Thornbury Local + The Espy

LIVE MUSIC is always free for patrons – showcasing a wild variety of tunes, from western to reggae and punk to bluegrass, the Post Office Hotel offers music in the front bar from Thursday ‘til Sunday every week. FAMOUS FOR Coburg Brewing Co’s onsite micro brewery and leafy beer garden. INFAMOUS FOR keeping punters on their feet by putting on huge surprise gigs with short notice – still very sad to have missed the one-off surprise King Gizzard acoustic night last year. Located in the heart of Coburg, the Post Office Hotel is a local pub with iconic art deco features that boasts a great selection of food and drinks. With free live music for patrons, grab a beer in the charming beer garden as well as their lounge and enjoy the tunes. If it’s a boogie and a beer you’re after, The Post Office likes to shake things up with DJs playing ‘til late on Saturday nights.

With a longstanding reputation for being an iconic neighbourhood pub, their food is the perfect blend of modern gastronomy and classic pub feeds. You can even hold your wedding in the adjoining Dining Hall – with the venue’s in house wedding planner taking care of your special day, enjoy the great atmosphere and delicious food in one of the Post Office Hotel’s event spaces. If you’re looking for something smaller, they host Bijou Weddings, as part of their alternative, affordable wedding package. Whether it’s an intimate private dinner or a large cocktail style party, there are many options for hosting an event here.

Whether you’re looking for a new local or hoping to delve outside the suburb you call home, make sure to add The Post Office Hotel to your list.

Visit them at 231 Sydney Road, Brunswick. The Post Office Hotel is open from 3pm on Monday and Tuesday, and from midday Wednesday ‘til Sunday. They’re open until late.

LIVE MUSIC like nowhere else in the south - featuring live gigs, open mics and comedy in the basement or the iconic Gershwin room, there’s always something on at The Espy. FAMOUS FORbeing the southside’s premier destination for live music. With their new Espy Live program, they’re reinvigorating the south with some killer gigs. 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. Situated on the St Kilda foreshore, overlooking both the bay and Catani Gardens, this laid-back hangout is 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 all 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.

“It’s hard to talk about what live music can mean, at its best, without sounding pretentious. And it should never sound pretentious,” says renowned singer-songwriter Ben Lee. “Because it’s everything at once – holy and horny, debauched and devotional, fantastic and fun. I just can’t wait to be back on a stage, sweaty and singing my heart out for a group of humans that want to take a journey together for an hour or two. Allowing my mind to drift, I can hear the angels calling me now ‘the Espy awaits! The Espy awaits! Don your coolest hat and shoes and be ready to be merged into music once again!’”

Visit The Espy at 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda. They’re open from midday, everyday.