Iconic Sydney Live Music Venue Lansdowne Hotel Closing

Sydney/Eora venue The Lansdowne Hotel has today announced it will be shutting its doors to live music later this year.

Venue owners Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham have released a statement saying the decision is the result of the venue’s landlords closing its upstairs gig room to build more hostel accommodation.

The venue played host to some of the most iconic gigs in the city’s history and held a 5am license.

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Read the full statement below.

We are heartbroken to announce that our time with the beloved Lansdowne Hotel is coming to an end. Our lease is due to expire in the coming months, and the Landlords have chosen to close the Gig Room to build more Hostel accommodation. This was not a part of our vision for the Lansdowne, and as such, we have decided to call time on our custodianship of this iconic live music venue.

We will be working with the Landlords to facilitate the remaining shows until the end of April.

Our re-opening of the Lansdowne in June 2017 marked a seismic shift in the Live Music scene in Sydney, after years of closures and devastating lockouts. The Lansdowne came to be a figurehead in the recapturing of our collective conscience, a bulwark against the tide of closures and a voice against the apathy that had snuck into the core of the conversations around our vital nighttime culture.

The Lansdowne showed the power of art and its deeply important role in our city and our culture.We will forever be proud of what was achieved, and will continue our role in providing stages for new and emerging voices at Mary’s Underground and in venues yet to come.

2022 was shaping up to be one of the busiest at the Lansdowne, due to the growing community of artists and punters who are passionate supporters of music, art and culture. It is deeply upsetting to call time on an icon, at the height of her powers.

Despite this tough announcement today, we promise to continue to build stages and create spaces for the voices of our glorious city to emerge.

We thank every artist and staff member who played and served their community over the past five years. Because of you, the Lansdowne moved from a lifeless building, into one of the busiest live music venues in the country. More than that, the Lansdowne has become a home for Sydney’s artists once again.

Without your passion, excellence and deep support, this could never be possible.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.