The Last Chance to Save The Tote

What’s the deal?

Let’s not beat around the bush…

THE TOTE IS GOING TO BE TURNED INTO APARTMENTS (or worse one of those fucking awful redeveloped tissue box pubs ran to make as much money as possible with no dirty rock & roll in sight…)

The current asking price for the building is 6 to 6.6 MILLION DOLLARS!

No kidding.

It’s a fair chunk of change.

Far beyond the capabilities of anyone who gives a fuck to actually purchase.

In other words, the Tote is dead and some asshole developer is going to get it.

Unless someone does something.

And we’ve decided we are those someone’s.

We’ve made a commitment.

We’ve managed to hustle and can (with going into a shit load of debt to banks, family and using our own meagre savings) manage to put up half of that money.

What we need to do is raise the other half.

We’re hoping to sell enough merch, good times and a future to raise the capital needed to purchase both the building and the business and save the Tote forever.

It’s a fucking huge task.

But we’d hate ourselves forever if we didn’t try.

But here’s the real kicker…

If we’re successful in this crazy endeavour Leanne & I will be putting the building into a trust that will legally protect the Tote from being anything other than a Live Music Venue for the rest of time.

We’re giving the Tote to the bands of Melbourne forever.

No fuckers gunna touch one of those posters on that tobacco stained ceiling.

Nobody (and we mean nobody) will be able to sell the Tote ever again.

It will forever remain exactly what it should be: the Tote.

How are you going to Save the Tote?

Simple really.

We can manage to raise around 50% of the funds needed for the purchase of the Tote.

It’s a lot of money for us and the sacrifices we are making to do it are out of this world.

But to us: it’s worth it.

Now, we’re going to try to sell a shit load of merch, beg really rich people to help out because they can afford to buy a lot of merch, sell a future, ask our famous friends to help us get the word out and work our arses off to do whatever it takes.

To be honest we need all the help we can get.

Going up against developers with deep pockets is no joke but we’re confident we can pull it off.

If everyone can help in anyway they can whether that simply is buy buying a shirt or getting the world out there it will happen.

We will be able to save the Tote for the last time.

You can hit up the Pozible Campaign by clicking this link 

How will you ensure the building remains a Live Music Venue forever?

Lawyers, caveats, red tape, trusts, boards full of dicks, the whole fucking shebang.

We’re just going to do what rich people do.

But it will be for something good.

Who/What is the Last Chance? And why would you do what you’re doing?

The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar is a small, late night, punk-rock-hole-in-the-wall, live music venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

It’s run by partners in love, life & business Shane & Leanne.

We took over the Last Chance in February of 2016 and took a 185-capacity venue, that was on its last legs, and turned it into one of the most beloved live music venues in Melbourne.

A venue that keeps going from success to success despite facing adversity after adversity (and we’re not even talking about COVID)

We’re a venue that gives a fuck.

We aim, not only to return the Tote to it’s former glory, but to make it even better than it ever has been before.

The simple reason why we are doing what we are doing is because if we don’t the Tote will cease to exist.

Bands are the most important thing in our lives.

If it wasn’t for music we wouldn’t be alive.

And that’s not being facetious it’s a fact.

We believe that our sole responsibility is to ensure that live music, its amazing culture and its ability to transform young peoples’ lives should be there well beyond when we are gone.

We just want to give back to what has given us so much.

And that legacy will be the Tote Hotel.

We’re acutely aware, more than anyone, that there is very little money in live music venues.

We don’t give a shit.

It’s about the Tote being a cultural touchstone that inspires and gives people a place to be creative and perform.

We need live music venues and we want the Tote to be there.

What’s going to happen to the Last Chance?

It’s not going anywhere.

We will continue to run the Last Chance with just as much passion and love as we do now.

Probably won’t be sticking around to 7am as much though…

Can you turn the fortunes of the Tote around?

Piece of piss.

We’ve done it once and we will do it again.

We have a plan we’ve been working on for years for this exact situation.

We have wanted to operate the Tote for 20 years.

We even have a name for it “the White Whale” (got to love a Moby Dick reference)

We’re not going to give any of those plans away (not just yet anyway) but the one thing we will be bringing is bringing the community back to the Tote.

Our philosophy is simple: It’s about the bands and the punters.

We want everyone to have the best time they can and we always do our best to ensure that happens.

And if you’re wondering if the legendary Last Chance $10 Family Dinner will make it’s way to the Tote as well… it might.

But to be brutally honest we were made for this.

Why don’t you get investors?

Simple really.

If we get investors they want to make money.

That's what all investors ever want to do.

If we do that we won’t be able to ensure the continued existence of the Tote.

We want to leave the Tote to the bands and future generations for the rest of time.

With investors that won’t happen.

Who will be printing the t-shirts, pressing records and making the merch?

We always support local businesses who support the local music scene and will continue to do so.

We’re more than happy to be throwing business to the people that run Tee It Up Screen Printing, Too Far Gone Screen Printing & Zenith Records.

All our artwork is always from local musicians because they do it the best.

The current list of artists contributing include Sam McPherson @sammcphersonsucks , Mike Foxall @theartoffox, GlennO @glennoart & Matt Dwyer @matt_dwyer

We will be adding more artwork and merch throughout the campaign.

What happens if we’re not successful?

Well, nothing.

With Pozible we’re using an all or nothing fundraising approach.

If we fail then you don’t get charged.

Can we help in other ways?

Yes!

Apart from buying merch we really need people to get involved and spread the word!

The more people who get behind this the better our chances of succeeding.

If you have an even bigger way to help email [email protected]

We will take what we can get!

Are you all mad?

Yes.

But we’re lovely people.

What the media have covered so far

"Campaign To Save Melbourne's Iconic Music Venue, The Tote" by The Project, Channel 10

Crowd-funding raises $1.5m for well-known music venue by Hugh Timms

“‘Save the Tote’: campaigner trying to keep legendary music venue open gets tattoos of donor’s names” by Cait Kelly

The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar makes official bid to buy the Tote, “a space where people can be themselves and make a lot of noise doing it” by Ellie Robinson

"The gig’s up: Beloved Melbourne live music venue The Tote goes on sale" by Martin Boulton

"It’s Almost Last Call on The Last Chance To Save the Tote" by Jo Walker 

"The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar Is Fundraising To Save The Tote" by Mary Varvaris

"Melbourne’s Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar Launches Pozible Campaign to Buy The Tote" by Jules Lefevre

"Rockers rally to save Collingwood music venue The Tote Hotel" by Alice Coster

"Melbourne’s Institutional Venue The Tote Hotel Needs Saving!" by Ricky Aaron

"The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar launches campaign to save The Tote" by Kaya Martin

"Unite To Help Save THE TOTE – Fight Back For Music" by Erin Eddy

"Melbourne’s Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar Launches Pozible Campaign to Buy The Tote" by Jules LeFevre

"CROWD RISING TO SAVE THE MUSIC" by Clyde Mooney

Leanne & Shane can manage to chip in abour 50% of the funds needed for the purchase of the Tote (building & business)

All money raised through the Pozible Campaign will go directly to securing the Tote for future generations of  Melbourne Musicians!