Pony has been a longstanding part of Melbourne’s club nights for many years now, running out of local venue La Di Da for two years alone.
However, as In The Mix reports, the night is coming to a close at its current residence, and the promoters aren’t happy at either the venue operators, or the other club night that appears to have taken their spot.
That night is Anyway, another Melbourne institution that ushered in the return of the ‘mega-club’ to the city several years back in the now-demolished Palace Theatre, and is run by the same team who then went on to start the fast-growing Beyond The Valley festival.
“With shock and sadness Pony has been forced to no longer open its doors on a Saturday night,” Pony wrote to their Facebook fans. “Anyway has stolen your beloved place that you all call home.”
They blame the venue for its “highly disrespectful” handling of the situation, but seem especially mad at their competitors, who they accuse of “stealing the night”.
“Pony will be back,” they conclude. Fuck Anyway.”
Anyway responded with their side of the story, which basically amounts to ‘they were looking for a new club night, we were looking for a new venue’, with the added stinger of “#phony” to drive it home.
The Anyway crew had been operating out of The Bottom End for several years but, as anyone in the club world will tell you, the scene is always shifting and nights can move on or disappear entirely for a tonne of different reasons.
They clearly weren’t pleased to have their new night started off on such a bitter note, and their Facebook post shot back at Pony with the assertion that, had their night been meeting the venue’s expectations, they wouldn’t have been replaced.
“If everyone just focused on producing and maintaining the best quality night for their crowds to enjoy, there would be no reason for venues to make such changes.”
For now, Pony is looking for a new home, while Anyway is kicking off at La Di Da on June 17.
