Esperance’s Lucky Bay Brewing up for WA live music venue of the year award

An Esperance brewery known for its food and beer has now been recognised for its vibrant arts scene, earning its first West Australian Music nomination for live music venue of the year. Lucky Bay Brewing first served its locally sourced barley-made beers to customers in 2015 in the backyard shed of Robyn Cail’s and Nigel Metz’s farm in Esperance. In December 2019, the rustic bar transitioned into a food, drink and music venue on Bandy Creek Road, and it has since grown into one of the town’s biggest attractions. Over the years, the brewery has been nominated for plenty of awards but never, until now, for its lively music scene. Ms Cail said she was surprised when she received the news. “We got the email from them and we’re like ‘Esperance? Us? Nominated with all these other venues in WA? What the hell? This is just amazing’,” she said. “We know quite a few musicians who have won awards that have played at our place. Other than linking to the musos and stuff, we are not in that scene, we’re in the brewery scene.” Ms Cail said the brewery could not have been nominated without the help of Kyza Presents founder Kyron Smithson, who is behind the venue establishing and keeping its music scene alive. “Not long after we opened, COVID hit,” she said. “We were all pretty sad and we just wanted a reason to smile and feel good about where we lived and what was going on. “So, I rang Kyza up and said ‘We just need a reason to smile, we just need your music, we don’t care if no one’s here’. “We decided we were going to commit to supporting live local musicians for every Friday and every Sunday.” Since restrictions have lifted, the brewery has never missed its set live music days. Mr Smithson said he believed Ms Cail’s and Mr Metz’s consistency and dedication to supporting local acts was key to the live music venue of the year nomination. “I think they really recognise the value of live music to the venue, but not only that, they recognise the value of live music to the community and also to the artists that get to perform at their venue,” he said. “For so many venues, live music really isn’t a priority, it’s just something they do, but I feel like it is a real priority for Lucky Bay Brewing. “The consistency as well is just off the charts.” Mr Smithson and Ms Cail both mentioned how the brewery venue was like no other, including its portable stage which features windsurfing boards left behind by international competitors, and its dynamic space which can cater to a variety of music events. Lucky Bay Brewing is up against Perth’s Honky Tonk Blues, Indian Ocean Hotel, Milk Bar and Bridgetown’s The Llama Lounge for the award, which will be announced at an awards evening in Fremantle on Wednesday. Ms Cail said regardless of if the venue won its category, Lucky Bay Brewing would continue to support local artists and bring its good vibe to Esperance. “I think it’s pretty unlikely we’ll win it — we’re just stoked to be shortlisted in the nominations,” she said. “It’s just a real recognition from the WA music scene that a regional venue can offer such a good space to support the live music industry. “There’s some serious quality that comes out of here, and to give them that opportunity to be the best at their game is just something we think is a really solid thing to support. “It is also about giving those musicians that are doing, like, a lap of Australia a place to play at so that they can afford the fuel to go back across the Nullarbor. “We don’t have any ambitions to take over the world or anything. We just want to continue to be inspired, vibrant, and keep the ideas and the place fresh and a place where people want to come and hang out.”