No Encore For Stay Gold
After eight years hosting local and touring musicians, Brunswick’s Stay Gold shut its doors, writes Daniel Jones
Beloved Brunswick venue, Stay Gold, shut its doors on June 21 as the cost-of-living crisis dealt another blow to Melbourne’s live music scene.
The venue on Sydney Road announced the closure in a Facebook post on April 29. Bookings assistant Hannah Hopwood said with their lease ending, the general cost of living led to the tough decision to close down the club instead of renewing. “People can't afford to come out as much anymore, even if they'd want to support an event like this,” Hopwood said during an interview at their final Battle of the Bands event.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, pubs and clubs across Australia have seen a decline in attendance. According to Creative Australia’s 2025 report, titled 'Listening In: Insights on Live Music Attendance', the number of people attending live music performances is down from 28 per cent in 2019, to 25 per cent in 2024.
The report also noted that attendance of major stadium-style events had bounced back to pre-COVID levels after the return of international touring. In 2024, annual attendance returned to 33 per cent.
Listening habits have changed over the past decade with the introduction of streaming platforms amplified by the pandemic. A 2025 Victorian Parliament report, titled ‘No Dancing Whilst Drinking’;Challenges and Opportunities for Victoria’s Live Music Venues’, authored by Caleb Triscari and Ellie Florence, noted that “audiences are now more likely to discover new music through algorithmically driven recommendations.” This new landscape of music discovery puts local musicians at a disadvantage. “Established artists are more likely to be recommended through these services,” the report said.
Punters’ habits have changed drastically as the cost-of-living crisis expands post-COVID, with people more conscious about their spending. According to data from the Creative Australia report, 39 per cent of Australians would agree that they are drinking less, and there has been a decrease in young Australians preferring nights out rather than staying in, dropping from 40 per cent to 33 per cent for ages 14-17, 34 per cent to 33 per cent for ages 18-24, and 31 per cent to 28 per cent for those aged 25-39. The Victorian Parliament report also noted the change in consumption habits and found strong evidence that people are cutting back on alcohol as a way of reducing costs.
Advocacy group Live Performance Australia is also cited in the report, with data indicating a 40% increase in venue running costs since the COVID-19 pandemic. This must be passed on to the consumer, including the increasing costs of alcoholic drinks according to Hopwood. “We have to, unfortunately, because of other rising prices,” she said.
According to a survey quoted in the Creative Australia report, an unnamed respondent said price was a major factor when purchasing tickets, adding they “absolutely love that there's so many options for music events but have to pick and choose due to the cost of every event.”
Punters making more conscientious decisions on leisure spending are having to decide between seeing local acts in small venues or international acts in stadiums - adding more pressure on local musicians already struggling with the decline in venues. “A lot of bands have broken up,” Hopwood said. “I think it's just a reflection of the scene.”
There is hope, however, for people wanting to continue to support live music in Melbourne. A new venue featuring live music from local bands recently opened in Collingwood at the Smith Street Hotel (formerly The Gasometer Hotel). Other venues including: The Tote, Bergy Bandroom, and The Retreat, are now also providing spaces for local and touring acts to ensure lovers of all music can come together.
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