Pubs, band rooms and concert halls might be the mainstays for gigs, but music and performances bubble up in the most unlikely places during Vivid Music. Here are five quirky spaces amongst the 23 X|Celerate venues where you’ll discover emerging bands, musos and sound shapers across every imaginable genre and cross-over style. Tap into ‘green shoot’ talent, feel the buzz around future stars and rekindle memories with old fave acts as you enjoy every night of Vivid Music.

1. ST STEPHEN’S UNITING CHURCH: KONZERTPROJEKT PRESENTS LIGHT QUALITIES

Tucked between city skyscrapers, St Stephen’s Uniting Church has a long tradition of celebrating beautiful music under its vaulted ceilings with choral services as well as regular concerts and recitals. For Vivid Music, St Stephen’s hosts the Konzertprojekt series Light Qualities, curated by Sophie Van Dijk and Liam Mulligan. This series of four concerts showcases new Australian classical fusions orchestrated by emerging musicians and some of Sydney’s up-and-coming musical voices. Light Qualities is guaranteed to be an uplifting acoustic adventure.

See what's on at St Stephen's Uniting Church during Vivid Sydney

2. ZIGGY’S BARBER SHOP: WOMEN IN MUSIC

If you think a barber shop just specialises in crew cuts and beardscaping, think again. Surry Hills institution Ziggy’s trades on its old-school vibe, precision scissor work and creative twists. For Vivid Music, they add a Women in Music program to their usual list of services and invite you to cut moves on their slick floor or swivel in a barber’s chair while you’re listening to the likes of Abby Dobson (Leonardo’s Bride), Jade MacRae, Jessica O'Donoghue, Lupa J, SAYAH & XIRA. 

See what's on at Ziggy's Barber Shop during Vivid Sydney

3. CLAIRE’S KITCHEN: PETIT POP UP CABARET

For a little taste of fin de siècle Parisienne elegance, head to Claire’s Pop Up Kitchen at Le Salon in Darlinghurst. During Vivid Sydney, the classic French menu expands to include a Petit Pop Up Cabaret with ten nights of dinner-shows featuring the finest queer entertainers including Shauna Jensen, Greg Gould, Minnie Cooper, The Carpenters from Kempsey and a deluxe edition of Le Salon Dada’s six-course Surrealist Dinner.

See what's on at Claire's Kitchen during Vivid Sydney

4. STAVES BREWERY: 99 STORIES

What do beer and music have in common? They both use staves. In the case of liquid amber ales, staves are the wooden pieces that magically fit together as barrels to contain and protect beer. And in music, staves are the five horizontal lines on sheet music that help us learn and share a tune. When you bring them together with the panache of the team behind Staves Brewery, you have a family owned, independent laneway brewery and band room under one roof. This is the perfect place to catch a host of musos, cabaret and comedy acts in the intimate entertainment studio dubbed The Malt Room while you’re sampling a few froth topped lagers, stouts and IPAs.

See what's on at Stave's Brewery during Vivid Sydney

5. THE DOCK

If you’re on the hunt for an unpretentious bolthole bar that serves up great drinks in a cosy atmosphere, you’ll find it at The Dock. This micro venue is licensed for only 50 punters and its reputation sees it full to the rafters every night it’s open. The team manage to squeeze in a band corner and during Vivid Sydney you’ll catch the likes of Millie Yikes, Emily Hanks, Jack Tickner, Chris Wilson, Pat Taylor and the Redfern Shanty Club to name a few.

See what's on at The Dock during Vivid Sydney