Live Music and Where to Find it

words by ben stephens

Sydney has seen a massive change to its nightlife over the last 4 years. With lockout zones in the CBD and Kings Cross, the chance to spend a night on the town, accompanied by some sweet tunes can be a little difficult for the uninitiated. It has changed, but you can still have a

It has changed; there’s no denying that, but you can still have an awesome night out with a whole bunch of live music venues still holding strong in this time of absolute flux, check them out below:

Oxford Art Factory
As a relative newcomer to the NSW capital, this was the first live music haunt I found myself in. The OAF attracts a certain type of band; they haven’t yet cracked it big in the local market but are damn close to it. After the bands have played the house DJ’s take over and offer a nice come down from the live music high. Check out the upcoming acts HERE.

Frankies
This place is hard to beat. Pinball, pizza and a whisky with fresh apple juice… what you have there is a list of everything needed for a damn fine night on the town. But why not throw in a couple of cameos from touring rock groups on the makeshift stage and house band that know the best grunge/rock scene classics. Welcome to Frankies, open till 3 am every day of the week. Check them out HERE.

The Metro Theatre
Holding a big brother vibe to the Oxford Art Factory, the Metro is where you’d find Lorde and Ben Howard in 2013 before they were really discovered. Here you’ll find a fine selection of established acts for a decent ticket price, but always worth it. The sound, if done right, is what makes the Metro stand out. Check them out HERE.

El Topo Basement
You can usually find an artist or two post-gig from the Enmore having a drink or two. It’s a younger crowd and stacked with scenesters but the music is pretty darn good. For a wild night, get there early and grab a booth; the people watching is something else.

The Enmore Theatre
Situated in Enmore, near Newtown, this place hosts everything from Comedy to Action Bronson. The big names are here before they sell out stadiums. Being in a neighbourhood that is outside of the CBD lockout zone, the bars around here offer a nice place to perch pre and post gig, check out the Hideaway or Sly Fox  and then check out the touring lineup HERE.

The Lansdowne
The newest addition to the list of banging places to catch some live music with the team behind Mary’s Burgers. This place is a throwback to Sydney’s hay day as hub music, good times and classic pubs. The team have taken over the former Lansdowne and restored its character with a couple of coats of paint. The food is what you’d expect from the best burger flipping crew and the beer lines are filled with some of the best brews. The music lineup is getting better every night. Check out their gram for who’s playing, they’re keeping all that close to their chest.

Lastly, for a reminiscent night, the team behind Keep Sydney Open are throwing a takeover of Kings Cross, dubbed Meet me in the Cross. It’s a night that’ll be spread between a stack of venues and you can grab your tickets and a peak at the lineup HERE.