Support the Annandale's Buy-A-Brick campaign

The members of Team Bobbysix spend their lives at gigs about the globe. We are never happier than when watching some up-and-comers giving it their all in an intimate venue. A few years back, we saw Editors in a pub in London with about 30 other people. Similarly, we watched The Jezabels in Sydney when no-one knew who the heck they were and more than once we've sat cross-legged on the floor in Brighton to see Kimya Dawson. Heck, just last week we boogied with Kitty Daisy & Lewis in the backroom of a boozer.

So we're always sad when we hear that music venues are in danger of closing. After the demise of The Hopetoun in Sydney, another of the city's venues is in trouble. The Annandale Hotel is a rock’n’roll icon in Sydney’s live music scene, yet is in need of upgrades, is crippled by debt and on the verge of closure.

To battle this, the owners are running a Buy-A-Brick Campaign. The Annandale team want to make loyal supporters feel they have a place at The Annandale in the future. By offering them different packages which include a ‘brick’ with a plaque mounted on it, with their personal inscription, they are forever connected. For the hotel owners, Matt & Dan Rule, it really is now or never. They know it is not just personal to them, it is personal to a lot of people. We don't want to see the hotel go down and a high rise block of apartments go up in its place.

Last week, EMI showed their support for the campaign. Over the years, current and past EMI artists that have played The Annandale include: Paul Dempsey, Something For Kate, Papa Vs Pretty, Faker, End Of Fashion, Operator Please, Grey Ghost, King Cannons, 360, Birds Of Tokyo, Airbourne, Bob Evans, Jet, The Sleepy Jackson, Oh Mercy, The Cat Empire, You Am I, amongst many others. So it made sense that the label would want to get involved.

For more information on Buy-A-Brick membership packages visit www.annandalehotel.com

Have a kickabout with Oh Mercy! Dress like the Pet Shop Boys! Play on one of Katy Perry's bouncers! All for charity!

Following the horrific occurrences in Japan recently - in which more than 8,000 people died, thousands are injured and at least 12,000 are missing - it's not surprising that people are pulling together to help. In the music world, the EMI family have been rummaging through their cupboards in search of treasures they can auction to raise some much needed cash that will help to rebuild a country in which 14,000 homes were destroyed and around 100,000 damaged.

This week, heaps of ebay auctions end on some pretty amazing items - with all proceeds going to Red Cross Japan Relief. If you've got a few bob, you might want to bid on Deadmau5's diamonte Mau5head. Or maybe you fancy a signed Bowie back catalogue. Or, if you're feeling particularly macho, you could wear this Pet Shop Boys cube jacket to your local boozer. Then of course, there is Katy Perry's cupcake trampoline. Try having a go on that without squealing like an overexcited schoolgirl. There are heaps of other items too, like hand-written Pet Sounds lyrics and one of B-52's guitars.

There's a chance though, that all of the above are slightly out of your price range. They certainly are for us. However, here's an affordable and fun one that might appeal to the Australians amongst you. Melbourne's Oh Mercy (Alexander pictured below) are offering a bit of a kickabout with the winning bidder and four of their mates, as well as some signed stuff and a few photo opportunities. Sounds like an awesome afternoon to us, and all in the name of a very, very good cause. If you feel like testing your AFL skills against Alexander, Rohan, Simon and Eliza, while simultaneously doing a good deed, you can bid here. Meanwhile, check out all of the listings here.

Words by Rob Townsend