A man in a thick coat leans against an empty bus stop at night.

The Streets For the first time ever performing in full A Grand Don't Come for Free

  • Contemporary Music
  • Forecourt

A landmark album, performed live for the first time

Few artists have shaped the sound of 21st-century UK garage, grime and hip-hop quite like The Streets – the groundbreaking musical project of multi-hyphenate vocalist and performer Mike Skinner. Now, marking his Sydney Opera House debut, Skinner returns to Australia to perform A Grand Don’t Come for Free – widely regarded as one of the most influential British albums of the century – live in its entirety for the very first time.

The highly anticipated follow-up to The Streets’ 2002 debut Original Pirate Material, 2005’s A Grand Don’t Come for Free debuted at No.1 on the UK charts, went multi-platinum and spawned era-defining singles including Dry Your Eyes, Fit But You Know It and Blinded By the Lights. Blending humour, heartbreak and raw emotion with poetic precision, it cemented Skinner as one of the UK’s most distinctive and vital voices.

This Forecourt concert will give fans the rare chance to experience the album exactly as it was intended – a cinematic journey through love, loss, chaos and redemption – delivered with Skinner’s trademark honesty, wit and emotional punch.

An inimitable live performer whose Glastonbury 2024 set has already become the stuff of legend, Skinner is celebrated for his rambunctious, tongue-in-cheek energy and his unmatched ability to electrify a crowd. Don’t miss this chance to see A Grand Don’t Come for Free performed live in all its kinetic glory, alongside a selection of The Streets’ most beloved classics.

A note from Mike Skinner:

I spent a year in Australia when The Streets was just an idea rattling around in my head, before any of it made sense. Late nights that turned into mornings, hostels full of chaos, endless new faces and the kind of unfiltered, straightforward energy that only exists down under. All of that made its way onto my laptop and into the music that set me off on this journey. I’ve always loved coming back here with the band, it feels like a home away from home - the crowds are bonkers, they give as good as they get,  and this is the first time we’re bringing A Grand Don’t Come for Free to the stage in full. Can’t wait to get properly stuck in over in New Zealand and Australia.

It’s mad to think we’re playing on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. I’ve spent years seeing it from hotel windows, having beers and burgers on the steps, catching glimpses from the top of rides at Luna Park, on ferries to Manly and nights on Circular Quay. It’s always been there in the background on those tours an amazing and iconic part of the scenery. Funny how you spend years staring at it and now you’ve got to get up there and remember the words.

Double J is a proud media supporter of The Streets national tour

 

Presented by Sydney Opera House

Event details

Joyous pandemonium.

The Independent

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Attending this event

Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2025:
Everyone visiting the Opera House on NYE is strongly encouraged to plan ahead, use public transport wherever possible, and allow extra travel time. Large crowds are expected and significant road closures will be in place. For up-to-date transport information visit transportnsw.info. Access to the site for Forecourt ticket holders is between 12:00pm and 3:00pm via Macquarie Street, with cross city access via Bent Street

Location and access

Forecourt

Set below the famous white sails the Forecourt is located at the base of the Monumental Steps, between the Opera House and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

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