After almost 15 years, the iconic Players Bar is shutting up shop, joining its sister venue Toucan Club in facing big changes in coming months.
As of Friday July 21, the bar will reopen as a brand new venue called Rollercoaster.
Despite the new name and aesthetic, the venue is aiming to hold on to its reputation as a focal point for local and touring bands, only upping the stakes in production and quality.
To wrap it up, Players is inviting all down on July 21 to say goodbye to the old Players and welcome in a new age of local music.
Venue owner and operator Joe Coci said after more than 30 cumulative years for both Player and Toucan, its time for a fresh start for both venues.
Ive been involved in this business for decades now, he said.
Now what Im seeing is young people coming up, young people who have a real passion and a dream for what they want to do.
At this stage I want to take a role in furthuring that. I want those people with really strong ideas to come to me and say, let me do this. You need that kind of passion to last in this industry.
Players Bar and Toucan two of the better-known live music and dance venues in Mandurah are both winding down, as Mr Coci and shareholders begin to guide each down new paths.
Over the last year or so, weve been in a position were weve really had to figure out where these places are going, he said.
Coci has brought in new stakeholders for Rollercoaster, who from this point will oversee the booking of bands and general promotion.
Players Bar will open its doors for the last time on Saturday July 15, with everyone invited to celebrate from 9pm.
