The Basement Sydney

The Basement is the oldest licensed music venue in Sydney, and a true international icon. Amidst an atmosphere of pub rock and cover venues, a 120 capacity basement in downtown Sydney opened it’s doors on May 10 1972 and fast became a benchmark club for contemporary music – adored by artists and audiences a like. Primarily a jazz venue, The Basement played host to Galapagos Duck, Vince Jones and Dizzy Gillespie amongst others and when it’s popularity reached critical mass, the club expanded into a 2 level space in 1977 and officially arrived as a destination venue – hosting the likes of jazz greats Art Pepper, Herbie Hancock and Freddie Hubbard. Fast forward a decade to 1988 and the venue, now an Australian icon and host to local, national and international contemporary musicians too many and varied to mention, takes a major left turn when developments to the site see the building torn down. Forced to close it’s doors for a few years, The Basement reopened in 1992 in the site in which it remains to this day – incredibly only a few doors away from it’s birthplace in 1972. Now a custom-built performance venue, this new and improved Basement grew on it’s reputation as a home for contemporary and forward thinking music makers and the last 20 years has seen very little change other than the faces on the stage. Now in our 40th year, we are proud to remain a hub for contemporary music makers and lovers. From jazz to electronica, hip hop to folk, this iconic venue is renown world wide as the beating heart of Sydney’s live music scene. For all media enquiries please contact Drysdale Communications on (02) 9555 8891.