The music may sound like pub rock, but there are no sticky floors, surly bouncers or hefty cover charges ... which is probably why music lovers are turning their own backyards into indie rock venues.
The latest event in a growing Sydney music trend took place yesterday afternoon in Glebe, when Sholto Macpherson opened his wild backyard to about 70 people, most of them strangers, who had come to hear Backyard Extravaganza.
They crouched on concrete under a leafy canopy, listening to six bands from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
"It sounds a bit dorky but there's something really wholesome about it," Mr Macpherson said. "We have had little kids turning up and people with their dogs and two girls making tofu burgers."
The organiser of the event, Mel Lake, owner of record label Quietly Suburban, got involved 18 months ago when she helped out with a series of Sydney concerts which were called Underneath The Clothesline. "A friend of mine actually had one in Melbourne a few weeks ago. They just decided it was time to do something similar. I don't know if it's necessarily a trend but it would be nice if it was growing into one."
News of them is spread by word of mouth and email groups. Entry is by "donation".
At the front of the Victorian cottage yesterday the only sign of a party was a lone red balloon, swinging from a frangipani tree.
Only membership of the right email group or the word-of-mouth chain tips off the venue.
Although the volume rises as the afternoon wears on, and the music evolves from folk to hard rock, Mr Macpherson has never had a visit from the police during the five gigs he has held in his backyard. "I think inner city suburbs are always going to have a lot of action and a Sunday afternoon noise complaint doesn't really rate," he said.
Two doors away, Seamus Moore was more than tolerant of the noise. "We think it's good. We're definitely in support of music in the neighbourhood," he enthused.
Mr Moore's friend Anthony Hill agreed.
"I absolutely love it," he said. "Most of the noise comes from this house, so we can't complain."
Mr Hill also lives in the street ... in a green Holden.
The latest event in a growing Sydney music trend took place yesterday afternoon in Glebe, when Sholto Macpherson opened his wild backyard to about 70 people, most of them strangers, who had come to hear Backyard Extravaganza.
They crouched on concrete under a leafy canopy, listening to six bands from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
"It sounds a bit dorky but there's something really wholesome about it," Mr Macpherson said. "We have had little kids turning up and people with their dogs and two girls making tofu burgers."
The organiser of the event, Mel Lake, owner of record label Quietly Suburban, got involved 18 months ago when she helped out with a series of Sydney concerts which were called Underneath The Clothesline. "A friend of mine actually had one in Melbourne a few weeks ago. They just decided it was time to do something similar. I don't know if it's necessarily a trend but it would be nice if it was growing into one."
News of them is spread by word of mouth and email groups. Entry is by "donation".
At the front of the Victorian cottage yesterday the only sign of a party was a lone red balloon, swinging from a frangipani tree.
Only membership of the right email group or the word-of-mouth chain tips off the venue.
Although the volume rises as the afternoon wears on, and the music evolves from folk to hard rock, Mr Macpherson has never had a visit from the police during the five gigs he has held in his backyard. "I think inner city suburbs are always going to have a lot of action and a Sunday afternoon noise complaint doesn't really rate," he said.
Two doors away, Seamus Moore was more than tolerant of the noise. "We think it's good. We're definitely in support of music in the neighbourhood," he enthused.
Mr Moore's friend Anthony Hill agreed.
"I absolutely love it," he said. "Most of the noise comes from this house, so we can't complain."
Mr Hill also lives in the street ... in a green Holden.
