slam - Music Victoria

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the SLAM (Save Live Australia's Music) rally, Music Victoria speaks to those who were there at the frontline about their memories of the time and their observations over the passing years.

It's a little-known fact that Melbourne musician Jade Imagine helped spearhead the 2010 rally to save The Tote. This rally precipitated the huge SLAM rally that followed. Jade fills us in...

1. What was your involvement in the live music lobbying and protests of 2010?

Around the time when we heard that The Tote was going to close, I was living above and running a music rehearsal space on Johnston Street in Collingwood with my bandmate at the time, Sarah Phelan. We could just see The Tote out of our bedroom window (lol yes, our bedroom - we shared a bedroom - divided down the middle by a couple of clothes racks. Anyway that’s off-topic…).

I remember us talking about how rattled we both felt, reflecting on how important this venue had been to 'cut our teeth' playing music and how integral to the DIY scene it was. So we got on Facebook and created an event titled “Save The Tote - Rally” or something to that effect.

We published the event and went on with our day. Later on we checked back to see how the event was going and there were something like 5000 people who’d clicked to attend the rally. Things escalated pretty quickly from there. I remember getting a phone call from Paris Martine saying we should start a discussion with the local police to ensure (and reassure) that it was going to be a peaceful protest.

2. Why did you get involved?

I just didn’t want The Tote to close - I couldn’t picture Melbourne without it! Honestly, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that things would have come as far as they have. Evidently it was and still is something the entire community felt very strongly about!

3. Do you have any specific memories that you hold dear from that time? What are they?

I remember being ushered inside The Tote whilst the rally was in full force outside. It was just before Bruce Milne made a speech addressing the crowd through a megaphone from the second floor. I remember peering out of the office window upstairs at all the hundreds of people outside. It felt so special to see that many people showing just how much they cared about this single venue.

4. What lasting changes/impact do you think these events had on the live music scene in Melbourne?

Well, for one, keeping the doors open at The Tote for so many more amazing shows to take place. Plus the conception of SLAM; such an incredible organisation to have come out of this event and which has helped to continue the conversation about live music, venues and the challenges that all can face within the music industry.

5. Do you have any further comments whilst reflecting?

Just about how much I respect Quincy and Helen from Bakehouse for seeing an opportunity to take things further and create SLAM (Save Live Australian Music). That was a lot of work for them considering they were running their own business! Pats on backs all round.

Amanda Palmer, the band booker at the Tote in 2010, gives us her account of the events...

1. What was your involvement in the live music lobbying and protests of 2010?
I was the band booker at the Tote when we announced the closure of the venue in January 2010. This announcement led to a week of outpouring of support, spontaneous protests and much media attention in Melbourne and culminated with the ‘Last Drinks’ gig that I put together to see the venue out with a bang. These events were the catalyst for the SLAM group to form and begin planning the SLAM rally. Once the Tote closed, I mostly worked on wrap up of the Tote but I attended initial SLAM meetings and helped in promoting the Fair Go 4 Live Music petition and upcoming SLAM rally.

2. Why did you get involved?
I got involved because I was right in the middle of it. The Tote was closing down, I was losing my dream job, Tote staff were about to become unemployed, Bruce and James were losing their business and we were being directly affected by one-size-fits-all government policy. The Tote is open now, but at the time, we weren’t certain it was going to reopen. The forced closure of the Tote not only meant losing our jobs but it was a direct assault on our lives, culture and community. It was being taken away from us and I was devastated and angry.

3. Do you have any specific memories that you hold dear from that time? What are they?
There are so many! Too many for just one paragraph anyway.
I think some people might just remember that time as being one big party, but as Tote staff, we were all extremely busy. It was hard, emotional, frantic and pressured. I do remember being blown away when I looked out of the window of the Tote booking office seeing a couple of thousand people – who’d mobilised in just a few hours - protesting on the street below. Even though it was too late for the Tote then, these mini protests helped to inspire the larger SLAM protest less than a month later. I remember feeling hopeful marching alongside 20,000 others at the SLAM rally – that this might change things for other venues in similar circumstances. I guess in a way the thing I hold most dearly isn’t really a specific memory, it was more about feeling like I was part of a community that collectively had the power to effect change.

4. What lasting changes/impact do you think these events had on the live music scene in Melbourne?

I think these events shook a lot of people from their complacency of live music and small venues. It helped legitimise live music as one of Melbourne’s economic assets. Before these events we didn’t have SLAM or Music Victoria – they formed because of these events to advocate on behalf of music issues.
I think this being the 10 year anniversary, is as good as any time to say a huge thank you to Helen and Quincy and everyone else at these organisations and behind the scenes for all of the work you have done and all of the work you continue to do. Cheers to all of you.