After years of shows to growing and appreciative audiences, Strike Hard Bookings will be closing its doors as of January 30, 2012. SHB were instrumental in bringing a slew of all ages shows to Canberra and this news, along with the Tuggeranong & Weston Creek Youth Centres being forced to close their doors to gigs due to defunding (which you can read about here), is very sad news indeed.
A press statement from Strike Hard Bookings reads as follows:
We are all moving on to bigger and better things, making it necessary to put an end to this chapter of our lives.
Since its formation in May 2007, SHB has moved from booking shows at makeshift venues in Wollongong onto things that were never thought possible. Indeed, we have grown into an international touring company that has presented some of the world’s best alternative artists to Australian audiences – from Unearth to Shai Hulud, from The Black Dahlia Murder to Cruel Hand, from Emmure to All Shall Perish. Throughout this time, we have been lucky enough to build strong relationships with record labels, bands, agents and audiences, and to all of these we are truly thankful.
While this signals the end of Strike Hard Bookings, the individual contributors are moving on in their careers. Founder and continued head of SHB, Daniel Misztal, will join the ranks of the Staple Group having accepted a position with Destroy All Lines. He will be the National Booking Agent for the Australia’s leading alternative nightclubs and booking international tours.
Oliver Cation has launched his own label, Broken Hive Records, and will continue his work in hardcore music by booking international and local tours, managing and booking local bands, as well as releasing and distributing a variety of titles through the label. Broken Hive's first tour will take place in March with Trapped Under Ice and Relentless embarking on a high profile national tour.
After years within the music industry, Jesse King has decided to withdraw from further involvement with the industry for the foreseeable future.
However Sam, Shane and Chucky will continue with their current projects, both playing in bands and being involved with bookings, design, promotion and sound, independent of Strike Hard Bookings.
We would like to thank all the bands, agents, managers, labels, promoters, tour managers, crew, street team, media and fans that we have all had the pleasure of working with over the years. Strike Hard Bookings could never have achieved what it did without you. We look forward to encountering you all in our future efforts.
The final Strike Hard shows will take place with Backtrack from New York taking to the road with Iron Mind starting Wednesday and running through till January 29th and the big Strike Hard Fest 2012 in Blacktown this Sunday with Confession, Thy Art Is Murder, Backtrack and many others. We hope you all come out and have one last show with us.
