The unexpected places where Sydney’s live music scene is surging back to life

The number of NSW venues taking advantage of incentives to program live music has nearly doubled in the past year, leading the government to declare its efforts to revive the night-time economy are working.

Data from state regulator Liquor and Gaming shows 245 venues are now utilising extended trading hours and reduced licensing fees for live music and performance programming, up from 133 at the last election.

Ben Hickey, co-owner of Surry Hills bar Tucano’s, is taking advantage of the trading extension.Credit: James Brickwood

That figure does not include dozens of theatres, concert halls and other venues that offer live music but have not registered for the incentives. A more comprehensive account of the state’s live music offering will emerge from a census of venues by Sound NSW later this year.

Sydney venues using the scheme to bolster live music programming include Bondi Tony’s Burger Joint in Enmore, Miss Celie’s in Ashfield, Kulture Bar in St Marys, Penrith’s Elk Bar and lounge and venues in Gymea, Winston Hills, Newport and North Richmond.

In the regions, the list included Bootlegger Bar in Katoomba, Fillmore’s vegan café in Kiama, the Naughty Noodle FunHaus Factory in Gosford, and pubs from Bangalow to Inverell and Bathurst.

Arts, Music and Night-time Economy Minister John Graham said the government’s incentives – including a two-hour trading extension for venues that offered live music – were “definitely working”.

“We’re just 21 venues off doubling the list in over a year,” he said. “There’s definitely more to do, we’re not declaring victory. But overall, it’s confidence in the system, in Sydney and the direction NSW is heading.”

Labor came to office promising to double the number of live music venues across the state after their stocks were decimated during a decade of lockout laws and pandemic lockdowns.

Of 88 venues that have taken up the extended trading hours since November, 18 are in the City of Sydney, 30 are in other parts of Sydney and 40 are in the regions.

Tucano’s, a tiki-style bar in Surry Hills, opened in September and only recently availed itself of the two-hour trading extension – from midnight until 2am. It programs live DJs, with some vocals, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and wants to add drag shows and comedy.

Co-owner Ben Hickey said the two-hour extension was much better than the previous one-hour as people leaving pubs at midnight probably would not bother visiting if the venue closed at 1am, but 2am gave them enough time.

“From a financial point of view, it isn’t just doubly as good as the one-hour, it’s potentially three or four times better,” he said.

Hickey said relations between venues, police and liquor authorities has also improved. “Back in the day it was very much an ‘us versus them’ situation,” he said. “These days they’re going out of their way to help support venues.”

However, economic conditions are still tough. “There are a lot of venues opening in Sydney, which is great, and I think people are getting behind then, but people don’t go out as often as they used to, and they don’t go out and spend money in the way they used to spend,” Hickey said.

Graham agreed: “Interest rate pressures, the rising cost of living – there’s a lot of work to do here. But it is the first time in a long time that you’ve seen good news in Sydney. The direction is really clear, and that’s up.”

Some of the initiatives designed to bolster live music and the night-time economy, such as special entertainment precincts, were conceived by the previous Coalition government but expanded by Labor. The precincts allow councils to encourage live music and outdoor dining by relaxing rules.

The only such zone now operating is on Enmore Road, though Inner West Council plans to apply for another six precincts, including Balmain, and Northern Beaches Council is expected to discuss an expression of interest at a meeting on Tuesday.