After losing iconic alternative venue The Arthouse after 20 years in May this year, comes further sad news that North Melbourne venue The Public Bar will be shutting its doors for good in December. The Public Bar has had live music since 1993.
A statement on the venue’s website reads: “After 18 years of supporting live and local music in Melbourne, North Melbourne’s Public Bar will be closing its doors in December this year. We would like to thank all the punters that have supported us over the years and hope you can all come along and see your favourite bands raise the roof one final time. Stay tuned for more killer line-ups…”
The closure of another live music venue is a timely reminder that we can’t take our local live music scene for granted. The high profile nature of the infamous closure of The Tote afforded it the publicity required to resurrect the institution,but most venues can only dream of such publicity. Unfortunately if we don’t all go out and support small bands there will be more closures as paper thin margins are evaporated due to low patronage.
So what are you doing this weekend? Forget the footy for one second and why not check out Melbourne’s great local music scene at one of a number of excellent venues. And next time you complain about the price of your drink or for entry on the door think about what you’re really paying for. A city without a vibrant music scene is a dull city indeed.
