ISSUE 22. What’s on in Sydney this week: Vivid’s music program does the heavy lifting while the drones are down (lol)

Vivid Sydney may have pulled the drone show this year, but no matter. The music program was doing the heavy lifting anyway.

This week, Mitski makes her Sydney Opera House debut, Astral People celebrates 15 years with a Studio Party, and the Hollywood Quarter is turning Surry Hills into a day-to-night street festival of food, music and late-night venue hopping. In other words, if you can’t watch drones form a vague shape over the harbour, you can still have a reasonably excellent time.

Elsewhere, there’s Barangaroo Live, State of Origin taking over every pub with a screen, and a few worthy excuses for retail therapy, including Curated by Charbel’s designer vintage pop-up and Kirstin Ash’s first physical archive sale. So yes, your weekend is once again overcommitted. How tragic.

Here are the best things to do in Sydney this week.

HIGHLIGHTS

15 Years of Astral People Takeover

Whoever said there’s nothing on in Sydney mid-week is frankly just lying (at least this week). On Wednesday, Astral People is celebrating 15 years by returning to Vivid LIVE with a Studio Party at the Sydney Opera House, and the lineup is doing a lot. Leading the night is LA producer TOKiMONSTA, alongside South London’s ONEMAN, who’s bringing his dubstep, grime, hip-hop and UK garage-heavy sets to Australia for the first time in almost a decade. Our top mid-week pick.

• WHEN: Wednesday 27 May, from 9:30pm
• WHERE: Sydney Opera House Studio, CBD
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $66
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Curated by Charbel Designer Vintage Pop-Up

Curated by Charbel is bringing its designer vintage pop-up to Prim Haus in Darlinghurst this weekend, with the Melbourne-based archive collection landing in Sydney for a rare in-person shop. Expect hundreds of pieces across designer fashion, vintage finds and collectables, with the usual queue of people who know exactly what they’re looking for. This is the place your most fashionable friend will be visiting this weekend.

• WHEN: Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 May
• WHERE: 121 Riley Street, Darlinghurst
• HOW MUCH: Varies
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Hollywood Quarter Street Festival

Hollywood Quarter is hosting a full Vivid precinct takeover this Saturday, with Foster and Hunt Street turning into a day-to-night mix of food, live music, creative programming and late-night chaos. From 4pm, A Taste of HQ will see chefs from Firedoor, Nomad, Nel, Butter, Chin Chin, 40Res, Bessie’s, Brooklyn Boy Bagels and Ace Hotel take over with one-night-only dishes. Then from 10pm, the quarter will move into its After Hours edition, kicking on until 4am.

• WHEN: Saturday 30 May, from 4pm
• WHERE: Foster Street and Hunt Street, Surry Hills
• HOW MUCH: Free entry
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Vivid Studio Party: Barney Kato Presents Luca Lozano b2b Mr Ho

Barney Kato is taking over Vivid LIVE with what may be his biggest Studio Party yet, bringing a night of acid house, breakbeat, techno and electro to the Sydney Opera House on Friday. The Sydney club music stalwart will be joined by Klasse Wrecks selectors Luca Lozano and Mr. Ho, local underground fave Ciara, and his own Barney In The Tunnel project.

• WHEN: Friday 29 May, from 9:30pm
• WHERE: Sydney Opera House Studio, CBD
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $66
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Mitski for Vivid Live

Mitski is making her Sydney Opera House debut at Vivid LIVE this weekend, returning to Australia after seven years for four nights with special guests Folk Bitch Trio. The four-night run will span her cult-favourite catalogue, from Bury Me At Makeout Creek and Puberty 2 to The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We. It’s a fairly major booking, and this is the one that people with actually good music taste will be attending.

• WHEN: Friday 29 May to Monday 1 June
• WHERE: Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, CBD
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $160
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

FASHION & CULTURE

COME ALIVE! The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular

COME ALIVE! has officially landed at the Hippodrome in the Entertainment Quarter, so consider this your sign to go if you’ve ever enjoyed the movie, a circus performance, or really any kind of theatre for that matter. Inspired by The Greatest Showman film, the production features an all-Australian cast led by Des Flanagan and Ruby Clark. We scored a BTS sneak peak into production and fair warning, this is actually a seriously impressive show.

