While the Tote closes, others remain.

While the Tote hosts it's last show today, here's a glimpse of what happened there yesterday.
In an unaccustomed move for him, Bruce Milne put himself right in the spotlight:

It was sincere, it was funny, it was stirring and it was all true.
Feel free to pause at 2.59 for a shot of yours truly applauding wildly, by the way.

So, what next? Well, the company that owns the building have gone on record as saying they want it to stay as it is, as far as possible. And the team behind the Old Bar have put their hands up very publicly to initiate talks on a possible handover- for which Bruce has offered them all the help and support he can. But that may take some time.

In the interim, it makes sense for you to sign this petition, and also make a resolution to go out more often, to small local shows, not just internationals and festivals. How hard can that be to do in Melbourne?

The Tote.

A press release was sent out today:
It’s last drinks at the Tote. This weekend.
I know it’s sudden. I didn’t plan it to be like that.
I can’t afford to keep fighting Liquor Licensing. The “high risk” conditions they have placed on the Tote’s license make it impossible to trade profitably. I can’t afford the new “high risk” fees they have imposed. I can’t afford to keep fighting them at VCAT. I can’t renegotiate a lease in this environment.
So, come into the Tote this weekend to say farewell to the sad staff and to feel the sticky carpet for the last time.
I don’t believe the Tote is a “high risk” venue, in the same category as the nightclubs that make the news for all the wrong reasons. Despite being on a rough little corner of Collingwood, the Tote has had very, very few incidents. As a local police officer once said, “The Tote’s the quietest pub in the area.” (!).
It’s not dumb luck that the Tote has escaped serious violence. I believe the business has been run responsibly. People don’t come to the Tote to fight. They come because they have a passion for music and love to be in an historic venue that reeks of that same passion.
The Tote is (sorry, was) an important cornerstone of Melbourne’s rich and diverse music community. It’s too late to save the Tote but not too late to try and save other inner city venues that are feeling the same pressures.
I know the sudden closure affects a lot of people. Most importantly, the hard-working staff that are being forced onto the dole queue. And the bands and artists that have had their gigs pulled from under them.
Anyway, I don’t want to get maudlin (or viciously angry). The era of the Tote is over. If you love the place, come and have a beer with us this weekend.

Regards,
Bruce Milne

I don't know as there is much more I can add, or need to add, to that. I have been going to the Tote off and on since about 1983, and have had some of the best nights of my life there- most recently, seeing Sixfthick there on New Year's Day.
I'll be there again on Saturday afternoon, for Teen Archer, Daddy Long Legs and a few others. As the man says, come and have a beer.

Double Dogs.

Well, I spoke too soon.
On Saturday afternoon I managed to pick up a ticket to "Dogs In Space", so duly headed along. It was excellent to see it on a big screen, and the restoration looks and sounds fantastic. The story is still as random as ever, and the music is still great- Marie Hoy's version of "Shivers" had me in a cold sweat.
By a stroke of luck (and kindness- thanks, Richard) I also ended up going back to see "We're Livin' On Dog Food" on Sunday as well. This is the trailer, which may give you some idea of what it's like:

It does a brilliant job of examining some of the people, places and influences of early Melbourne punk. Watching it while sitting next to Dolores San Miguel, who is one of the people featured (in both old footage and a recent interview), added a whole other layer to the experience. Yes, she gasped when she saw herself on screen.
Before and after both movies there was a bit of time to catch up with some old friends, a couple of whom I hadn't seen for decades. Literally, twenty years or more. And now I have Wirlywirld stuck in my head- but I can live with that.
You really should get onto this.

Just too fucking busy

Look, I wrote a great Seminal Rats piece for the I94 Bar last week, AND I'm more than halfway through a long La Femme piece AND a huge Lethal Weapons feature for I94 as well, AS WELL AS doing a few bits for Mess And Noise (albeit under a different name) AND I saw the Double Agents at the Espy on Saturday, AND I went out for dinner on the Melbourne Restaurant Tram for dinner tonight. I'm cooking BBQ at a good friend's 50th birthday party at the Tote on Friday. It's my birthday on Saturday, and I may be out of a paying job in a month.
So, yes, I'm still here, but a tad distracted. OK?

The Arm of Rock waves goodbye

A long post this, but an important one.
I heard a rumour of this the other day- Richie circulated an email this afternoon confirming he has recently sold his part interest in the Tote to co-owners Bruce and James Milne.
He is a top bloke, the place has flourished under his guiding hand, and I thought it was only proper to reprint his farewell in full.
Cheers, Richie.

old cricketer retires his innings.
With a pleasurable sense of fulfillment achieved, it is time for this Ramone to pack up his drum kit and find a new home in which to set it up in.
It was mid-December, having just seen Swedish psych rock act The Soundtrack of Our Lives play their second show at the Tote – a mind-altering 3½ hour long extravaganza and the single greatest show I have seen this decade - when I realised I had achieved everything I wanted to at the Tote in my six years as co-owner and manager of the much-loved Melbourne institution.
Had you asked me back in July 2001 “if you could have any one band in the world play at the Tote, who would you choose?” I would’ve replied “The Soundtrack of Our Lives” without hesitation. Over the past six years I have been fond of stating “there’s not too many blokes that get to own their favourite pub” and so it is with a hint of sadness that I move on, but I am confident the Tote will only continue to grow in stature amongst the music-loving and noise-making population of Melbourne. Us music lovers can only hope the councils and residents that seem determined to turn Melbourne’s flourishing live music scene into a sedate, obedient,lack-lustre minnow, will eventually pull their heads in and allow musicians and fans to continue to enjoy themselves in the manner they love. It is only with continued support of our live music scene that together we can hold back the rising tide of gentrification.
It has truly been an honour to be custodian of such an iconic part of Melbourne culture as the Tote. I have been incredibly fortunate to make many new friends and see countless amazing performances, and I look forward to continuing my long-standing love affair with the Tote, but as the punter I started off as 23 years ago. The stories that have been retold - of best friends meeting at the Tote, chance meetings resulting in marriage (myself included!), wedding receptions held in the band room and countless birthday gatherings - have given me immense joy at the passion in their delivery.
I eagerly await the “story” that is currently unfolding as Natalie Van Den Dungen nears completion of the Tote documentary she began working on a few years ago.Having seen snippets of the film recently, I am very excited to report that this film will be an incredible documentation of such a vital part of Melbourne music history. Also look out for the interviews with prominent musicians in Craig Kamber’s film on the Melbourne punk/rock scene 1976-1982, the majority of which were conducted within the Tote.
The Brothers Milne will now take over the running of the Tote and as we remain old friends I wish them all the very best and as already suggested, I hope the punters continue to strongly support live music, for without their support we will only be left with pokie joints and new apartments. The Booking Office remains the same, as do the bar managers and staff.
What am I going to do? I can’t quite decide between Forensic Investigation and becoming a Poodle Groomer, but in the meantime I will continue to bamboozle bogans everywhere I can with an eclectic mix of tunes under the guise of DJ Snaps Truly – “kicking goals for rock’n’roll”– and can be contacted via DJsnapstruly@gmail.com in regards to this line of work. Another long term passion, spanning 23 seasons, will see me focus on my cricket club the Abbotsford Anglers, as I strive for that elusive maiden century. All Tote enquiries and business should now be directed towards Bruce Milne via bruce@thetotehotel.com

Viva La Tote!

Richie Ramone