Entertainment in Sydney
April 23rd 2007 04:51
Category: Entertainment Guide
The magnificent Sydney Harbour
Theres no doubt about it. Sydney is Australias premier entertainment hotspot, rivaled only by its Victorian counterpart, Melbourne. Visitors from around the world come to Sydney to experience the vivid sensory stimulation from the fertile cuisine and active nightlife in a cosmopolitan environment that is compared in the same breath with New York City and London.
Unlike Manhattan, though, Sydney is spread out in all directions, and without a proper guide, the visiting traveler might easily go astray outside of the CBD.
Timing your arrival in Sydney to match with one of the big city festivals is certainly a decent proposal. The city throws a spectacular New Years Eve event at the Harbour; the huge crowds are excellent for the atmosphere, but the crush of bodies around you in the heat of summer is a huge turn-off. We suggest that travelers find a less-traveled location to view the fireworks, or spend the money to book a table at one of the exclusive Harbourside restaurants.
Every year, popular music acts from around the world come to Sydney, playing at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, or the Olympic Park. However, a small theatre in Enmore manages to pull in a surprising number of great shows like Naughty by Nature, Franz Ferdinand and even the Bangles. The Enmore Theatre has been promoting exotic shows for over 85 years, and is still going strong. A warning: the theatre is small, and as a result, shows sell out quickly hopeful concertgoers should purchase tickets well in advance.
Tourists are always directed by their guide books to The Rocks, a historic community adjacent to Circular Quay and under the Harbour Bridge. This charming community betrays the hustle of the frenzied CBD with its laid back cafes, heartwarming pubs, but also has that nightlife vibe with fusion restaurants and popular bars built in old jailhouses from colonial times. On the weekends, there is often outdoor music shows, and visitors can find free digeridoo lessons at one of the souvenir shops.
Kings Cross is the epicenter for late night debauchery, and in the 70s, was firmly entrenched in the Australian collective as the place to go for drugs and sex. The city has cleaned the suburb considerably, and now it is a mecca for backpackers and travelers looking to rock n roll all night, and party everyday.
In the past several years, the reduction of crime has brought many fine dining establishments and superior quality hotels to Kings Cross, and further gentrification has made the area a hip and trendy place to own an apartment. Travelers looking to find the seedy side of Australia will still see rows of strip clubs along the stretch, the doorman calling out to persuade potential clients to come in the door. This side of Kings Cross is still flourishing, with Darlinghurst Road crawling with bachelor parties on the weekends.
Of course, not everyone is eager for drinks and late-night carousing; those wanting a quiet night at the movies should avoid the big-name movie chains and head to one of the smaller, independent theatres, like the Dendy Opera Quay, near the Opera House, which has cheap tickets on Monday nights, and usually shows films that fly under the big box-office radar. IF you can make it out to Campbelltown, youre in for a film-flavoured treat at Dumaresq Street Cinemas, a family-run theatre with adult ticket prices at $5.50 and waffle cones for just $1.50.
While were talking about entertainment at rock-bottom prices, get your funk on at @Newtown, the RSL club on Enmore Road in Newtown. On Tuesdays, entry is free, pints are cheap, and the local funk diva, Jackie Orszaczky, keeps the groove liquid with her funk band.
Unfortunately, a guide to entertainment cannot guarantee that you will be entertained, but in that respect, Sydney is an amazing city. Even a topically boring act, like walking on the street, or withdrawing money from the ATM can prove to be memorable, as Sydney is a city with lights in her eyes and a shine on her hair. The best advice is to come here and let yourself go in the current, and expect to be dragged to some exotic, bizarre location.
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