Live radio event – Rock Against Work on the radio! – remembering a lost time(slot) in Sydney’s Live Music History

For decades Sydney popular music fans could see live music for free (or close enough) on a weekday afternoon. The legendary Rock Against Work series, which began at The Hopetoun Hotel in the early 80s, was an opportunity for artists, audiences and industry to have a go and expand beyond what was expected. It was otherwise unused ‘rock time’ (who immediately thinks about 4pm on a Tuesday as party worthy?), but also unused real estate for venues, for artists otherwise booked late on weekends, and for white collar neighbours who were still in the office so not able to complain about the noise. This history is informed by SLNSW’s Street Press collection and ongoing original research by Drs Liz Giuffre and Gregory Ferris at UTS, with support by City of Sydney, 2SER FM and ACPH.

This event was a live Rock Against Rock history on Radio 2SER FM. Broadcast at roughly the same day/time as the live music events (Tuesday 4-6pm), it will feature music, interviews, research insights and opportunities for artists and audiences to share memories as well as suggestions for how such an innovative idea might reappear today. By marking this ‘lost timeslot’ and its legacy, the idea is to fondly reinstate lost successes and innovations of popular music production; and perhaps inspire the next generation of artists, promoters, venue owners and audiences.

Rock Against Work – image by Bryan Cook