UPDATE: Max Watt's has confirmed the impending closure of its Brisbane venue in a statement, saying that they were "regretfully … unable to reach ongoing terms with the landlord, making it unfeasible to continue to invest in the venue".
The venue's statement also says that they will be working to move their bookings and holds to similar-size venues and strive to keep dates unchanged, while ticketing company Oztix will be on hand to advise ticketholders during the change.
Max Watt's also assured that it will be investing further in its southern venues in the wake of Brisbane's closure.
"Although this has been a very difficult decision, Max Watt's has acted to strengthen the integrity and sound operations of the Melbourne and Sydney venues," the statement said. "Brisbane is a smaller market with aggressive competition and higher costs.
"Max Watt's is redirecting focus to invest in the success of iconic Melbourne and progressive Sydney Max Watt's venues. This decision will enhance, rather than risk, the security of Melbourne and Sydney."
Read the full statement at the bottom of the article.
The Brisbane branch of multi-city venue Max Watt's House Of Music will close later this month after two-and-a-half years of operation under its present name in the creative hub of West End, sources close to the venue have told The Music.
The final gig to be held at the venue will be the upcoming last show for The Dillinger Escape Plan on 22 October. Tonight's performance featuring Napalm Death, Brujeria, Lockup and Black Rheno will also be unaffected and go ahead as planned.
Max Watt's history actually goes back much further than that period, having opened in Brisbane in 2009 under its previous brand, The Hi-Fi, and played home to countless gigs over its life.
The news will not affect the southern Max Watt's venues in Sydney and Melbourne, but will mean that new homes will have to be found for the eight other Brisbane gigs that the venue had booked through till March 2018, including performances by Northlane, Eric Benet, Flatbush Zombies, Thursday and more.
Recent drawcards to play Brisbane's Max Watt's included artists such as Minus The Bear, Death Grips, sleepmakeswaves, Dan Sultan, Raised Fist (2016), to name but a few that have graced its stage.
Classic events under The Hi-Fi's watch included gigs such as Prince's 2012 show, Kendrick Lamar the same year, The Bronx and Dinosaur Jr in 2013, Bluejuice and Protest The Hero (2014), and Napalm Death in 2015, during the venue's transitive stages — among many, many others.
The Max Watt's brand was born in mid-2015 following The Hi-Fi's fall into administration in February that year. The change also affected The Hi-Fi's sister venues in Sydney and Melbourne, with Max Watt's assuming stewardship of all three under a new ownership deal.
Max Watt's statement
Max Watt's has announced their decision to close the Brisbane venue following the Dillinger gig on October 22nd. Regretfully Max Watt's were unable to reach ongoing terms with the landlord making it unfeasible to continue to invest in the venue.
Booker, Jesse Barbera, has worked closely with promoters and agents of forward bookings and will continue to support all bookings and holds into venues with appropriate capacities without any need to change dates.
Oztix will advise ticket holders in this smooth process of change. Max Watt's will ensure that any other ticketing agencies provide the same service to their customers
Although this has been a very difficult decision, Max Watt's has acted to strengthen the integrity and sound operations of the Melbourne and Sydney venues. Brisbane is a smaller market with aggressive competition and higher costs. Max Watt’s is redirecting focus to invest in the success of iconic Melbourne and progressive Sydney Max Watt’s venues. This decision will enhance rather than risk the security of Melbourne and Sydney.
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