‘Another huge blow’: Four more Aussie venues unplug music

While the Australian live sector is seeing some recovery before an expected full blast by end of the year, the impact of COVID and the current Omicron outbreak has taken its toll.

At least four music venues are unplugging live music, for different reasons.

The Lansdowne Hotel in Chippendale, Sydney, is closing its music offering at the end of April.

According to operators Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, the building landlord decided to close the 250-capacity Gig Room to provide more space for the lucrative hotel accommodation.

“This was not a part of our vision for the Lansdowne, and as such, we have decided to call time on our custodianship of this iconic live music venue,” they said.

“2022 was shaping up to be one of the busiest at the Lansdowne, due to the growing community of artists and punters who are passionate supporters of music, art and culture.

“It is deeply upsetting to call time on an icon, at the height of her powers.”

While The Lansdowne provided a medium-sized room in Sydney in which to cater for growing acts, it has had a turbulent history.

It closed in 2015 until Smyth and Graham re-opened it two years later, with The Annandale’s Matt Rule handling band bookings after its revival.

They will continue to showcase new and emerging voices at Mary’s Underground.

Ice Cream Factory

The WA Government’s sudden decision in mid January to indefinitely extend border restrictions left the live music sector anxious and fearful.

As TMN reported, local promoters had already sold 100,000 tickets – worth $13 million – for events to the end of April.

Now Perth’s weekend pop up venue Ice Cream Factory is cancelling the rest of its current summer season as a result of the border delay.

Located in a grassed area in the Northbridge entertainment precinct, it was drawing large crowds to its weekend music festivals.

At risk were appearances in February and March by intestate acts as The Veronicas, Masked Wolf, Vera Blue and Example.

Organisers Bar Pop posted: “To say we’re bummed is an understatement.

“It’s another huge blow for our business, and our industry, but we will keep persevering.”

Sydney comedy, cabaret and music venue Giant Dwarf in Redfern has closed, saying it is “unable to find a way to continue” because of COVID.

It was founded by The Chaser’s Julian Morrow and Nikita Agzarian in 2015 as a place where performers could try out fresh material. It built up a supportive community for new-gen talent.

But COVID brought with it a 40% hike in rent, and the venue continued to survive by moving from the 290-capacity space on Renwick Street to the smaller 160-capacity site of the old jazz club Venue 505 in Cleveland Street.

But the second Sydney lockdown took its toll, as it did many music businesses.

“Even with a reduction in rent during the lockdown period, it is so difficult to continue in such uncertain times and very little funding support,” managing director Bec Annetts, program producer Moira Kennedy and producer Jess Gordon said.

“We simply cannot survive through this ongoing pandemic.”

This week, TMN reported that Rumpus Room in Brisbane’s West End was closing on February 23 after 16 years with operators saying “all good things must come to an end”.