Happy Birthday, Purple Sneakers: How the PS name has become part of Sydney culture

Purple Sneakers have been, over the last eleven years, elevated to royal status when it comes to keeping Sydney’s nightlife pumping…especially now in the face of current adversity.

When the collective and music blog celebrated a huge 10 years in the game last year as part of VIVID Sydney, the lines of people eager to get into the Lord Gladstone Hotel, the effect Purple Sneakers clearly retained over party culture in Sydney was more that evident. Heartwarming for sure, but it was also a defined assertion that Sydney’s party loving community wasn’t prepared to have their city go down without a fight and a raucous celebration of one of their best families.

Purple Sneakers’ first year of operation was in 2007 – a time where a lot of their long-time fans may have been coming out of high school, going through the uni tropes or beginning a love affair with the club and live music circuits that were generating some of the country’s hottest new bands and producers. When you had venues like The Abercrombie Hotel, Q Bar (Holla, Spectrum), the OAF and more in Sydney providing havens for the masses and dance floors to be sweated on, you had a hive of creatives in a playground unlike other. Purple Sneakers provided an environment all their own and it became one many regularly flocked to.

Blowing up from a niche blog into one of Sydney’s most trusted names, the mixes and online compilations Purple Sneakers would unleash on fans would soon head beyond the well-trodden beat of Oxford Street and its surrounds, bringing the brand national acclaim. When we think back on the music driving the wave of festival and club tours Purple Sneakers had their name associated with or support backing, some amazing memories of Parklifes and Future Music Festivals past come to mind.

This was the time when you had the likes of The PresetsDigitalismMSTRKRFTMGMTArchitecture in HelsinkiPNAUMuscles, Cut Copy and New Young Pony Club were ingrained in playlists and live line ups everywhere, becoming the soundtrack to many a late teen, early 20-something’s life.  A near perfect fusion of indie and electronic music to soundtrack the late 00’s.

And Purple Sneakers were there.

As they enter their 11th year, the Purple Sneakers team have been recognised both as a collective and each in their own right. Obviously, Martin Novosel is one of Sydney’s favourite sons, while recently, editor Emma Jones has been making moves of her own in the spotlight, presenting at the CURVY: Creative Women’s Conference as part of VIVID Sydney this year. Also at the helm of Brisbane’s Brisbabes night, Jones has become a force to be reckoned with.

Throw their podcast series and FBi Radio team into the mix, Purple Sneakers have proven the adage of ageing like a fine wine. They ain’t going anywhere in a hurry.

Purple Sneakers’ 11th birthday celebration is taking place in conjunction with VIVID Sydney once more this year, as they take over The Lord Gladstone on Saturday, June 17th. The event is free but if you know how hard it was to get in last year, we’d suggest arriving early or expecting to wait it out. The party will be worth it, trust and believe.

Check out the set times below!

UPSTAIRS GALLERY

6:15 PM – 7:00 PM  OKBADLANDS
7:15 PM – 8:00 PM  NINAJIRACHI
8:15 PM – 9:00 PM  GUSSY
9:15 PM – 10:00 PM SORTAGOTH
10:15 PM – 11:00 PM KIMCHI PRINCI
11:15 PM – 12:00 AM WILLARIS. K

FRONT ROOM

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM    KALI PICNIC
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM    HEAPS GAY DJS
8:30 PM – 9:30 PM    MOWGLI MAY
9:30 PM – 10:30 PM   SANDRO DALLARMI
10:30 PM – 11:30 PM  KEEP IT DISCO
11:30 PM – 12:30 AM  MATKA
12:30 AM – 1:30 AM   CHRISTOPHER PORT (DJ)
1:30 AM – 3:00 AM     PURPLE SNEAKERS DJS      

COURTYARD

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM PS FBi RADIO ALL STARS
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM SURG
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM SIDEHUSTLE
8:00 PM – 8:30 PM CAITLIN MEDCALF
8:30 PM – 9:00 PM CAITLIN, HANNAH & HOLLY
9:00 PM – 10:00 PM VOLUMES
10:00 PM – 11:00 PM TRENCH RECORDS
11:00 PM – 12:00 PM FLING FLING
12:00 PM – 1:00 AM BAD DEEP
1:00 AM – 2:00 AM LOW TON

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