Rob MacLeod has been manager at the Potato Shed for 20 years. He speaks with Justin Flynn about his time at the iconic Bellarine Peninsula performance venue.
Rob MacLeod has seen a lot of change during his 20 years as the Potato Shed’s venue manager.
Just about all of it has been good.
“It has gone really quick,” he says.
“Naturally if you enjoy doing something, it doesn’t seem like work.
“Find a job that you love and do it and you won’t even know that you’re working.I couldn’t think of anything better for the past 20 years than this.”
The Drysdale performing arts venue has been home to many acts and events over Rob’s two decades.
Some of the biggest include the family fun days that attracted 10,000 people and the recent 500th pantomime performance.
The family fun day will now be replaced by Spook Fest later this month, which Rob promises will be big.
“We’re hoping Spook Fest grows over the years,” he says.
“The family fun day just got too big and too huge for a little team to manage. It went for a good 10 years and started off with a couple of thousand people.”
Rob says one of the more humorous events each year at the Potato Shed has been unknowing tourists dropping in to buy some potatoes.
“We had a lot of people coming in to buy potatoes – we do have some very nice potatoes around here,” he laughs.
Rob says the best part of being at the spud shed was “seeing the place grow”.
“Seeing people embrace it,” he says.
“It took a while. Every local council has its own performing arts venue, but Geelong is different because it’s the only city in Victoria that has a state government arts centre.
“The Potato Shed is the city’s performing arts venue and I still believe there are a lot of people that believe we have the calibre of shows that other arts centres have around Australia.”
Rob says the Potato Shed has a deserved reputation for allowing punters to get up close with the acts.
“It’s a real boutique setting,” he says.
“More than likely you’ll have a drink with the performers in the bar afterwards. It’s such an intimate and engaging place.”
The Shed has had its share of well-known performers over the years including John Woods and the Chantoozies.
“It’s great to have well-known names and celebrities, but they have to produce the goods as well,” Rob says.
“You can’t get away with having a bad performance at a small venue because people are only a few feet away from you.”
Rob says the small team at the Potato Shed loves what they do.
“Not because it’s an easy job, it’s because we really love what we do and the feedback we get from the community is just really personally gratifying to know you are doing something for the community.”
Rob says he was worried about the shed’s future during the pandemic, but was overjoyed that the recovery has exceeded all expectations.
