The Metro Theatre Explained

Metro Theatre
Logo Image:Metro Theater logo.png
Location:city centre of Sydney, Australia
Address:624 George St
Sydney NSW 2000
Coordinates:-33.8758°N 151.2068°W
Owner:Century Venues Group
Operator:Century Venues Group
Capacity:1,350 (The Metro)
350 (Metro Social)

The Metro Theatre (commonly the Metro) is a music venue located on George Street, in the city centre of Sydney, Australia. The venue was redeveloped, from two former cinemas, by property developer Leon Fink.[1]

The foyer of the Metro, designed by leading Australian stage designer Brian Thomson, features a lightweight plastic replica of the Art Deco crystal chandelier which once hung in Regent Theatre which formerly stood opposite the Metro in George Street.

Acts that perform at the Metro often include heavy metal music, indie-rock, and alternative bands, often of international fame. It was the venue for the now-legendary Sydney concerts in 1995 by Jeff Buckley and a record seven sold out shows in a row over six days in 1996 by You Am I,[2] among many others.

It has two separate performance spaces inside the building, the Forum (often simply called the Metro) and the Transit Lounge (which, in January 2007, was re-launched and re-branded as the Lair). Up until 2007 it was not uncommon for both spaces to be used on the same night for different acts, with the larger of the two, the Forum, generally hosting the more famous act. Since the launch of the Lair the space has seldom been used for a public performance, as its primary function was to house MTV Australia's the Lair live music programme.

For a brief period in the second half of 2006 the venue was known as the Century Theatre after it went into receivership and was acquired by Century Venues. It was changed back to the Metro Theatre by October 2006.

On 16 September 2009 the Metro was rebranded as the Virgin Mobile Metro, after a sponsorship deal had been made. Dappled Cities Fly and the Seabellies both played at the launch night on 29 September 2009.

Performing acts at the Metro, Sydney

A list of some of the more famous musical acts that have performed at the Metro:

Band Name Genre Country Year/s Played
2015
Black Metal2019, 2023
Industrial Metal2015
Groove Metal2015
Thrash Metal2015
Death Metal1996, 2011, 2014
Death Metal2019
Death Metal2019
2020
2014
2018
2018
2020
2019
2019
2009, 2019, 2023
2019
2019
2018
2009, 2018, 2019
2023
2012
2016
2018
2008, 2012, 2015, 2018
2016
2015
2004
2009
2013
2005
2009
2005
2001
2004
2000
2019,2022
2012
1998
2013
2001
2006
2008
2008
2014
2008
2008
2004
2010
2008
2009
2019
2009
2010
2010
2010
2014
2014
2014
1995
1996
2004
2006
2007
2011
2017
2015
The Script[3] 2012
2014
2013
2010
2015
2018
2020
2022
Mimi Webb[4] 2022
2023

Australian acts that have played there include:

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020209130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/14340/20020210-0000/www.specialevents.com.au/magazine/archiveprev/pagesaugust01/feataug01/metro.html Event industry musters at The Metro
  2. http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/escape-artists/2006/07/06/1151779058136.html Escape artists
  3. Web site: The Script Australian visit confirmed with Metro Theatre show. Jack. AltSounds Ltd. 7 September 2012. AltSounds.com. 16 September 2012. http://www.freezepage.com/1347794421TQIIJKSZGF?url=http://hangout.altsounds.com/news/152207-script-australian-visit-confirmed-metro-theatre-sydney.html. 16 September 2012.
  4. Web site: Sam Fischer is joining Mimi Webb on her tour of Australia. Beat. 17 June 2022. 20 September 2022.