Picnic Touring & Events

05/01/2024

Surprise! We're back in for a lil month of Saturdays in the Ace lobby starting tomorrow.

You know the score; free entry, epic music, very drinkable drinks and damn comfy couches. This month we're stoked to welcome some long time collaborators back including some true day oners; along with some new faces as always 🫶

Please meet your Lobby Enthusiasts

Jan 6 anno



Jan 13




Jan 20
bitmorgan


Jan 27bb ciara
Jon Watts aka

Every Saturday Jan 24' 6 - 12am | Free Entry 🫶

05/01/2024

Surprise! We're back in for a lil month of Saturdays in the Ace lobby starting tomorrow.

You know the score; free entry, epic music, very drinkable drinks and damn comfy couches. This month we're stoked to welcome some long time collaborators back including some true day oners; along with some new faces as always 🫶

Please meet your Lobby Enthusiasts

Jan 6 anno



Jan 13
Andy Webb
Daniel Lupica
Prop Joe

Jan 20
bitmorgan


Jan 27bb ciara
Jon Watts aka

Every Saturday Jan 24' 6 - 12am | Free Entry 🫶

30/11/2023

For the final month of our residency at the we’ve invited some dear friends and long time collaborators along to sound track the most festive month of the year. 

Presenting five weeks of Friday Lobby Ethusisats that we're wildly enthusiastic about. 

Dec 1
aka Byron Spencer
bitmorgan aka Morgan

Dec 8
Boogie Monster 
Daniel Lupica 
Prop Joe 

Dec 15

aka Bongmist 

 

Dec 22
jpg


Dec 29
aka DJ Dior Saddle Bag
aka Deepa


Fridays | 6pm - 12am  | December ‘23 | Free Entry 

Scroll through for the faces (and backs 😁) of the first two weeks selectors!

You know there’ll be a second carousel incoming too. We’ll be celebrating these stars all month long. 

See you tomorrow night from 6pm 💋💋💋

05/10/2023

Times are changing 🍃

After six very low-key months, including a few months since the final Picnic, I've had time to reflect and take stock of a particularly trying few years.

Although Picnic's time was over, what sits behind me are some of the greatest lessons I'll ever learn (ideally in my life, as honestly, there was enough... but who am I kidding) and ahead lies the opportunity to put them into practice.

And so, Primary is born.

Originally inspired by The Cure song (of the same name), the more I thought about the word, the more it grew in meaning and intention, and although we'll be taking it very slow in terms of (hopeful) growth, the primary intention of this new business is to protect its integrity and its purpose, which is as straightforward as it's ever been: to bring great music to great people.

Primary's story will evolve, and there will be a familiarity to a lot of what we do; but if there was ever a starting point, I'm proud to announce it's three months of chilled Friday nights at my favourite hotel lobby - the extraordinary Ace Hotel. A place where DJs get to be themselves while you sink into a dangerously comfy chair.

We'll be launching this Friday (tomorrow) with a lineup of all stars, the same as all other weeks.

If you're still following us thank you! I hope you can join us on the next journey too.

We'll be working through a rebrand across all our socials and online presence over the coming weeks.

Carly / Kali ♥️

06/04/2023

PICNIC IS DEAD. LONG LIVE PICNIC.

15 years ago Picnic was started as a platform for people to be able to perform at their best. I always hoped to get to a 20-year milestone, however as many now know, the losses have become unsustainable, and for this reason, I’ve made the very difficult decision to take a final bow, and say “see ya never” to Picnic.

There is much to be learned from both mine and Picnic’s story, both of which are intrinsically linked. I’ve made tremendous sacrifices financially, physically, and mentally to nurture the business for over a decade. For the most part, it’s always felt worth it, however, recently I’ve not been able to execute at the high standard I hold myself to professionally or personally.

I believe Picnic has made an invaluable investment in Sydney, hosting over 4,000 DJ / live music slots and spanning more than 600 parties. I know the range and volume of the work I’ve done has helped to change the landscape for the better, and I hope I’ve inspired new promoters and venues wanting to push great music.

With a heavy heart, but a positive outlook, today I announce the final curtain call(s), but I do so without saying goodbye and good riddance as if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that I do have more to give.

Our final Picnic Birthday will be our 15th, at the Sydney Opera House on May 26, where we’ll be saying farewell, in true Picnic style, with a bucket list booking for me personally, in Levon Vincent.

