Helloooo! It’s been awhile – thanks for your patience as I’ve been overseas, getting all up in the music culture of the Deep South. Good times!
Travel is a passion – I could keep at it for weeks at a time. But – with apologies to Peter Allen – no matter how far I roam, I’ll still call Adelaide home, for many good reasons.
For one, I have yet to find any dead-set suitable replacements for my favourite local live music venues (don’t worry Nashville & Georgia – you do have contenders!). As far as I’m concerned, these stalwarts of the Adelaide scene define “what live music is” ’round these parts, and have for years.
Now, I’m as keen as any to check out the plethora of pop-ups that have made their new homes in the odd spots around town. Quirky, cool, fun, fresh – it’s all good!!
However.
While we partake in the seemingly endless parade of emerging venues, let us not neglect the bricks & mortar businesses that have hung in there to make sure that live music continues its tradition in this town.
They’ve fought (and still fight) the noise complaints from those who move to the city and decide they want it to sound like the suburbs.
They provide a range of options so interstate & international bands want to – and can – tour here.
They host live acts night after night, putting money in the pockets of hard-working musicians.
It’s not just the pop-ups that may filter off some gig-going audiences, of course. Indeed, some are in fact providing new opportunities for acts to play, and for new audiences to discover live music.
But from the corner pub’s perspective, just think of how many things compete with ‘live music’ as an entertainment option these days, or make it a less likely choice. Sure this includes a bunch of new and exciting places to try, but it also includes all your fancy tech gear at home, a whole whack of festivals all at once, transport issues, and, um, winter is coming…
There’s also an onus on these long serving establishments to know what their customers want, and have the vision to adapt to changing climates in music, and changes within the city itself. If people want ‘new’, what can they do to provide that? How are we giving them feedback?
As punters it’s our right to mix it up in how we spend our leisure time. I would just encourage us all make regular pilgrimages to support local live music venues – and the bands they are hosting! They cannot thrive without your presence, and if you wait too long, these opportunities may not be around when you decide to ‘come back’.
If apathy and distraction kill the scene, we’ll all be to blame.
– Dr. Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager
Comments welcome below.
music sa 