ISSUE 38. What’s on in Sydney this week: power station raves and choir-backed karaoke

It appears that September is making a fairly convincing case against staying home. The weather is warming up, the nights are getting longer, and Sydney has decided that even karaoke now requires a 12-person choir.

This week, House of Hymns is putting one behind the city’s most committed pop fans, while Sandbox is turning White Bay Power Station into a festival-sized dancefloor. The Big Design Market is taking over Carriageworks, ESSE Studios is opening its archives, and Eden Burns and Barney Kato are handling the part of Saturday night you probably won’t remember until Sunday afternoon.

So, make some room in the calendar and possibly the wardrobe. Here are the best things to do in Sydney this week.

HIGHLIGHTS

Sandbox Festival 2026

White Bay Power Station is getting its annual reminder that it makes an excellent rave venue. Sandbox takes over the former power station for nine hours of electronic music, huge visuals and sets from the likes of Mark Blair, DJ GUESTLIST and HIJCKD. Sydney’s allocation is currently sold out, so this one is for people who already have a ticket or are watching for an official resale.

• WHEN: Saturday 19 September, 2-11pm
• WHERE: White Bay Power Station, Rozelle
• HOW MUCH: Resale only
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

House of Hymns

It’s no secret that karaoke already requires a level of faith in your own abilities. And now, House of Hymns is sacrificing the shitty stereo in favour of a live, twelve person backing choir. Launching this Thursday at the Pleasure Club, expect plenty of pop and queer anthems including from deities such as Madonna, George Michael and Chappell Roan. Tickets are still available, you’ll just need to register your song in advance if you’re feeling brave enough to have a crack.

• WHEN: Thursday 17 September, from 7pm
• WHERE: Pleasure Club, Newtown
• HOW MUCH: $48 final release tickets
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

The Big Design Market

Over 230 independent design brands are moving into Carriageworks for the weekend for the return of The Big Design Market. Expect everything from fashion, homewares, ceramics and things you didn’t know you needed until someone put them on a very nice looking table. Fair warning, there will be no such thing as “just having a look”.

• WHEN: Friday 18 to Sunday 20 September
• WHERE: Carriageworks, Eveleigh
• HOW MUCH: $8 adult entry
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

ESSE Studios Sample Sale

In a rare turn of events, ESSE Studios is opening up the archives this weekend. Expect one-off samples, pieces that never made it into production, and past-season styles all up to 70% off. Known for their sustainable practices and high quality tailoring, you can almost be guaranteed to find a perfect addition to that capsule wardrobe you’ve been working on.

• WHEN: Thursday 17 to Saturday 19 September
• WHERE: 17 Oxford Street, Paddington
• HOW MUCH: Up to 70% off
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Eden Burns and Barney Kato at Club 77

Eden Burns and Barney Kato are taking care of Saturday night at Club 77, with house, techno and a finish time that makes Sunday morning somebody else’s problem. Put your name on the guest list and arrive before midnight if you’d rather spend the entry fee inside.

• WHEN: Saturday 19 September, 10pm to 5am
• WHERE: Club 77, Darlinghurst
• HOW MUCH: Free entry before midnight
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

FASHION & CULTURE

Homegrown: Angry Millennials at the Sydney Writers’ Festival

Amy Thunig-McGregor, Jack Toohey and Fiona Wright are getting together for some very serious chats about the housing crisis facing young Australians. It’s called Angry Millennials, aimed at discussing how options like killing your parents might be one of more creative solutions to the modern problem. The session is part of Sydney Writers’ Festival’s Homegrown program at the State Library, meaning it’s also (thank god) free.

• WHEN: Friday 18 September, from 7:30pm
• WHERE: NSW State Library
• HOW MUCH: Free via registration
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Sydney Fringe

Sydney Fringe is continuing its month long reign of comedy, cabaret, theatre, music, dance and performances that become increasingly difficult to explain to your colleagues the next morning. Over 350 shows are taking over theatres, pubs, warehouses and unexpected corners across the city, making September the ideal time to take a chance on something (or someone) you’ve never heard of.

