THE NAKED CITY – POP GOES THE NIGHTCLUB!

It was good to see Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrnes endorsing our call of a few weeks back that live music venues be given exemption from the current lockout laws. His Council will now conduct a survey to investigate whether such venues have a much lesser impact in regards to drinking culture and violent incidents than other binge-oriented premises. Coming on the back of the ‘Keep Sydney Open’ rally, it’s a positive step in revitalising Sydney night life.

Whilst the issue of resolving the current 1.30am lockout rages on, it’s an opportune time for creative Sydneysiders to think well outside the square and come up with at least temporary solutions to fill the cultural void. Back in the late 70s and early 80s, New York City was home to the somewhat notorious ‘pop up’ nightclub. Set in old warehouses, abandoned buildings and the ubiquitous lofts, the pop ups flaunted the city’s initial inability to close them down on the spot. If the venue was sprung they would simply pack up the minimalist décor and move to a different location.

The original process of closing these illegal clubs was rooted in a complicated bureaucracy that often took a couple of weeks, thus prolonging their fleeting life. However the City soon passed legislation that enabled immediate closure, coupled with some serious fines and penalties for the perpetrators. Sydney too has enjoyed its share of illegal pop ups, particularly in the more laissez faire days of the 80s and early 90s when the police were focused on more rewarding prizes than busting an after hours warehouse party.

It would be a brave person, you might think, who took on the might of the law and Council bureaucracies these days and attempted to open an ‘underground’ Sydney venue. Secrecy is almost impossible in 2016 with the explosion of social media and Councils patrol their precincts with an almost puritan fervour.

Yet illegal grog shops, clandestine nightclubs and surreptitious ‘gigs’, have been part and parcel of Sydney’s chequered history, going right back to the days of early convict settlement. Goddamn – it’s part of our cultural legacy! Whilst there will probably always be large scale illegal raves, what we are advocating is something of a more boutique nature, akin to the spread of small bars throughout the city and inner west. Clover Moore has recently called for more of the latter, with perhaps an extension of their trading hours, but many of these bars face noise restrictions due to their proximity to private dwellings.

It might be a pipe dream, but we would love to see Councils allocate many of their public and unused spaces for a series of one-off pop up nightclubs, opening well into the wee small hours and with a minimum of regulations imposed, save for the basic safety and hygiene requirements. You could apply for a one-off pop up licence, fulfil a few basic obligations, install your own basic décor, hire a band and DJ and be open for business, albeit for only one night.

Yeah, the old snowflake’s hope in hell, you immediately reply, and perhaps you are right given the storms of protest that would come from established venues, the AHA and other party-poopers, should any Council be so daring to try the experiment. That of course leaves only the illegal (or semi-legal) option, and whilst we would never advocate a blatant breaking of the law, it’s time to at least try a little tweaking of the system.

A great followup to the ‘Keep Sydney Open’ rally would be a symposium, where anybody not directly connected with the late night club industry, AHA, or liquor suppliers, could sit down and workshop concepts for a new pop up culture, a bit like the start-up tech geeks are doing with their apps. It’s simplistic to think that a lifting of the current lockout laws will restore the status quo and bring back an exciting and booming late night culture. However the popular push is gaining momentum and some changes would appear inevitable. In the meantime there’s certainly the opportunity for somebody to reinvent the wheel when it comes to a Council endorsed, totally legal, community friendly, pop up nightclub. Maybe!