The bandroom at Mamma Chen’s can fit around 90 people on a good day, which places it among the smaller music venues in Melbourne. But, in a real sense, Footscray’s newest spot for live music makes room for everyone. “It’s mainly about creating a safe space for people to share what they make,” co-owner Emily Chen tells Broadsheet. “We want people to know that we want it to be as inclusive and safe as possible.”

Emily and their mother Linda – the eponymous Mamma Chen – took over the former Dancing Dog Cafe in March 2020, so it was obviously a slow start. In the time between then and opening in February 2022, the Chens have focused on making sure that, for anyone who wants to see or participate in live music in the west, Mamma Chen’s is the place.

They ripped out the colourful beer garden’s astroturf, added a deck and created a new entrance with an accessible ramp. Inside, doorways have been widened and the kitchen has made way for a new accessible toilet. A dedicated space for wheelchairs during gigs has been introduced. Even the drinks list – with its generous selection of non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits – makes it obvious that any us-and-them rock’n’roll tropes won’t fly here. There is, of course, alcoholic beer, with the house draught always priced at $18 a jug.

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While it’s a great example of what a community-conscious space can be, Mamma Chen’s is also a welcome addition to the music scene in Melbourne’s western suburbs, which has taken a few recent hits. “There’s not a lot of live music venues around here,” Emily says. “We lost the Rev and that was so close to my heart.” (Though it returned as Hotel Westwood last year.) “The Night Heron had to close as well.”

The program of acts is diverse and won’t be restricted by genre or stature. Opening weekend featured Camp Cope’s Georgia Maq in solo mode, but the intention is that Mamma Chen’s becomes a valuable place to nurture budding talent. “We want to make it as inviting as possible so that people that are just starting out know that they can play here; it’s not only for bands that are known,” says Emily. Featured styles so far include funk, hardcore, “dolewave” and even Slovenian noise synth.

Emily has played in bands since the age of 14 – at last count they’re in no less than five – and reckons Mamma has been to just about every one of their gigs. Together, the duo is hoping their focus on accessibility and passion for live music will help grow the music scene out west. “It’s too early to tell, but I think it will get bigger,” Emily says. “A lot of people are moving to the west, and especially if they’re coming from the north and they’re used to seeing heaps of gigs all the time, the demand will be there. Over the next few years, I think it’s going to grow a lot.”

Mamma Chen’s
42a Albert Street, Footscray

Hours:
Fri 4pm–1am
Sat 1pm–1am
Sun 1pm–11pm

mammachens.com.au