Esplanade Hotel opens for St Kilda Arts Crawl live music once more
FOR the first time in more than two years the beloved Espy in St Kilda was filled with the sound of live music at the weekend.
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For the first time in more than two years a beloved St Kilda venue was last weekend filled with the sound of live music.
The Espy closed in May 2015 for extensive renovations, with management at the time saying it would reopen by that summer.
St Kilda’s The Espy sold to hospitality group Sand Hill Road
But the 138-year-old hotel has remained shut since and questions about its future went unanswered until it was bought by prolific hospitality group Sand Hills Road in March this year.
The former bastion of live music hosted two shows as part of the St Kilda Arts Crawl at the weekend, attracting scores of people to the beachfront pub.
On its Facebook page, which has been largely inactive since the pub closed, management spruiked the events and The Espy’s commitment to keep St Kilda’s arts community “alive and kicking”.
“We’re opening up the Gershwin Room for our friends at St Kilda Art Crawl who are hosting some pop-up events,” the post said.
“The Espy is keeping keep the spirit of the St Kilda arts community alive and kicking ... even while we’re closed.”
Australian punk royalty X headlined the September 23 event, supported by The Heartache State and DJ Whitt.
The venue has been a long-time favourite among musicians, including legend Paul Kelly who recorded tracks for his 1995 album Live at the Continental and the Esplanade in the Gershwin Room.
In 2002 John Farnham chose the foreshore venue to launch The Last Time.
Hit TV show RocKwiz was filmed at The Espy for years before its closure.
A post on the SBS music quiz show’s Facebook page said the show hoped “to be back in the Gershwin Room recording new episodes” when the landmark venue reopened next year.
The Espy management were contacted for comment.
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