As young people continue to mourn the impending closure of one of the Illawarra's prominent live music venues, booking agents are confident the city will still welcome teenage musicians.
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Night Eats Day will continue to take bookings beyond Rad Bar's closure in mid-June, with venues like Dicey Rileys and the UOW UniBar "stepping up".
Spokesman Ben Tillman said they were working to secure alternative venues for up-and-coming musicians in the future and optimistic teens would still have a place to play.
"So much of Wollongong's music scene and success can be put down to that little venue - without it, it wouldn't be where it is, that's for damn sure," he told the Mercury.
"It's going to be a funny period once it does go, in that interim between something else when that pops up, but we're working on that."
You learn how to play there - you don't really get that opportunity elsewhere in your parents garage.
- Blake Lauricella
This weekend Blake Lauricella and friends will say their own "goodbyes" to Rad Bar with an all ages, not-for-profit gig.
The guitarist's bands Left Side Filter (formerly known as The Traks) and The Hints will perform their last gig at the hole-in-the-wall bar to say "thanks for the memories".
"We played our first gig there in 2015 when I was 16, I'm now 20 and couldn't count how many times we had played there," he said.
"You learn how to play there - you don't really get that opportunity elsewhere in your parents garage or whatever.
"To actually put it all together into a live set, to figure out what works and what doesn't work. And the most thing, growing as a performer."
Other bands on the Sunday evening lineup include The Shang, Kimono Pool, Sam Allen and Pacific Avenue.
We've had plenty of big names perform at the bar but my favourite thing is seeing young local bands developing and kicking ass.
- Daniel Radburn
Rad Bar is part of Langs Corner on the corner of Kembla and Crown Streets, which is about to be redeveloped into a multimillion-dollar office tower. All tenants have been told to vacate.
Bar owner Daniel Radburn took over the venue six years ago, previously the Yours & Owls cafe. He said since owning the popular night-spot he has definitely grown as a person.
"I more so now have a personal understanding of the importance of arts and culture within our community," he said.
"We've had plenty of big names perform at the bar but my favourite thing is seeing young local bands developing and kicking ass."