Original music only at new bar at Mount Kembla: video

Mount Kembla Bowling and Recreation Club has been desperate to get some new people through the doors so Adam Dawson and Damion Stirling thougt they’d kill two birds with one stone and create The Yo-Yo Bar.

You won’t be hearing “Summer of ‘69” though, with operators imposing a strict originals only clause for the artists they book.

“We’re hoping to bring up there on the mountain a whole heap of new faces and make it a little home for musicians,” Dawson said.

“There’s only so many times you can listen to a version of ‘Khe Sahn’ before you say that’s really not cutting it for you anymore.”

Stirling, who’s been heavily involved in Coalcliff’s Bombie Bar, said the isolation of the bowlo did concern him at first.

However the pair think the introduction of Uber to the region will help greatly, while they are also in talks to find other transport to pick-up patrons from Unanderra.

“What we proved with the Bombie Bar is that if you build it they will come,” Stirling said.

“Coalcliff [Surf Club] was quite a remote location but because we had qulaity music and we provided a qualtiy environment then the people came.”

Fifteen bands from various genres have so far been booked for Friday nights at The Yo-Yo Bar. Patrons pay $10 entry fee will all money being divided by the artists.

“[The Illawarra’s] live music scene is growing, there are certainly a number of places to play but … there aren’t too many places for live original music,” Stirling said.

Some of the artists performing in July include: Dear Samsara, Kathryn Hartnett, Josh Burgh, Paper Moon and the Blues, Renee Steele, Ray Friday, Swamp and Beats, Seven Suns, Carlie Don’t Surf, The Fruits, The Disappoinments and Mac Tango.

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