12 January 2009

Did you enjoy the final Block Party?

| johnboy
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On Saturday afternoon I was certainly impressed by the scale of the setup in the Challis St car park in Dickson for the Trinity Block Party.

If you went we’d love to hear what you thought about it. And if you’ve got some photos send them in to images@the-riotact.com.

When I saw the setup the first thing that went through my head was “I wonder how they get permission for that?”. It should be noted that the Lexington Music team are masters of getting permission for events lesser men and women wouldn’t dare to dream of. But it seems this one was a bridge too far with organisers sending around the following email on the morning of the event:

    “It is with great regret that due to government pressure, bureaucracy and noise restrictions, this will be the final Block Party we will ever be able to hold in the Trinity Bar car park.

    Block Party started in 2007 and was a first of its kind event in Canberra. The previous 2 Block Party events we have raised over $18,000 for charity and we are going to raise as much as we can for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in 2009.

    Block Party has been a great event for the Canberra community and planted the seed for us providing Canberra with music festivals. Block Party helped develop the grounding that has seen the birth of Foreshore, Warehouse and the upcoming O in the Park festival.

    So get down to Trinity Carpark this Saturday and help us celebrate 3 fantastic Block Parties! And vote with you feet and show the Government that Canberra needs to support these types of events that benefit Canberra youth and Canberra charity!”

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Haha Eyeball. feel free to tell me a bar here in canberra which has more soul than Trinity?

I’ve worked in the hospitality industry in 3 states (and no I do not work for trinity/lexington/friction) and have never ever come across a bar with such well behaved and great attitude clientelle, and some of the best friendliest and knowledgable bar staff anywhere.

Eyeball In A Quart Jar Of Snot9:58 am 13 Jan 09

Another issue is the fact that Trinity is one of the most soulless bars in Canberra (along with Knightsbridge Penthouse aka Stock Jeans Local # 217).

But maybe I’m just not down with hanging out with 500 people that all look/think/talk/smell the same?

I once tried searching for all the wiring but it seems these latest models have gone wireless.

“but it is trying to emulate a “block party”.”

How ?

Holding an event in a carpark and calling it a block party doesn’t come close to it being a block party.

It misses the point of what a block party is all about. The community/ neighborhood run the event, they all benefit from it. It is supposed to be a local celebration/ party.

Sheesh. Some block party. The Chinese New Year celebrations in Dickson are much closer to what a block party is than the Trinity event.

“I’m struggling to understand why the local businesses are not supporting this awesome event?”

Perhaps because they don’t have pass outs. If people could leave and grab a meal and even a couple of brews at another pub in the shade and the business’s around Trinity see a financial benefit from the event……

Piratemonkey11:56 pm 12 Jan 09

Oh please oh please tell me which business i now really hate schmerica? Wouldn’t be that pub would it?

Shutting an event like this down is so stupid. That said moving it to a bigger opened air carpark in civic would make it even better 😉

I believe it may have more to do with the business’ in the surrounding area may also lose patronage on this day.

I too am looking forward to OiP … more VIP 😉

Damo

I went on Saturday and had a fantastic time. I had never been to a Block Party before but had always heard great things. Plus, after going to Foreshore and Warehouse, I was expecting something awesome.

I wasn’t disappointed! The crowd was friendly, staff were lovely and the day had a great vibe. Although there wasn’t a whole lot of share, the people (including myself) who were able to get a hold of some VIP passes were able to relax inside in air conditioned Trinity bar. My friends were not a lucky and were forced the spend the day outside. This didn’t impede on the day and we managed to find some shade on the edge on the carpark. People were happy to rest in the shade for a bit, then go for a drink and chat in the sun. Didn’t hear one complaint about the lack of shade!

I’ve never been to a music festival where pass-outs were allowed. Once your in, you’re in for the long haul! Although this can suck when you’re cold and left your jacket in the car, I can understand it from a security point of view. I can assume most people are understanding of this.

As I mentioned earlier, the crowd was a friendly crowd with everyone enjoying the music together. I didn’t see any fights or anyone being particularly stupid.

I’m struggling to understand why the local businesses are not supporting this awesome event? Not only are they raising money for charity, they are providing the bored youth (like myself) with something constructive to do on a Saturday afternoon. Yes, its loud, yes, there are alot of people but jesus, it’s for ONE DAY! The gig finished at 11:00pm on a SATURDAY. One hour past noise curfew. Surely, an event which is helping put money back into our community is enough to get over your whining. I know which business is to blame for all the problems the Lexington had to deal with and I won’t be going there again.

All in all, I will be sad to see this event go but Lexington is going from strength to strength and I am now looking forward to ‘O in the Park’ at the end of February.

Surely the only people who could possibly complain are the residents across Antill road and ffs it’s on a saturday afternoon who gives a toss. God I hate bitchers and whingers. It’s one day of the year. You live on a busy road which is loud all year complain about woolie trucks downshifting at all hours… or sell up and move out to cook, harrison, sri lanka

And on another note all the tossers who complain about suburban you bought apartments above dominos pizza and 30 other restaurants in one of the busiest little town centres in this little town… two words…. DEAL WITH IT. You don’t move next to a chinese market and then bitch about all the asians

But considering the first Block Party was created to celebrate Trinity’s 7th Birthday (think it was that number, but was a birthday celebration nonetheless) it kinda figures the location suits 🙂

I saw Krafty Kuts at Trinity last year and the set up was similar to that of the Block Partys. The volume was so undanceably low for KK’s set that I was able to chat to me boyz quite easily despite being mere metres from the stage. Needless to say, I think that the local wowsers had something to do with this poor state of affairs.

