One of Sydney's beacons of promoting underground, indie, DIY music and arts for the past decade, Freda's will close for good later this month.
Opened in 2011 by owner David Abram and located in Chippendale, Freda's has become an integral cog in Sydney's music, arts and cultural scenes, particularly with Vivid Festival's focus on smaller venues in recent times (Vibe Positive, Extra Silky, Heavenly, Pure Space and Best Effort have all hosted events/ parties at Freda's).The list of alumni to strut Freda's stage is as long as it's impressive: NO ZU, Ata Kak, Severed Heads, Sui Zhen, Karifi Ensemble, Lucy Cliche, Retiree, Vanessa Worm, Ramzi, D. Tiffany, Rainbow Chan and Freda & Jackson.
There have also been countless DJ sets from the likes of Noise in My Head, Andras, Gilb'r, Adi Toohey, Peanut Butter Wolf, Toni Yotzi, Fett Burger, Regular Fantasy, PLO Man, Hashman Deejay, Simon Caldwell, Nosedrip, Phil Mison, Lauren Hansom, Wax O’Paradiso, Nite Fleit, Tim Sweeney, Darcy Justice, Bell Towers and many others.
Image © Imogen Grist
Freda's will not be going quietly though, with a three-week Festival of Freda's featuring some of their all-time favourite nights and artists including Rimbombo, Gauci, Heavenly, Vibe Positive, Pelvis, and Freda's much loved House Band.
Freda's is located at 107-109 Regent Street, Chippendale (Sydney) and will close to the public on 21 November, 2020.
Owner David Abram has released the following statement:
'It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Freda's in Chippendale will be closing on the 21st November 2020.
'After surviving 5 years of lock outs, red tape, rising rents and an exodus of youth from the city centre, Freda's had finally been flourishing after receiving one of Sydney's first 4am licences (outside the casino) since the heady days of the Olympics. We had been looking forward to by far our most successful and stable year ever. Boy were we wrong.
'Although we could not foresee an international pandemic, it had already become clear to us that we were not part of the long-term plans for our building. The 100-year-old warehouse we have inhabited, as is the way for many grassroots cultural spaces, will eventually become a memory to the high rise construction that is likely to envelop Chippendale in the next 10 years.
'But if it is to only become a memory, then at least it is of the deep, visceral and transcendent, as opposed to stale and flavourless. Of good times, expression, freedom, connection, music, performance, art and most importantly dancing!
'It is easy to forget in this most restrictive of times that dancing is the most human of behaviours. An opportunity to be completely free, if just for a moment. To connect with each other regardless of background, gender, or politics. If Freda's is to be remembered as just one thing, it will be as a room for dancing.
'But Freda's was so much more. It provided a platform and stage for live music and musicians, for emerging artists in our basement gallery Down Under, and for DJs playing for the first time to those playing on some of the world's best stages.
'As immensely proud we are to have showcased so much incredible music and talent, a stage is nothing without an audience. And what a beautiful audience you have been. We have been so lucky that this dark room down a back alley in sleepy Chippendale drew such an alive, engaged and diverse audience. No agro, no fighting, no ego, just love.
'There are so many people to thank, and over the course of these farewell weeks we will highlight you all, however without question the most important people on this journey are my parents Freda and Phil. Both immigrants and Holocaust survivors of humble beginnings, they have taught me you can make creativity the centre of your life and succeed. No matter the odds. I couldn't have done this without you.
'Finally, while we are saying goodbye to a beloved space, this isn't goodbye forever. When one door closes, another one opens. We will see you again soon.'
'It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Freda's in Chippendale will be closing on the 21st November 2020.
'After surviving 5 years of lock outs, red tape, rising rents and an exodus of youth from the city centre, Freda's had finally been flourishing after receiving one of Sydney's first 4am licences (outside the casino) since the heady days of the Olympics. We had been looking forward to by far our most successful and stable year ever. Boy were we wrong.
'Although we could not foresee an international pandemic, it had already become clear to us that we were not part of the long-term plans for our building. The 100-year-old warehouse we have inhabited, as is the way for many grassroots cultural spaces, will eventually become a memory to the high rise construction that is likely to envelop Chippendale in the next 10 years.
'But if it is to only become a memory, then at least it is of the deep, visceral and transcendent, as opposed to stale and flavourless. Of good times, expression, freedom, connection, music, performance, art and most importantly dancing!
'It is easy to forget in this most restrictive of times that dancing is the most human of behaviours. An opportunity to be completely free, if just for a moment. To connect with each other regardless of background, gender, or politics. If Freda's is to be remembered as just one thing, it will be as a room for dancing.
'But Freda's was so much more. It provided a platform and stage for live music and musicians, for emerging artists in our basement gallery Down Under, and for DJs playing for the first time to those playing on some of the world's best stages.
'As immensely proud we are to have showcased so much incredible music and talent, a stage is nothing without an audience. And what a beautiful audience you have been. We have been so lucky that this dark room down a back alley in sleepy Chippendale drew such an alive, engaged and diverse audience. No agro, no fighting, no ego, just love.
Image © Carla Uriarte
'There are so many people to thank, and over the course of these farewell weeks we will highlight you all, however without question the most important people on this journey are my parents Freda and Phil. Both immigrants and Holocaust survivors of humble beginnings, they have taught me you can make creativity the centre of your life and succeed. No matter the odds. I couldn't have done this without you.
'Finally, while we are saying goodbye to a beloved space, this isn't goodbye forever. When one door closes, another one opens. We will see you again soon.'
Festival of Freda's
Fri 6 Nov - Disco Bongo: Last Night of Disco with Andy Webb (Disco Delicious), Keep It Disco & Honey PointSat 7 Nov - Full Moon: Freda's Final Birthday with Pelvis, Lauren Hansom, Rimbombo & Precious Metal feat. Fascinator (live)
Fri 13 Nov - Gauci (live) + Freedom Sounds with Mike Who & Mike Who
Sat 14 Nov - Ben Fester & friends
Fri 20 Nov - Vibe Positive
Sat 21 Nov - Freda's: The End with Freda's House Band (Live), Simon Caldwell, DJ Crabby & DJ Salami
