The Lansdowne is the hottest venue in Sydney right now. But who brought it back to life?

For many years The Lansdowne was a shadowy reminder of a Sydney that once was. It stood dark and cold on the corner of City Road and Broadway, with its only mention being the wistfully recalled moments of the glory days before its sad closure in 2015. After 90 years of music and memories, it seemed that we may have lost one of the city’s most beloved venues. With bands including Stage Divers, Isis Ashton and Tumbleweed performing on its hallowed stage, this was a devastating blow to live music fans across Sydney. Bring on 2017 and the heroes of the Sydney entertainment scene Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham came to the rescue and order was restored.

They are already known for their incredible success with Newtown bar and burger restaurant Mary’s, the restoration of Paddington’s The Unicorn Hotel and since acquiring The Lansdowne have made bringing live music back to Sydney a priority.

Alongside esteemed Sydney Booker Matt Rule, The Lansdowne has become the most exciting and favoured ‘new’ venue in Sydney. Bands including RACKETT, West Thebarton, The Babe Rainbow and The Lulu Raes have drawn massive crowds and are ushering in a much needed shake up to the city’s nightlife, as refreshing as a reset metabolism.

Fast-forward to 2022, and The Lansdowne could be changing hands, which could be the devastating end to live music at the venue. But Sydney-siders are still holding out hope for a return that would be bigger than Mass Effect 5 (really big).

For more information on Jake, Kenny and the venues they own, check out their profile.