Music

What is life without music? Many people would be unaware that Adelaide is the first, and only, designated UNESCO City of Music in Australia. The city is after all famous for breeding music superstars through the decades. And there is the fact that the city hosts an enormous amount of live music each month – some 1,227 gigs across more than 200 city venues to be precise (according to the last Live Music Census conducted by Music SA back in 2018).

In the 1960s, iconic Australian bands and artists such as Zoot (Darryl Cotton, Rick Springfield, Beeb Birtles), The Master’s Apprentices (Jim Keays, Glenn Wheatley) and The Twilights (Glenn Shorrock, Terry Britten) rose to international fame. The surge continued in the 1970s when Shorrock and Birtles formed Little River Band, and later discovered Stars, while Paul Kelly and Eric Bogle made their mark on the indie/folk scene. By the 1980s bands such as Cold Chisel and The Angels, along with indigenous band, No Fixed Address, were amongst the most popular bands on the Australian music scene.

The Superjesus and Hilltop Hoods kept the rhythm in the 1990s, and today, Adelaide born acts such as Sia Furler and Guy Sebastian continue to make their mark on the international music scene.

The City of Adelaide is celebrating its city culture by naming laneways after world-famous music artists, acknowledging their Adelaide beginnings and their contribution to music locally, nationally and internationally. Adjacent to the Sofitel Adelaide, music fans can take a literal trip down Cold Chisel Lane to see the vibrant mural by artist, James Dodd – part of Adelaide’s celebrated ‘City of Music’ Laneway Project.

Sofitel Adelaide is also a great base to stay and enjoy the rich calendar of modern music events that take place in the city each year including the acclaimed WOMADelaide and Adelaide Cabaret Festival, as well as seasonal favourite, Umbrella Festival.

If you prefer a little classical music, then you’re in luck. Just three-minutes around the corner from the Sofitel Adelaide on Hindley Street you’ll find the world-class Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, who delivers a high-class annual program. Also on Hindley Street is the Hindley Street Music Hall, a favourite for many bands and live acts in the heart of Adelaide’s thriving entertainment district.

For an up-to-the-minute urban encounter that marries both music and art, you must visit The Lab. This illuminated five-minute walk on Light Square features 50 square metres (or 14 million pixels) of LED screens curated to ensure a full range of artists – from digital sculptors, bands and DJs, to theatre, dance and classical recitals – can share their creations with the world.

Sofitel’s Guest Experience Curator can provide you with up-to-date information and advice to help you uncover an Adelaide musical moment from the past, or recommend an upcoming event or festival that appeals to your particular preference in music.