Some of Australia's most respected acts have weighed in on news that historic Sydney venue The Basement will close its doors in less than a week.
Building owners AMP Capital yesterday confirmed the city's oldest licensed music venue will shut after 45 years of operation.
As ABC reports, names such as Hoodoo Gurus, The McClymonts and Urthboy spoke about the closure while appearing at a NSW music inquiry hearing on Monday.
"That represents in a microcosm what is happening around the state and around the city," Hoodoo Gurus frontman Dave Faulkner said.
"The city is dying as a cultural place.
"Sydney has been doing everything it can to destroy all those places of entertainment and to turn them into apartment buildings."
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Brooke McClymont echoed Faulkner's comments, saying "the touring circuit in NSW is really struggling".
"There's no way new artists can come through and do that anymore because there's just not enough places to play," the country singer said.
Urthboy, (real name Tim Levinson) added, "The Basements gone, the Hopetoun's gone, The Gaelic Club doesn't do music, The Annandale doesn't do music."
Reports that the venue is closing to make way for more office space were denied by a spokesperson who said, "It's too soon to say whether another music operator, bar or restaurant will move in".
Other artists who have spoken on The Basement's closure includes Sneaky Sound System's Connie Mitchell and Hau.
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