We Love The Leigh Sawmill

#WELOVETHELEIGHSAWMILL #SAVEOURVENUES #SAVEOURVENUESNZ

Leigh Sawmill, located an hour out of Auckland, has been hosting local and international live music since opening in 1996. Built and run by the Guinness family until late 2018, until they took a step back and leased the cafe, bar and accommodation to an Auckland based investor.

Its a lovely warm rustic space that continues the tradition of open hospitality in a relaxed atmosphere, privileged to help foster a community love for live music.

Holding a couple of hundred spread between seated inside and outside in the garden. The Sawmill is a seasonal venue - crazy busy in the peak summer period and quiet in winter, hosting live shows is the lifeblood of the place all through the year. Booking DJs and live acts across most genres, comedy, the odd play, community productions & fundraisers. Its really important to us to look after those performing at the Mill as we realise it’s a bit off the beaten track to be included in a tour.

We strive to create an intimate, safe space that's comfortable for young and old to see live music up close - whether its sitting back in quiet rapt attention, or a full floor of punters dancing till their feet hurt and voices are lost from singing along loudly all night, or the chatters nodding along next to the brazier in the garden. For the majority its a trip out of town - coming to the mill for a gig is a fully planned excursion - one we so appreciate people taking the time and effort to make.

Covid has been a huge blow to us - closing and cancelling so many shows was heartbreaking, as its certainly a cultural loss for our community, financially its been quite devastating. Affecting our income across the board for months, coming into our already quiet season when the ability to draw a crowd to a show makes winter trade viable, to the very real worry of having to close the doors till October, its a daunting prospect. This Boosted #saveourvenues campaign could make that difference, help pay the bills and make hosting shows and supporting local artists happen sooner once we're out of this strange reality. The Sawmill without live music just isn't the same.

So please donate, help us keep the doors open and bring live music back to the mill - we miss it and you!

Run by a dedicated committee of music lovers - including Reb Fountain, Matthew Crawley (Golden Dawn / Strange News), Lucy Macrae & Tom Anderson (Whammy Bar), Rohan Evans (The Wine Cellar) and Reuben Bonner (Banished Music) - the #SAVEOURVENUES team seek to unite in support of Aotearoa's live music venues and music scene. #SAVEOURVENUES aim is to help generate support for crucial, original, small live music venues right across New Zealand, in cities and towns. And they are calling on everyone to help to raise awareness and funds, and trigger a national response strategy in support of a thriving musical culture in New Zealand.