Keep Sydney Open

Alison Avron talks about the state of Sydney as her live music venue The Newsagency returns bigger and better

Amidst all the talk of venue closures in Sydney in the past couple of years, there have been a couple of bright lights in recent weeks, one of which is been the return of the Lansdowne Hotel, which originally closed in 2015 after almost 90 years of live music. Another venue which recently closed, The…

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‘Meet Me At The Cross’ set times now released ahead of Saturday’s huge Kings Cross festival

Tomorrow, the Sydney music community will be coming together for one helluva party in Kings Cross – another mark of solidarity felt within the scene against the well-publicised and still-damning lock out laws that have ruined many facets of Sydney’s nightlife and live music culture. Meet Me In The Cross, the joint initiative between the Keep…

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The team behind Mary’s and The Unicorn announce big plans for The Lansdowne Hotel (Sydney)

We have news and it’s yuuuuge!!! Chippendale’s iconic live music venue The Lansdowne Hotel is re-opening and there just aren’t enough exclamation points in the universe to contain or express our excitement. After the closure of many a wild and wonderful place such as The Newtown Social Club, The Annandale Hotel and Goodgod Small Club…

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Keep Sydney Open announces new rally date for February

Last Friday, the Police Commissioner of NSW filed a last-minute lawsuit against Keep Sydney Open, resulting in the Supreme Court issuing a prohibition order against the organisation’s application for a night rally, scheduled for Saturday, January 21st. However, organisers refuse to give up, with Keep Sydney Open announcing their third rally against Sydney’s controversial lockout laws on 18 February 2017….

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‘Occupy Kings Cross’ movement spurred on by cancellation of Keep Sydney Open rally

The Keep Sydney Open rally originally scheduled to be commencing tomorrow (complete with Flight Facilities DJing) in Kings Cross has been cancelled by the NSW Government and the Police Commissioner – in the wake of Mike Baird‘s resigning from his role this week, it would have been a perfect time to hit the streets and protest the crippling…

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Tyson Koh, Shining Bird, Julia Jacklin among 2016 FBi SMAC winners

The 2016 FBi SMAC Awards were held at Carriageworks in Sydney overnight, celebrating the city’s arts, culture and music communities. The recognition of Sydney performers, musicians, artists, events and restaurants – and their impact on the creative network – was immense, with thousands of Sydneysiders having their say in the publicly voted categories. At the awards…

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Keep Sydney Open hosting night rally in Kings Cross on January 21st

The Keep Sydney Open crew are hosting another huge rally this Saturday (January 21st) in opposition to the Baird Government’s recent alterations to the state’s lock out laws. Flight Facilities, who have been vocal about the importance of Sydney’s nightlife culture in the past, will be DJing on the night. “Having met in Kings Cross nearly nine years…

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Opinion: Why we need to march to #keepsydneyopen once again this Sunday

Over the course of the last week, I’ve seen a few people ask the question: why are we marching again? Why are we having another Keep Sydney Open rally? If we didn’t achieve what we wanted to with the last rally, what difference will this make? I got out of bed on a weekend once,…

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State of Affairs: ARIA Awards 2016 nominations, Melbourne Prize for Music and Awards 2016 finalists announced, & more!

This week in the music industry: the ARIAs presented the winners of the 2016 ARIA Awards for the Fine Arts Artisan & Best Comedy Release during the nominations ceremony in Sydney, the Melbourne Prize for Music and Awards 2016 announced their finalists and the opening keynote speaker for the 2016 LISTEN Conference was announced with additional panelists. 2016 ARIA…

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State of Affairs: Keep Sydney Open installs plaques outside live music venues, Live Nation and Air New Zealand announce new partnership & more!

This week in the music industryL Keep Sydney Open garnered wide media attention from all over the country when they partnered with 18 internationally successful homegrown artists to install plaques outside shutdown live music venues across the city, Live Nation and Air New Zealand announced a new partnership, and EMC 2016 announced their first lineup of…

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Flume unveils new track, “Healer”, for new Keep Sydney Open promo video

Just days after 18 plaques were unveiled by Keep Sydney Open to commemorate live music venues and the artists who cut their teeth in gaining invaluable experience on their stages, the anti-lockout law group have followed it up with a new promo video featuring the sounds of one of the city’s favourite exports, Flume. The new video, running…

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Keep Sydney Open to install special plaques at fallen venues through the lockout zone tonight

Tonight in Sydney, 18 plaques will be unveiled across the city in front of shut down venues, a move by Keep Sydney Open to further highlight how damaging the Callinan review of the State Government’s lockout laws have been to Sydney’s live music culture. The venues involved have been integral to many artists and represent poignant…

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State of Affairs: National Live Music Awards, Face the Music, Proudly Pokies Free & more

This week in the music industry: the official 2016 board members and venues for the National Live Music Awards were announced,  Face the Music released their second round of speakers and announced their official venue for 2016. The National Live Music Awards This week, the National Live Music Awards announced their official board members for 2016, and confirmed seven venues…

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Strip clubs, live music venues, and some CBD bars are now exempt from the lockout laws (Sydney)

Much has been said about Mike Baird’s contentious Sydney lockout laws and it’s widespread effect on the hospitality industry and vibrant nightlife that the city’s tourism (and morale) kind of needs. Last week a Supreme Court ruling may have put a crack in those laws, as there are now some venues across Sydney which will…

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NSW Parliament finally debates Sydney’s Lock Out Laws as Greens MP Jenny Leong presents Keep Sydney Open petition

In front of a packed gallery at 4.30pm today at NSW Parliament – filled with people invested in the #KeepSydneyOpen debate (see photos from the rally earlier this year HERE) – Newtown Greens MP Jenny Leong, alongside Independent MP Alex Greenwich and Greens MP Jamie Parker officially presented the 12,000+ strong Keep Sydney Open petition for…

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Thousands pack Sydney CBD in support of the Keep Sydney Open movement during public rally!

If we weren’t already convinced that Sydney music and nightlife lovers aren’t happy with the current state of affairs surrounding recent lockout laws and damning legislation being doled out on venues throughout the city, Sunday’s Keep Sydney Open rally most definitely proved it. While Art vs Science and Royal Headache performed live sets for the event, speakers at…

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Best things to do in Sydney this weekend (19th-21st Feb)

It’s the freakin’ weekend, the second last of summer for this year as a matter of fact, and Sydney’s vibrant weekend culture isn’t fading one bit with the start of the big Mardi Gras festival as well as the big rally planned for Keep Sydney Open. There are plenty of delicious, fun, and interesting things…

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Keep Sydney Open running public rally this Sunday, February 21st, in response to lockout laws and #casinomike

Keep Sydney Open have come together with local musicians and speakers for a special public rally event to take place at Belmore Park next weekend on February 21st in response to the ever-mounting levels of discontent with the State Government’s lockout laws and the effect they’re having on businesses within Sydney’s CBD. The rally will…

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