Indie Bars In Sydney

Long gone are the days when numerous Indie Clubs hosted dirty but quirky nights of guitar- fuelled dance floors, and kids in tight jeans ruled the hours after sunset. They were bullied into reclusion after the monsters of Drum n’ Bass and Dubstep swept through the clubs and opened the floodgates for the plethora of Dance music producers. For the guys behind Purple Sneakers this sad rejection is all too vivid a memory after they were forced to end their weekly Indie party at the Abercrombie Hotel. Thankfully the Indie kids who were true to their hearts have never vanished and this month sees the return of Purple Sneakers to its original home of Sydney, as they launch a new night named Discovery at Brighton Up Bar. We have high hopes that the Indie Scene is once again digging its roots back into the ground around Sydney, never to be torn up in the storm again.

Purple Sneakers Present Discovery At Brighton Up Bar

The Purple Sneakers guys have been through it all, and we have no doubts that their return to Sydney this October will be hugely successful and lovingly received. Set to become the place to see new and upcoming bands first every week on a Friday night The Brighton Up Bar will be its modest but lively host. A small 100 capacity venue the bar is currently experiencing an obvious degree of hype, probably because in the past year the level above the cosy, friendly pub-drinking spot has been groomed into a popular haunt for live music of all genres. Trendy folk with discreet piercings in their faces and hats on their heads fill the illustrated walls and nod along to the local bands playing in sombre lighting most of the week, but we’re sure the Purple Sneakers night is set to be a lively collection of bands and DJs to get you dancing.

1/77 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst
Sydney, 2010

The World Bar

A legendary party and Indie gig destination in Sydney, The World Bar is comparable to Johnny Depp in terms of its attraction factor to many a traveller, social butterfly, and Indie music fanatic. A 4-storey Victorian Terrace House that has seen much revelry and lewd behaviour in its past – notably in 1940s when it housed a few ladies of the night, and in the 80s when it was famed for being a squat for many a passionate artist – it is famed across Sydney for consistently crowd-pleasing live music and its cocktails served in Teapots. The intoxicating cocktails alone make it a worthy visit day or night but regarding music to the ears, we’re confident you’ll soon appreciate that The Wrld Bar pulls in the cream of local Indie band talent if you don’t already! It is a great destination should you not want to jump from bar to gig to club, as The World Bar encompasses the best of all three, with a whole lot of eccentricity mixed in. Look out for ‘Propaganda’ on Thursdays and the reputable ‘Mum’ on Fridays, which comprises 7 bands over 3 levels and damn good Indie disc jockeys all night long. This is one of our favourite Indie bars around Sydney and a guaranteed place to have a great night.

24 Bayswater Road
Sydney, 2011
(02)9357 7700

Oxford Arts Factory

Designed to be an impressive conceptual space that is reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s iconic Factory from the 60s in New York, The Oxford Arts Factory is respected for its informed involvement with many an international artists, as well as local talent. You’ll find performance and visual art, and local bands hanging around in the evening entertaining the few hundred of people that cross the threshold for each live event. The Cube is the ‘heart’ of the factory, a transparent space enclosing performance and visual art in between its glass walls to be exposed to the public.

An asset to Sydney in its creative splendour, The Factory’s main room hosts live acts playing Indie, Blues, Post and Alt Rock, Ska, Folk, Hip Hop – you name it – quite often for free. Just check their listings for what’s going on in this cultural haven weekly.

38-46 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst
Sydney, 2010
(02)9332 3711

Good God Small Club

An odd but charming and much adored Spanish café, bar and dance spot, Good God Small Club is at the forefront of brand new music, be it Indie, Blues or Electro. Many a big name has played either to the eager audience that gather in the front bar, or the party kids that congregate in the Danceteria, you know, just people like Jamie XX, Friendly Fires, 2 Many DJs and The Drums. Not exactly typically an Indie club in nature as you might realise when you’re confronted with its flashy white diner style booths and its palm leaves it does make a perfect place to have some drinks and a dance as one of Sydney’s best bars giving you plenty of things to do in Sydney. Don’t panic, there are still many opportunities for you to be kooky and all that; grab a White Sangria punch jug and sip from it with a jazzy straw whilst you mingle amongst all the attractive girls and boys that frequent this place. You can rely on their resident nights blessed with names of Girls Gone Mild and YO GRITO!, on Thursday and Friday respectably, but be sure to check the listings for the ever-changing eclectic mix of live bands and DJs in Danceteria every weekend.

53-55 Liverpool Street
Sydney , 2000
(02)8084 0587

Hot Damn! @ The Exchange Hotel

This delight promises that you’ll be so paralytic by the end of the night that’ll you’ll lose your money, your phone, your friends and your dignity with this best Indie bar in Sydney. They also assure you that you’ll wake up next to a stranger, feel nauseous and call-in sick for work the next morning. Hot Damn! is promoted as a punk night, and we’ll be honest most the bands are unapologetically hardcore – singing the sort of tracks you listened to in your Myspace days of excessive eyeliner – but the DJ’s play a mix of punk, Indie and party tunes all night in the Vegas and Q bars upstairs. We’d say pace yourself with your skittlebombs and your beers, as we wouldn’t want to encourage any untoward behaviour.

34 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst
Sydney, 2010
(02) 9331 2956

The Indie events/clubs and bars listed above may no longer be running. If you would like to update our listing or add a new night drop us a message in the comments tab below.

More info: www.pignwhistle.com.au

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