Dark Gladfo 2023

Overview

The Lord Gladstone is no stranger to a rebrand. In 2021, it renamed itself The Lord Jabstone and gave out free beers to encourage Sydneysiders to get vaccinated. And last year, the pub pushed against the NSW Government's policing of live music compared to religious congregations, rebranding as a church and naming itself The Gladsong Hotel.

For its latest iteration, the Chippendale stalwart is taking inspiration from Tasmania's Dark Mofo festival, slapping the name Dark Gladfo onto the venue for a free two-night music and art festival across the venue's many spaces. It's the second iteration of the event after the Gladdy drew huge crowds across a weekend in July last year.

Across two separate Saturdays on March 4 and 11, you'll be treated to a huge dose of live music, DJ sets, drawing workshops and top-notch bevs.

On the live music lineup, you'll find Liquid Zoo, Good Ramen and Ariel week one, followed by Doctor Robot, Infinite Skies, Inaugural, Josh Shipton & The Blue, Eyed Ravens on the second Saturday night.

Accompanying the live tunes are DJ sets, with DJ Catkings and Debaser DJs handling the decks in week one and natural winemakers DOOM JUICE in charge when week two rolls around.

DOOM JUCIE will also have a wine bar set up in the courtyard on March 11, and there will be enticing drink offerings on-hand to lure you in early. Between 8–9pm you can nab DOOM JUICE frosé and the Dark Gladfo Ale brewed by Atomic Brewing for just $6.66.

Rounding out the week-two program is the Gladdy Drawing Club which will be running a "dark sketch club" up in the Goodspace Gallery on level one between 7–9pm, before DJs keep the music rolling all the way until 3am.

Entry is free before 10am or $10 after.