When the jewel in the UK’s clubbing crown, Fabric, was put under threat, the dance music community mobilised on a global level. Now, hundreds of crucial live music venues in Sydney, Australia need the same show of support!
Since the introduction of the lockout laws – which involve 3am last drinks, 10pm last takeaway alcohol sales and, most damagingly, 1.30am last entry – over 30 entertainment venues in Sydney have been forced to close. The massive march Keep Sydney Open Rally that took place at Sydney’s Central Station before making its way to the Central Business District was just one of numerous protests. The number of participants vary on the exact turnout of the rally, but was supposed to be somewhere between eight and fifteen thousand people and is seen as a strong message to New South Wales Premiere Mike Baird. The lockout laws were first implemented in 2014 and are meant to counter antisocial nighttime behaviour, street fighting and other social side effects to heavy alcohol consumption. The outcries against the laws have been based on the idea that they are severely damaging nightlife and music culture in Sydney. Another reason for protesting is the claim that the laws are putting Sydney’s reputation as a global city in jeopardy.
Last Drinks Coalition, a group of unions representing the state’s doctors, nurses, paramedics and police officers, spokesperson Dr. Tony Sara said the difference the alcohol-fuelled violence laws had made to Sydney streets was immeasurable.
“A 32 per cent decrease in assaults in Kings Cross is a statistic too great to ignore. These laws have saved lives,” she said, “This isn’t about stopping people from having a good time; this is about making sure that people get home safely at the end of the night. To reverse [the lockout laws] would be a travesty and would put innocent lives at risk.”
But instead of creating long-term solutions for a safe and 24hour city, the government has created a restrictive environment in which music venues – especially smaller music venues – cannot survive let alone thrive and, as a result, Sydney musicians are leaving the city in droves to head overseas.
Thanks to the efforts of anti lockout campaign Keep Sydney Open, tens of thousands of Sydney residents have been able to voice their opposition together, hitting the streets in two enormous marches this year. But it’s not yet been enough.
Enter Subsonic Music Festival DJs Seth Troxler, Dana Ruh, Archie Hamilton and Murat Kilic. They, along with some friends want to show solidarity with Sydney’s culture struggle, and raise some much needed funds for the ongoing campaign to Keep Sydney Open. So to get your attention, they’re going to jump out of a plane.
On December the 8th, the Subsonic DJs will drop right out of the sky in the name of nightlife, thanks to the generous support of Sydney Skydivers. All funds raised will go to Keep Sydney Open.
The city’s music industry should be protected, not punished. The government needs to acknowledge the value and necessity of a healthy nightlife scene both culturally and economically – and the first step is to lift the lockouts.
To help spreading the word and make this change happening go HERE.