• WHEN: All of September
• WHERE: Across Sydney
• HOW MUCH: Varies
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

FBi.Radio Presents: Unscripted

FBi Radio is taking over The Rocks Discovery Museum for a new Friday-night series pairing DJs with live storytelling and unscripted conversations about the city. This Friday night brings together TBindi Mutiara and Ifeoma (Ify) Obiegbu (plus the rare opportunity to visit a museum after dark).

• WHEN: Every Friday in September, 6-8pm
• WHERE: The Rocks Discovery Museum
• HOW MUCH: Free
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

MCA Late

Thursday night culture is sorted, with the MCA staying open until 9pm for an after-dark mix of contemporary art, drinks, harbour views and rotating talks, performances and creative experiences. This week’s admission also covers Primavera 2026, Connections: MCA x Tate and the major Tony Albert exhibition. Even better is that tickets are two-for-one.

• WHEN: Every Thursday, 5-9pm
• WHERE: Museum of Contemporary Art, The Rocks
• HOW MUCH: 2-for-1 tickets from $20
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Connections: MCA x Tate

The MCA has joined forces with Tate for a major exhibition bringing together works acquired through the two institutions’ international joint collection. Featuring works by 24 Australian artists, the exhibition explores cultural exchange, migration, colonisation and First Nations histories, with several new commissions created specifically for the Sydney exhibition. It’s on now at the MCA until early next year, so you’ve got plenty of time to pretend this is the week you become someone who regularly goes to galleries.

• WHEN: Until Monday 1 March 2027
• WHERE: Museum of Contemporary Art, The Rocks
• HOW MUCH: $25 adult tickets
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Definitive Dupain at State Library of NSW

A massive Max Dupain retrospective at the State Library of NSW brings together almost 200 iconic, rare and previously unseen photographs from across his 60-year career. Definitive Dupain spans everything from Sunbaker and experimental photography to unseen images of the Sydney Opera House under construction, fashion, architecture and candid personal work, all pulled from an archive of around 250,000 negatives. Best part: it’s completely free.

• WHEN: Until July 2027
• WHERE: NSW State Library
• HOW MUCH: Free
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cedar & Salt Sauna at Barangaroo

Barangaroo has somehow found a way to make sweating in public feel chic. Cedar & Salt has brought its Nordic-style sauna back to Marrinawi Cove for winter, meaning you can spend an hour moving between a steaming timber sauna and an extremely character-building dip in Sydney Harbour. Sessions run in communal groups of up to 12, with harbour views included and the recommended routine being heat, cold plunge, repeat until you’ve convinced yourself you’re basically Scandinavian.

• WHEN: Until end of September
• WHERE: Marrinawi Cove, Barangaroo
• HOW MUCH: From $30 per single session
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Black Myth at White Rabbit Gallery

Our favourite Sydney art gallery is officially back in action with its newest exhibition, Black Myth. Drawing from the wildly successful video game, the exhibition explores how ancient mythology can still tell us things about the modern world. Inspired by Journey to the West, Black Myth brings together artists including Sun Xun, Zong Ning and Hou Chun-Ming to explore transformation, transcendence and the darker side of myth through woodcuts, ink painting, photography and plenty of strange, otherworldly figures.

• WHEN: Until Sunday 15 November
• WHERE: White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale
• HOW MUCH: Free entry
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE

De Noche at San Pancho Taqueria

San Pancho is taking its tacos and margaritas into after-dark territory with De Noche, a new music-led monthly series curated by Liba and presented by Jarritos. Kicking off at 7pm this Saturday, expect DJs spinning Latin music on vinyl all while you demolish some of the classic tacos the Marrickville institution has quickly become famous for.

• WHEN: Saturday 19 September, from 7pm
• WHERE: San Pancho Taqueria, Marrickville
• HOW MUCH: Free entry
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Club Angel at -196 Konbini Takeover

Carousel is being turned into a neon-lit Japanese convenience store for one night only this weekend, except this one has Club Angel behind the decks and considerably more dancing in the snack aisle. Tasman, Bella Bella and Deens are also all on the lineup for the Suntory sponsored event. It’s free, but capacity is limited and you’ll need a ticket through LINES.

