The Bangalow Bowlo Just Got Shut Down - and No One Saw It Coming

Last week, @thebowlo in Bangalow went from hyping live music to padlocking its doors in three days flat.

On Wednesday 22 Oct, the venue teased a colourful weekend gig lineup. By Friday, locals showed up to find a “Closed Until Further Notice” sign slapped on the door. Staff got the memo hours before their shifts. By Saturday, Norths Collective (the Sydney group running the club) dropped a statement blaming financial losses and “costly repairs.”

It’s a brutal blow for a venue that’s been the heartbeat of Bangalow, home to Hockey Dad, Cosmic Psychos, Press Club, triple j Hottest 100 parties and even big names like INXS and Midnight Oil back in the day.

Now, the community’s fired up. Locals have launched a Bowlo Advocacy Group, pushing to bring the club back into local hands. Because this isn’t just about a bar - it’s about keeping Bangalow’s live-music soul alive.

🎶 RIP (for now) to a Byron Shire icon. Long live The Bowlo.