Summer in Sydney is all about sizzling hot acts
Summer in Sydney is brimming with festivals, seductive acts, playful fun and plenty of international and home-grown stars. See our guide to the best of summer.
Summer in Sydney is brimming with festivals, seductive acts, playful fun and plenty of international and home-grown stars. See our guide to the best of summer:
SYDNEY FESTIVAL, SYDNEY AND PARRAMATTA
Sydney Festival returns to transform the city from January 9–27, with a focus on art and big ideas. The program features 18 world premieres, five Australian premieres and eight Australian exclusives. The Festival Garden and world-famous Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent return to Hyde Park to feature Pigalle, a new festival commission. The tent also showcases a diverse musical line-up and sparkling stars of the cabaret world including, Le Gateau Chocolat.
Details: sydneyfestival.org.au
FOMO, PARRAMATTA PARK
Nicki Minaj and Rae Sremmurd join Kali Uchis, Mura Masa, Anna Lunoe, SOPHIE and Dutch DJ San Holo as the big drawcards for FOMO Sydney at Parrmatta Park on January 12.
Tickets from $150-$170, fomofestival.com.au
BLANC DE BLANC ENCORE, SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
Plunge into an exciting world of deeply seductive acts and other-worldly talent in this fast-paced, kaleidoscopic experience. The masterminds behind the original Blanc will bring their brand-new, high-end cabaret spectacle Blanc de Blanc Encore to the Sydney Opera House Studio from January 4- March 3.
Tickets from $74.40, ssydneyoperahouse.com
WIND IN THE WILLOWS, ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN
Be part of a summer tradition and join with Ratty, Mole, Badger, Otter, Portly, and, of course, the famous Mr Toad as they bring Kenneth Grahame’s timeless classic of life on the riverbank to life in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden Sydney from January 5-27.
Tickets from $22, shakespeareaustralia.com.au
EXHIBITIONISM: THE ROLLING STONES, ICC SYDNEY
This Rolling Stones exhibit features over 500 Stones’ items with 50 years of Stones fashion, 190 original artworks, vintage instruments, interactive sound mixing desks and recording studio, a screening cinema with exclusive content, all culminating in a 3D concert finale. The Rolling Stone’s first major exhibition is at ICC Sydney until February 3.
Adult tickets from $36.50, stonesexhibitionism.com
STAR WARS : IDENTITIES, POWERHOUSE MUSEUM
Powerhouse Museum visitors are invited to explore their own identity and learn about the forces that shape them as they move through a series of interactive stations at STAR WARS Identities as part of this exhibition that runs until June 10.
Tickets: Adults $36, children $23, family $95;maas.museum
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, CAPITOL THEATRE
Audiences are being treated to a world of pure imagination these holidays, as Roald Dahl’s delicious tale Charlie and the Chocolate Factory makes its Australian debut at the Capitol Theatre. From now until May 19, at the Capitol Theatre, Haymarket.
Tickets from $59.90, charliethemusical.com.au
SO FRENCHY SO CHIC, GLEBE
This French pop garden party returns Sydney on January 19, with French food, cocktails and music at Glebe’s Bicentennial Park. This year’s line-up includes Camille Dalmais, Yelle, Nadéah.
Tickets $92.99, sofrenchysochic.com
ELECTRIC GARDENS, CENTENNIAL PARK
Underworld, Bag Raiders, Erick Morillo are just some of the big names heading to Sydney for the Electric Gardens festival at Centennial Parklands on January 26. Eats Everything, Patrick Topping, Eelke Kleijn, Guy Mantzur, Way Out West and Set Mo are also on the line-up.
Tickets $128.80 – $239.68, electricgardens.com.au
CHAT WITH NICK CAVE, OPERA HOUSE
Australian music legend Nick Cave returns to the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 8 January 2019 for the Australian debut of a new and intimate in-conversation evening featuring special solo piano performances and an open Q&A directly with fans in the round of the Concert Hall on January 8 and 9.
Tickets from $59, sydneyoperahouse.com
OPERA IN THE DOMAIN, SYDNEY
Opera Australia’s Mazda Opera in the Domain, one of Sydney’s biggest, free, outdoor concerts returns on Saturday, January 19. Hosted by ABC Classic presenter Christopher Lawrence, with a little help from Mazda Ambassador Rob Mills. Opera in the Domain starts at 8pm, pre-show entertainment starts at 4pm.
Free, opera.org.au/sydney/opera-in-the-domain
SYMPHONY UNDER THE STARS, PARRAMATTA
One of the most well-loved Sydney Festival events returns to Parramatta on January 19. It’s the perfect evening for families and friends to pack a hamper, grab a blanket, and settle back in a Sydney summer dusk to enjoy beautiful music. Conducted by Benjamin Northey, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra performs a selection of iconic film music and well-known classical favourites by Rossini, Strauss, Tchaikovsky and more.
Free, sydneyfestival.org.au
THE LISTIES, MONKEY BAA
In their latest stage show, comedic duo Richard Higgins and Matt Kelly, also known as The Listies, act out revolting words from their best-selling book, Ickypedia. You’ll learn the meaning of some seriously silly words, from nacholepsy (falling asleep in your nachos) at the at Monkey Baa Theatre, Darling Quarter from January 10-23.
