Lulie Tavern in Abbotsford, Melbourne, is turning 10 this year, and to celebrate, they’re throwing a week-long party.
From Monday, March 31st to Sunday, April 6th, they’ll be reviving their country music nights with local bands, throwing down a killer free gig, and keeping the good times rolling with a disco DJ night.
With sets from Queenie & Hank, Ruby & Loretta, Patrick Wilson, DJ Ernie, and more, it’s a birthday bash Melburnians won’t want to miss. And it’s not just locals who love Lulie Tavern, either: the iconic Shania Twain once hosted her Aussie tour afterparty at the pub.
Proper rock ‘n’ roll bands like C.O.F.F.I.N and The Murlocs have played at Lulie Tavern, with one of Melbourne’s finest, Private Function, set for a raucous (and free) set next Friday.
Tone Deaf caught up with Lulie Tavern co-owner Jon-Lee Farrell to chat about what’s kept the rock ‘n roll haven thriving, standout moments over the years, and what’s in store for the next decade. Check out what he had to say below.
For more info, visit lulietavern.com.
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Tone Deaf: Lulie Tavern is hitting the 10-year mark – what do you think has been the key to its longevity?
Jon-Lee Farrell: I think part of the longevity has been that the venue started super small, very DIY and over the years has grown, but always maintained that core value of being a DIY, music and service driven venue. We still run the now much larger venue with multiple elements thinking about what makes us happy – being surrounded by great people, listening to great music!
How has the venue evolved since opening in 2015?
In quite a few ways! We moved from our original warehouse home on Lulie Street, 200m up the road in 2018 (of course due to apartment development) to our permanent home on Johnston Street. Over the years we’ve slowly upgraded our music production, adding a stage, upgrading the sound system, adding in lights, etc. And with that our music offering has grown from just vinyl DJs on weekends to gigs a minimum of three to four nights a week and DJs throughout the week. In 2022 we popped a rooftop bar on top of the tavern, a beer garden in the sky for those balmy nights. Lately we’ve been throwing some rooftop gigs up there too just for good measure!
You’ve hosted a lot of live music over the years – any standout gigs or moments that come to mind?
C.O.F.F.I.N in 2022 was an insane moment. The bar was flooded with folks well before the band played and of course an insane set followed. Having The Murlocs and Starcrawler from LA headline our mini festival, LuliePalooza, was a dream!
Our first show at Lulie, many, many years ago, was Davey Lane. It was a floor show with a little PA in the corner and it went off. That was a first dream come true for us.
Lulie’s been nominated for Music Victoria Awards – what does that recognition mean to you?
It feels like a nice nod from our peers. We’ve been at it a while now and good things take time, so it was nice to be alongside some of our other favourite venues that we’ve all been watching gigs at for a long time!
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What inspired the week-long anniversary celebrations, and how did you decide on the lineup of events?
We thought, “We’re only turning ten once, let’s party all week!” Lulie has become a lot of things for a lot of people, so it’s a chance to throw a little shindig for everyone – from smashing back a few Guinness, to enjoying the best of the best in country and rock n roll, to dancing into the night on a light up dance floor.
Can you tell us anything more about the free gig on Friday, April 4th?
Private Function in a 150-cap room. Free entry. Beers and chandeliers will fly!
LuliePalooza has grown over the years – how did that festival come about, and where do you see it heading?
When we opened Lulie, the block we were on was so industrial still, there really wasn’t much around and it just conjured up an image of a rock n roll block party. We were swiftly denied in our application to put in back then in 2015, but post COVID we saw an opportunity to strike again! Like the bar, the festival has grown organically, getting a little bigger and more diverse every year.
We see its expansion in terms of lineup and offering, but we want to keep it intimate and on the street. There’s something about taking over a suburban street and blasting rock ‘n’ roll for twelve hours once a year. Taking it bigger or moving venues would see it losing some of that gritty soul.
What role do you think Lulie plays in the local music and arts community?
We hope we’re becoming a reliable source for people to discover music, an overly hospitable place for emerging bands to show off their wares and a place for bigger bands to blow off some steam with an intimate show. The more the merrier in terms of live venues and music lovers, if we can be a staple amongst that then we’re happy.
Looking ahead, what’s the vision for Lulie over the next 10 years?
To solidify ourselves in the music venue landscape and be a staple for locals and visitors. We want it known that you can rock up most nights of the week and catch a diverse range of local music for free.
For someone who’s never been to Lulie, how would you describe the experience?
Welcome to Lulie, your home of that old time rock ‘n’ roll, free pool, a place to drink heartily and chow down on burgers, make friends with the bartender, and party like it’s 1969.
