Sydney’s Chinese Laundry Is Reopening This Month
The Sydney nightlife scene may be much-maligned, but it’s about to get a major boost.
Next week will see the reopening of one of the city’s most beloved homes of electronic music, Chinese Laundry.
Located on Sussex Street, the legendary venue was renowned for its rave rooms and dedication to electronic music before its four-year hiatus.
But on Friday, June 28, Chinese Laundry will open its doors again to revellers. “This is a comeback you won’t want to sleep on,” an official press release states.
After earning a notorious reputation in the ’60s for hosting underground parties, Justin Hemmes took over control of Chinese Laundry in 1996 and transformed the venue. Soon, it became a key platform in supporting emerging artists including Flume and Dom Dolla, while it also hosted electronic luminaries such as Goldie and Jeff Mills.
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The revamped and reopened Sydney spot is under the guidance of Nergal Youkhana, the curatorial force behind Melbourne’s Sub Club.
According to the press release, fans can expect improved DJ booths, minimalist lighting, state-of-the-art Martin Audio systems, and, yes, those renowned rave rooms.
In a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Flume discussed his love of Chinese Laundry.
“I used to go to this club on the weekends with a fake ID called Chinese Laundry,” he said. “I mean, I would go to a bunch of places with my fake ID, but this was the one place I loved so much.
“It was insane because I looked 12 and my ID said I was 24, so I don’t know how that worked.” According to Flume, aka Harley Streten, Chinese Laundry had “the best sound,” and after going as a youthful fan for so long, he finally got to play it several years later.
Follow Chinese Laundry on Instagram to find out more about the reopening. Fans can also register here for updates about the revamped venue.