Australian music fans love to argue that their city is the “heart of live music and culture”, and rightfully so, our fair nation has incredible talent pouring out from every major city, not to mention small towns and coasts, but in May and June, Sydney really does take the crown as Australia’s live music capital.
The city is responsible for churning out a colourful sonic palette of different artists including classic rockers AC/DC, Radio Birdman, Midnight Oil, Rose Tattoo, dance pioneers like Severed Heads, Single Gun Theory, The Lab, Itch-E and Scratch-E and future legends The Preatures, DMA’s and Sticky Fingers to name a very short few.
On top of that, Sydney boasts of a massive list of unique live music venues, from the iconic Sydney Opera House to small progressive bars like Golden Age Cinema & Bar and Freda’s Sydney, there’s ample performing space for emerging and established musicians, not to mention some of the country’s biggest festivals as well as an endless list of boutique record stores, the city screams music.
To celebrate the good city of Sydney we’ve put together a special edition of our city guide for those specifically heading over for Vivid Live 2015 (and with such a killer line up why wouldn’t you be?!).
Add To Your Vinyl Collection At Repressed
413 King Street, Newtown
Opening back in 2002, Repressed has forged a reputation as the home of Australian independent music, specialising in DIY, punk, alternative, and “whatever is good that deserves to be heard”.
HUGE supporters of the Sydney music scene and great music in general, repressed are hosting their own event at Vivid Live on the 23rd of May.
Catching The Lighting Of The Sails
Sydney Opera House
This year, Vivid LIVE has commissioned multi-disciplinary design collective ‘Universal Everything’ to create a new projected artwork for the sails of Sydney Opera House – Vivid LIVE’s most public event.
‘Universal Everything’ have collaborated with bands (Radiohead’s Polyfauna), brands (MTV), record labels (Warp), and mammoth events alike such as the London 2012 Olympics and the largest screen unveiled yet at the heart of New York’s Times Square. It’s definitely one sight not to miss!
Go Vogue At The Goodgod Minceteria Party
Vivid LIVE Studio, Sydney Opera
Voguing up to liberate minds and limbs alike, Goodgod Small Club and House of Mince
Red Bull Music Academy Presents The Studio (Five nights of live music and DJs from some of Sydney’s leading underground music collectives) turn the Vivid LIVE Studio into a ballroom dungeon fronted by the made-in-Queens House of Ladosha and Melbourne-based funky junk Melbourne duo Zanzibar Chanel on the 29th of May.
Reaming dance-floors clean with their Paris is Burning and Naomi Campbell-referencing ‘Rollin’’ and the Rick Ross rework ‘B/M/F’, House of Ladosha fly in the face of hip-hop’s notoriously male-dominated exposé. Equal parts New York fashion house and pure rhyme-bending glamazons, Dosha Devastation and Cunty Crawford lead Goodgod’s House of Minceteria! into a balling union where performance art, rap and dance run free. This event is a must not miss.
Have A Drink At The Sydney Opera House Pop Up Bar
Under The Lighting of the Sails at the Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House have curated a program of Vivid-inspired food and beverage experiences and bespoke tours to complement Vivid LIVE’s distinct collection of artists and celebrate the festival. It will be open from 6pm until late every night of Vivid LIVE, from 22 – 31 May, tucked under the Lighting of the Sails at the Sydney Opera House, the centrepiece of Vivid Sydney’s light program.
The bar will offer up a craft-focused menu of downtown favourites, live DJs and free pool, all within the reinvention of one of the Opera House’s hideaways: the Concert Hall Northern Foyer.
Nibble A Pepperoni At Frankie’s Pizza
50 Hunter St, Sydney
Frakie’s is a food and music institution. It’s the ultimate hard rockin’ pizzeria!
All about ‘live music, craft beer, authentic pizza, pinballs and SEX’ Frankie’s not only serves piping hot pizza but also some of the hottest parties and bands in town.
Pop by for something to eat, and have a crack at the live band rock n roll karaoke while you’re at it.
Visit Northcote Social Club’s Sydney Sister
387 Kingstreet, Newtown
Brought to you by the talented and hardworking crew who run The Northcote Social Club, you could consider the Newtown Social Club its northern sister. The venue not only hosts the best of the best local and international tour acts but also a fantastic range of drinks complimenting hearty traditional pub grub.
If you want to get away from the hustle and the bustle of the CBD, pop out to the slightly more chilled Newtown for a breather.
Chill Like A Local At Freda’s Sydney
107-109 Regent St Chippendale
Bar and canteen situated in an old warehouse in Chippendale, Sydney Freda’s is a breath of fresh air into the suburb of Chippendale. The menu is changed daily and the music is even fresher. Find out what all the chippenlocals are raving about.
Kill Two Birds With One Stone
73 York St, Sydney
There’s no bar quite like Mojo Record Bar anywhere else in Australia… come to think of it, there’s no other record store quite like it either. Located right in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, Mojo is a record store and an award-winning bar.
Mojo opened back in 2012 and has become a staple of Sydney’s music and bar scenes, with locals quickly adapting it as one of their favourite small bars. An evening at Mojo will see you browsing through racks of pre-loved vinyl, hanging out with a drink at the bar, or both.
Mojo, which has live electric blues music every Saturday night from 6.30pm until 8.30pm, has a great selection of music, a range of Australian beers, and a list of seasonal and classic cocktails, making for an experience unlike any other.
