Venues across NSW to Stop The Music This Saturday in Protest!

By Sam Eacott

Over 20 venues and bars across NSW will turn their music off at midnight this Saturday, in an unprecedented protest against the NSW Government’s damaging policies to live music and music events across NSW.

This announcement coincides with there being 100 days until the NSW election.

“Music venues are vital for any creative city and we think music policy should be in people’s minds come election time,” says Mark Gerber, owner of the Oxford Art Factory, a participating venue.

David Abram, owner of another participating venue, Freda’s in Chippendale, says: “It’s more than just about music. We also stage art exhibitions, spoken word nights, talks and markets. Venues provide an essential service to many Sydney communities and need to be valued higher than they currently are.”

“There has been a net loss of 175 venues since the lockout laws were introduced, and the recent scapegoating of music festivals has shown the NSW Government is not going to stop until they destroy all the fun in NSW,” saysTyson Koh from the Keep Sydney Open political party.

“We have seen a massive decline in economic and job growth in Darlinghurst and surrounding suburbs which can be directly correlated to the lockout laws and anti-competitive policies of the NSW Government,” says Darlinghurst Business Partnership Chairperson,  Stephan Gyory.

Some of the venues that will be turning off the music at midnight include:

• Marlborough Hotel – Newtown
• Oxford Art Factory – Darlinghurst
• Kings Cross Hotel – Kings Cross
• The Family Hotel – Newcastle
• DK Pool Club – Bathurst
• Freda’s – Chippendale
• Chingalings – Darlinghurst
• The Narrabeen RSL – North Shore
• + many more

This includes Heaps Gay this Saturday night at The Imperial Hotel in Erskinville. So get down, have a dance and protest with us and pray.