The S*A*S*H Team Has Opened a New Nightclub on Oxford Street Dedicated to Big Dance Tunes

The team behind Sydney institutions S*A*S*H, Slyfox Hotel and Stanley's Bar has taken over a storied Oxford Street space to open a new techno and dance music-focused nightclub. Carousel Bar and Ballroom is the latest project from the accomplished crew, slotting into the former home of Byblos and Miind Club with a cabaret- and 70s-inspired bar that boasts a primary goal of hosting heaving dance floors.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the Darlinghurst venue operates as a small bar, serving approachable cocktails and Estrella Damm on tap. Then, from Thursday, Carousel transforms into a nightclub for the weekend, playing home for the night to some of the country's and the world's best DJs.

A state-of-the-art Funktion-One sound system has been installed, featuring 33 speakers placed all around the venue — including the bathroom — to deliver the night's soundtrack as selected by each evening's chosen tastemakers. The DJ decks have also been moved off the wall and further onto the dance floor, placing the DJs right among the patrons and creating a setup reminiscent of Boiler Room's in-the-round layout.

Rounding out the whole operation is an impressive lighting system that includes lights imported all the way from Amsterdam that you won't find anywhere else in Australia.

The decks have already hosted the UK club mainstays Voigtmann, Yune Pinku on her Listen Out Australian tour and local favourites like Melbourne's Sleep D. Among the upcoming gigs taking over the Oxford Street digs, you can catch Casey Spillman, Booka Shade and the Subsonic Music Festival launch party.

The name Carousel is derived from the rotating stage that the team discovered during the site's renovations. The unconventional setup is believed to have hosted creatives around 60 years ago when the venue went by Carpiccio's.

Find Carousel Bar and Ballroom at 163–169 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, operating Tuesday–Sunday. To browse all of the upcoming events arriving at the new Sydney nightclub, head to the venue's website.