In an outback town, this small venue raised $1 million to save itself - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Chris Wallace says The Black Wreath was the place that "made us who we are". (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
It might seem unlikely that a volunteer-run venue in one of the country's most remote towns could inspire people from across Australia and the world to help raise $1 million to save it.
Over the past month, the founders of popular Alice Springs live music venue The Black Wreath have been fundraising to buy the building and turn the whole block into a creative hub after their landlord put the property up for sale.
Artists and music industry figures came on board, including Amyl and the Sniffers, who played at The Black Wreath's Blacken Open Air festival in 2022, as well as donors who matched pledges dollar for dollar.
The Black Wreath hosts local gigs and offers artists a recording and rehearsal space, helping kick-start the careers of some of the most remote bands in the world.
Before he launched the campaign on August 4, the Black Wreath's founder, who goes by the mononym Pirate, hardly used social media.
But by the end of the appeal, he was posting daily videos, pushing as hard as he could to save one of the creative heartbeats of Alice Springs.
"It's a massive milestone, I'm really proud of the community achievement and everyone that's gotten behind this," he said.
The fundraisers gave themselves until September 13 to reach their $1 million funding goal, but hit the target two days early before a massive weekend of coordinated gigs across the country in solidarity with the cause.
Pirate says he hopes to run The Black Wreath as a foundation. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
It wasn't until the day after the Alice Springs gig, headlined by South East Desert Metal, that Pirate had his first day off in months.
He said the whole town "became a metal head for the night".
"The last month it's been 12 to 15 hours every single day, it hasn't been healthy, but it's been necessary," Pirate said.
However, Pirate said there was a long road still ahead.
As part of the fundraising campaign, people from across the country made pledges for something in return, which ranged from T-shirts, records, rings and hats to an entire festival, Blacken Open Air, to be held on April 30 next year.
"I'm not celebrating yet just yet; I'm getting back to work," Pirate said.
"It's just the beginning of the process, we've raised some money and now we need to negotiate with the owners.
Pirate said the grand vision was to turn the entire property into a creative precinct.
"My big hopes and aspirations and dreams are that it's run as a foundation and the income generated goes into local music and arts," he said.
"And touring Central Australian artists outside of here, [as well as] bringing artists to Alice Springs and putting them on stages here as well.
"Fifteen years of doing this, I find that the travel aspect has been the biggest hindrance to connecting us with a wider community."
Ltyentye Apurta/Santa Teresa musicians South East Desert Metal describe themselves as the most isolated touring band in the world, and credit The Black Wreath for success that's seen them perform on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.
The band's lead vocalist and guitarist, Chris Wallace, said there was nothing else like it in Alice Springs.
The fundraiser to save The Black Wreath has been hailed as "an amazing moment for the whole nation". (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
"I really love it, all that comes from Black Wreath," he said.
Reflecting on the successful fundraiser, Pirate said it was "an amazing moment for the whole nation, especially for the heavy metal community".
"I'm proud to be a part of that community and we're as far away from everyone as you can possibly get, but right now it feels like there's no distance at all between us."
