Beloved Auckland music venue Neck of the Woods is closing after 11 years.
The Karangahape Road hotspot’s owners revealed the shock news in a social media statement.
“We have some heavy news to share. Like a lot of music venues, we’ve been struggling since Covid and this year has just gotten harder. We see sold out shows and think a club is doing well, but we live or die by our bar sales. That’s fine when the economy is up, but unsustainable in the current climate and as people are drinking and spending less,” the statement reads.
“We’ve been fighting hard to stay open under ever increasing debt. We’ve tried everything but today we’ve had to face the hard truth that after 11 amazing years we’ve come to the end of our journey.”
According to the statement, Neck of the Woods will close its doors as soon as next week, with the owners confirming that this weekend will “be our last.”
The statement continues: “We want to thank everyone that helped make Neck of the Woods a home. First of all, big thanks to anyone that came to a gig. Thank you for supporting the scene and buying tickets even when your money was low. You created a community that’s grown and evolved over the years while helping us stay true to our values every step of the way.
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“Ngā mihi to the artists, DJs, promoters and collectives who helped us transform Neck of the Woods into something beyond a music venue. A big loving ngā mihi to the visionary crew who opened Neck of the Woods in 2015, to everyone who’s worked in any capacity in the club, and to the beautiful whānau running things today. Every single one of you is overworked and underpaid but you show up every week with passion for this place and the communities it serves.
“We’re gutted. Our nightlife and local music scene is vital to the lifeblood of our city, and Neck of the Woods is an integral part of that. It’s an honour to see so many different artists play their first big show here before going on to play stadiums and festivals. It’s an honour to watch ground breaking DJ collectives form around club nights. It’s an honour to see new artists and DJs come through here and know their story is just beginning.”
The statement concludes: “But this is where the Neck of the Woods story ends… at least for now. This weekend is our last chance to celebrate this incredible thing we all built together.
“We’ve got two really great gigs on Friday and Saturday so come on down for one last dance, celebrate the end of an era and leave it all on the floor.”
If you want to bid farewell to Neck of the Woods, the venue is hosting Club Cannabis Cup, featuring Samara Alofa, 2BREW, CCME, and more DJs, on Friday, followed by Hardphoria: Bouncephoria, a night of HardHouse, HardTrance, HardGroove, and HardBounce music, on Saturday.
The Neck of the Woods website still lists a number of other events, stretching into mid-July. Noted US artist billy woods was scheduled to perform at the venue on July 18th.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ has reached out to Neck of the Woods for comment.
