Lets face it; we live in a world where there are so many options for everything we could possibly want, creating a huge amount of competition especially in attracting the attention of a mass audience. Entertainment, live or otherwise is no exception and certainly falls into this classification. As Jeremy discussed in the previous blog post, Sydney’s nightlife is now very different to the way it was in the 70’s or 80’s. People back then did not have the endless variety of venues and forms of entertainment that we have today. Therefore they were much more inclined to visit their local live music venue for a good night out.
Today, people don’t have to look much further than the Internet on their laptops, or the numerous amount of talent related reality television shows to stay entertained for the whole weekend. Therefore, in order for people to make the effort of physically going out to a specific venue that hosts live entertainment, there really needs to be something extra about that venue to lure people out in the first place. This means that with all the competition around, live music venues really need to have something different going on that people are not accustomed to, in order to stand out and draw a consistent crowd.
Although the nightclub scene is very different to the live entertainment venues that our cause is focused on, it can still be used as a good example of what works and what doesn’t in drawing a crowd. There are a huge number of nightclubs in Sydney, so naturally the competition is fierce, but some clubs still attract a larger crowd than others. Clubs such as Rock Lily and Marquee at The Star, are beginning to integrate different forms of entertainment and attractions at their venues, as a tactic to stand out and draw a large crowd. On weekends, Marquee incorporates podium dancers to compliment the DJ in the ‘Main Room’ featuring a 30-foot projection stage, as well as a ballet dancer to compliment the spectacular city view through the glass walls. Do not despair if you are the type of guest that is more inclined to entertain than observe, as the second room known as the ‘Boombox’ which hosts a separate DJ, has a podium area specifically designed for guests to dance on. In addition to this, you will find a themed display that exhibits a live model which works to bring the scene to life.
As well as the more intimate lounge known as the ‘Library’ and the outdoor patio, at Marquee you will also find a section called the ‘Dressing Room’. This area is set up as a high-class beauty salon and is permanently host to the house hairstylists from Zolf as well as make-up artists. Here, guests can wonder in, take a seat at a mirror adorned with lights and be pampered for free whilst taking time out from the crowded rooms of the club. This area is also home to the Zolf professional photographer who will take snaps of the freshly pampered guests and upload them to the Zolf Facebook page the next day for guests to find, tag and share. If this all wasn’t enough variety of attractions in the one club, perhaps the additional cabaret show held on various weeknights or the masquerade themed nights are more your cup of tea.
Obviously, live music venues have a different vibe and target audience to nightclubs and cannot really be compared as each would need to host completely different art forms and live performances to suit their type of venue. However, live music venues can certainly take on board the general idea of what clubs such as Marquee are doing in the way of combining numerous different forms of entertainment, as an example of what works to attract a large crowd. With so much to do at the one venue, a guest can not possibly be bored and so I feel this tactic could really help to increase the popularity of live music venues in Sydney.
/by N.E
NightFusion 