In community halls across Western Sydney, young people are headbanging, crowdsurfing and forming mosh pits.<\/p>\n
Scenes like this have become rarer since the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a devastating blow to Sydney’s music industry and under 18 events.<\/p>\n
But for the last two-and-a-half years, Varun Mahadevan and McKenzie Ward have been trying to keep the heavy metal all-ages music scene alive.<\/p>\n All-ages events give young people the opportunity to enjoy heavy metal music. (Supplied: Your Locals\/Ryan Depares<\/span>)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Varun said the industry thrived in Western Sydney 10 to 20 years ago when he was a teenager and bands played in community centres, but declined from 2018 onward because of alcohol and venue pressures.<\/p>\n “We just wanted to go back to its [all-ages heavy metal] roots and go back to people connecting with people … and we’re having a blast and we know that the kids are having a blast,” Varun said.<\/p>\n “Having access to that at such a young age is so important to make sure that these kids feel that sense of pride in the community that they may not have had access to otherwise.<\/p>\n “In the community centre, there’s no barricade, the crowd’s right in front of the artists, there’s pool noodles around, there’s snags in the kitchen.“<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Sometimes young children attend the all-ages events. (Supplied: Your Locals\/Ryan Depares<\/span>)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Attendees at the duo’s Your Locals events range from less than six months to 70 years old.<\/p>\n “You do see a lot of parents with toddlers on their backs, some of the toddlers headbang along to it, some of them just had a little nap,” McKenzie said.<\/p>\n “Older people love to just stand there and kind of reminisce.”<\/p>\n They regularly see more than 100 people coming through the doors.<\/p>\n “Families are able to come to shows and see bands that toured the world on the same floor that they might have been trying to vote in the previous election,”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Varun said.<\/span><\/div>\n Des is the lead vocalist for Wicked Envy. (Supplied: Emma Mees<\/span>)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Vocalist and keyboardist Des Hancock fronts “dark metal core” rock band, Wicked Envy, which is influenced by old and new metal, from Bullet for My Valentine to Linkin Park.<\/p>\n “I use fake blood on stage. I love the theatrics because I’m a music theatre performer as well,” she said.<\/p>\n “I get in the crowd and have a little dance, headbang, do the circle pit thing.“<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Des describes the high octane Wicked Envy band as dark metal core. (ABC News: Emma Mees<\/span>)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Wicked Envy does not perform many all-ages events, but Des said the Western Sydney scene was better than it was pre-COVID when there “weren’t many opportunities for the youngsters”.<\/p>\n The band played at a “packed” all-ages Your Locals event at a Seven Hills community club in 2024.<\/p>\n “They [the young people] have freedom, they can be themselves, just enjoy live music in a safe environment,”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n she said.<\/span><\/div>\n The popularity of metal music has risen in recent years, Des says. (ABC News: Emma Mees<\/span>)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Des said the appetite for heavy metal all-ages events was growing, but the genre was “not as accepted”.<\/p>\n She has tried to organise shows in Central Sydney, but found it difficult because of 18-plus age limit.<\/p>\n Since they started their venture, Varun and McKenzie said they had noticed other DIY heavy metal music events popping up in Western Sydney.<\/p>\n “We’ve had lots of people contacting us asking, ‘How do I make this happen?'” Varun said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
‘Freedom’ for youth<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
Domino effect<\/h2>\n