The Lansdowne Hotel has been rocking this corner of the inner city since the 1930s, until it shut in 2015. The duo behind Mary’s, the hip Newtown burger bar, reopened it in 2017 and reclaimed the popular rock n’ roll live music venue. It’s not a gentrification, rather a revamp. Pub fare has been swapped for American deep-dish pan pizza as well as those burgers, so it’s still junk food but done to a high standard. But what people come here for is the live music. There’s a small dance floor complete with disco ball downstairs while upstairs is home to space that can fit 250 frantically-moshing fans and hosts everything from record label launch parties to solo acts and band tours. Tickets are affordable, with the majority hovering around $30 and under.
