23/07/2026
I don't think we've even begun to appreciate what The Blah Bar has given Lismore.
My thoughts are with Pat, Eddie and everyone involved with The Blah Bar. I know what it's like to pour your heart and soul into building something for your community, and I genuinely hope you're all doing OK.
I don't know the full story surrounding its future, and I'm not interested in pointing fingers or speculating about what has or hasn't happened until I do.
What I would like to put into words is why spaces like this matter.
An inclusive, all-ages venue dedicated to supporting original live music of all genres and other art forms is an incredibly valuable thing for any town. It's even more important in a regional community like ours that is overflowing with creative people, rebuilding after years of natural disasters and trying to grow its local economy.
We run rehearsal studios, a hand screen-printing business and co-run a recording studio. These businesses are our livelihood. They pay the bills and support our family.
Since The Blah Bar opened, we have seen growth in our business that directly correlates with having a dedicated live music venue supporting original music operating in town.
When a touring band comes to Lismore, they don't just play a show and leave. Often they rehearse. They get merch printed. They commission local artists and graphic designers for posters, album artwork and T-shirt designs. They stay in accommodation. They eat at local cafes and restaurants. They buy strings, drumsticks and other gear from the local music shop (shoutout) Planet Music. They catch taxis. They grab coffee. They spend money throughout the town.
Local musicians become more active. More bands form. More people go to gigs. More people create. More opportunities are created and again more money is spent within the community.
And this impact is felt even more by the creatives who already call Lismore home. The photographers, designers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, printers and countless other creative people who rely on spaces like this to connect, collaborate and find opportunities.
The impact spreads far beyond the walls of the venue itself.
Then there's all the stuff you can't measure.
Being inspired to pick up an instrument. Write some words. Draw something. Start a band. Build something. Create something.
Finding your people. Finding confidence. Finding parts of yourself you didn't even know existed.
In an increasingly humanless world, spaces like this give people somewhere to be human.
I reckon that's worth just as much as the economic benefit.
