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Cloudland's
halcyon days did not finish with the war, for during the
later 1940s it hosted up to forty-seven balls a year.
Indeed, over its forty years, Cloudland hosted a large
number of local and international bands and that sprung
dance floor was put to use time and time again despite
the Queensland authorities' ambivalence to 'different'
music. In the late 1950s Johnny O'Keefe's act was not
permitted to be promoted as a night of 'Rock and Roll',
but was billed as a Jazz concert instead. In the 1960s,
Brisbane was so staid as to be described as being in the
dark ages; a place where wearing a mini skirt and makeup
would create a stir. In the 1970s, along with the banning
of street marches in Brisbane, the police would turn up
with the 'dog squad' to halt those music performances
they thought looked (and sounded) 'suspicious'.
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Cloudland
was an intrinsic part of all of these times. Kevin Bates
remembers Ian Dury and the Blockheads performing at Cloudland
circa 1982. Writing in an email after Dury's death, he
said, "I will always remember the concert in Brisbane
Cloudland's theatre. The boys in blue didn't know what
to do when you sang 'Spasticus Autisticus' after the State
Government (Queensland) had threatened arrest if you did.
It sure got the crowd going." Dance bands, jazz groups
and rock bands all performed at Cloudland. Bands such
as Midnight Oil, Dragon, Split Enz, Cold Chisel and the
infamous Clash ensured Cloudland Ballroom was a part of
a Queensland's growing up. But Queensland's maturity also
meant an increase in population. In 1982 six thousand
fans wanted to attend the Clash concert at the venue that
was built to hold two thousand. Cloudland had become known
as 'Loudland' to local neighbours, and the last two concerts
in the premises resulted in thirty seven arrests.
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When
its liquor licence was cancelled in 1980, it became illegal
to have alcohol within thirty yards of the Ballroom. However,
Elaine van Kempen writes of her memories of excited girls
attending Cloudland balls and 'lifting' the punch with
colourless spirits. A friend of hers said about Cloudland:
'About a third of Brisbane was conceived in the car park'.
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Many
newspaper articles during the 1970s spoke of the rejuvenation
of the Ballroom. The dome at the center had started sinking
and public sentiment was that the premises should be preserved
as one of Brisbane's best-known landmarks. In 1979, a
Mr. Holmes, then manager of Cloudland, reported in the
Sunday Mail that hundreds of thousands of dollars
had been spent on repairs to the building and the site
was to be developed as a big entertainment center, including
the ballroom. However, plans for apartments were also
proposed to Brisbane City Council as early as 1976.
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