Brisbane’s iconic live music venue, The Zoo will re-open to patrons next month – in accordance to further lifting of social distancing restrictions on 11 July – with gatherings limited to 100 people at a time.
Now in its 28th year of operation, The Zoo’s owner Pixie Weyand says she and her team have had to be creative to navigate the return to ‘normal’ life despite the financial constraints limited audiences create.“I was adamant that we weren't going to open until 500 people [The Zoo’s capacity is 500] were allowed back in the venue, we survive on those bigger shows,” Weyand says.
“Generally 100 people in the venue for us is a financial loss, so it took a bit of adjusting to make sense of it all and change my mindset.
“We have no choice but be creative and think outside the box. I want us as an industry to look forward and move forward as productively and safely as we can together with the information and resources at hand.”
The Zoo have launched a new series Anti-Social, which aims to embrace change and adapt to new thought processes; the programme features 30 local acts including Butterfingers, BUGS, Resin Dogs, Asha Jefferies, The Dreggs and First Beige.
“As a venue we don't have the luxury of time to sit tight and wait,” Pixe adds, “every week that goes by we go further and further backwards.
“Right now we have no idea what the future holds or when restrictions might lift or go back to normal, for our survival we need to absolutely work with what’s in front of us together, and as an industry we need to be agile, creative and flexible otherwise we will remain stagnant or even worse, be forced into silence for good."
Anti-Social will allow for 2 groups of 100 to enter the venue per night with activities to fill the space such as ping pong, pool tables and bowling. It will also offer an outlet for the industry to reconnect with music fans, providing a safe place to once again socialise and reconnect with the community.
“I want to be a beacon for positivity during this period and beyond, for myself and others,” Connor Brooker, frontman from BUGS, says.
“I've also just been really lonely. My entire social life revolves around the music industry in Brisbane, so it's been an emotionally isolated few months for a lot of people. It's going to be a euphoric and cathartic release when we're all back in a room together. Emotions will run high."
Anti-Social at The Zoo 2020 Dates
Sat 11 Jul - Butterfingers, DJ KatchFri 17 Jul - BUGS, Bad Sext
Sat 18 Jul - Resin Dogs, Boys Of Many Colours
Fri 24 Jul - The Steele Syndicate, Kurilpa Reach
Sat 25 Jul - Total Pace, CNT EVN
Fri 31 Jul - Perve Endings, Radium Dolls; The Jensens, Colts
Sat 1 Aug - Beddy Rays, Blussh
Fri 7 Aug - Asha Jefferies, Hallie
Sat 8 Aug - The Dreggs, Make The Moon
Fri 14 Aug - First Beige, Pink Matter
Sat 15 Aug - Concrete Surfers, Dopamine
Fri 21 Aug - Fat Picnic, Electric Lemonade
Sat 22 Aug - Waxflower, Semantics
Sat 12 Sep - Bearfoot, HRBRT
