John Power and his family have taken over the lease on the McIvor Road venue and will spend six weeks transforming the old pub into the Entree Music Bar.

"It's been open but you wouldn't know it. It's been very quiet," he said.

"Not too much will change, the bones of the building are there. We will do some redecorating and signwriting as well as setting up a stage, sound and lights."

Mr Power, who started Power AV 30 years ago and spent eight years running sound at the Golden Vine, said it was a long-held dream to run a music venue.

"All my experience is in audio and video. I have always been into music and was overseas in Las Vegas and other parts of America last year seeing all these music bars," he said.

"It has been in the back of my mind for years. I have always thought 'I would really love to do this in Bendigo'."

Mr Power said he hopes to provide an outlet for all types of music.

"We want to get away from the dive bar feel for bands and create something a bit more classy that can cater for all genres," he said.

"The plan is to be an early-night venue that is open from Thursday to Sunday and provides somewhere to go before a night club.

"My children say there is a lack of that, they have to wait until 10pm for somewhere (ideal) to go out to. 

"At the same time for the 'older' age group, places are doing bands and doing a good job but I feel everybody's not being catered for.

"We will have classical right through to heavy metal acts. With originals on Thursdays, a different genre on Fridays, covers on Saturdays and standard Sunday sessions."

Mr Power looked at a number of venues before signing the documents for the McIvor.

"We put in for The Goldmines Hotel to keep it open as a music venue but unfortunately missed out," he said.

"That made us more determined. We were looking at possibly the Newmarket but kept coming back to the McIvor.

"It's intimate, not a huge area and in some ways that's good. It also has a nice big beer garden that we can develop at some stage." 

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