If you hadn’t heard, live music is back in a major way in Sydney. The odious lockout laws are dead, so long live rocking gigs. We’re hugely looking forward to the insane line-up that’s reopening the Enmore, and we’re pumped for revisiting all the spots that used to get us sweating in the mosh (even if things are going to be a bit more suitably spaced for a while).
The newly reopened Eternity Playhouse, home of Darlinghurst Theatre Company, is throwing its hat in the mix with its brand-new Darlo Sessions series. Describing it as a lush new way to experience the best of Australia’s live music scene, the company says, “After a shithouse year, these artists spent their time in lockdown creating electric new work. It’s time for them to take up space. This is a program of intimate hour-long gigs decked out with five-star production values.”
The venue will host FBi radio’s rising stars alongside Triple J darlings across three weekends starting from Friday, February 26, when queer rapper and saxophonist JamarzOnMarz takes to the Darlo stage. The Orange-raised artist of Kenyan and Sri Lankan-Tamil heritage performed in Solange’s band when she rocked the Opera House. Then later that night you can hang for rapper Jamaica Moana, who infuses Māori and Samoan culture into her sets. ‘Sushi In Tokyo’ singer DVNA struts her stuff the following night on Saturday, February 27.
Sweet singer-songwriter duo Boy and Bucket takes to the Darlo Sessions stage on Friday, March 5, followed by multi-instrumentalist Erin Clare. Then euphoric ten-piece Hot Potato Band chip in with their stonking sounds on Saturday, March 6. The final weekend line-up is outta control, with KYVA’s post-punk guitars and yearning R'n'B sweeping you up, as followed by melodic rapper Imbi on Thursday, March 11. Lush singer-songwriter Huck Hastings, then next wave queer music kweens Brendan Maclean and Jack Colwell, will bring the sparkles to Friday, March 12. Then it all wraps with a big bang when OKENYO and Banoffee oversee the final Saturday night, March 13.
Early bird tickets on selected shows cost $35, with standard tickets at $55. If you book in for the double bill on any given night, you get 15 per cent off. The legends at Darlo want everyone to feel included, fielding four pay-what-you-can tickets for each session for those who face social barriers to attending theatre. They’ll prioritise people who identify as Indigenous, POC, transgender and gender diverse, disabled or those experiencing economic hardship. To access these tickets, please contact jacqueline@
