SHADES, a subterranean neighbourhood bar and cultural space, served as the last piece in the EDDY puzzle beneath the tracks of Australia’s busiest train station/

With a name that referenced Jim Jarmusch’s 1989 humanist manifesto, Mystery Train, and programming revolving around some coveted audio hardware – both from today and yesteryear – SHADES explored the intersection of sound and vision.

Designed by local legend Michael Delaney, whose portfolio chronicles some of Sydney’s most beloved hospitality venues (Cafe Freda’s, Club 77 circa 2016, Piccolo Bar), SHADES lived as a harmonious and occasionally hilarious mix of low and highbrow references.

An intimate standing bar slung wine from along Australia’s East Coast, disco-inspired cocktails and cold beer. The menu was a nod to the Rail Refreshment Rooms of old, with artisanal pies and sausage rolls supplied by cult Sydney bakers, and pizzas from EDDY neighbours City Oltra. A Pitt & Giblin speaker system and ever-evolving vinyl collection saw regular guest selectors invited in on the regular to play some of their favourites. 

Up a ramp behind a door, the SHADES backroom showcased a roster of resident DJs, special guests and experimental cinema screenings by the Golden Age Cinema programming team. Restored vintage Klipsch speaker stacks, salvaged from Sydney’s iconic Sublime nightclub, were used to provide the acoustic backdrop with projectors and screens providing a platform for digital art and moving image installations and collaborations.