The Sydney music scene, and venues in particular, are going through a tough time.
Earlier this week it was announced that The Lansdowne will be closing its doors at the end of September, becoming the latest in a long line of music venues to shut down – whether directly due to the lockout laws introduced in 2014 or otherwise.
The Lansdowne was a home away from home for music fans and struggling students alike. The venue hosted thousands of gigs, ranging from local bands playing their debut shows to international buzz bands landing in Sydney for the first time. Some of these gigs will go down in Sydney music history, and the same can be said for other iconic venues that have had to close their doors, such as The Hopetoun and The Sando.
We look back at five of the greatest gigs to have taken place in venues that are no longer with us. Lest we forget.
Nirvana @ The Phoenician Club – January 24, 1992
It might just go down as the most forward-thinking booking decision in Sydney history. Magnet Promotions of Sydney decided to book a little-known Seattle band on an Australian tour after getting a copy of their debut album from Mudhoney and liking what they heard – and as luck would have it, this grunge outfit was just about to go into the studio to record a second album. Magnet booked them a gig at The Phoenician Club in Sydney, a few dates around the country, as well as a spot on a new music festival.
The band was Nirvana, the album was Nevermind, and the festival was Big Day Out.
By the time Nirvana hit Australia, they were the biggest band on the planet. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ had become the song of a generation, and the grunge movement was in full force. They played the first-ever Big Day Out, sitting on the lineup underneath Violent Femmes and Yothu Yindi.
Nirvana’s first gig on Australian soil took place on Friday Janary 24, 1992, at The Phoenician Club, supported by The Meanies and Tumbleweed.The Phoenician was a venue located in Ultimo, opposite the St. Barnabas Church on Broadway. It was the host of countless gigs from the early ’70s until its closure in 1998. It hosted an eight-month residency for Sherbet, a fair few gigs from AC/DC, but most famously, Nirvana blew its roof off on their first and only Australian tour.
Sarah Blasko @ The Hopetoun – September 2002
The venues that became home to punters and rockstars alike were not always filled with the who’s who of the music industry. These businesses thrived and survived on putting all manner of shows on, from open mic nights to local metal bands and international touring acts. Artists growing up around Sydney saw shows at these venues as marks of success, and a way to hone their craft. Such was the case for Sarah Blasko.
An 2003 BRAG interview with Sarah Blasko after the re-release of her debut EP. Click to enlarge.
If you happened to walk into The Hopetoun in Surry Hills in late September 2002, you might have seen a poster advertising the young Blasko’s EP launch. The six-track EP Prelusivefeatured the song ‘Your Way’, and later that year received national airplay on triple j, Channel [V], and rage. When the Hopetoun closed in 2009, Blasko remembered that sometimes she played at the venue to 20 or so people, but there was a packed-out crowd the night of her EP launch.
Read our most recent interview with Sarah Blasko here
The Bronx @ The Annandale Hotel –April 26, 2013
The Bronx have a history with the Annandale Hotel, once a famous sticky-carpet rock venue, more recently renovated into a family pub. It might sound weird considering The Bronx came out of the US, but the band’s ties with the iconic Sydney venue run deep.
When The Bronx toured Australia in 2004, their Sydney performance became their first-ever sold-out headline show. The set went off, as most gigs by The Bronx do, and it was all captured on a mini-DV camera by someone working at the venue. This infamous performance later saw a limited DVD release in the form of Live At The Annandale. The concert footage received no additional editing or production (except for one song, which you can watch below) – it was straight from camera to DVD.
When The Bronx returned to Australia, this time as part of the Groovin The Moo festival in 2013, they made it a point to return to The Dale – this time with a three-night residency. The Bronx were stronger than ever, but sadly the same could not be said for The Annandale, which was on the market in a receiver’s sale. The Bronx’s three shows ended up being some of the last at the venue as we knew it.
Midnight Oil @ The Stagedoor Tavern – April 13, 1979
Midnight Oil were Australian rock icons that rose to fame through the Sydney pub scene. In the ’70s and ’80s countless bands ran wild all across Sydney, playing every pub that would let them in, only to rise to fame through hard work years later. Bands like AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and The Angels all found their audience this way, and so did the Oils.
One notable gig of many took place at The Stagedoor Tavern in 1979. Known for leaning on the more alternative acts, The Stagedoor was a true home to many bands. This particular Oils show was recorded by Double J.
Hard-Ons @ The Lansdowne – January 10, 2015
Earlier this year, the soon-to-be-closed Lansdowne held a residency for the iconic Hard-Ons. Every Saturday in January, one of Australia’s greatest punk bands packed out the venue with a series of free shows that featured acts such as Chinese Burns Unit, BRUCE!, Hostile Objects and Born Lion.
Built in the 1920s, and opened as a pub in 1993, The Lansdowne was always a bit of a black sheep on the Sydney music scene; a home for the slightly grittier. Its cheap lunches were a saviour for any student, and its stage played host to everyone from Mudhoney and Dinosaur Jr. to You Am I and The Living End.
Was the Hard-Ons’ residency the most iconic series of gigs The Lansdowne ever held? Probably not, but the history was still being made. We’ll miss you, old friend.
Photo: Newtown Graffiti on Flickr
Every week around Sydney, bands are still putting on great music at great venues. Show your support by buying a ticket, grabbing some merch and dancing along. The best way to find out what’s going on at a venue near you is tohit our gig guide. It might just be a gig you’ll be talking about for decades.