• WHEN: From Tuesday 19 May
• WHERE: Hippodrome at Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $69
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Kirstin Ash Warehouse Sale

Kirstin Ash is opening the doors to its first physical archive sale this weekend, taking over Paddington with its whimsical pieces from Friday to Sunday. Expect signature jewellery styles, one-off samples and long-loved pieces from the brand’s archive at warehouse sale prices. Rumour has it there may be some Harry’s Canned Matcha being passed around too, so consider this yet another sign for some retail therapy this weekend.

• WHEN: Friday 29 to Sunday 31 May
• WHERE: 300 Oxford Street, Paddington
• HOW MUCH: Free entry
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

State of Origin Game One

State of Origin Game One kicks off this Wednesday night, which means every pub and beer garden in Sydney will be transforming into a temporary embassy for extremely loud men in jerseys. Whether you actually care about rugby league or simply enjoy the civic theatre of grown men yelling at screens, it’s worth booking a table early if you’re planning to watch it out.

• WHEN: Wednesday 27 May, 8:05pm kickoff
• WHERE: Accor Stadium and pubs across Sydney
• HOW MUCH: Varies
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

No Flowers Mahjong Club at State Library

No Flowers Mahjong Club is hosting its next edition in the Mitchell at the State Library this Friday as part of Unplugged, a free Vivid event running from 6pm. Alongside music, craft and art throughout the library, you’ll be able to settle in for a game of mahjong in one of Sydney’s most iconic spaces. Low-key, free, and a very solid option if you’d rather do Vivid without committing to a diabolical Circular Quay shuffle.

• WHEN: Friday 29 May, 6-10pm
• WHERE: State Library of NSW, CBD
• HOW MUCH: Free
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Archibald, Wynne & Sulman Prizes

The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes have returned to the Art Gallery of NSW, which means Sydney’s annual portraiture pilgrimage is officially back on. Having kicked off earlier this month, the exhibition brings together the 59 finalists and winners across portraiture, landscape, sculpture and subject painting. This year’s winner? Richard Lewer’s portrait of Pitjantjatjara Elder, artist and healer, Iluwanti Ken.

• WHEN: Until Sunday 16 August
• WHERE: Art Gallery of NSW, Darlinghurst
• HOW MUCH: From $25
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Vivid Sydney

If hating Vivid was a full time sport, we’d probably be the reigning champions. And while it’s historically be known to be just a little bit, well…lame, this year’s program is shaping up to hopefully prove us wrong. Ironically, Vivid’s increasingly becoming known for its music events rather than the OG favourite light and drone shows (lol). It’s as if the town has collectively realised that nightlife does get better when you add live gigs, free activities, and events that run past 9pm.

• WHEN: Friday 22 May to Saturday 13 June
• WHERE: Across Sydney
• HOW MUCH: Free entry
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Biennale of Sydney

The 25th Biennale of Sydney is back, once again turning the city into a sprawling contemporary art trail. This year’s edition is themed rememory, which explores how personal and collective memories can shape the stories we carry into the present. Expect large-scale installations, boundary-pushing works and the kind of thought-provoking art that might leave you nodding along while quietly wondering if you fully understand it.

• WHEN: Saturday 14 March to Sunday 14 June
• WHERE: Across Sydney
• HOW MUCH: Free
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Art After Hours at NSW Art Gallery

If you’re looking for a midweek date night that’s not just drinks and discussing your favourite colours, the Art Gallery of NSW has you sorted. Every Wednesday, the gallery stays open late for Art After Hours. Think free exhibitions, guided tours, live music, films, and enough dim lighting to make you look very cultured. Grab a drink, stay for dinner, or join one of the interactive workshops. It’s also free, which is always a win. 

• WHEN: Every Wednesday, from 6-10pm
• WHERE: Art Gallery of NSW
• HOW MUCH: Free
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE

Cronulla Jazz & Blues Festival

Cronulla Jazz & Blues Festival is back for five days, bringing more than 200 free performances across 24 stages, plus food stalls, pop up bars, markets, a film festival and a record fair. Live music will be taking over local institutions including Bobby’s and Homer Rogue Taverna, alongside full park and mall set-ups throughout Cronulla. It’s a pretty easy sell if you’re after live music, a feed and a reason to head south for the weekend.

