SAVE THE FUCKING ARTHOUSE
Yeah I probably should have posted something about this a bit earlier. But better late than never ‘eh.
Can’t remember how we got onto it, but have been talking tonight about the closure of the Tote with a friend (from Darwin, who has never been to the Tote) and also the impending demise of the Arthouse in May 2011. And have suddenly found myself quite angry.
And quite rightly, I hear you saying (as, let’s face it – if you’re reading this you’ve either done a search for “Arthouse”, “Tote”, “Melbourne live music” or something else similarly applicable, and actually give a damn crap about this. Unless you’re fitzroyalty and found this blog through your “Fitzroy” search whilst looking for somewhere to submit your noise complaints; in which case you know where to go… yeah that’s right).
I was pretty saddened by the closure of the Tote. I only went there several times during my present tenure in Melbournetown (several of which I’d totally forgotten about until I went there in the week before it shut), but it was more about what it symbolised, ie the closure of a prominent live music venue, than any particular memories specific to me.
The Arthouse however – completely different story.
I moved to Melbourne in January 2001, and let’s just say, I had next to no friends. I had a few friends, scattered around, in “surburbs” like Doncaster, Box Hill and Patterson Lakes. Hardly helpful when you live in North Melbourne and go to university in Parkville, and spend all your time in the CBD and inner suburbs. Oh and you don’t get along with either of your housemates. And everyone at your aforementioned-Parkville-university is a JERK. So for practical purposes let’s just say I had no friends.
I’d finish work at my shitty Bourke St Mall job on Friday nights at 9:30pm, and walk home along Elizabeth St (it ain’t the Bronx, mum). My travels would take me past the Arthouse, where I would hear the delicious strains of METAL coming from within the walls. I was on my way home to spend Friday night by myself, my life being devoid of friends and all. “Fuck that sounds ACE*!” I’d think to myself, “I really have to go in there sometime.” And one night I did, by myself (as you do when you have no friends), after work – in my black pants suit and my white collared shirt and my black heels and my hair scraped corporate-whore-style off my face.
I had just turned 19 and I had found my new favourite place in the world.
I continued to go there sporadically and enjoy random metal/hard rock/whatever bands that I didn’t even know, and didn’t give a shit that I didn’t know them, and I still don’t know them or even recall what their names were. But it was awesome. I got many awesome years out of that place. Hence why it is way more sentimental to me than the Tote – and even the closure of the Tote was enough to make me want to cry (I didn’t, but only because I’m a cold hard bitch – the point is I wanted to).
How am I going to be come May 2011? Clearly in need of therapy; a lot of therapy.
I didn’t take any photos at the Arthouse between the years of 2001 and 2005 when I was a patron. Hell, I didn’t take any photos between the years 2001 and 2005 at all because I didn’t even own a camera then. Kinda sad about this now.
The last time I was at the Arthouse was for a Voluptuous Torpor gig in October 2008, and before that a Blue Swimmers gig in August 2007. Yes I am a disgrace. It has been too long, and I definitely need to go back.
Yeah so basically… SAVE THE ARTHOUSE..! I’m not sure how, but… just do it… somehow…
Pic borrowed from YourBars
* okay so this isn’t quote-unquote what I thought at the time, but it is what I would have thought, if I had been using the word “ace” back then with the voracity with which I use it now.
Kitten of Doom 
I love it when you write properly. You know what I mean – there’s a particular way you talk about the Arthouse that means I feel it too, a bit.
The Tote was a pretty cool place, but I obviously didn’t get to see what it was really about. I liked the dive atmosphere and the patch of unworn carpet under the pool table though.
This last week I’ve been out to a couple of places very near my house with someone that are awesome bars/lounges but I never knew they existed! I wish I’d known about them while you were here! You’d have dug them. Oh well…
I love it when I write properly too – those times have been few and far between for a long time, and the reason I started this blog was pretty much to get back into writing regularly again. Still taking baby steps at the mo’…
Maybe I can show you a decent live music venue when you’re down for FNM? If you have time… (prob not)