An iconic heavy metal venue in the heart of Australia’s red centre is fighting for survival, as live music venues across the country face mounting pressure from rising costs and uncertain tenancies.
The Black Wreath in Alice Springs began more than a decade ago in an old warehouse and has since become a cornerstone of Australia’s heavy metal scene.
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The venue launched Southeast Desert Metal, which tours nationally and draws big crowds. Last year, the band performed at the Sydney Opera House.
The Black Wreath is also behind the internationally renowned Blackened Open Air festival.
“Bands fly days, like 36 hours plus from America to come and play these shows,” heavy metal journalist Paul Brown said.
But with its building now up for sale, the venue faces the same fate as countless other live music venues across Australia.
“The music industry, the live music industry is in a really kind of fragile state,” said Ant McKenna from the Australian Live Music Business Council.
A changing drinking culture, fragile tenancies and climbing costs are hitting grassroots venues hard, with many teetering on collapse.
“[They’re] either vulnerable or saying we can’t keep going much longer or running fundraising campaigns,” McKenna said.
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The Black Wreath is now trying to raise $1 million to buy the building themselves.
“So it’ll be put into a trust and it’ll be left to this town forever,” founder ‘Pirate’ said.
In a final push to save the venue, bands across the country will perform in a nationwide festival believed to be an Australian first, all playing simultaneously on September 12 with ticket proceeds going to the cause — a cultural asset seen as being just as important as our libraries.
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