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AMORE.The original. The best.
The discoteca that started it all in 1996 🪩✨
30th anniversary reunion.
Only 300 Tickets will be available.
Details released 31st October
❤️
Amore: A Brief History – Snapshot -
In 1996, a small cat perched on a heart—Baby Sylvester—began appearing on the streets. Defying convention, Amore combined techno and R&B across two rooms. Inspired by cultural diversity, it became the dance club of the United Colours of Benetton. With a new theme each week and events that moved between venues, Amore was ahead of its time—and that sense of change was part of the fun and its success.
Amore premiered at The Ritz in St Kilda, attracting 950 patrons. We were then recruited to revive Saturday nights at the struggling XTC Warehouse, where attendance grew to 1,800 within weeks. But Amore kept moving. The owners of Heat and the St Kilda Football Club then invited us to run the Church on Chapel—an unprecedented venture in a decrepit old church with only three lighting effects and a poor sound system, but undeniable charm. From opening night until the venue was sold, it became a regular destination for celebrities and football stars. Patrons queued from 8 pm and waited hours to enter; the walls were slick with heat, and the upstairs room seemed close to collapse.
In 1997, Jamie Nasser invited Amore to Silvers in Toorak, taking the event to another level. The venue was full by 10 pm and reflected Melbourne’s multicultural character, welcoming people of all races and colours. In 1998, we moved to the irresistible Racquet Club on Queens Road—a venue that seemed made for Amore—and drew 2,500 patrons each week. We hosted Grand Prix parties, offered Ferrari rides around Albert Park and welcomed prominent guests and international artists, while Hits FM broadcast live each week. Success came at a cost: we disrupted the competition, the venue was eventually firebombed and we faced weekly targeting during a turbulent year in Melbourne’s gangland history. Chris Choronis discussed bringing Amore to Heat on Sundays, but the venue ultimately chose Molly. That year, Amore also introduced the first street party at the Lygon Street Festa and, over the next few years, provided much of its DJ entertainment. Amid political change and turf wars, we moved to Mega Bar on Saturdays and experimented with events at Chevron, Dome, Odeon, Mercury Lounge, The Flower and Carousel. In 2002, we were offered Telstra Dome and the Locker Room. Amore returned on a grand scale, attracting 2,000 patrons and finishing with a 2,500-person event featuring Ja Rule, though such a large operation was difficult to sustain. In 2003, the team at Viper Room approached us. The venue’s reputation and faded glory made transforming it an exciting challenge. Against the odds, we relied on gradual promotion, unknown DJs and persistence every Saturday. Within six months, Viper Saturdays had become the place to be, drawing Melbourne’s social set until 7 am and earning a reputation as the city’s new Studio 54. We later expanded into collaborations with brands, fashion and festivals. Amore held its final night in August 2006, attended by 1,200 patrons, as the director stepped away for a break from the industry.
In 2010, the promoter returned to the industry with a successful series of biannual, one-off ’90s dance events at venues across Melbourne. In late 2019, an experiment began in the popular Facebook group I Loved Clubbing in the ’90s. During the COVID lockdowns, its members formed a special community that offered connection and hope. From that experience, Age of Love was born.
Now, in 2026, it would be fair to say we have done it all.
But let’s do it one more time.
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Event venue
Toorak, Victoria, Australia, 68 Clendon Rd, Toorak VIC 3142, Australia, Prahran
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