The Reefer Cabaret was the successor to the fabled TF Much / Much More Ballroom concert 'happenings' promoted by Bani McSpedden and John Pinder in 1971-72. Like the Ballroom, the Reefer Cabaret was not the name of a venue per se (like Catcher or the Thumpin' Tum) but rather the title for a regular concert event held in one of the large community halls in Melbourne that could be rented on a casual or regular basis for dances, meetings and similar functions -- in this case, the Dallas Brooks Hall in inner Melbourne, and built by the local chapter of the Order of Freemasons.
Like the Ballroom shows, the Reefer Cabaret events were usually held monthly and typically featured long concert-style performances, with multiple musical acts on the bill, interspersed with comedy, poetry readings, theatrical, dance or novelty performances. The first Reefer Cabaret show was held on 3 August 1974 at the Dallas Brooks Hall and ran at different venues until sometime in 1976.
Mushroom commemorated the Reefer Cabaret by recording the final concerts and compiling a selection of tracks on the valedictory 2LP set A-Reefer-Derci, (1976), which featured performances by Ariel, Ayers Rock, the Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, the Renee Geyer Band, Skyhooks and Split Enz.
A1 Renée Geyer Band – It's A Man's Man's World 5:15
A2 Split Enz– Amy (Darling) 5:02
A3 Split Enz– Lovey Dovey 3:21
A4 Split Enz– Time For A Change 3:44
B1 Ayers Rock – Boogie Woogie Waltz 10:55
B2 Ayers Rock – Gimme Shelter 7:18
C1 Ariel – I Can't Say What I Mean 4:28
C2 Ariel – Rock 'N' Roll Scars 4:10
C3 Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band– Roll That Reefer 4:16
C4 Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band– The Prefect 3:12
D1 Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band– Out In The Suburbs 4:13
D2 Skyhooks– Revolution 4:39
D3 Skyhooks– Smut 4:45
D4 Skyhooks– Saturday Night 2:51
