THE GEM BAR
GRAPEFUL
Words by Lucas Radbourne
Words by Joanne Brookfield
The Gem boasts everything good, warm and welcoming that a neighbourhood bar with live music, DJs and great food can offer. Melbourne has long been in love with their country, soul and rock n roll vibes, but in August the venue is stepping things up a notch with some superb residencies from Jazzparty and The Country & Western Ramblers, as well as the famous Sonnys Fried Chicken & Burgers now set up in their kitchen.
What’s the point of being a sophisticated inner-city wine drinker if you can’t enjoy your vino with some quality conversation about the latest emerging creatives?
On Monday nights in August, Jazzparty will be playing from 8pm ‘til late with free entry and all welcome. It’s the first time they’ll bring their New Orleans-inspired range of blues and boogie to The Gem - what better way to spend a cold Monday night than wrapped in beer, burgers, and rhythm ‘n blues. Jazzparty will be well-known to many Melburnians after the runaway success of their 2021 record Nobody Gets Away, which featured their engaging mix of calypso, soul, psychedelia and rock’n’roll. The songwriting partnership of Darcy McNulty and Loretta Miller have been a mainstay of the festival circuit since 2016, so this is a great chance to see the whole band in an intimate setting. What’s more, on August 12 Loretta Miller – Jazzparty’s lead singer – will be playing her debut show at The Gem. The Country & Western Ramblers deliver classic country, honky tonk and western swing in spades – and you can see them for free each Sunday arvo this month. The great work of Tom Brooks (guitar), James Ellis (bass), Ben Franz (pedal steel) and Pat Wilson (drums) – with all four members contributing vocals – will go down a treat at The Gem. August also sees the launch of regular Saturday arvo garage and punk shows showcasing the best local talent including Delivery, Billiam, Stepmother, Future Suck and TB As A Director. Then there’ll be all the usual attractions to get down there: happy hour until 6pm on Wednesday to Friday, $10 margaritas and bloody marys on a Sunday. The menu is bursting with comforting delights made for a Melbourne winter with all your favourite Sonny’s burgers and sides. Head down to The Gem Bar at 289 Wellington Street in Collingwood.
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Thankfully, Grapeful understands that a good drop is best paired with information and insights about the world of artists to take your tête-à-tête to that next level. Grapeful, an online wine shop specialising in organic, biodynamic and artisanal wines, offer you the option to have these carefully curated options delivered to your door. Being based in Melbourne means that if you place an order within the metropolitan area, you can have that delivered on the same day as long as you get your order in before 1pm. Or, you can set and forget and simply sign up to their Good Grapes Subscription service. Each month you’ll have a bundle of bottles delivered, which comes with a side serving of culture in an exclusive zine. Featuring all-important tasting notes and food pairing information to help you maximise your enjoyment of the wine, each month the zine also showcases an emerging artist, with an interview feature so you can learn more about their work while also enjoying viewing it – as each month the featured artist is commissioned to create an A3 Grapeful x Artist print and every box comes with one of those. Bundles come in a choice of either three, six or twelve and you can choose from red, white or if you want to experiment with the many options available, you can also opt for a mixed selection. Regardless of the bundle you choose, the zine and art print is part of that package. While the Good Grapes Subscription service is monthly, it’s also flexible, meaning you can pause or cancel your delivery frequency whenever you like. Just like Grapeful’s extensive collection of diverse, quirky, fun wines from around the world, the artists they select to feature also come from all corners of the globe, so a Good Grapes Subscription allows you to travel the world without leaving your home. We’ll raise a glass to that! Head to grapeful.com.au to get involved. This article was made in partnership with Grapeful.
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