From FRANKIES To DINGBATS PARTY PIT - Keeping Music Alive With JORDAN McDONALD

Interview by Kris Peters
Photo credit ALI NASSERI
December 2023 saw the end of an era of live music that
reinvigorated the entire Sydney music scene and spread that love
throughout the rest of the country.
For 10 years, Frankies Pizza was the cornerstone of the Sydney live
music hub, bringing a swag of international bands through its doors
as well as giving Australian acts of all genres and career
trajectories a home where they could be heard. And, more
importantly, understood.
While the entire staff of Frankies was involved in bringing the
club to life, one man would always be in the thick of things
playing, performing, or moshing in the pit. That man - Jordan
McDonald - became a legend amongst many, always smiling, always
approachable and never judgemental.
So, when Frankies closed its doors for the final time, the local
music scene lost not only a great venue but also an icon of the
industry. While being vocal that he did not want Frankies to
continue in any shape or form in another venue - believing the
legacy should end where it started - McDonald never turned his back
on the music scene, continuing his drumming passion with local and
touring acts as well as branching out into other areas of
hospitality, but being an active and contributing part of the
Australian music scene in a capacity where he could give back to
the industry was never far from his mind.
Initially launching his own business Nite Rite, aimed at helping
businesses and individuals set up and run live music venues amongst
other things, McDonald soon found opportunities knocking to start
up something more based on his personal choices and experiences.
This came in the form of a new live music venue situated in the
heart of the Sydney CBD that was screaming out for live
music.
After getting his head back into the booking and promoting side of
music, McDonald is now ready to launch a monthly live music night
called Dingbats Party Pit at a venue underneath the Arcade Bar on
O'Connell Street on March 7. But of course, as anyone who visited
Frankies or knows Jordan McDonald would lovingly point out, the man
has more on his mind than a once-monthly event.
HEAVY sat down with Jordan for an interesting chat to flesh things
out.
"I'm glad other people remember it, because I don't remember much,"
he laughed when we first bring up Frankies. "That was ten years of
my life, and it was ten years well spent. It was fantastic. And it
was one of these classic examples of the whole fake it 'til ya make
it thing. I had this brilliant business partner who pulled me into
the mix when I was selling him beers - because I used to tour with
bands around the United States and I would come back to Australia
and the closest thing to a craft beer would be your Little
Creatures or Coopers or whatever. But there wasn't too much in the
way of funky options out there, so I started distributing all these
interesting beers into the country, and there was this dude who had
a great little venue called Shady Pines Saloon and I would sell him
a bunch of American beers. One night he pulled me aside, and he
said, 'hey man, I've got this idea. I wanna do a rock n roll club.
I have a space in the Sydney CBD that is a totally untried and
untested area for this kind of thing.'
"At that point of time everyone would go to the CBD to go to work,
finish work, then go home. You just wouldn't hang out there. And he
had this concept to throw a gig every night of the week, seven days
a week until 4am, and he thought I was the solution to it. I didn't
know what the hell I was doing, but I said yes, let's do this
thing, and fast forward ten years and Frankies Pizza had built its
name as a trusted force in the rock n roll world."
In the full interview, Jordan talks more about Frankies and the
legacy it left behind, what he has been doing since it closed down,
his new company Nite Rite and how it aims to help the music
industry, his new venture Dingbats Party Club and what to expect,
the venue itself, the launch party of March 7, future plans to open
it up for local, national and international acts and more.
The March 7 launch event features 5 bands, each overflowing with
Party Rock attitude. Drawing heavy inspiration from the Rock Clubs
of Hollywood’s Hair Metal heyday, Dingbats thought it best to come
out swinging Sunset Strip style. If Big Red Fire Truck, Bloody
Legend and The Hush don’t leave you wondering who bought the time
machine to 1989, Planet Earth’s #1 Poison tribute act, Poizon’Us,
will have you flying in the Flux Capacitor by the first four
bars.
In case anyone gets too comfortable, Dingbats are dropping a
wildcard set from one of the world’s most exciting up and coming
alternative acts, MANNEQUIN DEATH SQUAD. A 2 piece DIY tour de
force taking the world by storm. DJs NITECALL, AXL BROS &
JORDAN ADAM will be reducing a Heavy Metal jús before, between and
after all featured acts.
And that's not all. Thraxxy Kilmister's Horrendously Bad Tattoo
Competition calls upon all cretins present to bare their most
regrettable ink for a chance at mega merch packs, tattoo credit and
a generous portion of champion's glory.
This is a fully accessible event with seamless wheelchair access
and disabled facilities. Tickets are on sale now,
bit.ly/dingbatsmar25
https://www.nite-rite.com


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