This funky new late night haunt on Sydney’s Pink Mile brings the thumping vibe of Ibiza’s clubbing scene to a lush retro cocktail lounge – with top notch DJs and club acts, and carefully curated cocktails to boot.
Carousel Bar and Ballroom is the new favourite child from Sydney’s long standing techno-forward party collective, S.A.S.H. Aside from their notorious Sunday sessions, they’re also the same group behind hot-pink Darlinghurst bar Stanley’s on Stanley and the dearly departed Sly Fox Hotel (where local lesbians and their pals once let their hair down on Enmore Road), which closed down in 2020.
A rhinestone’s throw from the Stonewall, Carousel is a ground-up rebuild of one of Oxford Street’s oldest hot spots, where Byblos, Miind Club and, more recently, Nevermind once resided. The venue has been christened “Carousel” due to the discovery of a rotating stage, which was exposed during the renovation process, preserved underneath two stages that were built on top of it.
The old stage is believed to be somewhere around 60 years old and from the venue’s days as “Carpiccio’s”, when it was owned by Dawn O'Donnell (the iconic businesswoman who revolutionised Sydney’s LGBTQ+ club scene) and known for its drag shows.
Photograph: Dictionary of Sydney/William Yang | Dancers at Capriccio's Club, 1981
The refurbishment has Carousel boasting a state-of-the-art sound system – a FunktionOne, for those in the know – consisting of no less than 33 speakers littered throughout the venue, including the bathrooms. While sound is the main pull that the venue has on blast, the lighting system is also something to rave about – they have lights imported from Amsterdam that are the only ones of their kind in Australia.
The venue will trade as a small bar on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with the nightclub heating up Thursday through Sunday. For club nights, the venue is teaming up with a merry-go-round of promoters predominantly from the electronic music scene, with the odd event from the queer party collectives that give Oxford Street its charm. Looks like there’s plenty of sweaty nights coming around (and around, and around) at Carousel.
You can follow Carousel on Instagram and Facebook to stay in the loop, and check out upcoming events on the website.
