Adelaide’s Jive hits survival campaign target, but other venues have live music woes

Long-time Adelaide live music venue Jive is keeping its doors open, after a Pozible crowd-funding campaign started by a group of industry supporters proved highly successful.

By the time the Keep Jive Alive drive wound up on the weekend (January 31), it had exceeded its $70,000 target.

Unlike some other venues who could diversify into food offerings and renting it for non-music reasons during last year’s pandemic closure and current crowd-capping, owner of 17 years Tam Boakes had no options with the Hindley Street establishment.

“As a dedicated fit-for-purpose live music venue, I haven’t been able to ‘pivot’ or diversify services to supplement some of our financial shortfalls and all I’ve been in a position to do is budget and managing cash flow to try and see out the pandemic,” she said.

“The reality is that, although band bookings and tours are returning for 2021 and we have been in discussion with various funding bodies, unless we find a financial lifeline I’m going to have to further extend on my personal and business loans and eventually I will find myself in a position where I won’t be able to sustain the business.”

The campaign offered donors a personally engraved tile on a wall, a limited-edition Jive branded beer from Big Shed Brewing Concern, a limited edition ‘Keep Jive Alive’ t-shirt and a collection of Jive memorabilia.

A benefit concert with major Adelaide acts was a sell-out.

In other good news for live music fans, Melbourne has a new bandroom, at the Hotel Westwood in Napier Street in Footscray, open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

In Newcastle, Blackbutt Hotel at New Lambton has been allowed to extend trading hours by two hours, until 2am on Wednesdays to Saturdays.

As a way to invigorate Sydney’s summer nightlife, the NSW Government and City of Sydney’s Italo-themed pop-up outdoor performance venue and concert series Sunset Piazza kicked off January 28 until March 21.

These cover pop, comedy, EDM, hip hop, jazz and indie rock with tickets capped at $25.

However the lights have turned off permanently elsewhere, or face the possibility.

Newcastle’s 48 Watt Street and the Small Ballroom ceased as live music venues, their operator blaming COVID-related crowd size restrictions and the growing fees by local acts.

Watt Street’s abrupt decision to stop the music caught a number of acts by surprise, including Catherine Britt who had to move her launch party for her Home Truths album. “It’s just not right to treat artists like that, it’s just such a big deal to do this to someone right before the event,” she posted on social media.

Adelaide’s Saracens Head on Carrington Street entered administration with firm DuncanPowell looking after affairs. The venue went dark after the coronavirus lock-in but opened in spring – at which point it ran into problems coming to an agreement over the lease with the landlord.

Darwin’s PINT club has to stop live music after complaints about noise and customer language emanating from its courtyard which has a band stage for events including First Sunday Blues Club and the Darwin Blues Rock Festival.

The NT Liquor Commission imposed the ban but declined to impose a fine because the venue has to install a $100,000 noise limiting device.

The future of live entertainment at Adelaide’s Union Hotel in Waymouth Street has a question market over it as it’s been put on the market.

The same situation faces Newcastle’s Cambridge Hotel, a popular music mecca.

The Hunter Street building is attracting a lot of interest from developers after being put on the market last year. However licensee Dru Russell and his team have put in a bid which, if successful when a decision is made on February 11, would see bands continue to play.

InDaily reported that Adelaide nightclubs and music venues have asked the South Australian Government to provide a roadmap on when COVID restrictions including dancing could return.

Among those expressing concern were Harrison Raphael of Loverboy and Hugo Pedler of Lion Arts Factory, as they had to plan for the future, especially when JobKeeper ends in March.

“There doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Raphael, who is also submitting plans for a ‘60s inspired music festival Mystic Sky for 1,000 patrons in July in Rymill Park.

“I’m just after some kind of roadmap for us as an industry to see a way for us to get back – and a bit of transparency as well.”