Keep Sydney Open will today install plaques outside of shutdown music venues across Sydney that will feature high-profile artists who honed their craft in Sydney.
Each plaque will highlight an artist that held significance to a particular venue. These will represent where the artists played their first shows, met other band members or were given the chance to practice their art. Eighteen internationally-recognised bands and artists will show their support for keeping the live music scene in Sydney alive.
Artists represented:
Flume
Flight Facilities
RUFUS
Anna Lunoe
Alison Wonderland
Peking Duk
Art vs Science
The Presets
Nina Las Vegas
Jagwar Ma
The Preatures
Yolanda Be Cool
Hayden James
Bag Raiders
You Am I
Sneaky Sound Sytem
Lorde (who played her very first showcase at Goodgod)
The closed venues throughout the lockout zone include: Club 77, Flinders, GoodGod Small Club, Hugos, The Lansdowne, Phoenix, Piano Room, Q Bar, Soho, Spectrum, and 34B.
In 2014, the NSW Government introduced restrictions on inner city venues, which included a 1.30am lockout. The plaques will serve as a sign for the impact that these restrictions have had on the live music scene in Sydney. According to Music Australia, live music is responsible for an income of $2 billion, 40,000 job opportunities, and more attendances annually (40 million) than sport.
By holding this event, Keep Sydney Open hopes to give an indication of how much live music is needed. The people of Sydney will also have the chance to show their support for live music this evening by presenting flowers and candles outside of the closed music venues which were all a part of a buzzing scene.
Keep Sydney Open will hold a second rally on 9 October.
