I've seen many a great band advertised here but as is my wont, the thing that finally got me here…read morewas the lure of a spankin new comedy night. And it doesn't hurt that this deep wild-wild-inner-western venue is on the freakin bondi junction train line! #ftw Hump Night (Wednesdays, in a camel themed bar, capiche?) Comedy's opening night was brilliant, with a stellar lineup & full house. The decor description is best quoted to the night's MC- David Smeidt- who described it ss if a gay pirate was having a garage sale. Camels, camel themes, and some classic posters- the gay pirates responsible for decorating Camelot have definitely never heard the expression, "less is more"... I ordered a garlic pizza cos it was like $8. It was alright & for $8 I ain't gonna complain the crust was a bit hard tho. Some pretty amazing looking mezze plates were doing the rounds and making me regret my decision. Now that I know how easy it is to get to and groovy a venue it is I'm looking forward to joining the camel cult.

Random nights are the best nights, aren't they?…read more My friend Isobel sent me a message last week, with a Facebook link saying, wanna check this out next week in good old Marrickville? I was like, yeeerrrppppp, let's go. Why not, right? So tonight, I look at the Facebook page to figure out where it is and its like all trendy and ambiguous "in the back streets of Marrickville".... well, where the FUCK is that, eh??? Bloody thing. Well, I figured it out and I can't tell you how AWESOME it was! Dimly lit, trendy, hipster kitch. Think Shady Pines, but not so much Americana. Yes, cowboys. But also gypsies, persian carpets, camels and eastern flair. The owner, came over and introduced himself to us and was like, how did you hear about us? Well, we have the very uncool story that Isobel's mum told her about it. Yeah, I'm serious. LOL. We think it's funny as hell too, especially since the place was so great, so unknown. Her mum saw some live music here a few weeks ago. I should probably make up a cooler story about how I know about the place that makes me sound really awesome with my finger right on the pulse of avant guarde Sydney or something, so when I bring people here I can be like... yeah... I'm cool... man?!! We had wines which were delicious. I had an SA Pinot Noir. Hey, look! I'm trying to learn my wines! Be impressed. I'm a wine doofus. Downstairs is "Django Bar" which is I guess, not a music venue. Camelot is technically on the top floor, and is a music venue with some food... the garlic pizza is amazing. Perfectly garlicky and cheesy melty goodness. Sean Taylor was playing, he was described as a Chris Isaak acoustic guitar type.... well, wow, I could have easily stayed out til past midnight if it wasn't a school night. He was amazing. Everything was 5 star. I'm really glad to be able to write this review for such a great NEW establishment, but it's even better that it's in my home suburb of dear old MARRICKVILLE!!! Marrickville is seriously Sydney's Brooklyn. Seriously. Its coming up in the world. Watch out.

If your to go to see one thrilling, nail biting, side splitting show this year in Sydney make it…read moreAbsinthe. The whole experience is top notch from beginning through to end. You walk into Hyde Park and begin to witness the Spiegeltent in all its glory. The Spiegeltent is a wooden tent that's glorious from all angles. It includes an outdoor beer garden to get the punters ready for a night of intense creative performances. The inside of the Spiegeltent is aesthetically pleasing and reminds me of a classy French nightclub in the great 1920's ( those good old days). The venue is very intimate with seating for at most 300. This is awesome because it allows close up experience for everyone. The show began with an awesome display of a man balancing some drinks while stacking chair after chair until he reached the top of the tent . As the show went on we got to witness some acrobatic performers balance on each other's heads, throw one another across the stage. The athletic abilities of this men and women left everyone mesmerised. The performance incorporated a lot of adult themes but it was all performed in good nature but the Gazillionaire who reminded me of Beetle Guice on the good stuff. He picked on the audience and had everyone wetting themselves ( well pretty close ). The whole show was tantalising and TITalising at some points (sorry couldn't help add that one in. If your after something completely different this is a definite must see in my opinion. The whole cast knocked it out of the park. Was lucky to meet some of the cast afterwards for a Q&A with some champagne. They are tremendous people who just love what they do and rightfully so. The Gazillionaire was calling me Waldo because I choose to wear a red and white stripped top. Witty to the last. Nothing else to say other then go to see this show for yourself.

Oh. My. God! This show was incredible!! I am not a big fan of shows and musicals but this just blew…read moreme away. How can one show be so funny, so sexy and so impressive? I really didn't know what to expect but I would say that Absinthe is a mix of cabaret, cirque de Soleil and wicked comedy. You absolutely must get yourself to this show and then tell everyone about it. I really don't want to give too much away but if you like crude humour, amazing feats of human strength, sexy performers and all around amazingness then this is for you.

Beautiful historic theater in Sydney. Located in downtown, it was interesting to see the eclectic…read morearchitecture. The theatre was built in the Gothic Style with French elements in the baroque and empire style. In the 1930s, there was a push to update the area. The Art Deco front obscures the gothic elements on the facade, look over the red and gold to see the stunning stonework.

Ever wanted to pretend you're at an Oscars party?…read more Chuck your glad rags on and step out in style at the State Theatre, the closest thing we've got to a Baz Luhrman film made flesh - a magnificent receptacle, a splendiferous spectacle, a gilt-and-velvet wonderland where every day's a holiday and everyone looks good when mood lit. Part throwback to a bygone age, part modern romance, come for a film, come for a theatre performance, come for a gig, just come as you are. Or were. It can be kind of hard to tell, its' like the imaginarium of Dr Parnassus all up in this place. The mermaid busts and marble stairs, the and chandeliers and candy bars are wondrous and dizzying, they make you want to put your arms out and throw your head back and twirl at an invisible camera in the ceiling. If you see me doing that you'll know why. Take care not to spill your chardonnay.

