12 minute read

Bar 303 + Football Music Culture Studios

from Beat 1703

by Furst Media

from Beat 1703, page 40

Telenova 38, The Detroit Cobra...

Alchemy Brewing

LIVE MUSIC takes place on special occasions at Alchemy Brewing, with incredible musicians providing live accompaniment while you enjoy their large array of beers and delicious food. FAMOUS FOR their unique range of beers, that are simultaneously approachable and diverse. “I’ve always wanted to make real beer for real people,” says owner Pim Muter. “You won’t see me making a Peanut Butter Marshmallow Imperial Pastry Stout or anything like that. That’s not my style.” INFAMOUS FOR their selected Thursday $8 pints. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a great quality cheap pint in their happy hour that lasts all night. Be prepared to be a little dusty heading to work on Friday morning. When you enter into Alchemy Brewing, you’re immediately greeted by the venue’s inviting and stylish open-plan seating, lush pot plants that dangle from its ceiling, pool tables and industrial-style barstools. “My vision for Alchemy was for it to be a venue first and a brewery second,” says Alchemy Brewing owner, Pim Muter.

Kitted out with a full kitchen, bar and brewery, Alchemy Brewing is the perfect place for your next group booking or party. They can even design and brew a unique, one-off beer for your special occasion to make your event extra memorable.

“We brew a wide range of styles catering to beer enthusiasts and traditional beer lovers alike, we also pride ourselves in keeping a great wine list plus a tailored selection of spirits and house cocktails.”

Known far and wide for their delicious food, Alchemy Brewing’s extensive menu has all the pub highlights with an irresistibly gourmet twist. “The venue has a fabulous gastropub-style menu and DJ Manchild can often be seen playing a diverse range of records on Friday and Saturday nights,” Muter continues. With an approachable and welcoming atmosphere, Alchemy Brewing is the perfect place to grab a pint, enjoy the tunes and sip on some delicious beer crafted by a team who know their stuff.

Feel the magic of Alchemy Brewing by heading to 296 Lygon Street, Brunswick East. They’re open from 4 pm Monday through Friday and midday on the weekend.

The Espy

LIVE MUSIC at The Espy has completely reinvigorated the Southside. With their new Espy Live program, catch anything and everything from live gigs, open mics and comedy in the basement or some pretty big-name acts in the iconic Gershwin room. FAMOUS FOR The Gershwin Room at The Epsy being the live filming location for the Australian quiz show RocKwiz – where years before, host Julia Zemiro used to work as a waitress at the hotel. INFAMOUS FOR the venue’s crazy past – from the home of the NGV’s enigmatic and extremely wealthy benefactor in the 19th Century, to a steamy and smoky jazz venue in the 1920s, to a disco in the ‘70s … The Espy has seen it all. An iconic and longstanding music venue, there’s nowhere in the south quite like the Hotel Esplanade – lovingly known as The Espy by the locals. The Epsy has seen many transformations throughout the ages - from a steamy and smoky jazz and dance venue in the 1920s, to a disco in the 1970s – but one thing has remained throughout its storied history: it has always been a good community venue in support of local musicians.

Situated on the St Kilda foreshore and overlooking both the bay and Catani Gardens, The Espy is a laid-back hangout in an extremely versatile space. With a 1950s-style Studio Bar on the ground floor, Cantonese restaurant Mya Tiger on the first floor and mezzanine-level function room, The Espy is a live music and entertainment labyrinth ready for you to discover. Live music shows, open mic nights and comedy sessions are always happening across the expansive venue, showcasing everything from intimate jazz and acoustic sets to heavier rock bands all weekend and most weeknights. Whether it’s a gig in the prolific Gershwin Room or a weekly free show in the basement, The Espy’s past, present and future is as the home of live music located right at the heart of St Kilda.

Bar 303

LIVE MUSIC at 303 is constantly varied. With an eclectic mix of performances spanning all imaginable genres - and some unimaginable ones - you’ll be treated to a vastly different band each time you go. FAMOUS FOR their iconic Hammond Sessions Kickin’ the B that go down the first and last Thursday nights of the month. Monday night Bohjass jasshuB and regular jazz and electronica residencies. INFAMOUS FOR being open ’til the wee hours of the morning, even on weeknights. If a good chat and a cheeky bev at 2 am on a Monday is your absolute jam, Bar 303 is the place for you. 303 (that’s three-o-three, not three hundred and three, aka Bar 303 or Cafe 303) is a cool and groovy Northcote hotspot perfect for late-night drinks. A chill dive bar with a great atmosphere and acoustic or jazz bands playing in the front room by the window, Northcote’s oldest live music bar lets you get up close and personal with the acts that you’re there to see.

Open until 3 am, even on weeknights, 303 is a bastion of livelihood in the wee hours of the morning, inviting you to dance the night away while the rest of High Street sleeps. Or just chill out and read a book at 2am, if that’s your thing. They also have occasional Comedy nights that take place in the back band room, which has seen residencies from the likes of Ross Noble and Alan Davies. With fair prices, great tunes and talkative bartenders, this High Street institution is loved by locals for its friendly atmosphere, retro vibes and a ridiculous variety of quality acts.

Come check out what the fuss is all about at 303 High Street, Northcote. They’re open from 5pm – 3am every day, except for some Sundays, where they’re open from 3:03pm.

