I’m pretty involved in the local music scene myself and while the libs haven’t helped in the slightest, the issues with punters not showing up has been ongoing for years. For whatever reason, Sydneysiders don’t go to live music in the same way that people from Melbourne and Brisbane.
Talking to some mates who are promoters and book tours, the new norm will be weekend dates for Brissy and Melbourne and Sydney gets midweek because if they are going to lose money they might as well lose less and book a cheaper night. Whether it’s because it’s too hard to traverse Sydney for shows, punters have too many other social options or the loss of key venues over the last 5 years, who knows, but the damage done to local live music is as much as the punters’ fault as it is the Libs.
Every Friday &/or night in the country pubs put on bands whether they be cover artists or new acts writing their own stuff. Wollongong also has a thriving music scene but it isn’t the case in the city.
Whether it’s a result of overheads (rent, security, band fees) making it too expensive, smaller venues choosing pokies over live entertainment, council restrictions or any combination of the above, I don’t know. What I do know though is that it was occurring before the lockout laws, laws that only apply to a very small percentage of the total number of venues in Sydney.
I’m speaking primarily from the perspective of the electronic music scene, which has been most heavily impacted over the last 5-6 years. I’m not close enough to the live music scene to comment tbh.
But in any event, at the risk of derailing this thread, the damage done by this government extends far beyond the music scene.
Pub music scene has been killed by poker machines.
It used to be awesome back in the 70s and 80s.
The only restrictions were 11.00pm curfew in residential areas, but then it was time to move on to the next gig.
Drive home after 3.00am Saturday.
Miss it so much, even though it would probably kill me now.
It somehow seems ironic that we are having a civil, informed and different sided discussion about politics…on a football forum. You rarely see it on other platforms. Kudos
I agree that the lockout laws had the biggest negative effect on the electronic/dance music genre. Funnily enough it wasn’t the no entry after 1/1.30am part of the law that was the problem, it’s the no alcohol service between 3/4am-6am (unsure on exact time) bit. If a venue cannot make any money for 3 hours but still have to pay security & the dj’s why stay open?
The other issue the edm scene faced was it doesn’t generate anywhere near the bar sales of a pub band crowd. Bands start earlier and generally finish by 12am so people are in the pub for longer but can still get home by PT (not just night buses). Dj’s start later so people pre-drink at home or, due to the difficulties in getting home to the Western Suburbs in the early hours, in a hotel room they’ve had to pay for leaving them with less to spend when out. Pre-drinking, cost of drinks in clubs, drugs that mean you don’t drink as much and only a 3 hour window to make enough money to cover overheads let alone make a profit all combine to make it un-viable.
Only 1 of those issues come from the lockout laws though, the other 2 existed previously. The lack of businesses starting up outside the lockout zone looking to fill the void would indicate there is more to the decline than just the lockout laws.
Yeah this is sadly true. Sydney has never been a live music city. Whilst Sydneysiders will turn up to see international and headline acts, we couldn’t care less for the smaller and unheard of bands trying to make their mark.
Tex Perkins’ autobiography says otherwise though granted, that was a long time ago.
When I say never, I mean in my 35 yrs of existence.
I don’t know, I think it depends on what sort of music you’re after. I went to my fair share of punk/hardcore gigs in my early 20s, including some smaller local bands, and there was always a decent turnout. That said, I think it is generally true that Sydney’s sprawl makes it far more difficult for people to get to gigs, compared to the more centralised Melbourne.
Does anyone have any guesses how the results will shake out? I’m leaning towards 45 seats for the LNP and then them forming minority government with either the Shooters or Independents guaranteeing supply.
In the 1980’s the cities, primarily Sydney and Melbourne were teeming with bands of all sizes. You could get off the train in Sydney and walk around all night/morning slipping into a variety of pub/clubs/cafes etc and watch/listen to all manner of music/bands/performers.
Every Friday the SMH produced an entire guide to where all there bands were playing and it was chockers. There were also weekly music magazines which also carried this info.
Second election in a row there has been no sausage sizzle at my polling place
Can anyone confirm, if a polling place is in Public School. It will have a sausage sizzle?
My local polling place is in a TAFE and for the last 20 years of my voting life. They haven’t had one sausage sizzle.
West Bathurst Public had nothing.
I am democratically sad. I had to go to Bunnings and buy two.
Hardest thing about voting was deciding which pack of cunts to put last.
Thankfully in NSW you don’t have to number every box.
Vote cast at Dully High School at Democracy Sausage consumed.
Also weird graffiti spotted in the polling cubicle; “Please vote for my friend Gladys”. Yeah, nah.
Disappointingly still on the nsw electoral roll 
Was hard to decide which piece of shit got my vote. Keep sydney open won, the rest was incredibly slim pickings.