There’s some great news for Sydney partygoers today, with The Lansdowne Hotel announcing they’ve been granted an extended trading license until 5am on Friday and Saturday nights. Abolishing the restrictive lockout laws once placed on the hotel, patrons are now not only able to kick on until far later in the evening, but are also able to enter the venue after 1:30am.
It’s a big positive for Sydney’s nightlife economy, and also fairly timely news, given the City of Sydney recently pointing to the controversial lockout laws as responsible for around 500,000 fewer younger people visiting the city each year since the laws were brought in five years ago.
Back in May, it was reported that the laws were likely to be relaxed after Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a review into the city’s night-time economy. In June, new research suggested that the laws had no effect as far as curbing violence.
In other big news for the Lansdowne, they’ve announced that international dance party phenom A Club Called Rhonda will be coming to Australia for the first time ever later this month, with the LA nightlife staple coming to the Lansdowne on Saturday, 24th August from 9pm until 5am.
The pansexual party has been making its name on freedom and self-expression since 2008. A Club Called Rhonda has “created a community that unifies the worlds of dynamic and tasteful music from boundary-pushing artists, fearless gender self expression, sex-positive affirmative sexuality, and highbrow hedonism,” reads a statement.
“Rhonda Intl builds an extravagant space for the young and the relentless to celebrate the highest ideals of genre-defying dance music, aggressive glamour, and open-mindedness.”
Since its inception, Rhonda’s founders have taken the party far and wide, hosting events in LA, San Francisco, New York and Miami, along with internationally in Canada, Berlin, London, Mexico City and now, for the first time, Sydney.
“A Club Called Rhonda is one of the most thrilling and important parties in the world. Permissive, inclusive, wild and liberating served up with zero excuses and maximum love,” says Lansdowne co-founder Jake Smyth.
“The Lansdowne can’t wait to throw down with these amazing humans until the sun creeps over the horizon.”
Tickets for the Lansdowne’s A Club Called Rhonda event are on sale now, you can grab them here. If you’re curious about the vibe, check out a documentary about the club’s history below.