Block Party is a great idea, but the arse end of Dickson is the wrong place for it.

Good on Lawrence and co for giving it a go tho.

asher said :

LAST year – a paying punter at the block party last year was not allowed pass outs! inside the gates, on a hot hot day, there was 15 square metres of shade under one tent, a single hot dog stand by way of food, and trinity itself reserved for VIP guests.

can you imagine the 19 year old rocker, perspiring from the 30+ heat, drunk from the vodka red bulls, no food for 12 hours unless you want to try a sausage, wishing he or should could sit somewhere, in the shade for just 2 minutes – but unwilling to move from the heat, on the black tarmac, because if they leave, they’re not getting back in.

It rained for 90% of the concert last year. Poured even. Do you mean in 2007?

Damo/CoffinRX2 here

I was there as an invited guest VIP of the guys from Lexington Music and the staff from Trinity Bar.

The setup as always was awesome, and the team really try to make it fun, and in the spirit of a “Ghetto Style” Block party, old couches, clotheslines hanging between the light poles and the vibe there is great.

Ticket Sales were extremely good and were moving great numbers in the leading few days prior, i even saw about 50 tickets sold over the bar last thursday night.

The Passout issue is something that Lexington has always done with their events as far as I know, always the same, Bag Checks and No Passouts! its for many reasons one of which is to prevent trafficking of drugs into events like this.

I’m guessing there are many reasons for the political sides of block party being the last one at trinity, … but knowing the guys from Lexington, i’m hoping another suitable venue will be found for next year.

Every single person I knew that went there, VIP or non VIP all had a great time, including many friends of mine from Brisbane who came specifically for the gig.

ANgryHenry, … I’m not too sure that Canberra could sustain a festival with such diversity as BDO with its smaller population. Which is why I think all the Lexington/Friction events cater for a certain demographic each time and why they are so successful

The email did reek a bit of “Ticket sales are struggling, lets say its the last block party so more people will go”. It was mentioned on the night that it will be back next year, possibly with a different name (not sure why that would make any difference). In terms of there being no shade etc….yes it can get a bit uncomfortable during the day, but it is trying to emulate a “block party”.

asher said :

i’m VERY much a proponent of music in the ‘burbs, this city needs it. and I didn’t attend Block party this year, BUT:

LAST year – a paying punter at the block party last year was not allowed pass outs! inside the gates, on a hot hot day, there was 15 square metres of shade under one tent, a single hot dog stand by way of food, and trinity itself reserved for VIP guests.

can you imagine the 19 year old rocker, perspiring from the 30+ heat, drunk from the vodka red bulls, no food for 12 hours unless you want to try a sausage, wishing he or should could sit somewhere, in the shade for just 2 minutes – but unwilling to move from the heat, on the black tarmac, because if they leave, they’re not getting back in.

it may have improved this year, but i think this city needs better festivals than the trinity block party.

Fair enough. I haven’t been to any because it doesn’t float my boat. That does sound truly horrible and not my idea of a good day out. There are definitely better venues than the Trinity car-park for a small scale festival. And pass outs are a must.

I think the festivals we are getting are great, but it would be good to see some BDO style diversity in there to mix the corwds and the performances up a bit. I kind of look at festivals for a way of being exposed to different music and crowds and sometimes when I look at the bills for these shows I think they get stuck in a particular niche.

I should add that I’m not missing the point of why they did that – they don’t want people nipping out for a cheap round at O’neil’s and dinner at the noodle house. But the fact that they hold Block Party in the restaurant district should be their problem.

i’m VERY much a proponent of music in the ‘burbs, this city needs it. and I didn’t attend Block party this year, BUT:

LAST year – a paying punter at the block party last year was not allowed pass outs! inside the gates, on a hot hot day, there was 15 square metres of shade under one tent, a single hot dog stand by way of food, and trinity itself reserved for VIP guests.

can you imagine the 19 year old rocker, perspiring from the 30+ heat, drunk from the vodka red bulls, no food for 12 hours unless you want to try a sausage, wishing he or should could sit somewhere, in the shade for just 2 minutes – but unwilling to move from the heat, on the black tarmac, because if they leave, they’re not getting back in.

it may have improved this year, but i think this city needs better festivals than the trinity block party.

…and Perth.

I hate it when this happens, regardless of scene or genre it always sucks to see an event that people loved come to an end.

I don’t understand how noise from Block Party can be any worse than, (dare I say it) Summernats? Both are held in or extremely close to residential areas.

People used to road-trip over here from Adelaide for MftB.

Nambucco Deliria9:39 am 12 Jan 09

Metal for the Brain finished because it became too much work and expense for Alchemist to organise. It wasn’t that well patronised – usually around 2,000 paying punters, and the cost in terms of time and effort did for the event in the end, which is a huge shame.

Or the Birdman Rally and the Food and wine Frolic.

Typical. Here’s an event that is well patronised, adds some much needed life to our city, and raises money for charity, shut down by the Fun Police.

(I was going to say “just like Metal For The Brain”, but I can’t recall exactly why that stopped.)

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