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[title]Many have tried to sum up what working in Australia’s live music industry has been like since March 2020, but James Power, longtime booker for the Prince Bandroom, says it best. “My beard has basically turned white since March last year,” he says. “To tell you the truth, it’s been absolutely shithouse. We were the first to close and we’re the last to open.” While other industries have limped on with takeaway, delivery and at-home pivots, presenting live music has been nearly impossible to achieve in lockdowns. “A lot of people have left the industry. A lot of people have left Victoria.”
But there’s a light on the horizon for beleaguered industry, with live music venues being given the green light to reopen at maximum capacity from November 24. It was news that Power said felt “like Christmas”. “We can’t wait. We’ll be open again, and we’ll come back strong.”
I’ve been part of the Save Our Scene venues group and they’ve been incredible
During lockdowns, the strength of the industry – not to mention the passion – has been highlighted, with Save Our Scene (a collective of small and medium live music venues across Victoria) banding together to fight for desperately needed support. Power says the group has been instrumental in ensuring the industry wasn’t left behind during lockdowns or in the city’s staggered reopening. “I’ve been part of the Save Our Scene venues group, and they’ve been incredible – it’s everyone from Prince Bandroom to 170 Russell, the Corner, the Croxton, Revolver Upstairs, the Forum...it’s just been fantastic all the venues coming together. It’s been a real positive.”
The news that music venues can open from November 24 at full capacity is a massive boon for businesses. Until that date, density requirements and patron caps make opening unviable for a lot of venues. “Basically the overheads stay the same,” says Power. “but we were only allowed 25 to 30 per cent of the people [compared to normal venue capacity].”
That’s not to say the industry will be hunky dory straightaway. Venues still need to get through the next few weeks while able to only host limited capacity shows, while the industry in general is suffering from a staff shortage – a phenomenon also being seen in the hospitality and tourism sectors. “We’ve lost so many staff,” says Power, speaking on the exodus of workers from Victoria to states like WA and Queensland, which have been open and able to offer more employment hours and opportunities. “But also we’ve lost a lot of people from music. Music and venues haven’t been open so they’ve had to go back to their fallback trades or even join new industries where they could feed their families.”
"Melbourne is the best live music city in the world. Let’s get back to doing what we’re already doing"
Come November 24, however, the Prince is ready to get right back into gigs, albeit with all the necessary measures in place. “We're already ready to go with QR codes and the VicSafe [Services Victoria] app and the vaccination side of things,” Power says, adding that past reopenings have shown a strong demand for live shows post-lockdown. “We have some big gigs already locked in for early December... We weren’t expecting we'd be able to do the big ones!”
“We can’t wait to see you. Come in, spend up, buy tickets, support venues, support artists and come in and have a good time. Melbourne is the best live music city in the world. Let’s get back to doing what we’re already doing.”