Five of Sydney’s Inner West breweries will transform their venues into immersive sonic spaces for the upcoming All Ears event series, encouraging patrons to rediscover the art of ‘truly listening’ to music.
Taking place through March and April, All Ears will span five evenings at Mixtape Brewing & Bar, Future Brewing, Chuck and Son’s Brewing Co, Wayward Brewing Co and Wildflower Brewing & Blending, playing five iconic albums in full, on vinyl, as the artist intended.
Taking inspiration from the vinyl listening bars of Japan, Peter Philip, Founder of Wayward, says the participating breweries were eager to explore this concept when they were approached by audio equipment manufacturer Sonos.
Each of the breweries will be fit with Sonos audio systems to create an environment where every note, lyric and layer of sound is heightened for the ultimate audio experience.
“In terms of making it immersive, the five breweries hosting the All Ears nights have already been acoustically tested and had new speakers installed by Sonos to make these album experiences sound as amazing as possible,” Philip explains.
“The events are ticketed too so they’ll be full of real music lovers, which is exciting. We’re playing the album on vinyl for that warm sound and then playing attendees’ related requests afterwards too.”
Curated and hosted by Sydney DJ Andrew Levins, the series will showcase Pink Floyd x Wizard of Oz (Dark Side of the Rainbow), Stankonia by Outkast, Kick by INXS, Kid A by Radiohead and Mulatu of Ethiopia by Mulatu Astatke.
“We wanted to celebrate amazing timeless albums across a span of eras and genres, records that sound great sonically but also still hit a deep emotional chord with audiences. It was very hard for venues to pick just one album, but we got there,” Philip continued.
For $40, each ticket includes a welcome drink and snack to set the scene before Levins guides audiences into the listening session, followed by a flow of genre-specific selections and special guest requests to continue the evening of music appreciation.
In what has no doubt been a challenging 12 months for the brewing industry, Philip is confident that these types of events can help breweries to diversify their revenue streams and engage patrons in unique ways.
“The perception of breweries is really changing from just places where you drink beer to creative communal spaces which can accommodate all sorts of events. That entices innovative companies like Sonos to collaborate and definitely helps open up new revenue streams,” he told Beer & Brewer.
“Brewery taprooms offer big, interesting and unpretentious spaces with plenty of character and charm. For example, here at Wayward we’re located in an old 1940s winery which is intimate and perfect for absorbing a record like Radiohead’s Kid A.
“At Wildflower Brewing, All Ears will be hosted in their gorgeous new space called the Foundry which is full of oak barrels and fairy lights. It’s a magical spot. As for beer, doesn’t that make most things better?”
With the Inner West Ale Trail supported through the Office of the 24-Hour Economy 24-Hour Economy Commissioner’s district development programs, Michael Rodrigues, 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, added: “While there will always be a place for standalone venues and major hospitality groups in delivering brand partnerships, the co-ordinated district approach gives rise to opportunities for SMEs to participate in medium and large-scale activations.
“And it’s an example of meeting customers where they are or where they want to be, rather than the alternate approach which often relies on the installation of one off event infrastructure. I think this is a great evolution of the district model and I welcome it.”