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Music and nightlife

Your guide to live music and nightlife in Sydney

Sydney summer festival guide
Music

Sydney summer festival guide

The season for outdoor celebration with a sick soundtrack is upon us. Our city heaves with music-loving throngs as fans make pilgrimages to temporary party pockets throughout Sydney and beyond in summer. Here's everything you need to know about music festival season. 

The best free parties in Sydney
Clubs

The best free parties in Sydney

Get more bang for your buck with cut-price drinks and no cover charges.

The best clubs in Sydney
Nightlife

The best clubs in Sydney

Sydney loves to party – here's where to go for a big sesh on the dancefloor.

The best bars and pubs in Sydney for live music
Music

The best bars and pubs in Sydney for live music

Head to these local dens of sound for sticky carpets and great vibes. 

The best queer-friendly parties
Gay and lesbian

The best queer-friendly parties

Dance in these glitter-daubed safe spaces. 

Upcoming gigs and parties

Overnight Fright Experience
Things to do Buy tickets

Overnight Fright Experience

Take a paranormal tour of one of Sydney’s most haunted sites, then test your mettle at a spooky sleepover

Buy
Lights on Later
Art

Lights on Later

Spend Wednesdays up late and arty at the MCA

Christmas Actually
Music Buy tickets

Christmas Actually

Naomi Price is taking on one of the greatest soundtracks of the 2000s for this festive treat

Buy
Tina Arena
Music Buy tickets

Tina Arena

Australia's pop queen is opening a new theatre with a concert of her greatest hits

Buy

Latest music news

You can watch a music gig on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge next week
News

You can watch a music gig on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge next week

Many an A-lister has scaled the iconic arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge; the roll-call of celebs who’ve taken on the BridgeClimb over the years include...

The Spice Girls won't be coming to Australia next year after all
News

The Spice Girls won't be coming to Australia next year after all

Fans of the Spice Girls will recall the dark day back in May 1998, when Geri Halliwell left the legendary girl band, as a moment of pop culture infamy. Now,...

Montaigne is ready to make good deeds the next cool thing
News

Montaigne is ready to make good deeds the next cool thing

When it comes to discussing big, unnerving questions, Jessica Cerro, who performs under the moniker Montaigne, certainly doesn’t pull any punches. The...

Is Solange coming back to the Opera House?
News

Is Solange coming back to the Opera House?

This morning, Sydney Opera House's social media accounts all teased a big announcement taking place tomorrow morning at 8.30am. The posts featured just the...

Patti Smith, Crowded House and Dave Matthews Band will headline Bluesfest 2020
News

Patti Smith, Crowded House and Dave Matthews Band will headline Bluesfest 2020

Byron Bay’s muddy music party of cool cats, Bluesfest, is locked in for another year of funk, blues, rockabilly and relaxed jangly pop. After some...

Your guide to Sydney's music scene

The best retro dancefloors in Sydney
Nightlife

The best retro dancefloors in Sydney

For the times you just want to sing ‘YMCA’. 

The best gigs in Sydney this week
Music

The best gigs in Sydney this week

Find banging local DJs and huge international music acts.

How to not be a dickhead at music festivals
News

How to not be a dickhead at music festivals

Summer festival season is all about enjoying yourself, here’s how to do it without being a knob.

The best music venues in Sydney
Music

The best music venues in Sydney

From intimate stages to blow-out arenas, here are the best spots for feeling the guttural punch of live sounds.

Deadly songs about Australia
Music

Deadly songs about Australia

From the infectious pop of Jessica Mauboy to the hard-hitting activism of Dispossessed.

Your guide to Sydney nightlife

Where to sober up in Sydney
Restaurants

Where to sober up in Sydney

Keep your hangover at the helm with a cheat sheet for a satisfying late-night meal in Sydney that’ll bring you back to your senses. 

The best gay party spots in Sydney
Gay and lesbian

The best gay party spots in Sydney

From old favourites to new hot spots.

Late night venues without a lockout
Bars

Late night venues without a lockout

Outside the lockout zone there are plenty of late-night options in town to keep your evening rolling along.

Sydney's party crews
Clubs

Sydney's party crews

Meet the people that make sure you have a dancefloor destination every weekend.

The best clubs in Sydney
Nightlife

The best clubs in Sydney

Sydney loves to party, we'll party on the roof, in the basement, by the pool – get around it.

The best pick up bars in Sydney
Bars

The best pick up bars in Sydney

In these days of app-based dating the idea of meeting someone in the real world can sound fanciful, but we swear, it happens.