ICYMI: Mary's Underground Will Close This Winter After Seven Years of Sticking It to Sydney's Nightlife Woes
With costs climbing and bar attendance slipping, a Sydney live music legend has issued last call.
Sydney's nightlife and live music scene have been doing it tough as of late; that's no secret. But Mary's Underground, one of the brightest stars in the game, which pushed through pandemics and cost-of-living crises for as long as it could, has officially announced it will call time later in the winter of 2026.
Announced on Friday via a statement online, the Mary's team cited rising costs for venue operations, ongoing financial pressures for small businesses, and "the many headwinds facing the live music industry", but assured that they were "extremely proud" of the venue's achievements. That includes 150,000 tickets sold to over 1000 shows that featured over 3000 artists.
Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, photo by Tom Wilkinson
Mary's Underground has occupied the space formerly known as 'The Basement' since 2019, which has previously welcomed the likes of Prince and BB King. When the takeover was announced, Mary's co-owner Jake Smyth said "The Basement had such a history that tied food and music together," and Mary's Underground continued that identity for the space, pairing "sleazy burgers" (as Smyth and his business partner Kenny Graham call them) with a CBD music venue that welcomed everything from hip hop to ratty punk acts and pulsing electronic sets.
In their statement, Smyth and Graham thanked the artists, organisers and staff who made the live music program possible and tipped their hat to small music venues around Australia that are doing it similarly tough, saying "you will always have our respect and support."
Mary's
They also gave a special mention to the Mary's Underground staff, thanking them for their enthusiasm and dedication, whether they were working on "a busy CBD lunch service or a hard techno party until 5am". Smyth and Graham also confirmed Mary's Underground will finish its winter program before closing, and reiterated that they'll continue to support music and the arts at Liberty Hall, their venue in Moore Park.
Closing their statement, they wrote "Thanks for the good times, and please KEEP SUPPORTING LIVE MUSIC!! All art needs [to be] nurtured and an opportunity to be celebrated. Life would be very boring without it."
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Images: Mary's