Sydney rallies around The Basement, and to keep Newtown “safe and weird”

The Sydney live music industry and its supporters are holding two separate rallies, one to save The Basement club and the other to keep the Newtown entertainment hub “safe and weird”.

The Basement rally, organised by the Labor Loves Live Music, is held on Thursday (April 12) beginning outside NSW Parliament on Macquarie St at 3:30pm.

Those attending are asked to bring ukuleles and mirror balls.

John Graham, founder of Labor Loves Live Music, explains, “These have been chosen as they symbolise the serious issues the music industry is facing across NSW.”

At 4pm, the gathering moves into NSW Parliament and takes seats in the gallery in the Legislative Council for the statement in support of the venue.

As reported in TMN, the long running Basement is departing its Circular Quay building for another still-unidentified site after reports that trade had fallen in recent years.

In the meantime, Reclaim the Streets is holding its 3rd annual Keep Newtown Safe and Weird Protestival at 2pm on Sunday April 22.

The rally will meet outside The Hub, opposite Newtown Station, and then march down King St towards Sydney Park, where it will end in a dance party and fashion show, “celebrating Newtown’s wonderful weirdos.”

Organisers say, “This year we’re also making a pilgrimage to the St George, that was graffitied over by homophobes after last year’s plebiscite, and will chalk it messages of love.”

Reclaim the Streets spokesperson Blair Bennie explains,

“Newtown is a colourful, creative and loving community, that has always been a welcoming and safe home to all manner of weird and wonderful people.

“I’m looking forward to Keep Newtown Weird and Safe, and hope it will be an opportunity to reconnect with the community, and spread a message of acceptance, safety and love in defiance of the effects of gentrification.”

Local DJs will spin over multiple mobile sound systems. A list of stages and acts will be released closer to the date

The latest updates are available here.