• WHEN: Wednesday 27 to Sunday 31 May
• WHERE: Across Cronulla
• HOW MUCH: Free
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Barangaroo Live

Barangaroo Live is taking over the precinct this weekend for a free festival of music, markets, art and cultural programming. It also marks the first chance to step inside The Cutaway after its major transformation, with the enormous underground space having reopened as a new cultural venue. Across the weekend, expect performances from the likes of Ngaiire, Alice Ivy and Kee’ahn, Barangaroo market stalls and cultural workshops for National Reconciliation Week

• WHEN: Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 May
• WHERE: The Cutaway, Barangaroo
• HOW MUCH: Free
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Sydney Symphony Orchestra on The Jackson

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is taking to the harbour for the first time this Vivid season, performing live aboard The Jackson this Saturday. Guests will cruise past the full Vivid skyline while enjoying a five-course dinner paired with Penfolds wines (because apparently simply looking at pretty lights with a chip-on-a-stick is no longer enough). If you’re like us and loathe the Vivid crowds, this might just be the solution.

• WHEN: Saturday 30 May, from 6:30pm
• WHERE: King St Wharf, Barangaroo
• HOW MUCH: $350 per person
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Jazz Sessions in The Rocks

Jazz Sessions are back again for June, transforming The Rocks Square into a free open-air jazz spot every Thursday night. Curated in collaboration with the Sydney Improvised Music Association, the upcoming lineup includes the Magdalena Mira Quartet, Murmations, Driftwood and Lisathe across the next month. There’ll also be a pop-up bar pouring mulled wine, and $10 pizza slices up for grabs. 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

Roll 8 and Eat for Free at Taphouse

Taphouse Darlinghurst is letting fate pick up the bill with Lucky 8, a daily dining deal where you could score your entire meal for free (yes, you heard us correctly). Order from the menu before 6pm, head to the bar and roll the die and if you land on 8, the whole order is on the house. Think wok-fried lobster, noodles, dumplings and ice-cold taps, with a one-in-eight chance of walking out smug and suspiciously well-fed.

• WHEN: Every day before 6pm
• WHERE: Taphouse, Darlinghurst
• HOW MUCH: Varies
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Burwood Chinatown Night Markets

Newsflash: the best Chinese food in Sydney isn’t coming with a $38 price tag. Instead, it’s more likely found at the Burwood Chinatown Night Markets. Here, a mere $10 goes a lot further: think dumplings, skewers, desserts and a crowd that’s very committed to the cause. This might as well be regarded a Sydney institution.

• WHEN: Every Thursday to Sunday, 5-10pm
• WHERE: Burwood Chinatown
• HOW MUCH: Varies
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Velvet Hour at the Razz Room

York Street just scored a daiquiri discotheque, and it’s leaning fully into the bit. Odd Culture Group’s Razz Room has opened underground in the CBD, pairing a retro-leaning bar upstairs with a sunken dance floor below, plus live entertainment from 7pm to late. The real draw, though, is the daily “Velvet Hour” from 4-6pm, where classic, dirty or strawberry daiquiris go for $13. Frankly, we think that’s reason enough to show up.

• WHEN: Every day from 4-6pm
• WHERE: Razz Room, CBD
• HOW MUCH: $13 daiquiris
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Sakura Sandos

CBD workers, this one’s for you. Sakura House is launching a limited-run sandos menu that is beyond. It’s a three-sando lineup by ex-Cho Cho San head chef Nick Sherman, featuring a ramen egg sando, fried chicken sando and ebi katsu prawn sando. They’ll be available Thursday and Friday from 12pm until sold out. Honestly, it’s a strong lunch proposition.

• WHEN: Every Thursday and Friday, from 12pm
• WHERE: Sakura House, CBD
• HOW MUCH: From $19
• 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.

$28 Steak and Chips at The Waratah

Anyone actually in the know will tell you Thursday nights are for The Waratah. The Darlinghurst pub, which won Australian Pub of the Year last year, slings some of the best steak and chips in town for the measly price of $28. Yes, you heard me correctly. The catch? None really, other than the fact that they sell out most nights, so it’s best to book an earlier table.

• WHEN: Every Thursday, until sold out.
• WHERE: The Waratah, Darlinghurst
• HOW MUCH: $28 
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.