Hardcore bands quit ‘expensive’ Meteor
Hardcore music fans will get their annual fix of Hamtown Smakdown at Void this weekend after organisers found the cost of hiring the Meteor too steep.
The annual hardcore music concert Hamtown Smakdown has been forced to change venues due to the rising price of the Meteor theatre, run by Hamilton City Council.
Sam Crocker, lead vocalist of local band Antagonist AD and previous promoter of the event, describes Hamtown Smakdown as “the biggest show most [hardcore] bands in NZ will ever play”.
The event has been running for the past 11 years and until now has been held at the Meteor in central Hamilton.
“The Meteor has always been an expensive venue to hire but the council has always helped us a lot with subsidies,” said Crocker.
“As the years have progressed the venue hire costs have steadily gone up and our subsidy has gone down.”
As a result, last year’s Hamtown Smakdown ran at a loss and this year organisers have decided to move the concert to Void, an alternative music venue in Hamilton Central.
“Void is the obvious choice to house the event in the mean time until numbers and bands start to pick up again,” Crocker said.
Several people expressed concern on the event’s Facebook page over Void’s capacity to host Hamtown Smakdown, as it is a smaller venue than the Meteor.
Sam Chumz, promoter of the event and director of Void, remains optimistic and reassures concert goers “there is no reason to be concerned”.
“I expect it to be a great show.”
Bands playing at the event this year include Antagonist AD, The Break In, Electric Mayhem, Too Late, Dead Dreamers and more.
Hamtown Smakdown is on Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd of March at Void, 651 Victoria Street.
Tickets are $10 at the door each night, doors open at 6pm and the first band starts at 7pm.
Void is an all-ages, drug and alcohol free venue.
