The minds behind cult favourite Mary’s Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham are opening a new live music venue as they take over and reimagine the former site of The Basement into Mary’s Underground.
The venue, which has hosted everyone from Slum Village to Prince during its 45 year history, will very much continue as a live music destination. The Mary’s crew have seen massive success with the likes of The Lansdowne and The Unicorn, so Sydneysiders can expect Mary’s Underground to continue The Basement’s legacy by maintaining a wide-reaching approach to live music, vibing on all styles of music including rock, blues, jazz, bluegrass, hip hop and electronica.
“We love our city, and are extremely excited about bringing a fat slice of Mary’s slap bang into the middle of the action”, said Smyth. “We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, inhabited by some of the most talented folk in the world. Sydney 2019 is glorious and we are all about celebrating that fact”.
Aside from some modest Mexican eats, The Basement has never been a go-to for dining. That’ll change with Mary’s Underground, with two separate eating spots. First, upstairs will be a fast-casual bar serving burgers, beers and fried chicken. Downstairs will host a more intimate restaurant, serving up classic Euro-American cuisine described by Graham as “fun, indulgent food and flavours” and “inclusive”, a nod to plant based foods.
Sustainability and a strict zero waste policy will help bring the venue into modern times, but as far as aesthetics go, the original bar will be largely untouched aside from new placement for the actual stage (from centre to the left). Upstairs will see a bit of a reshaping, which includes a new wine bar.
More details will be unveiled closer to opening date, which has yet to be confirmed.
Address: 7 Macquarie Place, Sydney
Opens: TBA