The Vanguard is a delightful high-ceilinged theatre with balcony and a 1920's feel perfectly suited…read moreto the fantastic acts they always have on here. They mainly book great Aussie blues, roots & jazz-type bands but mix it up with some cult cinema and the like. I have never ever seen a not-great gig on the Vanguard stage or even in their calender- true story! They do dinner & show packages and the dinner seating varies depending on the type of act that are playing, booking numbers etc - sometimes it's in front of the stage and sometimes up on the balcony. The sound here is really good no matter where you end up sitting, tickets are reasonably priced and I can't comment on the food because I've never tasted it. You're on your own there sorry! Drinks prices are a little on the high side but the service is good - we were unintentionally in the way of the bar & the woman we were bothering, instead of getting annoyed, graciously found us a table. The only reason I dropped a star was the drink prices. I would go here for the music every night if I could afford to! Oh and check their listings for business hours as they're not open every night - it varies.

I haven't seen my mate from school in a while and he happens to be playing at the Vanguard. I've…read morenever been to the Vanguard and so take this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. (A violent yet skill involved metaphor.) The night goes as follows; I get to the Vanguard early and take a seat in one of the booths, only to discover that behind me in the near booth is my friend, looking quite different, but still recognisable and I join their table for a chat and to meet his band. They play their set and I watch on from the rear of the club standing with the family at the CD sales stand. A few CD's are bought and I drink of the wine. Next comes some Cabaret, a few strips and a lot of singing. The MC is tres hilarious and the music is great. I get my phone out and track down a few of the numbers for later listening activity. The night ends in further beers, additional chats and the purchase of a CD for my good self. Good shows, tasty wine and a food option. The view from upstairs is glorious, but interrupted briefly by a pair of lesbians ripping each others hair out and getting escorted by the security. The view from downstairs is great as well, but lacks lesbian lovers quarrelling.

I had the best possible introduction to Newtown's New Theatre. I went to see Aaron Sorkin's sublime…read moreThe Farnsworth Invention and, better yet, the actors did a great job of his rapid-fire dialogue. Sorkin on stage was always going to see me with a big grin on my face, so of course I left with very rosy feelings towards this theatre. The venue itself feels intimate and beloved. The staff behind the bar double as ushers and everyone seems keen for you to have a good night. And you're in Newtown, so pre-theatre dinner or a post-show supper are just too easy to come by! So while Sorkin initially won me over, I'll definitely be coming back to the New Theatre.

Came here for a friend's play. Bought tickets on line and when we walked there that night, we saw…read morethat the theatre had moved. Luckily it was just a few blocks down the road. Came in and a really cool band was playing on stage. We checked in with the lady at the bar and sat down. The place had a cool old vibe. The bathroom was newly painted and fairly clean. After about 15 minutes, there was an announcement that the play would start soon. We queued up and went to our seats. The stairs up to the chairs were a bit wobbly. The chairs were comfy, nothing flash. Overall a cool venue. Close by to St Peter's Train Station.

cool atmosphere. Pepsi the choice over the other cola brand. some other options could be yelpful to…read moreus ... uhem ... non drinkers. but no worries! :-)

We had the pleasure of speaking with Jaz, serving at the bar, whilst upstairs for the 5ive concert…read more This young lady was so professional, friendly and accommodating in helping us with with our merchandise. Jaz needs to be commended on her quick thinking and bubbly persona :)

Live comedy is a treasure and must be nurtured in the same way a baby pteradactyl must be nurtured:…read morecarefully and with that old guy from Jurassic Park present. Okay so that made no sense but I do like live comedy and the Comedy Store is a great place to watch it. No matter where you are in the room you've got a great view of the stage (dare you sit in the front row, you're just asking for it) and there's this electronic-y drink order system that brings drinks right to your table so you don't have to leave your seat and disturb the show slash open yourself up to fire from the comedian. But for the love of crap the bar situation is grim - there's no allocated seating so people line up to get into the theatre well before the show starts and there's nowhere to line up except along the bar area so people can't get drinks, meanwhile you've got still more people pouring in with nowhere to go and it's a bit of a sh*tshow to be honest. But hey, you gotta suffer for your art. Fine, someone else's art. Whatever.

Once you hike up the stairs, the comedy store is a fantastic venue!…read moreThere is a bar at the front but don't stress if the queues are big, because there is table service throughout the show. Yep, you can sit back, relax and enjoy the laughs while someone brings you alcohol. And everything is always funnier after a few drinks. I saw Judith Lucy here, and she was as usual, hilarious. I don't think there are any bad seats in the house, just make sure your chair is positioned so you can see around the person in front of you. Also, some soft lights remain on throughout the show, so if this bothers you make sure you get a seat which isn't in the spotlight. I've been to gigs where you sit in a theatre, and ones where there are no tables to stick your drink down on. The comedy store is by far the best as it is kind of intimate with the comedian, while being casual at the same time. There are restaurants around the Entertainment Quarter for dinner, and there is parking on site. The first 2 hours are free.