The Espy's Battle of the Bands Grand Final is bringing five wildly different Melbourne acts together for one massive night at St Kilda's favourite pub.
Grab a schnitty and your loudest cheer, because St Kilda’s most iconic pub, The Espy, is about to crown a champion.
The competition kicked off back in August, with 25 Melbourne acts thrown into the Gershwin Room across five heats, judged on a split between crowd votes and a panel.
Now the field has been whittled right down, and it all comes down to one night, with a serious prize pool on the line.
First place walks away with:
- $4,000 cash from The Espy
- A paid slot on The Espy Live stage at St Kilda Festival 2027
- A promo photography session with Indianah Hayz Photography
- 50 printed posters and 1,000 A6 flyers from Shout Out Loud
- 50 band t-shirts from OPM Designs
- A feature interview on beat.com.au and a full page in Beat’s print magazine
Second place isn’t walking away empty-handed either, picking up:
- $1,000 cash from The Espy
- 100 A3 posters and 250 A6 flyers from Shout Out Loud
Every finalist also gets one song recorded live on the night by Darius Papak from Mudbrick Studios.
The Espy’s Battle of the Bands Grand Final is nearly here, with five wildly different acts fighting for the crown.
Charlotte Bridie, Everlyne, Pepper la Floyd, Operation Karma and The Masons all punched their way out of the heats, and now they’ll face off at The Espy’s Battle of the Bands Grand Final for bragging rights, a trophy, and whatever glory comes with winning a proper pub battle of the bands.
The Espy’s Battle of the Bands Grand Final
- Date: 27 September
- Venue: Gershwin Room, The Espy, St Kilda
- Tickets: available here
Check out our gig guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
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Charlotte Bridie
Charlotte Bridie is an alt pop artist steadily winning over audiences across Naarm.
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Her lyrics lean vulnerable, but her live shows are anything but heavy going, with fans encouraged to dance, sing and cry right along with her. Expect warm, rich melodies alongside plenty of awkward, witty humour and cheeky crowd participation, all wrapped up in a sound that’s been described as fun and a little melancholy at once.
Her live sets have already earned her a reputation as an act worth catching early.
Everlyne
Everlyne are a five piece blending emo dance pop with modern metalcore, built around break-ups and breakdowns in equal measure.
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The band folds pop sensibility into heavier, more cinematic production, backed by soaring vocals and songs that stay emotionally honest whether they’re leaning into a quiet, intimate moment or building to a room-shaking chorus.
Live, the band is known for explosive energy that hits just as hard sonically as it does emotionally.
Pepper la Floyd
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Pepper la Floyd are a Melbourne rock powerhouse known for high energy performances and a sound that draws on the golden era of classic rock while still carving out its own identity.
The band has been steadily building a name for itself around the local scene, and is quickly becoming one to watch.
Operation Karma
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Operation Karma are a trio fuelled by rage and political frustration, delivering heavy, alternative music with an explosive live atmosphere.
They’ve built a reputation around town for a raw, no-frills sound and a live show that tends to win crowds over fast.
The Masons
The Masons are a Melbourne band who first made their mark with their debut EP, Push and Push.
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The group say they’re now heading in a new direction entirely, with a sound unlike anything they’ve released before, driven by a new lead guitarist and a fresh sense of purpose.
The current line-up is Flynn Hunter on vocals and rhythm guitar, Isaac Onofretchook on drums, Amon Hoskin on lead guitar and Tom Hoyles on bass.
The Espy Battle of the Bands
Whoever takes the trophy home, this grand final is shaping up as one of the more unpredictable nights on the Melbourne pub circuit in a while, five completely different sounds under one roof, all fighting for the same title.
For more information, head here.
Beat is a proud media partner of The Espy Battle of the Bands.
