Auckland music community ‘reeling’ after closure of Flying Out and Neck of the Woods

Friday, 19 June 2026

Flying Out and Neck of the Woods announced closures on Thursday.

The Auckland music community is reacting with sadness and disbelief at the closure of Flying Out and Neck of the Woods.

The record store and music venue announced their closures on Thursday, both after 11 years.

The businesses were called “integral cogs” to Auckland’s music scene.

Brutal, gutting, unreal, heartbreaking - those are just some of the words being used to describe the news that a much-loved record store and a popular music venue are both closing their doors.

In a double-blow to Auckland’s music scene, Flying Out on Thursday morning called time after 11 years, while in the evening, Neck of the Woods announced they too were signing off, also after 11 years.

Both businesses were based in the heart of Auckland’s music scene in the Karangahape Rd precinct, and follow a string of other similar closures and cancellations to have hit the scene in the last 12 months.

Flying Out and Neck of the Woods were based in the heart of Auckland’s music scene in the Karangahape Rd precinct.

In August last year, record store Marbecks announced it was calling it quits after 90 years, and moving to an online-only business.

Things have only gotten worse in 2026.

Splore Festival signed off for good in February; the Others Way Festival announced it was the end for them in May; Galatos and Leigh Sawmill Cafe are for sale; and Verona went into liquidation.

Reaction to the latest closures has been one of sadness, confusion, and even anger, with Auckland’s music scene trying to come to terms with the latest blow.

Posting on social media, Whammy Bar said the news was “hard to wrap your head around” and that they were “heartbroken”.

“When two of these places go in a single day, it feels like a structural crack in something much bigger. Cities don’t just have culture, they are actively shaped by it, and by the fragile infrastructure that supports it,” they said.

“If today tells us anything, it’s that the spaces that give our cities character and culture are more fragile than they should be. Support your local venues, artists, record stores, promoters, and independent businesses wherever you can.”

Music journalist Chris Schulz called the news “gutting” and “unreal”, adding that both Flying Out and Neck of the Woods were “integral cogs” in Auckland’s “small but crucial music industry”.

Centrix data shows a tale of two islands: South Island financial arrears are low, while North Island communities struggle. Meanwhile, hospitality liquidations have surged by nearly 50% as households cut back on dining out.

“For Neck of the Woods, there just isn’t a lot of spare money to go towards live music, or towards bar sales, which are integral to venues. For Flying Out, vinyl is popular again, but it’s a nice to have, not an essential.”

Schulz told Stuff he hopes the closures can lead to a discussion on how Auckland’s remaining venues can be supported so future closures don’t happen.

“How does our industry grow, nurture and support young acts if small venues keep closing? I would hope this sparks a discussion about how our remaining venues can be supported so it doesn’t keep happening.

“Clearly, they desperately need it, and surely no one wants to live in a city where venues and festivals and record stores can’t thrive,” he said.

Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick worked at Neck of the Woods before turning to politics.

Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick, who worked at Neck of the Woods before she turned to politics, said the music community was “reeling” at the news.

“I’ve reached out to the crew to see if there’s anything I can practically do right now in the midst of this news. I would do anything for Neck of the Woods, our local venues and the communities who bring life to them.”

Swarbrick said the closures did not happen in a vacuum and that the country needed to decide if investing in local communities was a priority.

“That means economic settings that genuinely invest in ourselves, our infrastructure, our capacity, our jobs, our creativity, our events, our spaces,” she said.

The latest round of closures comes more than eight years after Auckland was designated a Unesco City of Music, one of just 75 cities worldwide with this status.

According to the Auckland Council website, the city of music status helps local government and the music sector to work together to “solve challenges and maximise opportunities” for the region’s music industry and culture.

Schulz said with many international acts still coming through Auckland, there was an argument to be made that Auckland “remains the city of music”, but that status depends on what it means to music fans.

“If it’s going to see a stadium show like Robbie Williams or Foo Fighters, that’s one thing. But how about seeing a new act for $25 on a Friday or Saturday? Where do small acts get their start without a venue like Neck of the Woods,” he said.