It was sad this weekend to see the closure of the Tote happen.

I went down on Friday night and saw some friends, and the vibe was humming. Was great to hang out with Bruce too, and what an amazing job he did. Went down on Sunday to see the Protest and it was so inspiring to see so many people there showing their support.

Even though the Tote was a renowned rock'n'roll venue, we played several shows there maybe about seven all up including a month long residency in the front bar and many a great gig in the back room with bands such as Gaslight Radio, James McCann, Nathan Hollywood &The Orbweavers.

I think what I'll miss most about the Tote, is not only did it seem like the last of the old school venues in Melbourne and the most historical..out of all the venues it seemed the most real. The kind of venue that gave any type of band a chance...even if you werent rock'n'roll, and the staff that worked there embodied that freedom. A necessary freedom that says music is important, valid and at its best a challenging and thought provoking voice.

Lots of good memories and late nights. We'll miss you Tote Hotel!

Update on Monday, February 15, 2010 at 8:29PM by Amaya Laucirica

Photos of the last days at the Tote by Lauren Bamford