Mural heralding the return of The Vanguard to Newtown defaced

Newtown is known for its amazing street art but a giant angel mural heralding the return of The Vanguard to King St has been defaced with a tag only weeks after the re-opening.

Cosima De Vito and Greg Gould in front of the mural outside The Vanguard at Newtown before it was defaced. Gould is performing an exclusive Mardi Gras event with Cosima De Vito and Prinnie Stevens at The Vanguard on March 1. Picture: John Appleyard

Newtown is known for its amazing street art but a giant angel mural heralding the return of The Vanguard to King St has been defaced with a tag only weeks after the re-opening.

“The mural was tagged last night between the hours of 7pm-12am. It had been hand painted just three weeks prior, by the talented artists at April 77 Creative - a local Newtown design studio,” Vanguard venue manager Rhianna Lucas said.

Mural outside the Vanguard tagged only three weeks after it was created.

The newly minted mural, designed to reflect the creativity synonymous with Newtown, was the used as a backdrop for a photo shoot with Cosima De Vito and Greg Gould on February 13 ahead of Gould’s Mardi Gras concert with De Vito and Prinnie Stevens at The Vanguard on March 1.

In 2016 The Vanguard, that hosted performers including Diesel and Russell Crowe, was rebranded at the Leadbelly, named after blues singer Huddie William Ledbetter who died in 1949, but not before he’d killed a man, been imprisoned and pardoned by the Texas governor because he wrote a song for him.

Now The Vanguard is back at 42 King St, Newtown but its relaunch has been marred by the senseless defacing of the mural on its external side wall.

Anyone with information on the tagging of the mural is asked to contact Newtown Police on 9550 8199 or CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.