney.
by Paul Cashmere
The Regent Theatre in Richmond will officially reopen on Saturday 2 May with Ian Moss delivering a sold-out solo performance that signals the return of one of Greater Western Sydney’s most historic entertainment landmarks. The iconic Australian guitarist and singer will headline the venue’s first night back after a multi-million-dollar restoration, with demand so strong that three of the first four reopening shows have already sold out within hours of going on sale.
The reopening weekend launches a new chapter for the 1935-established art deco theatre, which has been closed for years while undergoing extensive refurbishment. The response from audiences has been immediate, positioning the venue as a renewed focal point for live performance in the Hawkesbury region.
The reopening matters because it restores a significant heritage venue to active cultural use at a time when live music infrastructure remains under pressure across Australia. Ian Moss, whose career spans Cold Chisel, solo recordings and decades of touring, brings immediate credibility to the relaunch program. His appearance also reinforces the venue’s intent to anchor itself with established Australian artists while building a broader year-round entertainment calendar.
The official reopening weekend begins Friday 1 May, with a performance by rising Australian country artist Sara Berki, joined by William Alexander and Ellerie Rose as part of Great Southern Nights 2026 programming. Ian Moss follows on Saturday 2 May with his solo, one-night-only show, which reached capacity in under an hour.
Venue owner Duncan MacKay said the redevelopment reflects both heritage preservation and future-facing programming ambition. “Greater Western Sydney is one of the fastest growing urban populations in the country. We’ve put our heart and soul into bringing The Regent Theatre back to life,” he said. “It presents a quality new venue for a market that we understand is hungry for local, domestic and international touring entertainment.”
Programming and venue consultant Brett Hlywa of Sound Advice Music highlighted the breadth of the opening line-up. “To have a rising talent like Sara Berki and the legendary Ian Moss performing across our Opening Weekend is a privilege,” he said. “Our aim is to curate a diverse program of live events that support both emerging and established artists.”
The renovated Regent Theatre now features a flexible capacity configuration of over 700 patrons in concert mode, with upgraded staging, sound and lighting systems, digital cinema capability, artist dressing rooms, and improved loading access. The venue also includes licensed bars across multiple levels and upgraded audience amenities designed to support touring productions.
The Regent Theatre first opened in 1935 and has long held a place in the cultural fabric of the Hawkesbury and Greater Western Sydney. Over its 90-year history, it has shifted through multiple eras of use, including a major restoration in 1976 led by television identity Mike Walsh, who helped preserve its art deco identity.
That restoration effort became a defining moment in the theatre’s survival, ensuring the building remained a functioning entertainment space rather than falling into permanent disuse. In a historical coincidence, the original publican who established the venue also shared the name Michael Walsh, though there is no relation between the two.
Ian Moss’s role in the reopening also carries historical weight. As a founding member of Cold Chisel, one of Australia’s most significant rock acts, Moss has been a constant presence in national music culture since the late 1970s. His solo work, including early releases such as Matchbook, established him as a distinctive voice in Australian guitar-driven songwriting, separate from his band legacy.
The reopening of The Regent comes at a time when mid-sized live venues are increasingly central to touring circuits, particularly as large-scale arenas and smaller grassroots spaces continue to shift in availability. The Regent’s scale positions it directly within that crucial middle tier.
While the reopening has been met with strong community response, the long-term success of the venue will depend on sustained programming and consistent touring pipelines. Regional and suburban venues across Australia have historically faced challenges in maintaining regular high-profile bookings outside major metropolitan cores.
Industry observers also note that audience enthusiasm at launch does not always translate into long-term attendance patterns. However, the early sell-out response across multiple opening shows suggests immediate demand is strong, particularly for heritage venues that combine upgraded facilities with established cultural identity.
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
