The Crown is Dunedin’s oldest established live music venue and literally thousands of bands have played there over the years, from folk to death metal.
The pub was bought in 1989 by Jones, Sam and Henry Chin, whose family have a long history running music venues, most notably with Sammy’s.
I asked the proprietor, Jones Chin, if he had any favourite performers but he’s such a diplomat it was hard to draw him out. He did mention
David Kilgour, The Headless Chickens and Straightjacket Fits as good bands from the old days and Koizilla, Dale Kerrigan, Flesh Bug and George Street Normal from more recent times.
Jones isn’t getting any younger but he’s not ready to retire just yet.
One threat to this iconic venue is a new development next door and there are fears that there might be noise restrictions if the new tenants make complaints.
Save Dunedin Live Music (SDLM) was formed to try to protect The Crown, in particular and its spokesman, Dave Bennett, said he is worried that the city’s lack of protection for established venues, coupled with a rise in inner-city living, is something of a "disastrous cocktail for existing venues".
The Crown has a full PA and lights and caters to both local and travelling bands with live music on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
If your band would like to play at the Crown you can message Jones the pub’s Facebook page.
