NOTE: This post probably contains quite a few errors and an inaccurate timeline – there is very little info online about old Christchurch venues, so I welcome all corrections and additions!
Also known as: Metro Cinemas
Location: 103-5 Worcester Street, Central Christchurch
Christchurch Central, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand
Current Status: Demolished post-earthquake
Active as a live music venue: 2002 – 2006
Capacity: Around 300?
Excellent multi-use space established by the Therapeutic Arts Trust in 2000 – Ciaran Fox was originally involved before Adam Hayward joined the board in 2001 and took over directorship in 2002.
![](https://i0.wp.com/thebigcity.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Creation_3925592240_o-1.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1)
The entire compound was composed of a few parts which served quite a few purposes:
- The main brick-lined hall-space, which retained the projection screen behind the stage – formerly the Metro Cinema. Run by Marcus Winstanley until 2005, with Joseph Veale taking over until Creation closed in 2006.
- A foyer used as an office, ticket sales and retail gallery run by Cas Simonsen. The first floor functioned as a shop housing retailers like Kate Wyrd’s Wyrd Clothing store, and the top floor was a drop in and artist studio.
- A separate building down-stairs was a concrete bunker used as a band practice space, Project Legit’s graffiti workshop (managed by Miriama McDonald from 2004 – 2006) and at one stage a small gallery .
From the very beginning Creation was an All-Ages friendly venue, hosting early shows for Out of Kilter and show-casing many of Christchurch’s up-and-coming bands.
![](https://i0.wp.com/thebigcity.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Creation-Bar-1.jpg?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1)
Though they did have a small bar for limited alcohol sales, the venue existed on government funding – housing the Artist Wage (until the Ministry of Social Development was disbanded in 2006), and as such was opened up for a wide variety of creative exploits. From live music and movie screenings (often with the Canterbury Film Society) to dance, art, and graffiti.
![](https://i0.wp.com/thebigcity.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Metro-Creation-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
Creation’s main venue was previously the cinema itself, and as such had a large screen behind the stage. The stage itself was massive – one of the biggest in Christchurch, with the PA system well to the sides and fold-back speakers lining the front.
The space was flanked with long curtains covering a brick interior and there was a sound-desk around 2/3rd’s of the way back from the stage. The venue usually had excellent sound – no surprise considering that over the course of the venues lifetime Joseph Veale and Marcus Winstanley (both excellent local sound guys) were the in-house managers.
Creation hosted a whole swag of live shows with varying degrees of success. I saw touring bands play to an empty hall (excellent Napier/Hamilton pop-hardcore group Amy Racecar and spazzy Auckland group Body Corporate), local groups absolutely pack the place out (Christchurch’s own spazz kings Leper Ballet), even a handful of international performers (The Mountain Goats, Lou Barlow, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy) with thoroughly mixed audiences.
One of my proudest moments was a show I put together at Creation back in 2004 – I’d become friends with Mary-Rose and Brian Crook of The Renderers and managed to persuade them to put on a show along with The Terminals – who Brian was still playing guitar for at the time.Though I figured this was a momentous show, things took on an even greater magnitude when I got a call a couple days before the show – Hamish Kilgour had heard about the show and politely asked if he could join the bill! Absolutely stunned me – plus it was a terrific gig.
![](https://i0.wp.com/thebigcity.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/248136136_7917014a49_o-1.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)
Unfortunately Creation followed a similar pattern to most venues that are dependent on NZ funding – with the disbanding of the Ministry of Social Development in 2006, Creation struggled to maintain financial viability. Only half a decade after it was opened by Prime Minister Helen Clark, Christchurch’s best multi-faceted community space now had to close.
Thankfully Creation signaled the beginning of a new era in Christchurch live venues – paving the way for many subsequent venues and promoters (such as All-Ages group Red Panda) to get moving with their own shows.
History
- 1986: The Metro Cinemas opens at 103 Worcester Street – one of 3 cinema’s within the same stretch of Worcester Street (along with the Mayfair and the Little Odeon).
- 2002: Creation opens as a shared-used performance space, though the screen remains. The Christchurch Film Society continues to show films here.
- 2006: Creation closes due to a lack of continued funding.
- 2010 / 2011: Damaged in the Canterbury Earthquakes, eventually demolished to make way for a car park.
Links
- Canterbury Film Society Entry
- Kete Christchurch photo of Metro Cinemas
Thanks for documenting this, my band The War Within played there in May 2005. Was a fun show and we got a live recording off the desk courtesy of Joseph Veale