Auckland musician shares his favourite accessible rock venues

Marlo Schorr-Kon is a 21 year old drummer based in West Auckland. He lives with cerebral palsy, and the following deep-dive into grimy rock venues is influenced by this lived-experience. While the following column won’t account for every access need, we’d love you to contribute your own perspective to this conversation - get in touch.

Many of us like going out and soaking up the joy of live music, singing along or even getting rowdy in the mosh pit. But it can sometimes be tricky to find venues that meet our accessibility needs. So here are my favourite accessible gig venues in Tāmaki Makaurau.

The Tuning Fork 

The Tuning Fork is one of my favourite music venues in Auckland. Located dead in the middle of the CBD next to the biggest indoor concert venue in the country, Spark Arena, The Tuning Fork has a wheelchair-friendly entrance, with large double doors that open outwards and are opposite the bar. This venue is very long and has plenty of space to move around in a wheelchair or mobility scooter. There is a lounge area at the back of the venue where you can have a break from the chaos up front. The bathroom is hidden behind the bar (a lit-up arrow will show you the direction) and has a good (and clean!) disabled toilet.

I have seen many great shows here, including a band called Written By Wolves. I like to head up the front to rock out, holding on to the barrier for balance, but the length of the venue means wheelchair-users can back up to get a good view of the stage.

The Thirsty Dog 

The Thirsty is located on K Road, the coolest and most hip road for punk rockers in Auckland to hang out. The entrance to the venue is level with the street, making it easier for a wheelchair to get in and out. Much like the Tuning Fork, this venue is very spacious, with room for gig-goers in wheelchairs. There is also a seated area at the back where you can have breaks from dancing and mosh-pitting.

The first gig I saw here was my friend’s old band, White Noise Mafia. I decided to risk getting knocked down like a bowling pin in the mosh pit for the first couple of songs of their set, but after a while I wanted to actually see what was happening on stage, so I stood back a bit and watched the rest. It was great to have this option and still be able to enjoy the gig. 

The Powerstation 

The Powerstation is an absolutely iconic live music venue in Tāmaki Makaurau and has been going strong for over 30 years. Powerstation has hosted some absolute music legends over the years, including the Ramones, the Beastie Boys and Radiohead.  The main entrance to The Powerstation is a little tricky for a wheelchair, but there is an accessible entrance to the left hand side of the upcoming gigs billboard, as pictured below. The floor downstairs is raised at the sides, which would be a good place to park a wheelchair.

Some of my favourite gigs I've been to here include The D4, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Alien Weaponry. I was also able to get side-stage at Alien Weaponry after some good bribing (I mean, we’re all guilty of pulling the disability card sometimes). If there is no audio equipment set up there, the side-stage has room for your wheelchair and a couple of mates as well.

605

605 New North Road is in the middle of the Morningside/Kingsland nightlife scene, and puts on free gigs most weekends. The doorway is level to the pavement, which makes it easy to get a wheelchair inside. Patrons should be warned, however, that this venue is ear-shatteringly loud, because it is built entirely with concrete and glass which deflect the sound rather than absorb it, so come equipped with a pair of earplugs. I've only been to a couple of gigs here, but one of the best was a German hardcore punk band called GHL. All I remember about this gig was the singer wearing a Jason from Friday the 13th-like hockey mask. The size of this venue also makes it harder to mosh in, but that might make it a bit safer for disabled gig-goers. 

BIG FAN 

BIG FAN is a newer addition to Auckland's live music scene. Also located in Morningside, this venue was created to act as a hub for Auckland musicians and to support the role that music plays in making people's lives better. BIG FAN has a wheelchair friendly entrance and is spacious enough for multiple wheelchairs. There is also a recording studio at the back of the venue. During a garage rock ‘n’ roll band Ratso’s gig here once, I got up on stage, intending to crowd surf. It seemed the particular crowd there that night were not hip to this oh, so punk rock concert behaviour, and after realising there was a chance of this going disastrously, I had to reluctantly step down from the stage, a bit embarrassed.

Everyone experiences gigs differently - from their tastes in music to the access needed to enjoy the show. I think the perfect accessible music venue wouldn’t necessarily be a new venue, but a modified version of a venue in Auckland I really enjoy going to. I also think venues should consider adding a non-verbal way of ordering drinks at the bar. Because all of us should have the opportunity to get rowdy and sweaty at punk rock gigs or crowd surf if we want to!

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