Vivid Sydney at Hotel Hollywood

While the city shines brightly during Vivid Sydney, there's spectacular music and poetry most nights at this much-loved Hollywood Quarter pub.
Grace MacKenzie
May 31, 2023

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Overview

In the area hedged by Central, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst sits Sydney's Hollywood Quarter, the locale home to some of our faves: Paramount House, NOMAD, Butter and NEL (at a glance). And while Vivid Sydney is here, the micro-precinct is rolling out a lineup of events to warm up your winter. If you only have time to head to one venue, Hotel Hollywood is a primo choice. From Friday, May 26 till Saturday, June 17, a whole range of musos will be bringing live performances and art to the Foster Street corner spot adding energy to an already loved venue.

Commissioned by the Hollywood Quarter's curators Arts-Matter, multidisciplinary First Nations artist Jazz Money (pictured below) is illuminating their words across the walls of the classic pub, which has a rich feminist history. In a nod to this past and to the key themes in Money's creative practices, the words 'Light Beyond Horizon' will shine in neon until Saturday, June 17. The Hollywood was one of the rare safe spaces for women to drink in the 70s, and these three words reflect this: "There is always a light beyond the horizon that motivates us forwards," Money shares.

Anna Hay

The fun isn't saved for the weekends here — there's live music at 8pm every night from Wednesday through Saturday, and entry's free. On Wednesday, June 7, a tag-team poetry performance will kick off, seeing Tug Dumbly and Benito Di Fonzo perform the best examples of their wit and lyricism. On Thursday, June 8, Illya Szwec's Irie Man will bring their 70s Jamaican blues and rock. And, on Saturday, June 10, local Sydney indie artist Chelsea Silva takes to the stage. There's plenty more, all delivering the makings of a groovy night out, so pick a date, grab your pals and head to the Hollywood Quarter this June.

Hollywood Quarter's Hotel Hollywood will be hosting live music and poetry throughout Vivid Sydney 2023. For more information and to plan your trip, head to the website.

Top images: James Schulz (first two).

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