What is to become of Sydney University’s Manning Bar?
What is to become of Sydney University's Manning Bar? That is the question circling around my head at the moment.
There were rumors a few months ago that Sydney University's Student Union (USU) had voted to ban certain styles of music of events from using Manning Bar - and now it looks like those rumors are true.
An article today in the Sydney Morning Herald confirms as much - that there will be a "ban" on music that is considered "too risky". The example given is Necro; a (very crappy) 'gore rapper' who raps about violence and death.
Why the ban? Because Sydney University wants to re-brand itself as an "Ivy League" institution, and are currently reviewing the music policy to curb "anti-social behaviour and alcohol".
Now let's get back to realism here; with a capacity of around 1,000, the Manning Bar is one of the only reasonable venues left in Sydney for international bands, and possibly the only venue of it's size with very good live sound quality. This is very, very disheartening news. It should be more than apparent that metal, grind, hardcore (and so on) will more than likely be facing the axe.
In the next few months alone the Manning Bar will host Meshuggah, Isis, Baroness, Converge, Genghis Tron and Between the Buried and Me. If we lose this venue, both Australian bands and countless international acts are going to have a very, very hard time playing in Sydney. The only equivalent venues left that come to mind is the UNSW Roundhouse - which as AWFUL live sound.
I can barely recall how many dozens of awesome shows I've been to at Manning Bar. All age shows have already been banned. Very, very sad news. Let's hope nothing comes of it.
Link to SMH article.
Link to Mess + Noise article.
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February 18th, 2010 - 16:04
You have got to be kidding me. The Manning Bar is one of the best venues in Sydney, easy to access and always good sound (depending on who’s mixing…)
This is the last thing we need. The Roundhouse is a shit hole and I don’t know what the deal is with the Hordern but they only seem to do gigs once a year unless it’s some dance/rave rubbish.
Fucking bullshit.
February 19th, 2010 - 10:55
Hordern is shit.
Oh well, hopefully like all the unis that are cutting shit due to stupidity (and idealism), they’ll find a lack of support. The dream would be that they realise what they’ve done wrong, which, unfortunately most institutions just don’t do.
What the fuck is with the Liberals wanting to privatise stuff???!!!
February 23rd, 2010 - 22:25
Dude there is a fucking HUGE difference in capacity of Horden and Manning Bar…
Horden is 5,500 capacity.
Manning bar is about 950.
Very much hope this doesnt end up changing anything… I mean Meshuggah was there last night and there’s Isis / Baroness there tonight – those bands DESERVE that live sound quality damnit.
February 24th, 2010 - 15:24
As much as it pains me to hear about this I will honestly be not surprised if this goes through as although people will complain, there tends to be a lot of the “too little too late” happening for Sydney’s venues.
The main difference here I should point out is that people actually DO come and support music here and in particular the Manning is a home for challenging, hard and heavy music and rather than embrace that the University seems to support the idea of keeping with “safer” styles to create some kind of reputation. Is it just me that see the irony of a place of learning wanting to eliminating music from it’s grounds that encourages thought and examination of internal and external subjects? I’m just hoping other people don’t just sit and watch as Sydney progressively becomes a musical wasteland of cover bands and fashion bands performing at RSLs to the beeping of pokies…
February 25th, 2010 - 10:23
It really is quite pathetic, and every time I think about this issue it depresses me. I just keep thinking of the incredible shows I’ve seen there – Cult of Luna were awe inspiring. Napalm Death was a personal highlight which I was lucky enough to play at. Mono, Meshuggah, Isis
Manning Bar is booked out most nights of the week. There have been some incredible shows across an amazingly diverse range of styles. Buying into the idea that death metal ‘promotes Satanism’ or Necro ‘endorses murder’ is absolutely ridiculous convervative rhetoric that has no grounding in fucking reality.
The idea that one of the cornerstones of music culture in Sydney (for a plethora Australian and international artists) are going to disappear simply because the 11 or so University Student Union board members want to rebrand itself as some pompous ‘Ivy League institution’ is simply mind-blowingly.
You are absolutely right that this entire situation is soaked in bitter irony. It’s not like there are not mainstream acts playing there – there is an awesome balance of all styles. THAT is in the interest of University’s students – a broad, non-discriminatory venue that allows all sub-cultures and art styles.
Of course if it was simply an issue of profitability and finance then I wouldnt really have grounds to complain (nor would the University have grounds to make sweeping bans on “risky music” since many, many metal, hardcore, metalcore, grind, punk shows have been very profitable).
While the loss of smaller venues is definitely regreatable and going to make it difficult for grass-roots bands to find shows, the loss of a staple for international acts with a capacity of 919 is inconceivably damaging.
I’ve found a very important follow-up to this issue in the form of a Facebook group started by some of the ex-employees that were recently made redundant – it seems there is much more to tell here than meets the eye: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=316897489510&ref=nf&v=info