The City Hotel Kent St Living Room

The City Hotel Kent St Living Room

It's been a year since ex-Fabric resident DJ Clive Morley took over the reigns at Sydney's City Hotel and breathed new life into its Kent Street Living Room. Celebrating the venue's luscious transformation and first ever birthday, Morley is hosting a massive night of stellar DJs and complimentary drinks in a classic setting with a modern twist on Friday 12 November.

"Nightclubs can be soulless and lack character, while pubs don't have a big sound system," points out Morley, "What we've got is a combination of the best of both. Essentially the night is going to be a rave in a pub. City Hotel has been around for about a hundred years but we've converted the upstairs restaurant into a party room. Inside you'll find 90-year-old original artworks and 150-year-old guild-framed mirrors. We've also got leather couches and crystal chandeliers? It's very much along the lines of a traditional Victorian living room with a dance floor and a great sound system, but retaining the classic pub heritage."

Unique to say the least, the 200-capacity space has been gathering momentum a year on since Morley's arrival, with quarterly Vintage Burlesque nights steaming things up and setting tongues wagging about City Hotel already.

"The beautiful look of the venue these days is really seeing the place packed to the rafters," says Morley. "The decor and style has definitely made it noticeable and accessible to all kinds of events - it just looks and feels like the kind of place you'd want have a party. Having been a resident DJ at Fabric in the UK, I've gained some good grounding there because Fabric is so on-point with the way its run, so I've taken the same ultra attention to detail and philosophy and applied it here."

And it shows - with Becks and Sydney Party People also getting behind the birthday party, Morley is putting on one hell of a lineup including Modular duo Canyons, ex-Riot In Belgium's DJ Beni, and Paul Guy and friends to kick off the proceedings on the night. Certain that the event will leave punters hanging for more, Morley says the policy is "Just $10 on the way out if you love it - or nothing at all."

"We're doing something that I've never seen done before, which is charging people on the way out," he says. "Because I'm certain that people will be absolutely blown away by the venue, the music, the atmosphere and our staff. We've got Becks supplying free beers on arrival, and they've been such a natural partner to team up with because they stand for the same things we do. They say there are only five natural ingredients that go into their product, which is what we're aiming for with our night - only the best ingredients. We're not about gimmicks, we're just fussed about a spot-on night, fantastic music, and great people."

Back on the decks after a two-year absence is DJ Beni who has recently been putting the finishing touches on his upcoming artist album available in 2011. Having recently joined the roster on the uber-cool imprint Modular, Beni says he's looking forward to experiencing the new-look, dolled-up City Hotel.

"I used to put parties on there about seven years ago but I haven't been there for a long time," he says. "I'm going to be doing a more chilled out set this time rather than a full club set because it's going to be more of a party vibe. I've been producing my first album for the last couple of years - it's a cross between disco and old house with lots of guest vocals like Sam Sparrow. I've just also signed with Modular which I'm really happy about because they've got great taste and they're good people to work with. I think their secret is just picking acts that are doing it properly."

City Hotel 1st Birthday Feat Canyons and Beni
It's been a year since Clive Morley took the reins at the City Hotel, with a full refurb of the whole venue now just about complete which includes a dramatic transformation of first floor to create the much-lorded Kent St Living Room.

To celebrate, they're throwing a knees-up befitting a proper pub.

Date: Friday 12th November (9pm- Late)
Line Up: Canyons, Beni, Paul Guy & friends
Entry: Pay As You Leave: $10 if you love it, nothing if you don't
Address: Kent Street Living Room, 349 Kent Street (corner of King), 1st Floor City Hotel.
More: Complimentary Becks on arrival. Canapes throughout.

The "tarted-up boozer" (as they call it) now has a significant program of events which included last month's burlesque show which created quite the in the media.

The November birthday bash sees Clive & his entourage at their party-starting best and have teamed up with Becks & Sydney Party People to put on a DJ line-up worthy of any rad / fly / credible clubnight or festival.

There's free Becks involved, canapes throughout and a birthday surprise or two.

About the DJs Modular's duo the Canyons were established industry entities prior to their sea change from Perth to Sydney. As label bosses, they are credited with discovering Tame Impala, and as producers they have remixed the likes of Ladyhawke, Empire of The Sun and The Lost Valentinos. Their new single on Modular records (home of The Presets & Klaxons etc) "My Rescue" features vocals from Pond's main man and Tame Impala guitarist Nick Allbrook, the track sounds like David Bowie meeting LCD's James Murphy, bare-foot, and dancing on hot sand.

Bang Ganger Beni was one half of highly successful production duo 'Riot In Belgium'. His productions and live sets have won him some fan boys in the shape of super luminaries Tiga and 2manydjs. As a solo artist, his remix skills have been called upon by the likes of Le Roux and Sneaky Sound System.

We think you'll thoroughly enjoy the night. In fact we are so damn sure of it we're switching things up a little. We won't be charging admission on the way in, but we'll give you that option on the way out. It's $10 if you love it or nothing.