Separately, Picnic will also be presenting the next 4 weeks of Fridays at the Ace Hotel – starting tomorrow at 4pm on April 7 – and with two last hurrahs penned for April 21 and June 29 at The Abercrombie. These last parties have been programmed with a desire to send the brand off with the biggest celebrations of our 15 years of service to this city’s culture, and all that has flourished in this time.

I’d like to acknowledge everyone and anyone who has had a hand in supporting both myself and the business of Picnic over our history, with a special mention to Andy Webb who stuck by me for seven years, with such a formidable work ethic, and unwavering support.

Thank you, Sydney, for the lessons, the memories, and the good times. I hope to see you on the dance floor soon.

xox Carly aka Kali aka no longer defined by Picnic

ps. Tix for Opera House + April 21 ~> https://linktr.ee/picnicstuff

03/04/2023

Lobby Enthusiasts unite!

What an absolute no brainer this gig was for us. Programming four free Fridays at the best bar in Sydney, it is without a doubt our favourite past time 🥂

So please join us and our esteemed selectors from this Friday with great Good Friday trading hours of 4pm - 10pm.

Thanks for inviting us to sound track your extraordinary Lobby - it feels like the home coming of the century and it's not even our home.

Sydney, we'll see you at the lobby, and please, let's get cozy.

Art by what a pleasure to have found you and your sexy designs 💞

22/02/2023

Resident Advisor sharing the Picnic presents Maximum Joy | March 10 and Picnic presents Âme, Mano Le Tough, Michael Mayer, Cassette + Reenie good word!

Tickets are available on RA here ~>

Maximum Joy https://ra.co/events/1644209
Ame, Mano Le Tough etc https://ra.co/events/1659122

The event takes place at Manning Bar on March 10th.

10/01/2023

07/12/2022

If feels funny posting a DJ Simon Caldwell bio as we know and love him so much, but maybe sometimes it's nice to remember how someone got here 📍

Officially, he's been DJing since the early 1990s and has managed to avoid the stifling 'style' classification so many other DJs trap themselves into, keeping himself free to draw on his varied loves of deep, soulful house, techno, funk, jazz, electro, b***y, hip hop and anything else which catches his ear. He's supported a list of artists longer than your arm, including Larry Heard, Theo Parrish, The Black Madonna, Rolando, Herbert, Claude Young, Maurice Fulton, Grace Jones, Derrick Carter, Moodymann, Moritz von Oswald, Charles Webster, Fred P and Frankie Knuckles. He currently holds down Monday Sunset on FBI Radio which is ten years strong and is resident/co-promoter of Mad Racket, Sydney's underground party institution running since 1998. A regular headlining guest around Australia, he has also played in Berlin (first in 1998 at the original Tresor), Hamburg (at legendary club Golden Pudel), London, Moscow, St Petersburg and Czech Republic.

Less officially he's played for Picnic more times than any other DJ and when it comes to supporting Derrick Carter we knew he was our man. As above, Simon's crates go well beyond house music however, as far as a gold standard for house DJs goes; it doesn't get much more golden.

Tickets are absolutely popping off for Friday Picnic | Derrick Carter, Kilimi, Simon Caldwell, Troy Beman, Stelly G + Xaddy Xander don't miss out! 😄

21/11/2022

Picnic NYE | Charlotte de Witte, Andy Garvey + more | Liberty Hall on our mind.

Tix + more info here ~ https://bit.ly/3Okq0nD

We're running into a New Year with the queen of techno and a perfect supporting cast.

12/07/2022

Ten more stand out moments and photos from over the years!

1. Picnic FUN ft Tin Man | inner wester | 2015
2. Dreems One Night Stand | The Imperial | 2015
3. Andrew Weatherall One Night Stand | Sydney Opera House | 2017
4. Picnic FUN ft Philipp Gorbachev | near botany | 2014
5. Picnic FUN ft Phile (live) | inner wester | 2015
6. Picnic presents Soul Clap + FunkinEven | OAF | 2015
7. Ben Fester One Night Stand | The Imperial | 2014
8. Picnic FUN ft Preacha + Ben Fester | inner wester | 2014
9. Picnic ft Cut Copy DJs, Sleep D, Juno Mars, Babicka & Kali | Imperial | 2015
10. Picnic ft Tiago | Icebergs Dining Room and Bar | 2013

We’re loving this, we hope you are too! Ten more to come 🌖♥️