While preparing for my first visit to The Tote tomorrow, I managed to find a spare moment to watch the documentary on RMIT’s servers Georgia sent Tim and I called Persecution Blues: The Battle for the Tote (2011). It focuses on the history of the Tote, but more particularly giving context to the protests of the venue’s closure in 2010. What staggered me was the fact that there was such a strong community value for this place, so much so that fighting for its right to stay alive was akin to fighting for the rights of another human. I found it quite inspiring, and a little surreal that I’m getting the chance tomorrow to explore its walls. I hope that I can pay tribute to the people who hold the venue dear and finding a sense of balance in our portrayal of it.