Paradiso at Town Hall – Sydney Festival

Overview

This article is sponsored by our partners, the Sydney Festival.

Ah, Town Hall. Site of so many dorky private school Speech Nights. Who knew it could chill out and show us a really good time? In fact, the sandstone Victorian architecture and epic Grand Organ set off Sydney Festival's live music offerings in a manner most spectacular, creating a marriage made in acoustic heaven similar to the Becks and Keystone Festival Bars at Hyde Park Barracks. The popular Paradiso at Town Hall returns this year with a dream line-up, aiming to do its iconic, namesake rock venue in Amsterdam proud.

Here's the plan: first you head out from work, gather partners in crime, make a beeline for the Terrace Bar (free entry, open from 5.30pm) and shake off the day's stresses. The bar's light hot dishes help you to conserve your strength for the long night of awesome ahead.

Then from 8pm — appeased by alcohol, protein, carbs, the bar's DJ and attractive locals — you can enjoy the building atmosphere as a support act takes the stage with main fare to follow. The huge talent includes John Grant, Modular, Orquesta Tipica Fernandez Fierro, Mick Harvey, Kurt Vile & the Violators, Georgia Anne Muldrow & Dudley Perkins, Future Classic and Soil & Pimp Sessions.

Bonus: Paradiso is free after 11.30pm, with DJ sets by Tyson Koh, Blair Stafford, Matt Vaughan and more to set the late-night vibe. Just another reason why Summer in Sydney is the best.

Standing tickets only, 18+. Paradise Lates is free from 11.30pm (10.30pm 19 and 26 January). Image by Jamie Williams.