• WHEN: Thursday 17 September, from 8pm
• WHERE: Carousel Bar & Ballroom, Darlinghurst
• HOW MUCH: Free with a ticket
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Earth Flow

The State Library is turning its Mitchell Reading Room into a performance space for Earth Flow this weekend, led by composer and yidaki master William Barton. With Aunty Delmae Barton and other guests, the work moves through music, poetry and the idea of knowledge being passed between people. A considerably less degenerate way to spend a Friday or Saturday night.

• WHEN: Friday 18 and Saturday 19 September
• WHERE: Mitchell Reading Room, NSW State Library
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $69
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Jazz Sessions in The Rocks

Jazz Sessions are back again for August, transforming The Rocks Square into a free open-air jazz spot every Thursday night. Curated in collaboration with the Sydney Improvised Music Association, the lineup remains mixed, the pizza remains $10, and the pop-up bar remains pouring mulled wine. Consider this your new go-to date night idea.

• WHEN: Every Thursday night, 6:30-8:30pm
• WHERE: The Rocks Square
• HOW MUCH: Free
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

FOOD & DRINK

$10 Cheeseburgers for National Cheeseburger Day

For once, National Cheeseburger Day has produced something more useful than just another brand posting a cringe picture of a burger: $10 cheeseburgers across five Odd Culture Group venues. Choose your suburb, find a friend who can be persuaded to go for “just one”, and call dinner sorted for quite the reasonable price.

• WHEN: Friday 18 September
• WHERE: Razz Room, Bruno, Odd Culture Newtown, The Old Fitz and The Duke of Enmore
• HOW MUCH: $10 per cheeseburger
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Jude’s DIY Martini Menu

New Potts Point cocktail bar Jude’s has launched a DIY martini menu featuring seven vodkas, seven gins and a sliding scale from dry to dirty. Finish it with lemon, submerged pickles or an eight-olive stack for a drink that arrives with enough garnish to qualify as a light dinner.

• WHEN: Thursdays to Saturdays, 5pm until late
• WHERE: Jude’s, Potts Point
• HOW MUCH: Martinis from $22
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Quips x Cabana Thursdays

Thursday knock-offs just got dangerously affordable thanks to Quips x Cabana Thursdays. Come 4pm each night, you’ll be able to score a margherita pizza and four Tommy’s Margarita pouches for just $50. Alternatively, you can also nab four cocktail pouches for $40 until 7pm.

• WHEN: Every Thursday, 4-7pm
• WHERE: Cabana Bar, Martin Place
• HOW MUCH: $10 per marg
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Suntory House Takeover

Suntory House is returning to Sydney for its third rendition, taking over Sakura House in the CBD until early October. Inspired by Japan’s nomikai tradition of post-work drinking, the limited-time residency will serve highballs, sours, beer on tap and bespoke cocktails like the ‘Mazda Zoom Zoom’ melon float. Of course, it comes alongside all the elevated izakaya snacks Sakura House has become well-known for.

• WHEN: Friday 31 July to Saturday 3 October
• WHERE: Sakura House, Martin Place
• HOW MUCH: Free entry
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Island Radio Bottomless Yum Cha

As Sydneysiders, we’re almost all well-versed by now in the weekend bottomless brunch session. But bottomless yum cha, however, is something that we hadn’t tried until now. Introducing Island Radio’s bottomless Dim Sum Saturdays, which serves up the likes of dumplings, steamed buns, wagyu nigiri and other yum cha classics alongside 90 minutes of bottomless booze for $90 a head. Honestly, after trying it for ourselves recently this one has instantly shot up to the top of our list.

• WHEN: Every Saturday and Sunday
• WHERE: Island Radio, Redfern
• HOW MUCH: $90 per person
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Oyster Happy Hour at Morrison’s

I see no reason why the cost of living should get in the way of good taste, and neither does Morrison’s. If you didn’t already know, they’re kind of the go-to place for happy hour oysters in town. In fact, they sell a minimum of 6,000 oysters every week. Every Wednesday from 6-7pm, you’ll be able to snag those little gems for $2 each, which is kind of insane. Or if you want to check out the other oyster happy hours currently happening around town, head over here.

• WHEN: Every Wednesday, 6pm to 7pm
• WHERE: Morrison’s Oyster Bar & Grill, CBD
• HOW MUCH: $2 per oyster
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.