Overview
As of writing, there are only 27 days left until Ponsonby waterhole and seven-year-old pop-up bar Golden Dawn: Tavern of Power closes its nondescript door for good.
The bar's owners announced the closure last October, stating that at the end of March 2018 they will be "saying sayonara". Since then they've dispelled rumours that the space is not closing because of the council, not because of noise control, not because "times are tough", and that it's "NOT being bowled for apartments".
Some good news to come out of the heart-crushing closure is that a group of creatives have been capturing the bar's final days so that it can live on in the digital realm forever. The Tavern Of Power Project is an initiative spearheaded by Auckland audio engineer Bob Frisbee and his team at The Noisefloor. The aim of the project is to "capture a complete snapshot of the significant cultural hub" — one that's been an incubator for many upcoming and major artists. To do so, The Noisefloor team has been multi-track recording and multi-camera filming every single performance in the venue's final three months. All 69 shows.
The first taste has been released, featuring New Zealand's reigning king of indie pop, Lawrence Arabia. In the coming weeks you can expect performances from Nadia Reid, Tiny Ruins, The Beths, Sal Valentine And The Babyshakes, Voom, Coco Solid, Bonaparte, Soccer Practise, Boycrush, The Ruby Suns, and heaps more.
It's rumoured that the footage will eventually be compiled for a feature-length film. Stay tuned.
Image: Frances Carter.