Sydney’s Best All Night Dance Parties

In New York all the best parties involve unconventional hours and unconventional venues. I know this because I’m currently in The City So Nice They Named It Twice, recovering from one that ended at 8am with a subway commute in the company of six barefoot teenaged ravers followed an overpriced breakfast under the neon lights of Kellogg’s Diner.

But as I deliberated over a deluxe burger or blueberry pancakes, I started thinking — the experience isn’t as unique to the city that never sleeps as people tend to believe. In Sydney we’ve got more than our share of bars that shut down at the stroke of midnight due to things like neighbours and laws, but when this happens it definitely doesn’t mean home time.

Here are some of the top places to hit if you like to stay on your feet past the small hours (just don’t do so barefoot because that’s gross and dangerous).

1. SLOWBLOW

Once a month party duo Slowblow take over the front room of Goodgod, transforming a scene already likely to result in a sunrise kebab into an all-night sonic escapade through funk, disco, house, techno and into the beyond. Resident DJ’s include Dreamcatcher, Junglesnake and Softwar, with more local acts helping to keep you on your feet until the wee hours.

When and where: 11pm - late; Goodgod Small Club

2. TIKI DISCO

Our newest after-hours frolic takes the vinyl joyride from the basement to the tropics. You don’t know which ones exactly yet because it’s kept a secret, but what you do know is that there will be bamboo, pina coladas, great DJs and other various manifestations of jungle madness. Keep you eye on the internets for the next event then email [email protected] for the location.

When and where: Secret locations and various times

3. ONE NIGHT STAND

Monotony of ordinary nightlife experiences leading to high stress and pent-up tension? Let it all out via a One Night Stand with local events company Picnic in an secret inner-city warehouse location. These monthly parties are BYO and themed, which means you can get sloshed and wear a costume, plus they round up some of the city’s best DJs to play sets from the moment the gates open until whatever time everyone decides to go home.

When and where: 10pm - late; Secret inner-city warehouse

4. WORMWOOD

This late night fringe fusion of music and art is headed up by Octopus Pi. The umbrella brand’s general aim is to create events that stimulate the mind and projects that occupy time, space and a third dimension in the brain. Wormwood might even occupy a fourth. Normally hosted in art spaces like Marrickville’s Dirty Shirlow’s or Red Rattler, Wormwood intersperses musical offerings with projections, portraits and other twisted visuals.

When and where: 9pm – late; Marrickville

5. MAD RACKET

Mad Racket has been throwing mad parties since 1998, and after briefly infiltrating Bondi Junction they’re back at their original location of Marrickville Bowling Club. Snagging a different headlining artist each event, Mad Racket has seen late night revelers getting down to the tunes of Moodymann, DJ Levon Vincent and Dutch heet nieuw ding Tom Trago under the bowling club’s copper ceiling. Check their website for upcoming shows.

When and where: 10pm - late; Marrickville Bowling Club

6. MOTORIK!

If techno gets your juices flowing then chances are you’re quite familiar with Motorik!, and if your experience with the genre stops at Simian Mobile Disco then get ready to have your expectations stamped out with a reverberating electronic beat somewhere in a dark inner-city warehouse. Motorik! takes techno back to its purest form, which means taking you into the early hours with one heaving pop-up party.

When and where: 10pm - late; Secret inner-city warehouse

7. HAHA INDUSTRIES

Put a bunch of twentysomethings in a BYO-policy warehouse and fun stuff is bound to happen, but HAHA’s real draw is the consistently great DJs. Dean Dixon and Dave Fernandes are two guys with a self-proclaimed heavy petting fetish for vinyl only, and a policy of only playing music that will make you dance. Adding to this eclectic mix are guest artists specialising in anything from electronic to African drum sets.

When and where: 10pm – late; Secret warehouse location