Iconic Melbourne live music pub The Gasometer Hotel will close at the end of the month after it faced a boycott for allegedly refusing to book all-white, all-male bands.
The shock decision comes after the Collingwood venue was branded ‘woke’ by radio host Tom Elliott who revealed details of the alleged new booking policy.
He claimed on air that the pub had told him it would ‘no longer accept line-ups booked entirely or overwhelmingly of white performers or cis male performers’.
The 3AW morning host blasted The Gaso and said the ban would have meant bands like The Beatles, Kiss and Led Zeppelin would never have been allowed to play there.
‘So if you’re white and you’re born a male, and presumably you’re heterosexual, you can’t perform at The Gasometer,’ Elliott told listeners.
‘Now, if you take this at their word, if the surviving Rolling Stones turned up and said, “We’d like to play a free gig here”, they’d have to say, “No”.
‘Because they’re all white, they’re all born male, they all identify still as male and, as far as I know, they’re all heterosexual.’
Gasometer Hotel boss James Martelletti denied Elliot’s claims, but confirmed the pub would shut its doors for the last time on March 31, admitting: ‘Go woke, go broke.’
Iconic Melbourne live music pub The Gasometer Hotel (pictured) will close forever at the end of the month after it faced a boycott for allegedly refusing to book all-white, all-male bands
Gasometer Hotel boss James Martelletti (pictured) denied Elliot’s claims, but confirmed the pub would shut its doors for the last time on March 31, admitting: ‘Go woke, go broke.’
He posted on the pub’s Instagram account: ‘Tom Elliott’s poor reading comprehension has resulted in an entirely fabricated controversy.
‘In our bookings document, we had text around being mindful of diversity when it comes to an overall line-up.
‘Line-up does not mean the make-up of any one band. Of course, we book all-male bands. We love music and we love their respective communities across all genres.’
An earlier social media post from the pub had called for more inclusion in the local music scene.
‘We are proud to work towards a more equitable music community at the Gasometer and we ask that you prioritise people of colour and LGBTQIA and fem-identifying artists,’ it read.
But Mr Martelletti insisted: ‘It was a mission and not a rule, and our bookers are always there to support where support is needed.
‘Regardless of this, as long as you can manage to not be a d***head, then you’re always welcome at The Gaso.’
However he said the cost of living crisis had taken its toll and was forcing the legendary venue to close.
Radio host Tom Elliott said the new policy would stop The Killers from playing the venue (frontman Brandon Flowers is pictured performing in Melbourne at the 2017 AFL Grand Final)
Mr Martelletti cited rising costs including increased wages and superannuation, utility bills and suppliers, liquor licensing fees, insurance, tax and rent.
‘Don’t let them distract you from the real reasons the industry is such a struggle,’ Martelletti said in the Instagram post.
‘Greedy corporations and ineffective politicians from all sides.
‘We are proud to say that around 30 per cent of our revenue has always gone to paying artists for their performances.
‘We’ve supported them as they’ve supported us.
‘This is as symbiotic relationship as you can get and we appreciate everyone who’s ever played this amazing venue and provided us all something to live for.’
The Gaso has been a mainstay in the Melbourne live music scene for decades, with queues to get in often stretching hundreds of metres.
The pub has been known to give a string of local Aussie bands their start and it hosted big acts including Jet and Mallrats.
The shock decision to close the Collingwood venue came it after was branded ‘ woke ‘ by radio host Tom Elliott (pictured) who revealed details of the alleged new booking policy
Mr Martelletti added: ‘We will be going out without any debts. All staff, suppliers and superannuation have always been paid.
‘We can hold our heads high knowing we’ve done nothing but pour our hearts, money, blood, sweat and tears into providing a space for everyone to enjoy.
‘Please come and show your support for everything we’ve done over the next few weeks while we sort out the next chapter. Don’t let what you read break our spirits.’
In September 2018, controversy engulfed The Gaso when a rap music event hosted by 66 Records turned violent and erupted into a massive brawl on nearby Smith St.
The brawl, allegedly involving 200 menaces, started inside The Gaso but spilled outside where a teen lost his leg after he was crushed by a car.
