One of Ballarat's original hotels is bringing a new generation of musicians to the limelight, working with established artists - and some local legends - to create a space for live performance to thrive.
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The Eastern - or to give it its full name, The Eastern Station - Hotel opened 157 years ago, catering to the thirsty patrons alighting at the nearby Ballarat East railway platforms, and no doubt the hard-working fettlers, drivers, firemen, guards and staff as well.
Current licensees Matt and Chrissie Stone are celebrating their first year of taking over the pub, and have a keen respect for the history of the Ballarat East watering hole - including the fact that it sits on the border of that historic suburb, and played a role in the politics of the day.
"It's a Ballarat East hotel," says Matt; "it's on the wrong side of the tracks."
"The right side of the tracks," says Chrissie.
In 1869 the licensee was a J. (most likely John) Elford, who was also a local councillor it appears, having won a seat that year. Mr Elford made representations at council meetings for his constituents, who were at constant threat from the dangers of undermining by local gold companies, and his hotel was also a meeting place for the burgeoning unionised labour movements of the time.
Matt Stone says being so old, the pub has all kinds of stories attached to it: that it's haunted (by almost a dozen ghosts according to some); that the Ladies Lounge was known as the 'Snake Pit'.
One tale that has some historical credence is that of the publican back in the early days who refused to serve a strikebreaker, or scab, in Ballarat at the time.
His refusal led to a court case, wherein the publican's right to refuse service to anyone was upheld.
"This is not a nightclub," says Chrissie Stone.
"It's a pub. It was a pub then, when people banded together to say what they would and wouldn't accept, and we want people to know you can still drop into your local and catch up with your mates here."
Beginning in April 2018, The Eastern has played host to a diverse range of musicians and bands. One of the first to perform was legendary singer and songwriter Kim Salmon who has played in the seminal Perth band The Scientists, Beasts of Bourbon, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists and Darling Downs.
Since then, the weekends have been filled with names like Matt Walker, Robyn Hitchcock, The Senegambian Jazz Band, Spiral Stairs (Scott Kannberg from Pavement), Eddie Spaghetti (from The Supersuckers), Sydney's Powerline Sneakers and Melbourne up-and-comers Ute Root, just to name a selected few.
Matt Stone says being a Ballarat native has given Chrissie and himself essential insight into what drives people to come and see music in the city, especially during the cold dark nights of winter, when drawing people onto the icy streets can be a challenge.
"We've grown up in the community together," he says.
"We've got Nick (Murnane); he's an old friend who used to work with Patrick (the late Paddy O'Driscoll) at Korova, when they set that up, helping us. He was my first phone call, to be honest. I told him I was going to do this, and asked him what he thought.
"He said, 'Don't do it.'
"I told him I was going to do it anyway, and he said, 'Well if you do it, I'll back you.' So we have his Melbourne contacts." (Murnane books acts for the Evelyn Hotel in Fitzroy).
"We're trying to get those good Melbourne and international bands in, and then get our local supports around them, trying to get the shows to work like that," Matt Stone says.
"The first year has been a matter of getting some of those great bands up here and showing them that it's worth it.
The Eastern - or to give it its full name, The Eastern Station - Hotel opened almost 160 years ago, catering to the thirsty patrons alighting at the nearby Ballarat East railway platforms, and no doubt the hard-working fettlers, drivers, firemen, guards and staff as well.
"People will come to watch, say, Batpiss on the weekend and see the local band and get into it. The next time they see the locals playing, they'll come along... and we can build the community."
"We know what it's about, and we know how important these spaces are," says Chrissie Stone.
"We really keep our eyes on the local scene too. We need a consistent space to make a difference to the scene - and a smaller space.
"Those local contacts matter, seeing what they're up to and giving them the space as well. You try to attract a band or a person, to get the next thing done. It's no secret, and now some of the young kids coming through, they see The Eastern as a venue.
"But you have to go beyond your own taste in music, and that's Matt's bag."
"You get those kids out in the beer garden talking, they're hatching new plans..." says Matt.
The Eastern is building on a long history of Ballarat venues supporting live and independent music, from current venues such as Karova, Main Bar and the Cabaret Club back through Sutton's House of Music and Babushka to such fondly remembered institutions as Grainery Lane, The Camp and Town Hall hotels and the Bridge Mall Inn.
The pair are quick to praise the former licensees of the Eastern, Luke and Fin, for setting up the hotel as an intimate venue for music.
"That's the hard thing. You bring the bands in, it will be great music - but it depends on the weather, or what was on the weekend before... it's a hard industry to get consistency in, but we're starting to get that."
The Eastern Hotel is celebrating its first year under the stewardship of the Stones with a three-day music fest
"This is the best thing I've ever done," Matt Stone says.
"I love it, love it. It's so hard; it's driving me mad - I didn't have grey hair before I started...
"Oh bullshit," says Chrissie.
The Eastern Hotel is celebrating its first year under the stewardship of the Stones with a three-day music fest which began on Friday night with DJ sets and continues over the weekend with local names such as Freya Hollick, FLOC, The Dead Salesmen, Brodie and the Oxy Clinic, Mick Trembath, Connor Toomey and Strawberry Hick among a host of other names. Tickets are $20 at the door, with free entry on Sunday for those still wearing a wristband from the night before.