After experiencing a tumultuous year of venues opening and shutting irregularly, Geelong’s live music scene has been dealt a significant blow today with news that The Yarra Hotel, located at the former site of local music hotspot Bended Elbow, has been repossessed.
According to local venue bookers and artist management group Spinning Half, the Yarra Hotel was repossessed from the Scerri Hotel Group last Saturday by its previous owners CLG, with industry sources reporting that the venue has closed its doors for good as of today.
Details are scarce, but insider sources believe that the Scerri Hotel Group had a 12 month term to finalise and clear its bills to purchase the former Bended Elbow, but has failed to reach agreements, with reports that the repossession has taken on a particularly hostile nature, as SAS Security guard were positioned out the front of the venue as it is was removed of all food, beverage, and supplies.
The venue’s official website has also cleared the gig guide of all further shows, while the Facebook page has been sparse of gigs since early last week. During recent months, a number of gigs from local and national acts have been cancelled, forcing other shows booked for the venue to be moved in fear of cancellation as word spread to local promoters of potential troubles at the venue. Insider info reveals that bookers and other local suppliers are owed “tens of thousands” in bills and invoices..
As the live music venue is now in possession of original owners, with ‘closed until further notice’ signs up at 69 Yarra Street in Geelong, it turns to a legal battle over the ownership of the venue and unpaid debts from the Bended Elbow/Yarra Hotel sale.
In April this year, as reported in Tone Deaf’s Industry Insight column, there were further signs of trouble for the site as Spinning Half, the booking service who were instrumental in cultivating The Bended Elbow’s name in the Geelong live music circuit, ceased their partnership with the venue after six years as it became the Yarra Hotel Geelong, closing the book on a successful run of over 139 local and international events (you can read the full Artist Hit List here).
While leaving on amicable terms, insider info reveals that bookers and other local suppliers are owed “tens of thousands” in bills and invoices, the majority of which are on behalf of bands and acts who played the venue between July last year – when The Yarra Hotel Geelong changed hands – and April 2013, when Spinning Half walked from the venue.
Bookers and agents associated with the venue are now out of pocket as they fronted the cash to host gigs and bands while receiving a trickle of payments from the Yarra Hotel that seemingly dried up earlier this year.
Spinning Half have followed their mission statement of bringing high profile local and international acts to the local music scene in bookings for Beav’s Bar, one-off shows for The Sporting Globe, Courthouse, and Odyssey Tavern & Brewery, and forging a new partnership for the recent Geelong re-opening of The Wool Exchange Entertainment Complex, with a ream of upcoming gigs.
The Wool Exchange Upcoming Shows
44 Corio Street, Geelong
www.thewoolexchange.com.au
Friday 26th July – Imogen Brough
w/ Maeflower | Tickets
Friday 23rd August – Snakadaktal
w/ special guests | Tickets
Friday 30th August – Dead Letter Circus
w/ Closure In Moscow & Sleep Parade | Tickets
Saturday 31st August – Spin Cycle
3 stages feat. The Getaway Plan, Jericco, Empra, The Soulenikoes, Insygnia, The Greeting Method & More TBA | Tickets
Saturday 7th September – Seth Sentry
w/ Grey Ghost & Mantra | Tickets
Friday 18th October – Horrorshow
w/ Home Brew & Jimblah | Tickets
Wednesday 30th October – Baby Animals
w/ Steve Balbi | Tickets
Friday 1st November – Boy & Bear
w/ Special Guests | Tickets
