THE NAKED CITY – with Miss Death, Jay Katz and Coffin Ed

THE MANHATTANISATION OF SYDNEY

Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson are here for the Vivid Festival to give us a celebrated slice of New York Culture – real estate agents are quick to advertise the latest warehouse conversion as Manhattan style lofts – and all around town there are shop, nightclub and restaurant names shamelessly appropriated from the Big Apple.

Whether it’s a long standing belief that Sydney is a true international city, a thriving hub of the arts  worthy of global status or a kind of inverted cultural cringe, creeping Manhattanisation of the Harbour City is hard to ignore.

Perhaps we should go the whole hog and make Lou and Laurie feel really at home in Sydney by turning the city into a mini Manhattan for the period of their stay. Turf the backpackers out of the old Hotel Westend Hotel in Pitt St and you have a ready made version of the famed Chelsea Hotel. Invite a few local writers, artists and drugged crazed rock musicians to take up temporary residence and the ambience would be dripping off the walls.

George Street could easily be transformed into a pre Mayor Giuliani 42 Street complete with sleazy adult bookshops (hey they’re already there!) and 24 hour Grindhouses screening X rated classics like Behind The Green Door and The Little French Maid. McDonalds could be closed for the period to make way for a Pretzel stand and the recently renovated Lower Tower Hall deconstructed to resemble a reborn CBGB’s, complete with anarchic punk bands.

Gilligans Island would be an ideal Washington Square and Lou and Laurie could be invited to join the cream of Darlinghurst’s singer songwriters and wine connoisseurs for a balmy Sunday afternoon of cutting edge verse and Royal Reserve Port.

Even traffic signs on the Day St Distributor could be substituted with a distinct literary slant such as Last Exit To Brooklyn. And if you ever wanted to escape the hub bub of this instant Manhattanisation there would always be a peaceful ride on the Staten Island Ferry to Manly.

THE HIT LIST:

COLBOURNE AVENUE – RE-IMPROVISATION PARTY – Thurs 20 May 8pm at The Cafe Church Space – cnr Colbourne Ave & St. Johns Road  Glebe $20/$10 concession  – Discover Sydney’s most unique music space where the emphasis is very much on the musicians and their music and support a great fundraising event with a special bar open for the night. Experience some of the amazing music scheduled every Thursday with a lineup for the night that features The Spike Mason Quartet, Jess Green & The Prevolved, Julian Curwin’s Fantastic Terrific Munkle and Bri Cowlishaw.

www.colbourneave.com  – www.facebook.com/pages/Colbourne-Ave