Football Music Culture Studio

FOOTBALL MUSIC CULTURE – I mean, it’s all in the name isn’t it? It should be noted that the ‘football’ in question is the global definition (AKA soccer) so as not to catfish any Aussie Rules obsessives. The unique venue fuses sports with music and art with the goal of making our world a little better. FAMOUS FORits Match Mixer series, taking place during the FIFA World Cup 2022. The studio has been airing both live and delayed games as part of the world-renowned event, happening this year in Doha, Qatar, as well as fundraising through merch sales. INFAMOUS FOR speaking out about the human rights violations that took place during the construction of Qatar’s World Cup infrastructure. The studio is raising money for the families of the workers who died while building the controversial venues (there are reports that the number is somewhere near 6500). Tucked away on a Fitzroy backstreet, the FMC Studio is dedicated to being an advocate for equality, kindness, and human rights through its work as a creative communications social enterprise. The founder and director, Shane Boyle, said Qatar’s FIFA World Cup challenged the studio’s morals.

“With the World Cup in Qatar, we had two options, 1) boycott the event and say nothing; or 2) do something about it,” he said. In the end, they chose to use the tournament as a force for good. They linked up with local artists to create merch featuring provocative designs, with all the proceeds to be donated to aggrieved families in Qatar. The merch in question is available online and could serve as a pretty sweet stocking stuffer for any soccer fans. “Art and music can influence the way football fans respond and engage with the issues,” said Shane Boyle. They’re a licensed bar and they encourage punters to drop in and check them out. You can also head to their website to buy a fundraising Match Mixer t-shirt and check out the space and the professional services they offer.

Visit Football Music Culture at 61a Leicester St, Fitzroy.

FESTIVAL GUIDE Festivals in December

Words by Benjamin Lamb

Falls Festival

This year’s incarnation of Falls Festival will be making its way to Sidney Myer Music Bowl. International artists include Arctic Monkeys, Lil Nas X, and Jamie XX, and the strong local line-up features Beddy Rays, King Stingray and Telenova among many more.

Falls Festival is taking place at the Sydney Myer Music Bowl over New Years.

Good Things

It’s been a hot minute since we’ve had a full blown international metal festival hit our shores. Good Things is a new music extravaganza hitting the Flemington Racecourse. There’ll be a spread of genres with artists like Bring Me The Horizon, Deftones, TISM, Gojira, and Regurgitator appearing.

Good Things is taking place at the Flemington Racecourse on December 2.

LUFT Festival

A techno festival is making its way to Melbourne this December, the LUFT Festival brings a different sort of experience, immersing audiences in the music. Involved artists include Alex Stein, Kuniyuki Takahashi, Township Rebellion, and many more.

The LUFT Festival is taking place at PICA on December 3. Grinchfest ‘22

As the year draws to a close, there are end of year festivals and wrap-up events happening across Melbourne’s stages. There’ll also be food from Good Gnocchi, and drinks from Moon Dog, each making sure it’s a fun night out.

Grinchfest ‘22 will be taking place at the Collingwood Town Hall on December 17.

Wild Horses

Hitting stages in Carapooee West this December is the Wild Horses Festival, a psy-trance-centric bush doof that celebrates music, arts and nature. There’ll be music from artists like Atia, Martian Arts, and Synthtik Chaos, among many more.

Wild Horses is happening from December 9 until December 11 in Carapooee West.

NYE On the Hill

It’s time to start organising your NYE, and why not spend it in Gippsland? NYE on the Hill brings the region music from Hockey Dad, Slowly Slowly, Ruby Fields and Birdz, and more.

NYE On the Hill is happening at The Farm over New Years.

Jamaican Music and Food Festival

A celebration of culture is coming to Williamstown this December, this time celebrating all things Jamaica. There’ll be music, food, and plenty more.

The Jamaican Music and Food Festival is taking place at Seaworks on December 10. One of Australia’s favourite music festivals is coming this December, Meredith Music Festival returning after a few years out of action. It’ll feature Yothu Yindi, Caribou, Private Function and Dry Cleaning among many more.

Meredith Music Festival is taking place from December 9 until December 11 in Meredith.

Spilt Milk

Another music festival will be hitting Victoria this month; Spilt Milk will be returning after a few years out of action for obvious reasons. This year’s incarnation will feature music from internationals like Steve Lacy, and locals like Telenova, Genesis Owusu and G Flip.

Spilt Milk is taking place in Ballarat on December 3.

Mornington Country Music Festival

A celebration of the genre will be coming to The Briars this month, the Mornington Country Music Festival will be headlined by The Wolfe Brothers.

The Mornington Country Music Festival is taking place at The Briars on December 3.

Beyond The Valley

After a toned down 2021 version renamed Beyond The City, Beyond The Valley is back in full swing at their new home in Barunah Plains. You can catch artists such as Denzel Curry, Nelly Furtado, Benee, Yeat, and many more.

Beyond The Valley is taking place at Barunah Plains over New Years.

Ocean Sounds Music Festival

As the weather (hopefully) warms up over the next little bit, there’s a bunch of outdoor festivals on the horizon, one of which is taking place in Phillip Island this December - Ocean Sounds is an all Australian affair, headlined by Tash Sultana.

The Ocean Sounds Music Festival is happening on December 10 in Phillip Island.