The Lansdowne Hotel Is Saved! Live Music Continues Under New Team

Iconic Eora/Sydney live music venue The Lansdowne Hotel has announced that the venue has been saved by new management and that live music will remain at the venue.

The pub, concert and club space changed their front signage with a message that read, "NEW MANAGEMENT, LIVE MUSIC IS HERE TO STAY."

The team behind other iconic Sydney live music venue, The Oxford Art Factory have confirmed that they have taken over the venue, agreeing with the owners to put aside any plans that could see the demise of this iconic Sydney venue. 

Renovations have commenced already.

Mark Gerber, Founder and CEO of the Oxford Art Factory stated, ""Music and Art can never die. They make us stronger and live longer! Sydney doesn't need to lose any more live music venues; it has suffered enough. The lockout laws and Covid-19 have severely impacted a once flourishing and vibrant nightlife, and I wasn't going to let yet another music venue fall by the wayside, not on my watch!

"Losing music and entertainment venues impacts business communities, our culture, and future generations. Live Music venues are an originator of creativity. They give identity that we can be proud of and take to the world.

"Lansdowne has played a hugely important role in the careers of many of our greatest music stars who have conquered the world. The Lansdowne is rejuvenated and continues to give voice to emerging and established artists and musicians."

Panic ensued when the original owners of the venue, Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, announced that the Lansdowne would be shutting its doors to live music later this year. 

They said in a statement, "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.

"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."

When the news broke, Shadow Minister for Music John Graham slammed the Government for its lack of support for the venue.

“These are venues which survived the lockouts. These are some of the best operators on the Sydney music scene, the toughest nuts, who are now having to close their doors,” he said.

“A decade of lockouts, lockdowns and specific ‘no-singing, no-dancing’ COVID restrictions has taken its toll.”

Luckily and against all odds, the pub will remain a live music venue.