World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Sydney  - Nightlife
Nightlife

Oxford Street, the heart of Sydney's gay area, may have lost the edge of its 1980s heyday, but is now buzzing with cafés and friendly clubs - gay and straight - which have replaced its former sleazy collection of leather bars. The established red light area of Kings Cross continues to cater for the seedier side of life.

The Rocks, with its wharves and warehouses, was the original drinking heart of the city at a time when Sydney workers filled its pubs in a ritual 'six o'clock swill' lasting until closing time. Today, its period pubs have been cleaned up for its huge tourist clientele, although at night the area retains a rough-edged feel, with police regularly patrolling its cobbled streets. Drinks at the harbourside terrace across the bay at Bennelong Point, under the curves of the Sydney Opera House, are expensive ... but worth it for the views across the harbour.

Sydney's night owls are predominantly designer-clad, although casual dress remains the order of the day. Bouncers at some of the more fashionable clubs may enforce strict dress codes and ID checks. For up-to-date listings, free weekly entertainment guides Beat, Drum Media, On the Street and 3D World are available at most city-centre bookshops and record stores. The Sydney Morning Herald also carries an entertainment section Metro. There are web sites (www.spraci.com or www.sydney.sidewalk.com.au ) that provide up-to-the-minute information.

Bars:
In the city, Brighton Bar, on Oxford Street, is an old-fashioned Australian boozer while Stonewall, in Taylor Square, is a chic, mostly gay joint. The Nag's Head Hotel, 162 St Johns Road, has an English pub atmosphere, while Forresters Hotel, 336 Riley Street, Surry Hills, exudes exclusivity. For a homey atmosphere, the Leichhardt Hotel, 311 Balmain Road, is furnished with sofas and coffee tables, while Watsons Bay Hotel, on Marine Parade, is renowned for its harbour vista. At Bondi, the Beach Road Hotel has a popular beer garden and live jazz band on Sundays.

Sydney has several cocktail lounges, including Oxford Street's Lizard Lounge, which combines an art space with its cocktail bar, while La Terrasse Cocktail Bar at the Darling Harbour Novotel and the 25th Floor Cocktail Bar at the Boulevard Hotel, 90 William Street, are the bars of choice for spectacular harbour views. Those in search of a more Bohemian atmosphere should try Sleepers at Bank Hotel, 324 King Street, or The Palladium, on the corner of Darlinghurst Road and Roslyn Street, with its sunken dance floor.

Casinos:
Star City Casino, 80 Pyrmont Street, is a 60-million-Australian-Dollar casino, theatre, restaurant and hotel complex on the site of a former wharf.

Clubs:
Sydney's club scene is wild and diverse, from S&M night Hellfire at Blackmarket, 111 Regent Street, Chippendale, to the high glamour and opulence of Riva, Castlereagh Street. Pop star Kylie Minogue held her 30th birthday party at Soho Bar/The Site, 171 Victoria Street, Potts Point, and Sydney's glamorous, well-connected society clubbers go to The Cave, Pirrama Road.

Sydney's best DJs are to be found playing dance, funk and R&B at Sublime, 244 Pitt Street, where clubbers can relax in the much-hyped luxury 'chill space'. The high-energy sounds of 77 Nightclub, 77 William Street, are aired to advantage on an excellent sound system.

Comedy:
Sydney's top comedy venues which showcase local, national and international comic talent include the Comedy Hotel, Harrold Park Hotel, Wigram Road, Glebe and the Fringe Bar at the Unicorn Hotel, Oxford Street. Sydney's original cabaret-style comedy nightclub is The Comedy Store, Parramatta Road, Petersham, a leading light in the Australian comedy renaissance, and Funny Farm, an initiative of Pride, Sydney's gay and lesbian community centre, is at the Imperial Hotel, 35 Erskineville Road.

Live music:
An inner-city rock pub, the Hopetoun Hotel, 416 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, features Sydney's up-and-coming bands and The Lansdowne Hotel, 2 City Road, Chippendale, offers quirky, camp alternative-style bands and experimental avant-garde sounds. For a more youth-oriented, grass-roots guitar sound, the Sandringham Hotel is at 387 King Street, Newtown, while the Cat & Fiddle, on Darling Street, Balmain, is a classy, dedicated music venue with occasional cabaret comedy performances.



Copyright © 2001 Columbus Publishing
    
GENERAL
City Overview
City Statistics
Cost of Living
 
GETTING THERE
Air
Water
Road
Rail
 
GETTING AROUND
Getting Around
 
BUSINESS
Business
 
SIGHTSEEING
Sightseeing
Key Attractions
Further Distractions
Tours of the City
Excursions
 
ENTERTAINMENT
Nightlife
Sport
Shopping
Culture
Special Events