No Hordern for Sleaze
Sleaze Ball will not include the Hordern Pavilion this year.
A Mardi Gras email to members this afternoon stated the decision not to engage the Hordern Pavilion was twofold: it would allow New Mardi Gras “to fundraise and to keep our high production standards”, plus the venue’s owners had taken a dance party booking for the following night.
“It also allows us to lower prices across all ticket types, and to reintroduce our policy of two tickets per member,” the email stated.
“Despite the long-standing booking with the Hordern and a history of having several days either side to produce Sleaze, the owners accepted a rival production taking place the following night in the same venue.”
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New Mardi Gras co-chair Nick Parker described the change as ‘unfortunate’.
“The issue of leaving the Hordern this year was unfortunate, but we found ourselves in the position of having to make a choice,” he said.
“Faced with the options of a restricted and more expensive party, or a shift to a different part of our usual footprint that allowed us to raise more funds, increase accessibility for our communities through lower pricing and put more into the event creatively – the decision was clear.
“In the end we remain on the same general footprint as every year, except we can now lower prices, enjoy multiple venues and explore innovative ways to produce the high quality event Sleaze Ball deserves to be. Our booking at the Hordern remains in place for next year, at which point we can re-evaluate.
New Mardi Gras CEO Michael Rolik said the upside of being unable to use the Hordern Pavilion at this year’s Sleaze Ball was that ticket prices for the party would be less.
“As with all our events, quality and experience of our members and patrons are first and foremost,” he said.
“We want to be able to provide a choice of venues to our partygoers, and for them to be packed with exciting DJs, performers and to experience an outstanding party atmosphere. Now you can expect a reinvigorated Sleaze, and you’ll spend less.
“In the coming weeks we’ll announce a very sexy theme along with our exciting line-up and other surprises. We hope lower prices will encourage
more partygoers to return to this community event. We are determined to arrest Sleaze’s shrinking of recent years, and grow numbers this year. This
format allows us to do that.”
info: Sleaze Ball will be held on October 2.
Can some advise about the dance floors as mentioned earlier ?
Dome might hold a lot of people but the dance floor has always been under the Dome or just outside the columns.
City Live/Forum cant be extended ? so all in all looks like capacity for only a few hundred or so.
I write to discuss the changes to this year’s Sleaze Ball. As a Board Director of NMG, I had a direct involvement with the decision to move the venue on the October long weekend. However, unlike the majority of the Board, I did not support it. I supported alternative options and also for the Board to seek as much consultation with the community as possible before making any decision.
Ultimately the plan that the Board has approved will still allow Sleaze to be the creative, sexy, big party that we know and love. Sure, it’s not in the same big halls that we are used to but it is also an opportunity to try some exciting new things. It enables the tickets to be cheaper while maintaining excellent production standards and a better chance at profitability. It wasn’t my first choice, but it’s still a bloody good one.
Josh Keech
Director of the Board of New Mardi Gras Ltd
Didnt Ministry of Sound or similar have a party in Hordern on the Sunday night after a Mardi Gras or Sleaze ? didnt stop them then and to cut costs if needed they could have shared the cost with the rival party. Not like same people are going to go to Sleaze and Gods Kitchen.
Seem to remember they had to take out the wooden dance floor for the Sunday party and people were having a laugh about it.
People look forward to the big parties of the year so they get a major dance space.
Dome/Forum dance floor capacity is only a few hundred. Where will the rest dance ? in a tent ? dont think so.