Tickets $29, monkeybaa.com.au
SPLASH TEST DUMMIES, RIVERSIDE THEATRE
The latest show by the Dummies, that is part of the Sydney Festival reveals a whirlpool of slapstick comedy, circus stunts and rub-a-dub-dub fun, inspired by water at the Riverside Theatre, Parramatta from January 11-13.
Tickets $26, sydneyfestival.org.au
FLICKERFEST, BONDI
From January 11-20, Flickerfest, will delight audiences with the very best in short films from Australia and around the world, screened under the stars at the Bondi Pavilion. The program includes the Australian premieres of Desert Dash, written, directed and starring Gracie Otto.
Session tickets from $18, flickerfest.com.au
BRETT WHITELEY, ART GALLERY OF NSW
Brett Whiteley: drawing is everything, the first major museum exhibition to focus on the central place of drawing in Whiteley’s work, is on show at the Art Gallery of NSW. These rarely seen drawings range from Whiteley’s early images of Sydney and Europe and his great abstracts that brought him international fame in the 1960s, to the lyrical landscapes, portraits, interiors and nudes that established him as one of the most prominent Australian artists of the 20th century.
Adult tickets $18, artgallery.nsw.gov.au
SLASH, QUDOS BANK ARENA
Grammy Award-winning, American rock guitarist Slash returns to Australian & New Zealand shores in January with his band Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators and special guests Devilskin. This tour will support the release of Slash’s fourth solo album, Living The Dream, released on Slash’s own label Snakepit Records in partnership with Sony Music Australia which debuted at #4 on the ARIA Album Chart. All ages gig on January 28.
Tickets from $81.40, premier.ticketek.com.au
THE NEXT STEP TOUR, THE ROUNDHOUSE
Fans of the hit TV drama The Next Step will get the chance to dance with stars VICTORIA BALDESARRA and BRITTANY RAYMOND in Sydney at the Roundhouse on January 23. BALDESARRA, 20, who plays Michelle on The Next Step, has been a mainstay of the Canadian teen drama TV series that has become an international hit spawning its own live touring shows .
Tickets from $50.90, brittanyvictoriatour.com
FEBRUARY
NELLY, ENMORE THEATRE
Hip hop favourite Nelly, who is in Australia as part of the RNB Vine Days festival with Craig David and All Saints, will be in Sydney on February 1 to headline at the Enmore Theatre.
Tickets from $91, enmoretheatre.com.au
TWILIGHT AT TARONGA, TARONGA ZOO
This concert series kicks off on February 1 with You Am I and Magic Dirt supported by Maddy Jane. This year’s line-up includes The Whitlams, The Waifs, Xavier Rudd and Vera Blue.
You Am I and Magic Dirt tickets from $77, moshtix.com.au
LANEWAYS FESTIVAL, ANNANDALE
Gang of Youths are part of the big line-up at the Sydney leg of the St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival at Callan Park, Lilyfield February 3. The line-up also includes RnB superstar Jorja Smith, Rex Orange County, Clairo, hip hop’s brightest new star Denzel Curry, electronic pioneer Jon Hpokins and Australian songwriter royalty Courtney Barnett.
Tickets $169.00 + BF, sydney.lanewayfestival.com
SYDNEY LUNAR FESTIVAL, SYDNEY
Sydney’s Chinese New Year Festival, renamed the Lunar Festival, is one of the largest Lunar New Year celebrations outside Asia. The festival, from February 1-10, includes the Sydney Chinese New Year Lantern Festival at Tumbalong Park.
Free, whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
TROPFEST, PARRAMATTA PARK
See Tropfest’s 16 finalist films at Parramatta Park, where fun, film and food will be served from 4.30pm on Saturday, February 9. And to help filmmakers this year’s program includes a film convention, Tropfair, at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta City Campus.
Free, tropfest.org.au/2019
SUMMER NIGHT MARKET, CARRIAGEWORKS
Kylie Kwong will curate the Carriagework’s Night Market with a line-up of over 60 stalls from Australia’s best chefs and producers on February 15. The event will showcase creative responses to themes presented by Nick Cave’s installation Until, Carriagework’s largest installation to date.
Tickets $10, children under 12 free, carriageworks.com.au
TOMATO FESTIVAL, ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN
Tomato Festival Sydney returns for a sixth year on February 16 and 17 at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. The festival will welcome back Costa Georgiadis as the ambassador, the tomato taste test, Longest Tomato Lunch, mandala, Cooking & Learning Hub, children’s activities and the vibrant atmosphere with live music.
Details: bgsyd.nsw.gov.au
JUICE WRLD, EMMORE THEATRE
Genre-defying 19-year-old Chicago rapper Juice WRLD’s Falls Festival tour includes a sold-out side show at the Enmore Theatre on January 4. Since his 2017 smash “Lucid Dreams” he has collaborated with the likes of Lil Uzi Vert, Future, Young Thug and Lil Wayne.
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, OPERA HOUSE
This much loved show returns to the Sydney Opera House for three shows on January 1, 2 and 4, with Jack Jones, Ciaran Gribbin, Rai Thistylewayte and Jackson Thomas performing some of the great Beatles tracks of all time in a celebration of music.
Tickets from $97.50, beatleswithorchestra.com
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