THE NAKED CITY – with Miss Death, Jay Katz and Coffin Ed
A DOZERS GUIDE TO THE CITY OF SYDNEY
It’s often been said that a great international city is defined by the opportunities afforded its residents to take a nap or even a long sustained snooze amidst the hustle and bustle of the teaming urban jungle. In New York that could be a wooden bench in Central Park, in Paris a grassy patch on the Left Bank and in Bogota the back seat of a bullet proof car.
Here in Sydney we decided to put the doze factor to the test and explore those precious and sometimes hidden corners of the CBD where you can rest your weary head and catch the proverbial forty winks blissfully undisturbed by officialdom – a chance to naturally revive, free of the normal chemical stimulants supplied by energy drinks and endless double espressos.
We started at the splendidly stylish City Of Sydney Library at Circular Quay and soon discovered that it’s a haven for the sleep deprived, particularly in the mid to late afternoon where its comfy couches and soft back reading chairs are as inviting as a full blown Sealy Posturepedic. The listening room was obviously a prized location with a scruffy young man monopolising the entire couch as he wandered off into la-la land with headphones in place and a soothing selection from the CD library.
Equally popular was the newspaper section in the downstairs foyer where elderly gentlemen nodded gently, their torsos draped in crumpled copies of the Fiji Times and the Melbourne Herald-Sun. Throughout the entire library, staff remained oblivious to even the heaviest of dozers although we are told excessive snoring brings a gentle reprimand and the suggestion of a good crime thriller to get the heart racing.
At the more studiously inclined State Library in Macquarie Street, the professional snoozers were conspicuous in their absence, and apart from the odd student slumped over a long overdue essay, there was little to suggest that this was an ideal spot to drop off. You would be just too conspicuous, although one possibility might be to find a reference book large enough to cover the top half of your body as you nestled into your chair, seemingly deep in concentration – but in reality fast asleep.
Over at the Art Gallery of NSW the mood was even more subdued and contemplative and one would presume that it afforded the drowsy a chance to catch some shut eye in front of a Streeton or a Brett Whitely. Sorry – too many surveillance cameras and omnipresent attendants. We looked for a reclining nude that would perhaps act as a distraction to one’s own state of elongation but alas no such scenario existed.
Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s the non-stop newsreel, such as the old State Theatrette was the perfect spot to grab a couple of hours of deep and gently rewarding kip. The idea of forking over your hard-earned just for the privilege of snoozing through the latest George Street blockbuster won’t appeal to everybody but once inside the multiplex you can wander from cinema to cinema, racking up endless hours of sleep.
There’s no doubt that Sydney’s abundance of parks and gardens makes for the classic al fresco siesta – that’s if you are prepared to run the gauntlet of pickpockets, panhandlers, pigeons, ibis, rats, religious zealots and even an unexpected shower of batshit in the Botanic Gardens. Ergonomically speaking the traditional park bench hasn’t made much progress in the last 50 years so it’s a good idea to do your dozing with a companion as you quickly become each other’s cushion.
Which brings us to good old Gilligans Island at Taylor Square. A little outside the precincts of the CDB we’ll admit but this once tropical-like oasis was the classic sleep-off zone for both the genuinely fatigued and those just too buggered to make another sortee to the nearby Courthouse bottle shop. Now denuded of all vegetation apart from an almost concrete like covering of grass, it’s about as inviting as a bed or nails.
Come on City Of Sydney Council! How about a few all weather futons, some eco-friendly bean bags, a free snuggie dispenser and the odd tree or two to turn back the clock and restore the island to Sydney’s premier all-weather dorm.
THE HIT LIST:
- Jazzgroove Fundraiser – Tuesday November 10, 8.30pm Excelsior Hotel (Surry Hills): The Jazzgroove Association stage their annual fundraiser with two all star bands in Glitch Jukebox and Twentieth Century Dog – the latter featuring Cameron Undy, Matt Keegan, Tom O’Halloran and Jamie Cameron. The night also marks the launch of the 2010 membership package, full of great features for musicians and supporters alike. www.jazzgroove.com
- Amanda Thomas Album Launch – Wed November 18, 7.30pm Bridge Hotel (Rozelle): Indie songstress Amanda Thomas launches her highly reflective debut album with a great band that features Dave Longo on guitar, Hamish Stuart on drums and Gary Daley on keys. www.myspace.com/musicamandathomas
Miss Death, Jay Katz and Coffin Ed present The Naked City every Saturday between 10am and midday on FBi 94.5FM. Email them with your comments, gigs, events etc at: thenakedcity@fbiradio.com
