Matt, Tom, Doug and Andy continue to tell the story of Sand Hill Road. In this second episode they recall the day twenty years ago they took the keys to their first pub, Fitzroy's Commercial Club Hotel. They discuss the magic and mayhem of buying, renovating, opening and living in a run-down old pub. Dreams became reality... and nightmare, all at once!

Twenty years after buying their first pub, the Sand Hill Road founders Doug, Tom, Andy and Matt go way back to the start of their journey... brought to you from the midst of the  lockdown that has closed their businesses indefinitely.

Mitch James kicked his career off by busking on the streets of London. He’d moved to the UK, but struggled to make ends meet. James spent time sleeping rough, was beaten up and robbed. But he got to perform, honing his skills in front of an audience, busking during the day while playing more than 200 shows in pubs and bars around the country at night.

Benson represents everything that your parents hate, he plays loud sub bass driven house music, drinks a dangerous amount of alcohol & stays out way past his bedtime. But what don't you know about this south-side resident? If you enjoy good music, having a laugh and high 5s then you and Benson will get along just fine. 

Matt and Andy Mullins speak to Artistic Director Janenne Willis about the recently-presented Felton Museum. The Museum popped-up every day for a week on the top floor of The Espy, appropriately within the walls of our cocktail bar The Ghost of Alfred Felton.

Our good friend Jez Carne is in The Espy Studio talking art x consciousness with his usual punk flair. This time Jez is in conversation with Melbourne musician Billy Davis, who described it as one of the best conversations he has ever had.

Matt and Andy chat to The Espy's Music Director Shaun Adams about what music means to him, how he came to be involved in the music industry, and what it means to him to book bands at this iconic live music institution.

In part 2 of this now-somewhat-loose conversation, Matt chats with Exec Chef Ash Hicks, Bar Manager Kev Peters, Sommelier Matt Skinner and CPO Adrian De Silva about opening up The Espy.

Six months after opening, the team who make The Espy taste so damn good finally step away from their kitchens and their bars to tell us how they made it all happen. 

In the late 80's Bruce Weibye and Rob Stead started working together at The Espy. Over the next ten years they rebuilt the business, turbo-charged the live music program, rediscovered the Gershwin Room (and converted it to a now world-famous band room), and built a recording studio from which they recorded broadcast-quality recordings of thousands of legendary live performances here at The Espy.