Featuring Lost Sundays, POOF DOOF Sydney, Jimmy’s Underground and more nights to be announced soon.
ivy, Merivale’s vibrant CBD dining and entertainment precinct, has reinvented itself after dark. The Sydney icon has transformed its expansive dance floor into a world-class super-club space, fostering the energy and freedom of a festival every weekend.
Supercharged with outstanding production and diverse music curation, ivy’s main building is now an adaptable live music event space that reflects the evolution of Sydney’s nightlife at large. From big room house to disco and drag, no two nights will look, feel or sound the same.
“One of my favourite things is going to a festival,” says Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes. “I love the energy of moving through a crowd, dancing en masse with an incredible sound system and production. That’s why the focus on ivy is so important. We have a huge space with few limitations. That gives us amazing potential to create these wonderful, mini festival experiences. The ability to do that in the heart of the city is a unique proposition: we want to really deliver.”
From the creators of immersive cultural festival Lost Paradise, Lost Sundays will launch at ivy on 30 May as a weekly Sunday party. Embracing the fun and freedom of dance music, Lost Sundays takes its inspiration from the playful world of music festivals in both its aesthetic and spirit. In keeping with its music festival ethos, the colourful weekly day party will encourage eclecticism from its DJs, with a focus on house, disco and techno.
The CBD will come alive with the bright lights and big energy of POOF DOOF Sydney every Saturday night, as the fierce, fabulous and forward-thinking funhouse of dance returns to ivy. Presenting and supporting LGBTQI+ talent, POOF DOOF Sydney strives to keep dance floors future forward, inclusive and unashamedly gay. Revellers can expect performances from the likes of Courtney Act, Sneaky Sound System, RuPaul’s Drag Race superstars Coco Jumbo and Jojo Zaho, and resident POOF DOOF Queens Sia Tequila and Jimi The Kween.
Meanwhile, Boogie takes over the rooftop oasis, transforming ivy Pool Club with disco and house classics. There will also be new music concepts for ivy Thursday and Friday, with details set to be announced very soon.
Music elevates the night, but food and drink are its foundations, this crucial component of hospitality being, as Hemmes puts it, “a huge driver of a diverse night time economy”. As part of its vision to help reinvigorate the CBD, Merivale is continuing to evolve ivy’s laneway and George Street presence with new bars and restaurants. The latest addition, Jimmy’s Underground, is a late-night disco bar and is set to open next month.
“COVID has made people realise how important social connectivity is and appreciate what it feels like to dance and celebrate in a crowd. There’s a real positivity towards other people, which is what you need in a nightlife environment,” says Hemmes.
“We’re so invested in Sydney as a city and take our responsibility in driving its future seriously. We’re giving our team the tools, space and permission to go big, and create experiences that can fulfil the passion and exceed the expectations of the city. We need to keep this excitement alive.”
Merivale’s commitment to Sydney’s music industry and nightlife is not just limited to ivy; the group is creating platforms and creative playgrounds for more artists than ever before. Merivale is currently hosting 200 gigs every week, from sets at the beachside Coogee Pavilion and The Royal Bondi, to Surry Hills institution The Beresford Hotel, and Inner West haunt Vic On The Park.
“Providing spaces for Australian-based DJs and musicians to play, to experiment, and express themselves creatively is so important to growing future talent,” says Nick van Tiel, Merivale’s Head of Music and Entertainment. “We want to support the industry and communities that bring our spaces to life.”
Sydney is changing, and for the first time in too long, the night is full of possibility.
https://merivale.com/whatson/nightlife/