Buy A Brick To Save Pure Pop Records From Noise Complaints
We’ve been covering the struggles of Melbourne’s independent record store, Pure Pop, since the St. Kilda-based began regularly facing noise complaints over the cafe-come-shop’s live shows held in their courtyard.
For years, Pure Pop has been hosting music from both young up-and-coming bands and even a few local music legends in its music courtyard, but just before this year’s International Record Store Day – held April 21st earlier this year - the venue faced pressure from local residents and council over noise complaints.
Then in May, the venue held a charity concert to raise $100,000 in funds for soundproofing which were submitted to the local council, The City Of Port Philip, who later – acting on further complaints from local fun police – slammed Pure Pop’s owner and operator, Dave Stevens (son of legendary AC/DC frontman, Bon Scott) with a compliance order over a small wooden platform erected at the rear of the record store come café.
Port Philip Council later did a backflip, prompted by a Live Music Roundtable, when Councillor Rachel Powning ordered that community talks to discuss the important of live music would be held between representatives of the council, residents and live music owners.
Despite the small victory, the larger picture is that Pure Pop is still struggling, or as Stevens put it, “we were forced to admit that we had lost the battle (with noise complaints) but definitely not the war.”
Taking a leaf from Sydney’s Annandale hotel, who managed to overcome their impending closure with an innovative new fundraising scheme, Stevens has followed suit with its own ‘buy-a-brick’ scheme.
In a press statement from Pure Pop, Stevens writes: “It was obvious that our neighbour would not stop his campaign of complaints and so it was best that we rebuild the courtyard – completely soundproofed. What also became obvious was that it was going to cost a heap.”
Writing of the Raise The Roof concert held at the Prince Bandroom in May, Stevens says: “This was tremendously successful in raising enough to get the ball rolling with engaging architects, acoustic engineers and planning consultants to draw up all the permit applications for council.”
The council, with their revised attitude is consenting to helping fast-track the refurbishments of a new courtyard – with efficient soundproofing. Speaking of the proposed plans, Stevens continues:
“Our plans are nearly complete and ready to be submitted to council (who have assured us that if all the proper boxes are ticked will be fast tracked and approved). We will take the opportunity to retire our much loved toilet (oh no I hear you cry!) and install brand new male and female facilities. The plans are looking pretty spectacular (I’ve moved on from the toilets at this point). We have paid particular attention to enclosing the venue but doing our best to retain as much as we can of the outdoor feel of the current courtyard.”
The introduction of the Buy A Brick campaign, “with a nod of the head to Sydney’s legendary Annandale” will, says the Pure Pop proprietor “keep our venue going.”
There are a number of donation and purchasing options available to ensure the financial survival of the venue from $50 to $500, with every donor being immortalised with their name engraved on a metallic plaque, which will be permanently affixed to the wall of the Pure Pop Courtyard.
For full details, head to the Pure Pop Records website.
