How big a fan of The Grates are you? Have all their records? Seen every tour? Did you already know that bandmates John Patterson and Patience Hodgson have in fact been secretly dating for several years?
According to a notice that appeared on the Facebook page for the indie duo’s own Brisbane-based cafe and bar, the Southside Tea Room, the pair are now tying the note and getting married before the end of the year, and in further charming and adorable fashion, they’re using their own venue as the location for their wedding.
The hand-crafted notice reads:
Southside Tea Room will be closed this Saturday morn & arvo – opening 5pm with usual bar trading as John & Patience are getting married – thank you for your understanding.
As Triple J points out, The Grates frontwoman also let slip about the relationship with her fellow bandmate on the Minutes Podcast, hosted by comedienne presenter Mel Buttle, back in August, but the news of the wedding is the first public announcement of their relationship.
Hodgson has been thanking fans on her twitter account for their well wishes since the news broke overnight, no word as yet if the wedding vows include the lyrics to ‘Carve Your Name’ (‘into my heart’).
The core duo have apparently had a relationship for some time now, but have kept it on the down low from enterprising Grates fans, originally blossoming from their years spent in New York making their latest record, last year’s (now seemingly appropriately titled) Secret Rituals.Southside Tea Room will be closed this Saturday… as John & Patience are getting married
Hodgson and Patterson decamped to Brooklyn in July 2009 and spent the better part of two years living in a Brooklyn apartment, as well as touring in support of American acts like Passion Pit and Vivian Girls, as well as working on their third studio time.
In that time, their original drummer Alana Skyring departed to become a full-time chef, as Hodgson told The Music Network at the time, “a lot of things have happened in the last few years when we were writing this album. Old chapters closing, new ones starting… we didn’t want to be bogged down in the past.”
Part of those new chapters (aside from, you know, getting married!) has been the development of the band’s own venue in Morningside in their native Brisbane.
The Southside Tea Room opened last May, serving coffee, tea and sweet treats in a location decked out like Patience Hodgson and John Patterson’s ideal loungeroom and their cafe-come-hang-out was a huge success upon launch.
Then in September, the band added a late-night bar to operate out the back of the existing Tearoom, in the cavernous space already carved out while the venue sought the appropriate liquor license “About 4 months ago we started operating, selling tea and coffee out the front,” explains The Grates’ effervescent frontwoman, who even roped in her sister, Raven, as chief barista.
It all seems like a very cosy family affair, and considering the indie poppets managed to have a romantic relationship all while maintaining their successful career means that fans shouldn’t be worried that married life will affect The Grates. Well… maybe a slight break for the honeymoon, of course.
