The best gigs to see in Sydney this winter

Jazz lovers and New Orleans dreamers, this one’s for you. This year, a super immersive live music experience is landing in Sydney – brought to life by Fever, the team behind Sydney’s much-loved Candlelight concerts. ‘The Jazz Room: A Journey to the Heart of New Orleans’ is swinging into town after wowing audiences across Europe, the UK, and the US – here’s what you need to know. Fittingly, the shows will be held at the glamorous Albert Palais, a beautifully restored heritage-listed 1920s Art Deco venue in Leichhardt. The soul-stirring musical performances will transport you back to 1920s’ New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz.  A talented lineup of musicians will perform so many of the iconic jazz, rhythm and blues’ classics you’ll recognise including Hello Dolly (Louis Armstrong), On the Sunny Side of the Street (Jimmy McHugh) and When The Saints Go Marching In (Jazz Standard). Think jazz is all about the riff? You're not wrong, and the artists will be breaking into spontaneous improvisation (the hallmark of the genre) throughout.  Ready to travel back in time? Book some tickets, grab a cocktail, and settle in for an evening of toe-tapping rhythm, ragtime vibes, and all that jazz. ‘The Jazz Room: A Journey to the Heart of New Orleans’ will run on various Friday nights from August through December, with two seatings (one at 6.30pm and one at 8.30pm) every evening. Tickets start at $49, and you can snap up yours over here.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out...

To bring a little musical joy to the Harbour City through the cooler months, Sydney’s historic waterside precinct The Rocks is hosting free jazz performances every Thursday throughout autumn and winter – with live performances by musicians from around Australia. Jazz Sessions in The Rocks will run from 6pm until 8.30pm every Thursday from Thursday, April 3 until Thursday, September 25 – so there’s plenty of time to catch the star-lit shows.  Want to keep the music going? From 8.30pm until 10.30pm every Thursday, ocal distillery Hickson House Distilling Co  will be hosting a later-night jazz set, and serving up an excellent dinner deal: $35 for a signature cheeseburger and fries, paired with a masterfully crafted gin and tonic. The line-up so far includes harmonic duo Aaron Flower and Kate Wadey, the dynamic vocalist Leah Berry and Sydney-based ensemble Zodiac Quartet.The events are free to attend and there’s no need to book. You can learn more over here. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.   RECOMMENDED:  Want more evening entertainment? These are the best bars and pubs in Sydney for live music. And these are the best shows to catch in Sydney this month. Need fun now? Here’s what’s on in Sydney this week