The Annandale Hotel in Sydney's inner west is a bit of an institution. Not only does it support the local music and drinking scene, but being one of the few remaining live music venues left in Sydney, it has also hosted some of the biggest bands in the world.
I'm pretty sure it was within the walls of The Annandale that The Vines front man Craig Nicholls lost his mind a couple of years back. Sitting alongside Parramatta Road (undoubtedly the ugliest road in Sydney), the pub definitely looks like it's seen better days, and has been on the verge of extinction for a couple of years.
Surprisingly enough the Buy a Brick campaign has helped from being sold off into the hands of a developer. What I originally thought was a far fetched idea has taken off in a pretty big way. For a hundred bucks or so you can invest in the pub by buying a brick. In return you get shit loads of free drink tickets and a shiny plaque on the wall- win win! It's amazing how one super cool little idea has stopped an entire instition from going under.
It's sad to see places like this disappear, cause you really can't replace history. If you live in Sydney, be sure to head into one of the most chilled bars left around. It's definitely keeping the pub scene real!
Check out the film below of The Vines smashing Dope Train at the venue in 2006. YEWWWW!
Feature image courtesy The Annandale Hotel.
