Lockout law custodian Mike Baird may have moved out of politics after it became clear he was absolutely not welcome, but the fight continues against the lockouts still, in an effort to repair some of the crippling damage done to Sydney’s music scene.
ARIA-winner Montaigne is the latest high-profile name to lend her support to the anti-lockout fight, joining protest group Keep Sydney Open for their third organised rally this weekend, which will take place 12pm Saturday the 18th at Martin’s Place.
She’ll be joined by Sydney stalwarts GANGgajang and U-Go-B at the third of KSO’s anti-lockouts rallies, although the second was actually blocked last minute when the NSW Police took the issue before the Supreme Court and didn’t go ahead as a result.
Of course, Montaigne alluded to an anti-lockouts stance quite strongly during her ARIA acceptance speech, showing up on stage emblazoned with the words ‘People Over Profit’, and later explained to Fairfax that her message was simple: to stand against “the way the government is treating arts in this city”.
She wasn’t the only artist at a politically-charged ARIAs to get that message across, and multiple award winner Flume used his final speech to implore “our policy-makers and politicians to please Keep Sydney Open, so that the next artists can have the same opportunity I had”.
“Small venues and small parties, that’s where all the exciting stuff is happening,” he added, and continued backstage: “I performed at Goodgod Small Club supporting Chet Faker, that was one of my earliest gigs. And I think it’s so important for the future of music here that there is a scene.”
The ARIAs unfortunately took place at Sydney’s Star casino, a venue exempt from lockouts despite being a hub of violence, and a monument to the hypocrisy of the departed Casino Mike.
While music-loving protesters face an uphill battle to convince Government, lawmakers and the wider public that the lockouts need to be relaxed or considered, the protests will continue this Saturday.
